1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:
25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,
28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.
33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.
38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
1 And thou shalt make H6213 an altar H4196 to burn H4729 incense H7004 upon: of shittim H7848 wood H6086 shalt thou make H6213 it.
2 A cubit H520 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof; foursquare H7251 shall it be: and two cubits H520 shall be the height H6967 thereof: the horns H7161 thereof shall be of the same.
3 And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 the top H1406 thereof, and the sides H7023 thereof round about, H5439 and the horns H7161 thereof; and thou shalt make H6213 unto it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439
4 And two H8147 golden H2091 rings H2885 shalt thou make H6213 to it under the crown H2213 of it, by the two H8147 corners H6763 thereof, upon the two H8147 sides H6654 of it shalt thou make H6213 it; and they shall be for places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 it withal. H1992
5 And thou shalt make H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold. H2091
6 And thou shalt put H5414 it before H6440 the vail H6532 that is by the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715 before H6440 the mercy seat H3727 that is over the testimony, H5715 where I will meet H3259 with thee.
7 And Aaron H175 shall burn H6999 thereon sweet H5561 incense H7004 every morning: H1242 when he dresseth H3190 the lamps, H5216 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it.
8 And when Aaron H175 lighteth H5927 the lamps H5216 at even, H6153 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it, a perpetual H8548 incense H7004 before H6440 the LORD H3068 throughout your generations. H1755
9 Ye shall offer H5927 no strange H2114 incense H7004 thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, H5930 nor meat offering; H4503 neither shall ye pour H5258 drink offering H5262 thereon.
10 And Aaron H175 shall make an atonement H3722 upon the horns H7161 of it once H259 in a year H8141 with the blood H1818 of the sin offering H2403 of atonements: H3725 once H259 in the year H8141 shall he make atonement H3722 upon it throughout your generations: H1755 it is most H6944 holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068
11 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
12 When thou takest H5375 the sum H7218 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 after their number, H6485 then shall they give H5414 every man H376 a ransom H3724 for his soul H5315 unto the LORD, H3068 when thou numberest H6485 them; that there be no plague H5063 among them, when thou numberest H6485 them.
13 This they shall give, H5414 every one that passeth H5674 among H5921 them that are numbered, H6485 half H4276 a shekel H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary: H6944 (a shekel H8255 is twenty H6242 gerahs:) H1626 an half H4276 shekel H8255 shall be the offering H8641 of the LORD. H3068
14 Every one that passeth H5674 among them that are numbered, H6485 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above, H4605 shall give H5414 an offering H8641 unto the LORD. H3068
15 The rich H6223 shall not give more, H7235 and the poor H1800 shall not give less H4591 than half H4276 a shekel, H8255 when they give H5414 an offering H8641 unto the LORD, H3068 to make an atonement H3722 for your souls. H5315
16 And thou shalt take H3947 the atonement H3725 money H3701 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and shalt appoint H5414 it for the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation; H4150 that it may be a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 to make an atonement H3722 for your souls. H5315
17 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
18 Thou shalt also make H6213 a laver H3595 of brass, H5178 and his foot H3653 also of brass, H5178 to wash H7364 withal: and thou shalt put H5414 it between the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 and the altar, H4196 and thou shalt put H5414 water H4325 therein.
19 For Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall wash H7364 their hands H3027 and their feet H7272 thereat:
20 When they go H935 into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 they shall wash H7364 with water, H4325 that they die H4191 not; or when they come near H5066 to the altar H4196 to minister, H8334 to burn offering H6999 made by fire H801 unto the LORD: H3068
21 So they shall wash H7364 their hands H3027 and their feet, H7272 that they die H4191 not: and it shall be a statute H2706 for ever H5769 to them, even to him and to his seed H2233 throughout their generations. H1755
22 Moreover the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
23 Take H3947 thou also unto thee principal H7218 spices, H1314 of pure H1865 myrrh H4753 five H2568 hundred H3967 shekels, and of sweet H1314 cinnamon H7076 half H4276 so much, H4276 even two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels, and of sweet H1314 calamus H7070 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels,
24 And of cassia H6916 five H2568 hundred H3967 shekels, after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 and of oil H8081 olive H2132 an hin: H1969
25 And thou shalt make H6213 it an oil H8081 of holy H6944 ointment, H4888 an ointment H7545 compound H4842 after the art H4639 of the apothecary: H7543 it shall be an holy H6944 anointing H4888 oil. H8081
26 And thou shalt anoint H4886 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 therewith, and the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715
27 And the table H7979 and all his vessels, H3627 and the candlestick H4501 and his vessels, H3627 and the altar H4196 of incense, H7004
28 And the altar H4196 of burnt offering H5930 with all his vessels, H3627 and the laver H3595 and his foot. H3653
29 And thou shalt sanctify H6942 them, that they may be most H6944 holy: H6944 whatsoever toucheth H5060 them shall be holy. H6942
30 And thou shalt anoint H4886 Aaron H175 and his sons, H1121 and consecrate H6942 them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. H3547
31 And thou shalt speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 This shall be an holy H6944 anointing H4888 oil H8081 unto me throughout your generations. H1755
32 Upon man's H120 flesh H1320 shall it not be poured, H3251 neither shall ye make H6213 any other like it, after the composition H4971 of it: it is holy, H6944 and it shall be holy H6944 unto you.
33 Whosoever H834 H376 compoundeth H7543 any like it, or whosoever putteth H5414 any of it upon a stranger, H2114 shall even be cut H3772 off from his people. H5971
34 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Take H3947 unto thee sweet spices, H5561 stacte, H5198 and onycha, H7827 and galbanum; H2464 these sweet H5561 spices H5561 with pure H2134 frankincense: H3828 of each H905 shall there be a like H905 weight:
35 And thou shalt make H6213 it a perfume, H7004 a confection H7545 after the art H4639 of the apothecary, H7543 tempered H4414 together, pure H2889 and holy: H6944
36 And thou shalt beat H7833 some of it very small, H1854 and put H5414 of it before H6440 the testimony H5715 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 where I will meet H3259 with thee: it shall be unto you most H6944 holy. H6944
37 And as for the perfume H7004 which thou shalt make, H6213 ye shall not make H6213 to yourselves according to the composition H4971 thereof: it shall be unto thee holy H6944 for the LORD. H3068
38 Whosoever H834 H376 shall make H6213 like unto that, to smell H7306 thereto, shall even be cut off H3772 from his people. H5971
1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it.
2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be; and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
4 And two golden rings shalt thou make for it under the crown thereof; upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make them; and they shall be for places for staves wherewith to bear it.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of sweet spices: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it.
8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations.
9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor meal-offering; and ye shall pour no drink-offering thereon.
10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.
11 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to those that are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
13 This they shall give, every one that passeth over unto them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Jehovah.
14 Every one that passeth over unto them that are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of Jehovah.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
17 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, whereat to wash. And thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
19 And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20 when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
22 Moreover Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Take thou also unto thee the chief spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred `shekels', and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty,
24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin.
25 And thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint therewith the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony,
27 and the table and all the vessels thereof, and the candlestick and the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense,
28 and the altar of burnt-offering with all the vessels thereof, and the laver and the base thereof.
29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
32 Upon the flesh of man shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any like it, according to the composition thereof: it is holy, `and' it shall be holy unto you.
33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.
34 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight;
35 and thou shalt make of it incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure `and' holy:
36 and thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
37 And the incense which thou shalt make, according to the composition thereof ye shall not make for yourselves: it shall be unto thee holy for Jehovah.
38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereof, he shall be cut off from his people.
1 `And thou hast made an altar `for' making perfume; `of' shittim wood thou dost make it;
2 a cubit its length, and a cubit its breadth, (it is square), and two cubits its height; its horns `are' of the same.
3 `And thou hast overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides round about, and its horns; and thou hast made to it a crown of gold round about;
4 and two rings of gold thou dost make to it under its crown; on its two ribs thou dost make `them', on its two sides, and they have become places for staves, to bear it with them.
5 `And thou hast made the staves of shittim wood, and hast overlaid them with gold;
6 and thou hast put it before the vail, which `is' by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat which `is' over the testimony, whither I am met with thee.
7 `And Aaron hath made perfume on it, perfume of spices, morning by morning; in his making the lamps right he doth perfume it,
8 and in Aaron's causing the lamps to go up between the evenings, he doth perfume it; a continual perfume before Jehovah to your generations.
9 `Ye do not cause strange perfume to go up upon it, and burnt-offering, and present, and libation ye do not pour out on it;
10 and Aaron hath made atonement on its horns, once in a year, by the blood of the sin-offering of atonements; once in a year doth he make atonement for it, to your generations; it `is' most holy to Jehovah.'
11 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
12 `When thou takest up the sum of the sons of Israel for their numbers, then they have given each an atonement `for' his soul to Jehovah in their being numbered, and there is no plague among them in their being numbered.
13 `This they do give, every one passing over unto those numbered, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel `is' twenty gerahs); half a shekel `is' the heave-offering to Jehovah;
14 every one passing over unto those numbered, from a son of twenty years and upwards, doth give the heave-offering of Jehovah;
15 the rich doth not multiply, and the poor doth not diminish from the half-shekel, to give the heave-offering of Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
16 `And thou hast taken the atonement-money from the sons of Israel, and hast given it for the service of the tent of meeting; and it hath been to the sons of Israel for a memorial before Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.'
17 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
18 `And thou hast made a laver of brass (and its base of brass), for washing; and thou hast put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and hast put water there;
19 and Aaron and his sons have washed at it their hands and their feet,
20 in their going in unto the tent of meeting they wash `with' water, and die not; or in their drawing nigh unto the altar to minister, to perfume a fire-offering to Jehovah,
21 then they have washed their hands and their feet, and they die not, and it hath been to them a statute age-during, to him and to his seed to their generations.'
22 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
23 `And thou, take to thyself principal spices, wild honey five hundred `shekels'; and spice-cinnamon, the half of that, two hundred and fifty; and spice-cane two hundred and fifty;
24 and cassia five hundred, by the shekel of the sanctuary, and olive oil a hin;
25 and thou hast made it a holy anointing oil, a compound mixture, work of a compounder; it is a holy anointing oil.
26 `And thou hast anointed with it the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony,
27 and the table and all its vessels, and the candlestick and its vessels, and the altar of perfume,
28 and the altar of burnt-offering and all its vessels, and the laver and its base;
29 and thou hast sanctified them, and they have been most holy; all that is coming against them is holy;
30 and Aaron and his sons thou dost anoint, and hast sanctified them for being priests to Me.
31 `And unto the sons of Israel thou dost speak, saying, A holy anointing oil is this to Me, to your generations;
32 on flesh of man it is not poured, and with its proper proportion ye make none like it; it `is' holy; it is holy to you;
33 a man who compoundeth `any' like it, or who putteth of it on a stranger -- hath even been cut off from his people.'
34 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Take to thee spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, spices and pure frankincense; they are part for part;
35 and thou hast made it a perfume, a compound, work of a compounder, salted, pure, holy;
36 and thou hast beaten `some' of it small, and hast put of it before the testimony, in the tent of meeting, whither I am met with thee; most holy it is to you.
37 `As to the perfume which thou makest, with its proper proportion ye do not make to yourselves, holy it is to thee to Jehovah;
38 a man who maketh `any' like it -- to be refreshed by it -- hath even been cut off from his people.'
1 And thou shalt make an altar for the burning of incense: of acacia-wood shalt thou make it;
2 a cubit the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof -- square shall it be; and two cubits its height; of itself shall be its horns.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make upon it a border of gold round about.
4 And two rings of gold shalt thou make for it under its border; by its two corners shalt thou make [them], on the two sides thereof; and they shall be for receptacles for the staves, with which to carry it.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it in front of the veil which is before the ark of the testimony in front of the mercy-seat which is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon fragrant incense: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn the incense.
8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps between the two evenings, he shall burn the incense -- a continual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations.
9 Ye shall offer up no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor oblation; neither shall ye pour drink-offering thereon.
10 And Aaron shall make atonement for its horns once in the year: with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement shall he make atonement for it, once in the year, throughout your generations: it is most holy to Jehovah.
11 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
12 When thou shalt take the sum of the children of Israel according to those of them that are numbered, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to Jehovah on their being numbered, that there be no plague among them on their being numbered.
13 This shall they give -- every one that passeth among them that are numbered -- half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, -- twenty gerahs the shekel; a half shekel shall be the heave-offering for Jehovah.
14 Every one that passeth among those that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give the heave-offering of Jehovah.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when ye give the heave-offering of Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement-money of the children of Israel, and devote it to the service of the tent of meeting; and it shall be a memorial to the children of Israel before Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
17 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of copper, and its stand of copper, for washing; and thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water in it.
19 And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet out of it.
20 When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they come near to the altar to serve, to burn an offering by fire to Jehovah.
21 And they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die; and it shall be an everlasting statute for them, for him and for his seed throughout their generations.
22 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
23 And thou, take best spices -- of liquid myrrh five hundred [shekels], and of sweet cinnamon the half -- two hundred and fifty, and of sweet myrtle two hundred and fifty,
24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin;
25 and make of it an oil of holy ointment, a perfume of perfumery after the work of the perfumer: it shall be the holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint the tent of meeting with it, and the ark of the testimony,
27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lamp-stand and its utensils, and the altar of incense,
28 and the altar of burnt-offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its stand.
29 And thou shalt hallow them, that they may be most holy: whatever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt anoint, and shalt hallow them, that they may serve me as priests.
31 And thou shalt speak to the children of Israel, saying, A holy anointing oil shall this be unto me throughout your generations.
32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make [any] like it, after the preparation of it: it is holy -- holy shall it be unto you.
33 Whoever compoundeth [any] like it, or whoever putteth [any] of it upon any strange thing, shall be cut off from his peoples.
34 And Jehovah said to Moses, Take fragrant drugs -- stacte, and onycha, and galbanum -- fragrant drugs and pure frankincense; in like proportions shall it be.
35 And thou shalt make it into incense, a perfume, after the work of the perfumer, salted, pure, holy.
36 And thou shalt beat [some] of it to powder, and put [some] of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
37 And the incense that thou shalt make, ye shall not make for yourselves according to the proportions of it; it shall be unto thee holy to Jehovah.
38 Whoever maketh like unto it, to smell it, shall be cut off from his peoples.
1 "You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood.
2 Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.
3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, the top of it, the sides of it around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it.
4 You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.
5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.
7 Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.
8 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.
9 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal-offering; and you shall pour no drink-offering on it.
10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh."
11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them.
13 They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh.
14 Everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to Yahweh.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.
16 You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls."
17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
18 "You shall also make a basin of brass, and the base of it of brass, in which to wash. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.
19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in it.
20 When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die: and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations."
22 Moreover Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
23 "Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;
24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary; and a hin of olive oil.
25 You shall make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26 You shall use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony,
27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense,
28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base.
29 You shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy.
30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest's office.
31 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations.
32 It shall not be poured on man's flesh, neither shall you make any like it, according to its composition: it is holy. It shall be holy to you.
33 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.'"
34 Yahweh said to Moses, "Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be an equal weight;
35 and you shall make incense of it, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy:
36 and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy.
37 The incense which you shall make, according to its composition you shall not make for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for Yahweh.
38 Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people."
1 And you are to make an altar for the burning of perfume; of hard wood let it be made.
2 The altar is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high, and its horns are to be made of the same.
3 It is to be plated with the best gold, the top of it and the sides and the horns, with an edging of gold all round it.
4 Under the edge on the two opposite sides, you are to make two gold rings, to take the rods for lifting it.
5 And make these rods of the same wood, plating them with gold.
6 And let it be placed in front of the veil before the ark of the law, before the cover which is over the law, where I will come face to face with you.
7 And on this altar sweet spices are to be burned by Aaron every morning when he sees to the lights.
8 And every evening, when he puts the lights up in their places, the spices are to be burned, a sweet-smelling smoke going up before the Lord from generation to generation for ever.
9 No strange perfume, no burned offering or meal offering, and no drink offering is to be offered on it.
10 And once every year Aaron is to make its horns clean: with the blood of the sin-offering he is to make it clean once every year from generation to generation: it is most holy to the Lord.
11 And the Lord said to Moses,
12 When you are taking the number of the children of Israel, let every man who is numbered give to the Lord a price for his life, so that no disease may come on them when they are numbered.
13 And this is what they are to give; let every man who is numbered give half a shekel, by the scale of the holy place: (the shekel being valued at twenty gerahs:) this money is an offering to the Lord.
14 Everyone who is numbered, from twenty years old and over, is to give an offering to the Lord.
15 The man of wealth is to give no more and the poor man no less than the half-shekel of silver, when the offering is made to the Lord as the price for your lives.
16 And you are to take this money from the children of Israel to be used for the work of the Tent of meeting, to keep the memory of the children of Israel before the Lord and to be the price of your lives.
17 And the Lord said to Moses,
18 You are to make a brass washing-vessel, with a brass base; and put it between the Tent of meeting and the altar, with water in it;
19 That it may be used by Aaron and his sons for washing their hands and feet;
20 Whenever they go into the Tent of meeting they are to be washed with water, to keep them from death; and whenever they come near to do the work of the altar, or to make an offering by fire to the Lord,
21 Their hands and feet are to be washed. so that they may be safe from death: this is an order to them for ever; to him and his seed from generation to generation.
22 And the Lord said to Moses,
23 Take the best spices, five hundred shekels' weight of liquid myrrh, and of sweet cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred and fifty shekels, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet calamus,
24 And of cassia, five hundred shekels' weight measured by the scale of the holy place, and of olive oil a hin:
25 And make these into a holy oil, a perfume made by the art of the perfume-maker; it is to be a holy oil.
26 This oil is to be put on the Tent of meeting, and on the ark of the law,
27 And on the table and all its vessels, and on the support for the lights, with its vessels, and on the altar for burning spices,
28 And on the altar of burned offerings with its vessels, and on the washing-vessel and its base.
29 And you are to make them most holy; anything touching them will become holy.
30 And put the oil on Aaron and his sons, making them holy to do the work of priests to me.
31 And say to the children of Israel, This is to be the Lord's holy oil, from generation to generation.
32 It is not to be used for man's flesh, and no other is to be made like it: holy it is, and you are to keep it holy.
33 Whoever makes any like it, or puts it on one who is not a priest, will be cut off from his people.
34 And the Lord said to Moses, Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, with the best frankincense, in equal weights;
35 And make from them a perfume, such as is made by the art of the perfume-maker, mixed with salt, and clean and holy.
36 And put some of it, crushed very small, in front of the ark in the Tent of meeting, where I will come face to face with you; it is to be most holy.
37 You are not to make any perfume like it for yourselves: it is to be kept holy to the Lord.
38 Whoever makes any like it, for its sweet smell, will be cut off from his people.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Exodus 30
Commentary on Exodus 30 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 30
This chapter treats of the altar of incense, its form and use, Exodus 30:1 of the ransom of the Israelites, with the half shekel when numbered, Exodus 30:11 of the laver for the priests to wash their hands and feet at before service, Exodus 30:17 of the anointing oil, the ingredients of it, and what was to be done with it, Exodus 30:22, and of the perfume, the composition and use of it, Exodus 30:34.
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call it incense of spices, properly enough, for it was made of various spices; of which see Exodus 30:34 and this was necessary on a natural and civil account, to remove those ill smells from the sanctuary, occasioned by the number of beasts continually slain in it; but chiefly on a religions account, to denote the acceptableness of the service of the sanctuary to God:
of shittim wood shall thou make it: of the same that the altar of burnt offering was made, which was covered with brass, but this with gold, as after related; of this sort of wood; see Gill on Exodus 25:5 as this altar was a type of Christ, the shittim wood may respect his human nature; which wood, though it sprung out of the earth, was not common, but choice and excellent, and very strong durable, and incorruptible; and so Christ, though he was man made of an earthly woman in his human nature, yet was chosen out of the people, is the chiefest among ten thousand, and excellent as the cedars, the man of God's right hand, whom he made strong for himself; and though he died in it, he saw no corruption, he now lives, and will live for evermore; in which nature he acts the part of a Mediator, and intercedes for his people, and offers up their prayers, perfumed with the much incense of his mediation, to which this altar has a special respect.
A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, four square shall it be,.... It was one Jewish square cubit, which is in surface, according to Bishop Cumberland, three English square feet, and about forty seven square inches; which may denote the solidity, perfection, and extensiveness of Christ's priesthood, it being unchangeable, firm, and lasting; and which passes not from one to another, and the which makes something perfect, which the law and priesthood of Aaron could not, even perfects for ever them that are sanctified; and is very extensive; the virtue of it reaches to all the elect of God, from the beginning of the world to the end of it; not his sacrifice only, but his intercession, which is principally respected; that is made for all the people of God, in all places, and in all ages, and for all things for them, both for this life, and that which is to come:
and two cubits shall be the height thereof; so that it was as high again as it was long and broad: Christ, our interceding high priest, is made higher than the heavens:
the horns thereof shall be of the same; of the same wood the altar itself was made: these were a sort of spires that rose up at the four corners of the altar; and the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases the words,"and of it its horns shall be erect;'which were chiefly for decoration and ornament; and may denote the honour and glory of Christ, as well as his power and ability to save, to the uttermost, all that come to God by him, or lay hold upon him, since he ever lives to make intercession.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,.... Hence this altar is sometimes called the golden altar, Numbers 4:11 this may figure the deity of Christ, whose head is as the most fine gold, and is in the divine nature, in the form of God, and is the brightness of his glory, and possessed of the same perfections; or rather the glorification of his human nature in heaven, where he is highly exalted, and the preciousness of his intercession, which is always powerful and prevalent, and the duration of it:
the top thereof, and the sides thereof, round about, and the horns thereof: all and each of them were covered with gold; this altar had a top, when the altar of burnt offering had none, but its hollow place was filled up with earth at every encampment; so Jarchi observes: this was not a grate, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, for here were neither blood nor ashes to be let through; but it was a flat covering like the roof of a house, as the word signifies, on which was set a golden dish, with live coals and incense burning on them; and which, when burnt, was carried away: and the sides are the four sides of the frame, it being a square, or the two sides and two ends of it; and the horns, the four horns at each corner, all were covered with plates of gold; so that this altar was a richer and more excellent one than that of burnt offering; and may signify the superior excellency of Christ's state of exaltation to that of his humiliation: in the latter, which the altar of burnt offering respected, he was made of no reputation, and became obedient to the death of the cross, yea, was made sin, and a curse for his people; but in the former, which the altar of incense respected, he was raised from the dead, and had glory given him; he was raised for the justification of his people, and was himself justified in the Spirit, ascended on high, was received into glory, sat down at the right hand of God, making continual intercession for his saints:
and thou shall make unto it a crown of gold round about; which was partly to keep from slipping what was put upon it, but chiefly for ornament; and plainly points at the exaltation of Christ in our nature in heaven, as our interceding high priest, where he is a priest upon his throne; and is crowned with glory and honour.
And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it,.... The crown was on the top of the altar, at the edge of it all around; and just underneath it were two rings of gold, two on each side:
by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shall thou make them; at each corner a ring, and at each side; the use of them follows:
and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal; these rings were for the staves to be put into when the altar was to be carried from place to place, as it was in the wilderness, during the travels of Israel there; and this signifies that Christ never leaves his people; when they are in the wilderness he is with them, interceding for them, providing all things necessary for their food, safety, and protection, Revelation 12:14.
And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood,.... Of the same wood the altar itself was made:
and overlay them with gold; as that was; these rings and staves may be an emblem of the precious ordinances of Christ, in which he grants his presence; and where he is held forth in different ages and places as the interceding high priest of his people, their advocate with the Father, pleading continually his propitiatory sacrifice in their favour.
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: JosephusF15Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 8. 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 TalmudistsF16T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 33. 2. 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 MaimonidesF17Hilchot Beth. Habechirah, c. 1. sect. 7. 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.
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning,.... This in later times was done by a common priest, who obtained this service by lots as we find in the times of Zacharias, Luke 1:9 the incense was fetched out of the house of Abtines, where it was made, and burning coals were taken off of the altar of burnt offering in a vessel, and the incense was spread upon them and burnt: the Jewish canons about this matter run thusF18Misn. Tamid, c. 5. sect. 4, 5. ; he that was worthy of, or allotted to, the incense, took a vessel that held three kabs, and a bowl in the midst of it, full and heaped up with incense, and took a silver censer, and went up to the top of the altar, and moved the coals to and fro, and took them and went down and poured them into a golden censer: and againF19Ibid. c. 6. sect. 2, 3. , he that was worthy of, or allotted to, a censer, gathered the coals upon the top of the altar, and spread them with the edges of the censer, and bowing himself went out; and he that was worthy of, or allotted to, the incense, took the bowl out of the midst of the vessel, and gave it to his friend or neighbour: and he that burns the incense may not burn until the president says to him, burn; and if he was an high priest, the president says, lord high priest, burn; the people depart, and he burns the incense, and bows and goes away: the burning of the sweet incense was typical of the mediation and intercession of Christ; the burning coals typified his sufferings, which were painful to his body, and in which he endured the wrath of God in his soul, and both must be very distressing to him: the incense put upon these shows that Christ's mediation and intercession proceeds upon his sufferings and death, his bloodshed, satisfaction, and sacrifice; which mediation of his, like the sweet incense, is frequent, is pure and holy, though made for transgressors, and there is none like unto it; there is but one Mediator between God and man: likewise this was typical of the prayers of the saints; and at the same time that the incense was burnt the people were at prayer, which was set before the Lord as incense, see Psalm 141:3, these go upwards to God, and come up with acceptance to him, from off the golden altar, being offered up to him by Christ, with his much incense, through his blood and righteousness, and are pure, holy, fervent, and fragrant, and called odours, Revelation 5:8.
when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it; which he did every morning he went into the holy place, where the candlestick with its lamps was; these he trimmed and dressed, snuffed those that were ready to go out, lighted those that were gone out, supplied them with oil and wicks, and cleared the snuff dishes, and the like: now near to the candlestick stood the altar of incense, so that when the priest looked after the one, he did the service of the other; and hence we learn, that our intercessor and lamplighter is one and the same; he that was seen amidst the golden candlesticks dressing the lamps of them, appears at the golden altar with a golden censer, to offer up the prayers of his saints, Revelation 1:13 and we learn also, that the light of the word and prayer should go together, as they do in faithful ministers and conscientious Christians, who give themselves up unto and employ themselves therein; the one to and in the ministry of the word and prayer, and the other to and in the reading and hearing of the word and prayer.
And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it,.... In the evening the priest went into the holy place to light the lamps that were gone out; see Gill on Exodus 27:20 at the same time he burnt incense on the altar; and as the daily sacrifice was offered up morning and evening, so the incense was burnt every morning and evening, and much about the same time: the Jews sayF20Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 4. , that the incense of the morning was offered between the blood (i.e. the sprinkling of the blood of the daily sacrifice) and the members, or the laying of the pieces on the altar; and the incense of the evening was between the pieces and the drink offering: and with this Philo agreesF21De Victimis, p. 836. , who says, twice every day most fragrant odours were offered, at the sun rising and setting, before the morning and after the evening sacrifice:
a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations; thus Christ's mediation and intercession is constant and continual; as his sacrifice continually takes away the sin of the world, in which it was the antitype of the daily sacrifice; so his blood continually speaks for peace and pardon, and every blessing of grace for his people, in which it is the antitype of the morning and evening incense; for he ever lives to make intercession; and so the prayers of the saints are directed to God both morning and evening, and they cease not praying as long as they live.
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon,.... Which had not the same, but was made of other materials, or had more or fewer; whatever was not exactly the same was not to be offered; and so to make use of other mediators than Christ, whether angels or men, or to put up prayer to God for the sake of our own righteousness, pleading the merits of our works, and not the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, is to offer strange incense, unacceptable to God, and which will be of no avail to men:
nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; these were to be offered and burnt upon the altar of burnt offering:
neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon; as upon the other altar; everything in God's worship and service was to be done in the proper place and order; these offerings and sacrifices, though they were by divine appointment, yet must be offered on that altar which was peculiar for them.
And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year,.... On the day of atonement, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra explain it; and the atonement here referred to seems to be an atonement for the altar itself, see Leviticus 16:18 and as the altar of burnt offering was first expiated and then used, Exodus 29:36 so it seems the altar of incense had not only an atonement made on it, but for it: and this was done
with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; by sprinkling the blood of that offering upon the horns of it, as we learn from the afore mentioned place; and this shows that Christ's mediation and intercession is founded upon the virtue of his blood, and the efficacy of his atoning sacrifice, see 1 John 2:1.
once in the year shall he make atonement upon it, throughout your generations; which proves the insufficiency of all legal sacrifices of themselves to take away sin, since every year, as the apostle observes, there was a remembrance of it, Hebrews 10:3.
it is most holy unto the Lord; either the atonement made on the day of atonement, which was a most holy part of service, and pointed at the great atonement made by the most Holy One, the Son of God; or this altar thus expiated, and devoted to sacred use, was reckoned a most sacred one to the Lord, and so was to have nothing offered upon it but what he ordered; with which Jarchi agrees in his note,"the altar is sanctified to these things only, and not to any other service.'
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Continued his discourse; or, there being some intermission, reassumed it:
saying; as follows.
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, after their number,.... An account of them, how many they are; which was sometimes done, and was proper to be done, especially in time of war; though the present case seems to be for the sake of raising money for the tabernacle and the service of it:
then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; which was not done yearly, nor was it perpetual; we have but two instances of it after this until the times of David, Numbers 1:2 yet it seems to have been a yearly tax or tribute, in the times of Christ; see Gill on Matthew 17:24, Matthew 21:12; and in the Misnah is a whole treatise called "Shekalim", in which an account is given of the time and manner of collecting this ransom money, and for what uses, and who were obliged to pay it, and who not; on the first of Adar (or February) they proclaimed concerning the payment of it, on the fifteenth the tables were set for that purpose, and on the twenty fifth the proper persons sat in the sanctuary to receive itF23Misn. Shekalim, c. 1. sect. 1, 3. : this was typical of the ransom of souls by Christ, who are not all the world, for they are ransomed out of it, but Israelites, the whole mystical Israel of God, and are a numbered people; their names are written in the book of life, they are told into the hands of Christ, are exactly known by God and Christ; and these are many and even numberless to men:
that there be no plague amongst them when thou numberest them; as there was when David numbered them; which some have thought was owing to the non-payment of the ransom money after mentioned; the Septuagint version is, "no fall", the ransom of souls by Christ preserves them from a total and final fall by sin into everlasting ruin and destruction; or, "no death" as the Targum of Onkelos, for redemption by Christ secures from the second death, and even from a corporeal death as a penal evil.
This they shall give, everyone that passeth among them that are numbered,.... And their number, according to Jarchi, was known by what was paid; for he says the sum was taken not by heads, but everyone gave the half shekel, and by counting them the number was known, as follows:
half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; that is, after the standard of a shekel kept in the sanctuary as a rule for all; and so Jarchi paraphrases it,"according to the weight of a shekel, which I have fixed for thee to weigh, the shekel of the sanctuary.'It was about fourteen pence: a shekel is twenty gerahs; a gerah being the twentieth part of a shekel, it was not quite three halfpence of our money:
an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord; which was to be offered to him for the ransom of souls, whose lives were forfeited by sin; and of the redemption of which this was an acknowledgment; and was typical of the ransom price of souls by Christ, which is not silver or gold, but his precious blood, his life, himself, which is given as an offering and sacrifice to God, in the room and stead of his people; and which is given to God, against whom sin is committed, the lawgiver, whose law is broken, the Judge, whose justice must be satisfied, and the creditor, to whom the price must be paid.
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above,.... Even Levites, Israelites, proselytes, and servants freed, but not women, bond servants, or childrenF24Misn. Shekalim, c. 1. sect. 1,3. :
shall give an offering to the Lord; the half shekel before mentioned.
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel,.... Which shows that the Israelites were alike in the esteem of God, their worldly circumstances making no difference; their souls being alike, the same ransom price was given for them; and that they were all to have an equal share in the service and sanctuary of God, and the price was set so low, that the poorest man might be able to pay it: and even MaimonidesF25Hilchot Shekalim, c. 1. sect. 1. says, if he lived on alms, he was to beg it of others, or sell his clothes from off his back to pay it. This shows the equality of the redeemed and ransomed of the Lord; for though some sins and sinners are greater than others, and some are redeemed from more sins than others, yet all sins being infinite, as committed against an infinite God, but one price is paid for all, and that is the precious blood of Christ, the Son of God, an infinite and divine Person; hence all the ransomed ones have the same faith, righteousness, salvation, and eternal life:
when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make atonement for your souls; which have sinned, are liable to death for it, are the more excellent part of men, and require a great price for the redemption and ransom of them; and hence it is so great a blessing to be ransomed, because it is the ransom of the soul: and such is the efficacy of Christ's ransom, that it is a full atonement for the souls of men, and their sins, and completely delivers from sin, Satan, the law, death, and hell.
And thou shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel,.... The half shekel, the ransom of their souls:
and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; for the building of the tabernacle, for the repairs of it, and for the sacrifices offered in it; particularly we find that this first collection this way was appropriated to the silver sockets of the sanctuary, and the vail, for the silver hooks, and for the pillars, Exodus 38:27,
that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls; to put them in mind that they were sinners, that their lives were forfeited, that a ransom price was given and accepted of God, that hereby atonement, in a typical sense, was made for them; and this was before the Lord, as a token of their gratitude to him, and of their acknowledgment of the favour.
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Again, at another time, and upon another subject:
saying, as follows.
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal,.... For Aaron, and his sons, and the priests in succession, to wash at before their entrance on their ministry; and denotes in general the necessity of purity, in order to minister in the priestly office; and which was in its perfection in Christ, who being holy and harmless, was an high priest becoming us, and suitable to us, qualified to offer himself without spot to God, and to take away sin; of which purity his baptism in water might be a symbol, which he submitted to before he entered publicly on the execution of his office as a prophet and priest; and as this may respect the ministers of the Gospel, it shows that they should be pure and holy in their lives and conversations, and be examples in purity of conversation to others: and as this may chiefly respect all the saints who are priests unto God; it may be either typical of the laver of regeneration, in which grace, comparable to water, is given, and in which a clean heart is created; and which has an influence on purity of life and conversation, and secures from death: or rather of the blood of Christ, the laver and fountain to wash in for sin and uncleanness; which is large and capacious for all the priests of the Lord, and stands open and uncovered for all to come unto; and as this was made of brass, and that brass the looking glasses of the women, Exodus 38:8 as it may respect the laver of regeneration, may denote the durableness of that grace, which is an immortal seed, a well of living water, springing up to everlasting life, and was a clear evidence of election of God, and redemption by Christ; and as it may be an emblem of the blood of Christ, it signifies the duration and continued virtue of that blood to cleanse from all sin; and that such who are washed in it, and cleansed by it, are not only beheld as clean and pure by the Lord, but in their own sight also, God having caused their iniquities to pass from them, and justified them from them by his blood:
and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar; that is, the altar of burnt offering, which was by the door of the tabernacle; and between that and the tabernacle or tent of the congregation stood the laver for the priests to wash in, just as they entered into the tabernacle, Exodus 40:29 it stood inclining to one of the sides, as Aben Ezra says; a little on the south side, as Jarchi observes:
and thou shall put water therein; or order it to be put in for the use next mentioned.
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat. Not in it, but at it; the laver had mouths or spouts, as Ben Melech says, from whence the water flowed when the priests washed their hands and feet at it; and so Bartenora saysF26In Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1. they did not wash out of the laver, but from water flowing out of it; it is said "out of it", not in it; it seems at first there were but two of these spouts; for it is saidF1Misn. Yoma. c. 3. sect. 10. Ben Katin made twelve spouts or cocks, which had but two before; so that twelve priests could wash their hands and feet at one time, and which they could do at once, presently, by putting the right hand on the top of the right foot, and the left hand upon the left foot, as both Jarchi and Ben Melech relate: and now the hands being the instruments of action, and the feet of walking, this shows that the actions of good men, the priests of the Lord, and their walk and conversation, are not without sin, and that these need washing in the laver of Christ's blood, to which there must be daily application, see Zechariah 13:1. Our Lord seems to have reference to this ceremony, John 13:10 the Egyptian priests washed twice every day in cold water, and twice every nightF2Herodot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 37. .
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water,.... The laver standing near the door of the tabernacle, they washed at it as soon as they entered; and no man, we are toldF3Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 3. , entered into the court before he washed, even though he was clean; though he had contracted no filthiness, and even though he had washed his hands and feet at home, he was obliged to do it when he went into the tabernacle, before he attempted to perform any service. This intimates to us the necessity as of pure hearts, so of pure hands, in order to compass the altar of God, to attend public worship, and particularly prayer, in which holy hands should be lifted up, 1 Timothy 2:8,
that they die not: sin exposes to death, eternal death; that is the wages of it, and it is only the blood of Christ, and being washed in that, that can secure from it:
or when they come near to the altar to minister; to the altar of burnt offering to minister there, by laying on the wood and the pieces in order, and burning them on it, as follows:
to burn offering made by fire to the Lord; no man was fit for this service, or might be admitted to it, until he was washed; and it was usual among other nations to wash before they entered on religious serviceF4Vid. Outram de Sacrificiis, l. 1. c. 6. sect. 14. ; even in the East Indies, the priests do not sacrifice to their idols before they wash in water that is about the templeF5Vartoman. Navigat. l. 5. c. 23. ; which seems to be a satanical imitation of this practice among the Jews.
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not,.... By the immediate hand of God, who would so greatly resent such a neglect of his command; and by how much easier it was to perform it, by so much the more were they inexcusable, and to be treated with greater severity; and this is repeated, that they might carefully observe it, lest they perish:
and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed, throughout their generations; to be observed by Aaron and his descendants in all ages, as long as their priesthood lasted, until the Messiah should come, and wash all his people, his priests, with his own blood, from all their sins, Revelation 1:5.
Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Some little time afterwards, while he was yet with him on the mount:
saying; as follows.
Take thou also unto thee principal spices,.... To make the anointing oil with, and are as follow:
of pure myrrh five hundred shekels; it is strange that Saadiah, and so MaimonidesF6Cele Hamikdash, c. 1. sect. 3. , should take this for musk, which comes from a beast, and is confuted by Aben Ezra from Song of Solomon 5:1 from whence it plainly appears to be what comes from a tree; and the word "mor", here used, gives the tree the name of myrrh almost in all languages. And it is justly mentioned first among the chief of spices; since, as PlinyF7Nat. Hist. l. 12, 15. says, none is preferred unto the stacte or liquor that flows from it, that which is pure myrrh, unmixed, unadulterated; or "myrrh of freedom"F8מר דרור "myrrhae libertatis", Montanus, Vatablus; "myrrhae sponte fluentis", Tigurine version. , which flows freely, either of itself, or, when cut, which is the best; and this was fitly used as a principal ingredient in the anointing oil, since oil was made out of it itself, called oil of myrrh, Esther 2:12 and as a shekel is generally supposed to weigh half an ounce, the quantity of this to be taken was two hundred and fifty ounces:
and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels; or one hundred twenty five ounces: it is here called sweet cinnamon, to distinguish it from that which was not sweet; so Jarchi observes,"there is one sort that has a good smell and taste, another that has not, but is as wood (common wood), therefore it was necessary to say sweet cinnamon.'So PlinyF9Ibid. c. 19. speaks of two sorts of it, one whiter, and another blacker; sometimes the white is preferred, and sometimes the black is commended. The cinnamon tree grows in great plenty in the island of Zeilon in India (Ceylon or called Srilanka today, Editor), as VartomanusF11Navigat. l. 6. c. 4. relates, who says it is not much unlike a bay tree, especially the leaves; it beareth berries as does the bay tree, but less and white; it is doubtless no other than the bark of a tree, and gathered in this manner; every third year they cut the branches of the tree--when it is first gathered it is not yet so sweet, but a month after, when it waxeth dry; and with this PlinyF12Ut supra. (Nat. Hist. l. 12, 15.) agrees, who says it is not odorous while it is green. PancirollusF13Rer. Memorab. sive Deperd. par. 1. tit. 9. p. 28. reckons cinnamon among the things that are lost; and says, that we have no knowledge of the true cinnamon; and reports from Galen, that in his time it was so scarce, that it was rarely found but in the cabinets of emperors. PlinyF14Ib. l. 15. c. 7. makes mention of it, as used in ointments:
and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels; or one hundred and twenty five ounces; and this is called sweet, because there is a calamus that is not sweet, as Jarchi; this is the same with the sweet cane from a far country, Jeremiah 6:20 from India, as is generally thought; but rather perhaps from Sheba, or some part of Arabia; it must be nearer at hand than India, from whence the Israelites had these spices; and Moses is bid to take them, as if they were near indeed; and Pliny speaks of myrrh, and of sweet calamus, as growing in many places of Arabia, and of cinnamon in SyriaF15Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 15, 22, 28. ; and Dionysius PeriegetesF16Orb. Descript. l. 937. mentions calamus along with frankincense, myrrh, and cassia, and calls it sweet smelling calamus; and so StraboF17Geograph. l. 16. p. 538. speaks of cassia and cinnamon as in Arabia Felix; and Diodorus SiculusF18Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 132. makes mention of all these in Arabia, and of cassia that follows.
And of cassia five hundred shekels,.... Or two hundred and fifty ounces:
after the shekel of the sanctuary; according to the standard weight kept there. This "cassia" was not the "cassia solutiva", which is of a purgative nature, and now in use in physic, but the "cassia odorata", or the sweet smelling "cassia": which, PancirollusF19Ut supra, (Rer. Memorab. sive Deperd. par. 1.) Titus 11. p. 30. says, some take to be the nard, out of which a most sweet oil is pressed; and ServiusF20In Virgil. Bucol. Eclog. 2. says, that cassia is an herb of a most sweet smell. PlinyF21Ut supra, (Nat. Hist. l. 12.) c. 19. speaks of it along with cinnamon; and Galen says, when cinnamon was wanting, it was usual to put in its stead a double quantity of cassiaF23Apud Dalechamp in Plin. ib. ; Leo Africanus speaks of trees in Africa bearing cassia, and which chiefly grew in EgyptF24Descriptio Africae, l. 9. p. 752. :
and of oil olive an hin; containing twelve logs: according to GodwinF25Moses & Aaron, l. 6. c. 9. , it was of our measure three quarts; but, as Bishop Cumberland has more exactly calculated it, it held a wine gallon, a quart, and a little more: this was the purest and best of oil, and most fit and proper to be a part of this holy anointing oil.
And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment,.... All the above spices and oil being put together, an ointment was to be made out of them, not thick, as ointments usually are, but a liquid to be poured, and therefore called an "oil of ointment", and "holy", because devoted only to sacred uses:
an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: or confectioner; the spices bruised, and pounded, and mixed together, and boiled or distilled, and so an oil or ointment extracted from them:
it shall be an holy anointing oil; for the uses next mentioned: it signified the Holy Spirit of God, and his graces, that oil of gladness with which Christ and his people are anointed; and is that anointing which teacheth all things, see Psalm 45:7 1 John 2:20 comparable to these several spices, and oil olive, for their sweet smell, cheering and reviving nature, and supplying quality, and for their valuableness and preciousness, and of which there was a certain weight and measure; for though Christ received this unction without measure, yet there is a certain measure of grace and gifts bestowed upon his people, and by which they are made holy and fit for their master's use.
And thou shall anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith,.... It cannot be thought the whole of it should be anointed all over, but only a part of it for the whole; and this was either typical of the human nature of Christ, the true tabernacle God pitched, and not man, and which was anointed with the Holy Ghost; or of the church and people of God, who are an holy tabernacle or temple of the Lord, and who receive the unction from the Holy One:
and the ark of the testimony; the chest where the law was, and stood in the most holy place of the tabernacle; and was a type of the Messiah, the anointed One, in whose heart the law was, and who is the fulfilling end of it for righteousness.
And the table, and all his vessels,.... The shewbread table, with all things appertaining to it, rings, staves, dishes, spoons, bowls, &c. all were anointed; which had respect to Christ, and the communion of his people with him, feeding on him, that food which endures for ever, whom God the Father has sealed and sanctified:
and the candlestick and his vessels; an emblem of the church, and of the light of the word held forth in it, which being accompanied with the grace of the Spirit of God, is the savour of life unto life:
and the altar of incense; on which the odours, the prayers of the saints, come up before God through the mediation of Christ.
And the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels,.... Pans, shovels, basins, &c. and this altar particularly was sprinkled with it seven times, Leviticus 8:10,
and the laver, and his foot; the laver of brass for the priests to wash their hands and feet in, and the foot or base of it on which it stood, see Exodus 30:18.
And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy,.... By anointing them, and so be set apart for sacred uses only; as by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the people of God, the vessels of mercy, are really sanctified, and made meet for the master's use; and therefore it is called the sanctification of the Spirit, which is true holiness, in opposition to typical or ceremonial holiness, here intended; and if this holy anointing oil made those things most holy that were anointed with it, how much more must the grace of the Spirit those who partake of it; and though it is at present imperfect, it will be perfected, and become complete holiness, without which no man can see the Lord:
whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy; as is said of the most holy altar; see Gill on Exodus 29:37. The Targum of Jonathan interprets it of persons that approach these holy places, and things so anointed and sanctified, paraphrasing the words thus;"whosoever cometh unto them of the priests shall be holy, but of the rest of the tribes shall be burnt with flaming fire before the Lord.'
And thou shall anoint Aaron and his sons,.... Them alone, and not others, as Aben Ezra, who were typical of Christ anointed with the Spirit of God without measure, to his various offices of prophet, priest and King; and also of all the saints, who are anointed priests to God, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ:
and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office; by anointing them, and by other rites mentioned in the preceding chapter; whereby they were set apart for that office, and were qualified for it, and had authority to exercise it.
And thou shall speak unto the children of Israel,.... When he was come down from the mount, and gave the instructions about the making and using of this oil:
saying, this shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations; Abarbinel, and other Jewish writers, conclude from hence, that this same oil, which was made by Moses, lasted throughout the generations to the times of Josiah, when it was hid with other things; but this, notion is justly exploded by Aben Ezra; it is not probable, that so small a quantity that was now made, which is supposed by some to be no more than a gallon and a half of wine measure, should suffice so long: it does not seem to be more than what was sufficient for present use; for the anointing of so many persons, and things as were anointed, and much less to be sufficient for the anointing of priests and kings in after times, until that period. This cannot be supposed without a miraculous interposition, to which the TalmudistsF26Massachet Cerithot, fol. 5. 2. & Horayot, fol. 11. 2. fly, and observe, that there were many miracles in this affair; but there is no need to have recourse to them, since, for aught that is said, it might be made again in like manner for sacred uses, which is meant by the phrase "unto me"; though it might not be made for any other use, private or profane.
Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured,.... That is, not upon common men, or on men's flesh in common, as was usual at feasts and entertainments in the eastern countries, see Psalm 23:5 but this was not to be used on such occasions, otherwise it was poured on the flesh of some men, as Aaron and his sons, on whose head it was poured and ran down to the beard:
neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it; for private uses:
it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you; it was set apart for sacred use by the Lord, and so it was to be reckoned by them, and not to be used in any way, or for any other purpose than he had directed: all which shows, that the grace of the Spirit belongs to the Lord's people, his priests; other men are carnal, and have no lot or part in this matter, and are not to be admitted to holy ordinances, as if they were holy persons; nor is fellowship in holy things to be allowed them; nor is counterfeit grace of any avail, which, though it may bear a likeness to true grace, is not that, nor to be so accounted, nor rested on, as feigned faith, the hypocrite's hope, dissembled love, and pretended humility.
Whosoever compoundeth any like it,.... For his own use, or for any other than what God appointed it for: or
whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger; meaning not a Gentile, an alien from the commonwealth of israel; though Japhet interprets it of such a stranger who was not of the children of Israel; this Aben Ezra says is not right, but he says it means one that is not of the seed of Aaron; and so the Targum of Jonathan,"upon a profane person (or a common person, a laic) that is not of the sons of Aaron:'though the kings of Israel seem to be an exception to this, which might be by a special order from the Lord; yet it is a question whether it was with this, or with common oil, that they were anointed: indeed, the oil with which Solomon was anointed was taken out of the tabernacle, 1 Kings 1:39.
shall even be cut off from his people; either by death, by the immediate hand of God inflicting some disease upon him, or by excommunication from the congregation of Israel, or by not favouring him with any posterity, to keep up his name in the nation.
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... In a continued discourse, or some time after the former, though more probably at the same time; since it concerns the incense to be offered on the altar of incense, about which directions are given in the former part of the chapter:
take unto thee sweet spices: which are as follow, "stacte", "onycha", and "galbanum"; the former of these has its name from dropping; and of the same signification is the Hebrew word "Nataph", here used. Pancirollus saysF1Rer. Memorab. & Deperd. par. 1. Titus 12. p. 32. , myrrh is a drop or tear distilling from a tree in Arabia Felix; and stacte is a drop of myrrh, which is extracted from it, and yields a most precious liquor: and so PlinyF2Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 15. relates, that myrrh trees sweat out of their own accord, before they are cut, what is called stacte, to which nothing is preferable: though some naturalists, as Theophrastus and DioscoridesF3Apud Dalechamp. in Plin. ib. speak of this as flowing from it when it is cut; however, all agree it is a liquor that drops from myrrh; though the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem interpret it "balsam" or "rosin"; as does Jarchi on the place, and MaimonidesF4Cele Hamikdash, c. 2. sect. 4. : the second of these, "onycha", has its name from being of the colour of a man's nail, as the onyx stone is, and is the same with the "unguis odorata" or "blatta byzantia". Jarchi says it is the root of a spice, smooth and shining like a man's nail. It is by some"understood of "laudanum" or "balellium"; but the greatest part of commentators explain it by the "onyx", or the odoriferous shell, which is a shell like to that of the shell fish called "purpura": the onyx is fished for in watery places of the Indies, where grows the "spica nardi", which is the food of this fish, and what makes its shell so aromatic: they go to gather these shells when the heat has dried up the marshes. The best onyx is found in the Red sea, and is white and large, the Babylonian is black and smaller; this is what Dioscorides says of itF5Calmet's Dictionary on the word "Onycha". .'And the best being found in the Red sea, it may be reasonably supposed it was what Moses was bid to take. In all India, it is the principal thing in all perfumes, as the aloe is in pillsF6Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 243. ; the Targum of Jonathan interprets it by "costus"; and the Jerusalem Targum by spike of myrrh, meaning perhaps spikenard. The last of these, "galbanum", what now goes by that name, is of a very ill smell, and therefore cannot be thought to be one of these sweet spices; but another is meant, and which, by its name "Chelbanah", was of a fat and unctuous nature; though Jarchi says, galbanum, whose smell is ill, is put among the spices; and MaimonidesF7Cele Hamikdash, c. 2. sect. 4. and KimchiF8Sepher Shorash. Rad. חלב. describe it like black honey, and of an offensive smell; but it must be something odoriferous, and therefore most likely to be the galbanum PlinyF9Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 15. speaks of as growing on Mount Areanus in Syria, which he mentions along with several sorts of balsams, and as a sort of frankincense; and the Vulgate Latin version, to distinguish it, calls it "galbanum" of a "good smell":
these sweet spices with pure frankincense; for which Sabaea in Arabia Felix was very famous, and was called the thuriferous country, as PlinyF11Ib. c. 14. says; who observes that there were in it two times of gathering the frankincense, the one in autumn, that which was white, and the purest, the other in the spring, which was reddish, and not to be compared with the former:
of each shall there be a like weight; just as much of one as of the other: in the Hebrew text it is, "alone by alone"; and the sense may be, that each spice was beaten alone, and after that mixed, as Aben Ezra, or weighed alone, and then put together.
And thou shalt make it a perfume,.... By mixing the above spices together:
a confection after the art of the apothecary; in the manner they beat, compound, and mix several ingredients together:
tempered together; or "salted"F12ממלח "salitum", Montanus, Drusius. Junius & Tremellius, & Piscator. , with salt of Sodom, as Aben Ezra interprets it; and MaimonidesF13Cele Hamikdash, c. 2. sect. 3. says, there was a fourth part of a kab of salt of Sodom put into it: and whether this incense or perfume respects the intercession of Christ or the prayers of his people, they are both savoury and acceptable to God, the latter on account of the former; in all sacrifices salt was used, and every spiritual sacrifice of ours should be seasoned with grace:
pure and holy; such should be the prayers of the saints, and such most certainly is the mediation of Christ, which is his much incense.
And thou shall beat some of it very small,.... Or every one of the spices; for this does not seem to respect any different usage of some part of the incense from the rest; but it was all to be beat very small, that it might mix together the better, and be easier spread upon the coals, and the smoke thereof go up the sooner:
and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation; that is, upon the altar of incense, which was placed there, Exodus 30:6 and here it was to be put in order to be burnt, not to be kept, either to be looked at, or smelled to:
where I will meet with thee; See Gill on Exodus 30:6.
it shall be unto you most holy; reckoned by them most sacred, and not to be put to any private or profane uses.
And as for the perfume which thou shalt make,.... As above directed:
ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof; that is, for their own use, for the scenting of their rooms, or to snuff up, or smell to, as in the next verse:
it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord; separated entirely for his service, to be burned upon his altar, and to be no otherwise used.
Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto,.... A man might make a perfume of the same ingredients, and of the same weight, and exactly like it, but not to burn for his own delight and pleasure; but if he made it and sold it to the congregation, as Jarchi observes, he was not guilty; but if it was for his own private use and pleasure, then he
shall even be cut off from his people; See Gill on Exodus 30:33.