Exodus 30:11-38

Atonement Money

11 Then the LORD said to Moses,
12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.
13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,[a] according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD.
15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives.
16 Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

17 Then the LORD said to Moses,
18 “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.
19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.
20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD,
21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”

Anointing Oil

22 Then the LORD said to Moses,
23 “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels[b] of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels[c] of fragrant calamus,
24 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin[d] of olive oil.
25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil.
26 Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law,
27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense,
28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand.
29 You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.
30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.
31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come.
32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.
33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’ ”

Incense

34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts,
35 and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred.
36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.
37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the LORD.
38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

Exodus 30:11-38 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.

Cross References 39

  • 1. Exodus 38:25; Numbers 1:2,49; Numbers 4:2,29; Numbers 14:29; Numbers 26:2; Numbers 31:26; 2 Samuel 24:1; 2 Kings 12:4
  • 2. Exodus 38:26; Numbers 31:50; S Matthew 20:28
  • 3. Numbers 14:12; Deuteronomy 28:58-61; 2 Samuel 24:13; 1 Kings 8:37
  • 4. ver 24; Exodus 38:24,26; Leviticus 5:15; Leviticus 27:3,25; Numbers 3:47; Numbers 7:13; Numbers 18:16; Ezekiel 4:10; Ezekiel 45:12; Matthew 17:24
  • 5. Exodus 38:26; Numbers 1:3,18; Numbers 14:29; Numbers 26:2; Numbers 32:11; 2 Chronicles 25:5
  • 6. Proverbs 22:2; Ephesians 6:9
  • 7. ver 12
  • 8. Exodus 38:25-28; 2 Chronicles 24:5
  • 9. Numbers 31:54
  • 10. Exodus 31:9; Exodus 35:16; Exodus 38:8; Exodus 39:39; Exodus 40:7,30; 1 Kings 7:38; 2 Chronicles 4:6
  • 11. Exodus 40:31-32; Isaiah 52:11; John 13:10
  • 12. Exodus 29:4; Exodus 40:12; Leviticus 8:6; Psalms 26:6; Hebrews 10:22
  • 13. S Exodus 28:43
  • 14. S Exodus 27:21; Exodus 28:43
  • 15. Exodus 29:42
  • 16. S Genesis 43:11
  • 17. S Genesis 37:25
  • 18. Proverbs 7:17; Song of Songs 4:14
  • 19. Song of Songs 4:14; Isaiah 43:24; Jeremiah 6:20
  • 20. S ver 13
  • 21. Psalms 45:8; Ezekiel 27:19
  • 22. ver 35; Exodus 37:29; 1 Chronicles 9:30
  • 23. S Exodus 29:7; S 1 Samuel 9:16; Exodus 40:9
  • 24. Exodus 40:9; Leviticus 8:10; Numbers 7:1
  • 25. Leviticus 8:10-11
  • 26. Exodus 29:37; Leviticus 6:18,27; Matthew 23:17
  • 27. Exodus 29:7; Lev 8:2,12,30; Leviticus 10:7; Leviticus 16:32; Leviticus 21:10,12; 1 Chronicles 15:12; Psalms 133:2
  • 28. S Exodus 28:41
  • 29. S Exodus 29:7
  • 30. S Exodus 29:42
  • 31. ver 25,37
  • 32. ver 38; S Genesis 17:14
  • 33. Song of Songs 3:6
  • 34. S Exodus 25:6
  • 35. S ver 25
  • 36. S Exodus 25:22
  • 37. ver 32; Exodus 29:37; Leviticus 2:3
  • 38. S ver 32
  • 39. S ver 33

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.8 grams; also in verse 15
  • [b]. That is, about 12 1/2 pounds or about 5.8 kilograms; also in verse 24
  • [c]. That is, about 6 1/4 pounds or about 2.9 kilograms
  • [d]. That is, probably about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters
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