Exodus 30:30-38

30 Thou shalt anoint Aaron, and his sons, and thou shalt hallow them, that they be set in priesthood to me (so that they can serve as my priests).
31 And thou shalt say to the sons of Israel, This oil of anointing shall be holy to me into your generations. (And thou shalt say to the Israelites, This anointing oil shall be holy to me, for all your generations to come.)
32 The flesh of (a) man shall not be anointed thereof, and by the making thereof ye shall not make another such oil, for it is hallowed, and it shall be holy to you.
33 Whatever man maketh such oil, and giveth thereof to an alien, he shall be put out of his people. (Whoever maketh such an oil, or giveth it to anyone, shall be put out, or shall be cut off, from his people.)
34 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, Take to thee sweet smelling spiceries, stacte, and onycha, galbanum of good odour, and most pure (frank)incense, all these shall be of even weight (and they all shall be of equal weight).
35 And thou shalt make (the) incense, made by the craft of an ointment maker, meddled together diligently (diligently mixed together), and pure, and most worthy of hallowing.
36 And when thou hast pounded all these things into (the) smallest powder, thou shalt put thereof before the tabernacle of witnessing, in which place I shall appear to thee; the made incense shall be to you the holy of holy things. (And when thou hast pounded all these things into the smallest powder, thou shalt sprinkle it in front of the Ark of the Witnessing in the Tabernacle, where I shall appear to thee; this incense shall be most holy to you.)
37 Ye shall not make such a making into your [own] uses, for it is holy to the Lord. (Ye shall not make such incense for your own uses, for it is holy to the Lord.)
38 Whatever man maketh like thing to it, that he use the odour thereof, he shall perish from his people. (Whoever maketh anything like it, so that he can have its aroma for himself, he shall perish, or shall be cut off, from the midst of his people.)

Exodus 30:30-38 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.