Exodus 27:1-8

The Altar of Burnt Offering

1 "You are to construct the altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, seven and a half feet long, and seven and a half feet wide;^[a] it must be four and a half feet high.^[b]

2 Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece.^[c] Overlay it with bronze.

3 Make its pots for removing ashes, and its shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; make all its utensils of bronze.

4 Construct a grate for it of bronze mesh, and make four bronze rings on the mesh at its four corners.

5 Set it below, under the altar's ledge,^[d] so that the mesh comes halfway up^[e] the altar.

6 Then make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.

7 The poles are to be inserted into the rings, so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried.

8 Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. They are to make it just as it was shown to you on the mountain.

Exodus 27:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 27

This chapter treats of the altar of burnt offering, and of all things relative to it, Ex 27:1-8, of the court of the tabernacle, its hangings on each side, with pillars, sockets, and hooks for them, Ex 27:9-19 and it is concluded with an order to the Israelites to bring oil olive for the lamp of the sanctuary, Ex 27:20,21.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit five cubits in length and five cubits in width
• [b] Lit wide; and its height three cubits
• [c] Lit piece with it
• [d] Perhaps a ledge around the altar on which the priests could stand; Lv 9:22
• [e] Or altar's rim, so that the grid comes halfway down