Several translation of 1 Kings 18:33 (ESV, RSV, KJV, etc.) say "And he put the wood in order..." What was the "order" spoken of here? Similarly, Genesis 22:9 also speaks of putting wood "in order" in preparation for the planned sacrifice of Isaac.
Was there a specific order in which to position the wood for sacrificial offerings or something?
The Hebrew is ערך and whilst it has a wide semantic domain the basic idea behind the term is arrangement or setting up1, the term does not, therefore, necessitate that wood for the burning of the sacrifice had to set up in a special way, but simply that it needed to be set up. The NET captures this meaning well;
1 Kings 18:33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. (NET)
Notes 1†עָרַךְ S6186 TWOT1694 GK6885 vb. arrange or set in order (NH id.; also roll dough, 𝔗 עֲרַךְ id.; Ph. ערכת CISNo. 132, 4 valuation, Bloch, but dub.; Arabic عَرَكَ (ʿaraka) III. contend in battle, مَعْرَكٌ, مَعْرَكَةٌ (maʿrakun, maʿrakatun), battle-ground);—Qal Pf. 3 ms. ע׳ Jb 32:14; 2 Ch 13:3, וְע׳ consec. Lv 1:12; 6:5; עָרַכְתִּי Nu 23:4 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יַעֲרֹךְ Ex 27:21 +, etc.; Imv. עֶרְכָה Jb 33:5, עִרְכוּ Je 46:3; 50:14 (Ges§ 481); Inf. abs. עָרֹךְ Is 21:5; cstr. עֲרךְ Ju 20:22 +; Pt. act. pl. עֹרְכִים Is 65:11, etc.; pass. עָרוּךְ Je 6:23 +, cstr. עֱרוּךְ Jo 2:5 (Ges§ 22.4.2); not in D; 1. a. arrange in order, seven altars Nu 23:4, i.e. I have built seven altars in a row (cf. בנה v 1), flax-stalks Jos 2:6 (both JE); especially b. set or lay in order, as wood Gn 22:9 (E), 1 K 18:33, cf. Tophet Is 30:33; Lv 1:7; offerings Lv 1:8, 12; 6:5; lamp(s) Ex 27:21; Lv 24:3, 4 (all P), lamp (fig. of dynasty) ψ 132:17; ‘shew’-bread Ex 40:4, 23 (upon [עַל] sacred שֻׁלְחָן; both c. acc. cogn.), Lv 24:8 (P). c. in common life (cf. RSSem i. 183 f., 2nd ed. 200 f.), arrange a table (i.e. dishes in order upon it), שֻׁלְחָן Is 21:5 Pr 9:2 (fig. of wisdom), Ez 23:41 (of Jerus. in fig.); ψ 23:5; 78:19 (fig.; subj. God); in idolatr. worship Is 65:11. d. arrange a battle, i.e. draw up in battle order, ע׳ מִלְחָמָה Ju 20:22; 1 S 17:8; 2 S 10:8 = 1 Ch 19:9; 1 Ch 12:37 (van d. H. v 36); 2 Ch 14:9; עֹרְכֵי מִלְחָמָה 1 Ch 12:34, 36 (van d. H. v 33, 35); עֱרוּךְ מ׳ Jo 2:5; + אֵת with, i.e. against Ju 20:20 Gn 14:8, עִם 2 Ch 13:3; + לִקְרַאת 1 S 17:2; 1 Ch 19:17b; ע׳ מַעֲרָכָה לִקְרַאת 1 S 17:21; עָרוּךְ כְּאִישׁ לַמִּלְחָמָה Je 6:23; 50:42; obj. om. Ju 20:22, 33, + לִקְרַאת 1 S 4:2; 2 S 10:9, 10 = 1 Ch 19:10, 11; 2 S 10:17; + אֶל against Ju 20:30; 1 Ch 19:17, + על Je 50:14, לְ against Je 50:9;—Jb 6:4 read יַעַכְרוּנִי Di Bu Du e. arrange weapons of army in order for battle Je 46:3; 1 Ch 12:9 (van d. H. v 8). f. arrange words (מִלִּין) Jb 32:14 ( + אֶל against), so (obj. om.) 33:5 ( + לְפָנַי), 37:19 ψ 5:4 (prob.; > of arranging a sacrifice); cf. recount things in order, יַעְרְכֶהָ לִי Is 44:7. g. state in order, set forth a legal case Jb 13:18; 23:4, so prob. (obj. om.) of God ψ 50:21 ( + לְעֵינֶיךָ), and (pass. of בְּרִית) 2 S 23:5 (cf. Dr).—הֲיַעֲרֹךְ שׁועך Jb 36:19 is difficult: Di will he set thy cry (שַׁוְעֲךָ) in order? Bi (for לֹא) הֲיֵעָרֵךְ שׁ׳ לוֹ shall thy cry be set in order unto him? (sense good, although Niph. not found); v. al. in Di 2. a. compare (as result of arranging in order): מַה־דְּמוּת תַּע׳־לוֹ Is 40:18 what likeness will ye compare to him? אֵין עֲרֹךְ אֵלֶיךָ ψ 40:6. b. intrans. be comparable, c. לְ, ψ 89:7 (|| דָּמָה), c. sf. of thing compared Jb 28:17, 19.[Brown, F., Driver, S. R., & Briggs, C. A. (1977). Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (p. 789). Oxford: Clarendon Press.]
Looking back, it may be a reference to Abraham preparing an altar...
Genesis 22:9 (NRSV)
When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
To put wood in "order" would also mean to arrange, "Then he arranged the wood" (1Kings 18:33 NAS) Also one can array(arrange) a battle for war to accomplish the task efficiently. Here to put wood in order, would be to arrange the wood to hold the cut up meat. One would not just pile up wood as to make a campfire, but arrange the wood "flat" to hold the meat. Just as one would use a grill to cook on. Back then they had no grills, so wood would be arranged or laid flat on the alter in order to hold meat for the sacrifice.
It is my opinion that the putting the wood in order points us to the cross. As stated there were no grills in those days and the wood had to be placed in a way to “hold” the sacrifice. Everything in Gods word points us to Calvary! God is an orderly God. All things are done “decent and in order” -there’s no chaos with God.
I believe the reason the wood was laid in order was because of the value of that sacrifice.(Abraham Gen 22, Elijah 1 Kings 18, laid the wood in order). Only done for the ox, not the lamb. The ox, or the bullock represents strength and perseverance but he also represents obedience. The herdsman could have used him to proliferate his herd, an ox without blemish. The ox is a willing servant, and he is a willing sacrifice. (Lev 1). The ox is a beautiful picture of Christ. The Lamb however is to face northward. Things that come from the north speak of judgement. The lamb of God certainly bore the judgement for our sins. The Lamb speaks of an innocent sacrifice, the bullock illustrates the value of that sacrifice. Look at Hebrews 10: 4, 12.... but this man....there's the indescribable value of the cross! Whenever I read 'laid the wood in order', it reminds me of a simple act of worship because of the Value (unspeakable gift of God,2 Corinthians 9)of the sacrifice of the Saviour!
