Exodus 30

1 "You are to make an altar on which to burn incense; make it of acacia-wood.

2 It is to be eighteen inches square and three feet high; its horns are to be of one piece with it.

3 Overlay it with pure gold - its top, all around its sides, and its horns; and put around it a molding of gold.

4 Make two gold rings for it under its molding at the two corners on both sides; this is where the carrying-poles will go.

5 Make the poles of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold.

6 "Place it in front of the curtain by the ark for the testimony, in front of the ark-cover that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

7 Aharon will burn fragrant incense on it as a pleasing aroma every morning; he is to burn it when he prepares the lamps.

8 Aharon is also to burn it when he lights the lamps at dusk; this is the regular burning of incense before ADONAI through all your generations.

9 You are not to offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering or a grain offering; and you are not to pour a drink offering on it.

10 Aharon is to make atonement on its horns once a year - with the blood of the sin offering of atonement he is to make atonement for it once a year through all your generations; it is especially holy to ADONAI." 10-20

11 ADONAI said to Moshe,

12 "When you take a census of the people of Isra'el and register them, each, upon registration, is to pay a ransom for his life to ADONAI, to avoid any breakout of plague among them during the time of the census.

13 Everyone subject to the census is to pay as an offering to ADONAI half a shekel [one-fifth of an ounce of silver]- by the standard of the sanctuary shekel (a shekel equals twenty gerahs).

14 Everyone over twenty years of age who is subject to the census is to give this offering to ADONAI -

15 the rich is not to give more or the poor less than the half-shekel when giving ADONAI's offering to atone for your lives.

16 You are to take the atonement money from the people of Isra'el and use it for the service in the tent of meeting, so that it will be a reminder of the people of Isra'el before ADONAI to atone for your lives."

17 ADONAI said to Moshe,

18 "You are to make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

19 Aharon and his sons will wash their hands and feet there

20 when they enter the tent of meeting - they are to wash with water, so that they won't die. Also when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for ADONAI,

21 they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they won't die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations."

22 ADONAI said to Moshe,

23 "Take the best spices - 500 shekels of myrrh [121/2 pounds], half this amount (250 shekels) of aromatic cinnamon [61/4 pounds], 250 shekels of aromatic cane,

24 500 shekels of cassia (use the sanctuary standard), and one gallon of olive oil -

25 and make them into a holy anointing oil; blend it and perfume it as would an expert perfume-maker; it will be a holy anointing oil.

26 Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark for the testimony,

27 the table and all its utensils, the menorah and all its utensils, the incense altar,

28 the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, and the basin with its base.

29 You are to consecrate them - they will be especially holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

30 Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons - you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen.

31 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'This is to be a holy anointing oil for me through all your generations.

32 It is not to be used for anointing a person's body; and you are not to make any like it, with the same composition of ingredients - it is holy, and you are to treat it as holy.

33 Whoever makes any like it or uses it on any unauthorized person is to be cut off from his people.'"

34 ADONAI said to Moshe, "Take aromatic plant substances - balsam resin, sweet onycha root and bitter galbanum gum - these spices along with frankincense, all in equal quantities;

35 and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy.

36 You are to grind up some of it very finely and put it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; you are to regard it as especially holy.

37 You are not to make for your own use any incense like it, with the same composition of ingredients - you are to treat it as holy, for ADONAI.

38 Whoever makes up any like it to use as perfume is to be cut off from his people."

Exodus 30 Commentary

Chapter 30

The altar of incense. (1-10) The ransom of souls. (11-16) The brazen laver. (17-21) The holy anointing oil, The perfume. (22-38)

Verses 1-10 The altar of incense represented the Son of God in his human nature, and the incense burned thereon typified his pleading for his people. The continual intercession of Christ was represented by the daily burning of incense thereon, morning and evening. Once every year the blood of the atonement was to be applied to it, denoting that the intercession of Christ has all its virtue from his sufferings on earth, and that we need no other sacrifice or intercessor but Christ alone.

Verses 11-16 The tribute was half a shekel, about fifteen pence of our money. The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less; the souls of the rich and poor are alike precious, and God is no respecter of persons, ( Acts 10:34 , Job 34:19 ) . In other offerings men were to give according to their wordly ability; but this, which was the ransom of the soul, must be alike for all. The souls of all are of equal value, equally in danger, and all equally need a ransom. The money raised was to be used in the service of the tabernacle. Those who have the benefit, must not grudge the necessary charges of God's public worship. Money cannot make atonement for the soul, but it may be used for the honour of Him who has made the atonement, and for the maintenance of the gospel by which the atonement is applied.

Verses 17-21 A large vessel of brass, holding water, was to be set near the door of the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet at this laver, every time they went in to minister. This was to teach them purity in all their services, and to dread the pollution of sin. They must not only wash and be made clean, when first made priests, but must wash and be kept clean, whenever they went to minister. It teaches us daily to attend upon God, daily to renew our repentance for sin, and our looking to the blood of Christ for remission; for in many things we daily offend.

Verses 22-38 Directions are here given for making the holy anointing oil, and the incense to be used in the service of the tabernacle. To show the excellency of holiness, there was this spiced oil in the tabernacle, which was grateful to the sight and to the smell. Christ's name is as ointment poured forth, So. 1:3 , and the good name of Christians is like precious ointment, ( Ecclesiastes 7:1 ) . The incense burned upon the golden altar was prepared of sweet spices. When it was used, it was to be beaten very small; thus it pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer, when he offered himself for a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour. The like should not be made for any common use. Thus God would keep in the people's minds reverence for his own services, and teach us not to profane or abuse any thing whereby God makes himself known. It is a great affront to God to jest with sacred things, and to make sport with his word and ordinances. It is most dangerous and fatal to use professions of the gospel of Christ to forward wordly interests.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 30

This chapter treats of the altar of incense, its form and use, Ex 30:1-10 of the ransom of the Israelites, with the half shekel when numbered, Ex 30:11-16 of the laver for the priests to wash their hands and feet at before service, Ex 30:17-21 of the anointing oil, the ingredients of it, and what was to be done with it, Ex 30:22-33, and of the perfume, the composition and use of it, Ex 30:34-38.