Exodus 30:22-38

22 Then the LORD said to Moses,
23 “Collect choice spices—12 pounds of pure myrrh, 6 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 pounds of fragrant calamus,
24 and 12 pounds of cassia —as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil.
25 Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil.
26 Use this sacred oil to anoint the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant,
27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and all its accessories, the incense altar,
28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the washbasin with its stand.
29 Consecrate them to make them absolutely holy. After this, whatever touches them will also become holy.
30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons also, consecrating them to serve me as priests.
31 And say to the people of Israel, ‘This holy anointing oil is reserved for me from generation to generation.
32 It must never be used to anoint anyone else, and you must never make any blend like it for yourselves. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy.
33 Anyone who makes a blend like it or anoints someone other than a priest will be cut off from the community.’”
34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather fragrant spices—resin droplets, mollusk shell, and galbanum—and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense, weighed out in equal amounts.
35 Using the usual techniques of the incense maker, blend the spices together and sprinkle them with salt to produce a pure and holy incense.
36 Grind some of the mixture into a very fine powder and put it in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I will meet with you in the Tabernacle. You must treat this incense as most holy.
37 Never use this formula to make this incense for yourselves. It is reserved for the LORD, and you must treat it as holy.
38 Anyone who makes incense like this for personal use will be cut off from the community.”

Exodus 30:22-38 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.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Hebrew 500 [shekels] [5.7 kilograms] of pure myrrh, 250 [shekels] [2.9 kilograms] of fragrant cinnamon, 250 [shekels] of fragrant calamus.
  • [b]. Hebrew 500 [shekels] [5.7 kilograms] of cassia.
  • [c]. Hebrew 1 hin [3.8 liters] of olive oil.
  • [d]. Hebrew in front of the Testimony; see note on 25:16 .
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