The Altar of Incense

30 “Now you shall make (A)an altar as a place for burning incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. Its length shall be [a]a cubit, and its width a cubit; it shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits; its horns shall be [b]of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its [c]sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding all around for it. You shall also make two gold rings for it under its molding; you shall make them on its two sides—on [d]opposite sides—and [e]they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. And you shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. You shall put [f]this altar in front of the veil that is [g]near the ark of the testimony, in front of the [h](B)atoning cover that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you. Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps. And when Aaron sets up the lamps at [i]twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer any [j]strange incense on [k]this altar, or burnt offering, or meal offering; and you shall not pour out a drink offering on it. 10 However, Aaron shall (C)make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 About 1.5 ft. long and wide and 3 ft. high or 45 cm and 90 cm
  2. Exodus 30:2 Lit from itself
  3. Exodus 30:3 Lit walls
  4. Exodus 30:4 Lit its two
  5. Exodus 30:4 Lit it
  6. Exodus 30:6 Lit it
  7. Exodus 30:6 Lit upon; or over
  8. Exodus 30:6 Also called mercy seat; i.e., where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement
  9. Exodus 30:8 Lit between the two evenings
  10. Exodus 30:9 I.e., prohibited
  11. Exodus 30:9 Lit it

The Altar of Incense(A)

30 “Make an altar(B) of acacia wood for burning incense.(C) It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high[a]—its horns(D) of one piece with it. Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.(E) Make two gold rings(F) for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.(G) Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover(H) that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

“Aaron must burn fragrant incense(I) on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.(J) Do not offer on this altar any other incense(K) or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Once a year(L) Aaron shall make atonement(M) on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering[b](N) for the generations to come.(O) It is most holy to the Lord.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high
  2. Exodus 30:10 Or purification offering