Exodus 30:6

6 and thou shalt set the altar against the veil, that hangeth before the ark of witnessing, (and) before the propitiatory, with which the witnessing is covered, where I shall speak to thee. (and thou shalt put the altar outside the Veil, that hangeth in front of the Ark of the Witnessing, and in front of the propitiatory, that is, the mercy seat, or the lid, that covereth the Ark of the Witnessing, where I shall speak to thee.)

Exodus 30:6 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 30:6

Thou shalt put it before the vail
That divides between the holy and the most holy place; not within the vail in the holy of holies, but before it at the holy place, for there the altar of incense stood: Josephus ^F15 says, between the candlestick and the table, i.e. of shewbread, stood the altar of incense; now the candlestick and shewbread were in the holy place; and with this account the Talmudists

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 agree, who say, that the table was in the north, distant from the wall two cubits and a half, and the candlestick on the south, distant from the wall two cubits and a half, and the altar was in the middle, and stood between them: and Maimonides ^F17 gives the like account of its situation, which is here further described:

that is by the ark of the testimony;
which vail was by it, before which the altar was placed; the ark of the testimony was the chest or coffer in which the law was put, and which was the testimony of the will of God, from whence it had this name; and it stood in the most holy place; and not by it in the same place, but over against it, in the holy place stood the altar of incense:

before the mercy seat,
that is over the testimony; the mercy seat that was over the ark, a lid or cover to it, where the testimony was; and towards this, before the face of it, was the altar of incense, where the priest officiating, looked directly towards it; having that in view for the acceptance of the people's prayers to God through Christ, which they were making while he was burning the incense:

where I will meet thee;
as he had before promised, ( Exodus 25:22 ) .

F15 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 8.
F16 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 33. 2.
F17 Hilchot Beth. Habechirah, c. 1. sect. 7.

Exodus 30:6 In-Context

4 and two golden circles under the crown by all sides, that bars be put into those rings, and so the altar be borne. (and thou shalt fasten two gold rings under the band on each side, so that bars can be put through those rings, and the altar can be carried.)

5 Also thou shalt make the bars of the wood of shittim, and thou shalt overgild them; (And thou shalt make the bars out of shittim wood, and thou shalt gild them with gold;)

6 and thou shalt set the altar against the veil, that hangeth before the ark of witnessing, (and) before the propitiatory, with which the witnessing is covered, where I shall speak to thee. (and thou shalt put the altar outside the Veil, that hangeth in front of the Ark of the Witnessing, and in front of the propitiatory, that is, the mercy seat, or the lid, that covereth the Ark of the Witnessing, where I shall speak to thee.)

7 And Aaron shall burn thereon incense smelling sweetly early (And early each day, Aaron shall burn sweet smelling incense on it); when he shall array the lanterns, he shall burn it;

8 and when he setteth the lanterns at eventide, he shall burn everlasting incense before the Lord, into your generations. (and when he setteth the lanterns in the evening, he shall also burn everlasting incense on it before the Lord, and so shall all your generations to come.)