Exodus 30:6-16

6 And you will put it before the curtain that [is] upon the ark of the testimony, before the atonement cover, which [is] on the testimony, there where I will meet with you.
7 "And on it Aaron will turn fragrant incense into smoke; {each morning} when he tends the lamps, he will turn it into smoke.
8 And when Aaron sets up the lamps {at twilight}, he will turn it into smoke--incense of continuity--before Yahweh throughout your generations.
9 You will not offer on it strange incense or a burnt offering or a grain offering, and you will not pour a libation on it.
10 And Aaron will make atonement on its horns one time in the year from the blood of the sin offering of the atonement; one time in the year he will make atonement on it throughout your generations; it is a most holy thing for Yahweh."

Instructions for Numbering the People

11 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "{When you take a census of} the {Israelites} to count them, they will each give the ransom of his life for Yahweh when counting them, and a plague will not be among them when counting them.
13 This they will give, {everyone who is counted}, the half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, [which is] twenty gerahs per shekel. The half shekel [is] a contribution for Yahweh.
14 {Everyone who is counted} from {twenty years old} and above will give the contribution of Yahweh.
15 The rich will not give more, and the poor will not give less than the half shekel to give the contribution of Yahweh to make atonement for their lives.
16 And you will take the atonement money from the {Israelites} and give it to the service of the tent of assembly, and it will be as a memorial for the {Israelites} before Yahweh to make atonement for your lives."

Exodus 30:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes 9

  • [a]. Literally "in the morning in the morning"
  • [b]. Literally "between the two evenings"
  • [c]. Literally "when you lift up the heads of"
  • [d]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [e]. Literally "all of the going over to the being counted"
  • [f]. Literally "all of the going over to the being counted"
  • [g]. Literally "a son of twenty years"
  • [h]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [i]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.