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.
And the silver H3701 of them that were numbered H6485 of the congregation H5712 was an hundred H3967 talents, H3603 and a thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and threescore and fifteen H7657 H2568 shekels, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary: H6944 A bekah H1235 for every man, H1538 that is, half H4276 a shekel, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 for every one that went H5674 to be numbered, H6485 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 for six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men.
Take H5375 ye the sum H7218 of all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 with the number H4557 of their names, H8034 every male H2145 by their polls; H1538 From twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 all that are able to go forth H3318 to war H6635 in Israel: H3478 thou and Aaron H175 shall number H6485 them by their armies. H6635 And with you there shall be a man H376 of every H376 tribe; H4294 every one H376 head H7218 of the house H1004 of his fathers. H1 And these are the names H8034 of the men H582 that shall stand H5975 with you: of the tribe of Reuben; H7205 Elizur H468 the son H1121 of Shedeur. H7707
Take H5375 the sum H7218 of all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 throughout their fathers' H1 house, H1004 all that are able to go H3318 to war H6635 in Israel. H3478 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 spake H1696 with them in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho, H3405 saying, H559 Take the sum of the people, from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward; H4605 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses H4872 and the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which went forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
And again H3254 the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against Israel, H3478 and he moved H5496 David H1732 against them to say, H559 Go, H3212 number H4487 Israel H3478 and Judah. H3063 For the king H4428 said H559 to Joab H3097 the captain H8269 of the host, H2428 which was with him, Go now through H7751 all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba, H884 and number H6485 ye the people, H5971 that I may know H3045 the number H4557 of the people. H5971 And Joab H3097 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Now the LORD H3068 thy God H430 add H3254 unto the people, H5971 how many soever H1992 they be, an hundredfold, H3967 H6471 and that the eyes H5869 of my lord H113 the king H4428 may see H7200 it: but why doth my lord H113 the king H4428 delight H2654 in this thing? H1697 Notwithstanding the king's H4428 word H1697 prevailed H2388 against Joab, H3097 and against the captains H8269 of the host. H2428 And Joab H3097 and the captains H8269 of the host H2428 went out H3318 from the presence H6440 of the king, H4428 to number H6485 the people H5971 of Israel. H3478 And they passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and pitched H2583 in Aroer, H6177 on the right side H3225 of the city H5892 that lieth in the midst H8432 of the river H5158 of Gad, H1410 and toward Jazer: H3270 Then they came H935 to Gilead, H1568 and to the land H776 of Tahtimhodshi; H8483 and they came H935 to Danjaan, H1842 and about H5439 to Zidon, H6721 And came H935 to the strong hold H4013 of Tyre, H6865 and to all the cities H5892 of the Hivites, H2340 and of the Canaanites: H3669 and they went out H3318 to the south H5045 of Judah, H3063 even to Beersheba. H884 So when they had gone H7751 through all the land, H776 they came H935 to Jerusalem H3389 at the end H7097 of nine H8672 months H2320 and twenty H6242 days. H3117 And Joab H3097 gave up H5414 the sum H4557 of the number H4662 of the people H5971 unto the king: H4428 and there were in Israel H3478 eight H8083 hundred H3967 thousand H505 valiant H2428 men H376 H381 that drew H8025 the sword; H2719 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 were five H2568 hundred H3967 thousand H505 men. H376 And David's H1732 heart H3820 smote H5221 him after H310 that he had numbered H5608 the people. H5971 And David H1732 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 I have sinned H2398 greatly H3966 in that I have done: H6213 and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, H3068 take away H5674 the iniquity H5771 of thy servant; H5650 for I have done very H3966 foolishly. H5528 For when David H1732 was up H6965 in the morning, H1242 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto the prophet H5030 Gad, H1410 David's H1732 seer, H2374 saying, H559 Go H1980 and say H559 unto David, H1732 Thus saith H1696 the LORD, H3068 I offer H5190 thee three H7969 things; choose H977 thee one H259 of them, that I may do it unto thee. H6213 So Gad H1410 came H935 to David, H1732 and told H5046 him, and said H559 unto him, Shall seven H7651 years H8141 of famine H7458 come H935 unto thee in thy land? H776 or wilt thou flee H5127 three H7969 months H2320 before H6440 thine enemies, H6862 while they pursue H7291 thee? or that there be three H7969 days' H3117 pestilence H1698 in thy land? H776 now advise, H3045 and see H7200 what answer H1697 I shall return H7725 to him that sent H7971 me. And David H1732 said H559 unto Gad, H1410 I am in a great H3966 strait: H6887 let us fall H5307 now into the hand H3027 of the LORD; H3068 for his mercies H7356 are great: H7227 and let me not fall H5307 into the hand H3027 of man. H120 So the LORD H3068 sent H5414 a pestilence H1698 upon Israel H3478 from the morning H1242 even to the time H6256 appointed: H4150 and there died H4191 of the people H5971 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba H884 seventy H7657 thousand H505 men. H376
Forasmuch as ye know G1492 that G3754 ye were G3084 not G3756 redeemed G3084 with corruptible things, G5349 as silver G694 and G2228 gold, G5553 from G1537 your G5216 vain G3152 conversation G391 received by tradition from your fathers; G3970 But G235 with the precious G5093 blood G129 of Christ, G5547 as G5613 of a lamb G286 without blemish G299 and G2532 without spot: G784
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 30
Commentary on Exodus 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
Ex 30:1-38. The Altar of Incense.
1. thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon, &c.—Its material was to be like that of the ark of the testimony, but its dimensions very small [Ex 25:10].
2-4. foursquare—the meaning of which is not that it was to be entirely of a cubical form, but that upon its upper and under surface, it showed four equal sides. It was twice as high as it was broad, being twenty-one inches broad and three feet six inches high. It had "horns"; its top or flat surface was surmounted by an ornamental ledge or rim, called a crown, and it was furnished at the sides with rings for carriage. Its only accompanying piece of furniture was a golden censer or pan, in which the incense was set fire to upon the altar. Hence it was called the altar of incense, or the "golden altar" [Ex 39:38; 40:26], from the profuse degree in which it was gilded or overlaid with the precious metal. This splendor was adapted to the early age of the church, but in later times, when the worship was to be more spiritual, the altar of incense is prophetically described as not of gold but of wood, and double the size of that in the tabernacle, because the church should be vastly extended (Mal 1:11).
6. thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony—which separated the holy from the most holy place. The altar was in the middle between the table of showbread and the candlestick next the holy of holies, at equal distances from the north and south walls; in other words, it occupied a spot on the outside of the great partition veil, but directly in front of the mercy seat, which was within that sacred enclosure; so that although the priest who ministered at this altar could not behold the mercy seat, he was to look towards it, and present his incense in that direction. This was a special arrangement, and it was designed to teach the important lesson that, though we cannot with the eye of sense, see the throne of grace, we must "direct our prayer to it and look up" [Ps 5:3] (compare 2Co 3:14; Heb 10:20; Re 4:1).
7, 8. Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense—literally, "incense of spices"—Strong aromatic substances were burnt upon this altar to counteract by their odoriferous fragrance the offensive fumes of the sacrifices; or the incense was employed in an offering of tributary homage which the Orientals used to make as a mark of honor to kings; and as God was Theocratic Ruler of Israel, His palace was not to be wanting in a usage of such significancy. Both these ends were served by this altar—that of fumigating the apartments of the sacred edifice, while the pure lambent flame, according to Oriental notions, was an honorary tribute to the majesty of Israel's King. But there was a far higher meaning in it still; for as the tabernacle was not only a palace for Israel's King, but a place of worship for Israel's God, this altar was immediately connected with a religious purpose. In the style of the sacred writers, incense was a symbol or emblem of prayer (Ps 141:2; Re 5:8; 8:3). From the uniform combination of the two services, it is evident that the incense was an emblem of the prayers of sincere worshippers ascending to heaven in the cloud of perfume; and, accordingly, the priest who officiated at this altar typified the intercessory office of Christ (Lu 1:10; Heb 7:25).
every morning … at even—In every period of the national history this daily worship was scrupulously observed.
8. Aaron shall burn incense—seemingly limiting the privilege of officiating at the altar of incense to the high priest alone, and there is no doubt that he and his successors exclusively attended this altar on the great religious festivals. But "Aaron" is frequently used for the whole priestly order, and in later times, any of the priests might have officiated at this altar in rotation (Lu 1:9).
9. Ye shall offer no strange incense—that is, of a different composition from that of which the ingredients are described so minutely.
11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &c.—Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individual was two and four pence. This was not a voluntary contribution, but a ransom for the soul or lives of the people. It was required from all classes alike, and a refusal to pay implied a wilful exclusion from the privileges of the sanctuary, as well as exposure to divine judgments. It was probably the same impost that was exacted from our Lord (Mt 17:24-27), and it was usually devoted to repairs and other purposes connected with the services of the sanctuary.
18-21. Thou shalt … make a laver of brass—Though not actually forming a component part of the furniture of the tabernacle, this vase was closely connected with it; and though from standing at the entrance it would be a familiar object, it possessed great interest and importance from the baptismal purposes to which it was applied. No data are given by which its form and size can be ascertained; but it was probably a miniature pattern of Solomon's—a circular basin.
his foot—supposed not to be the pedestal on which it rested, but a trough or shallow receptacle below, into which the water, let out from a cock or spout, flowed; for the way in which all Eastern people wash their hands or feet is by pouring upon them the water which falls into a basin. This laver was provided for the priests alone. But in the Christian dispensation, all believers are priests, and hence the apostle exhorts them how to draw near to God (Joh 13:10; Heb 10:22).
23-33. Take thou also … principal spices, &c.—Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture of the tabernacle.
myrrh—a fragrant and medicinal gum from a little known tree in Arabia.
sweet cinnamon—produced from a species of laurel or sweet bay, found chiefly in Ceylon, growing to a height of twenty feet: this spice is extracted from the inner bark, but it is not certain whether that mentioned by Moses is the same as that with which we are familiar.
sweet calamus—or sweet cane, a product of Arabia and India, of a tawny color in appearance; it is like the common cane and strongly odoriferous.
24. cassia—from the same species of tree as the cinnamon—some think the outer bark of that tree. All these together would amount to one hundred twenty pounds, troy weight.
hin—a word of Egyptian origin, equal to ten pints. Being mixed with the olive oil—no doubt of the purest kind—this composition probably remained always in a liquid state, and the strictest prohibition issued against using it for any other purpose than anointing the tabernacle and its furniture.
34-38. the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices—These were:
stacte—the finest myrrh;
onycha—supposed to be an odoriferous shell;
galbanum—a gum resin from an umbelliferous plant.
frankincense—a dry, resinous, aromatic gum, of a yellow color, which comes from a tree in Arabia, and is obtained by incision of the bark. This incense was placed within the sanctuary, to be at hand when the priest required to burn on the altar. The art of compounding unguents and perfumes was well known in Egypt, where sweet-scented spices were extensively used not only in common life, but in the ritual of the temples. Most of the ingredients here mentioned have been found on minute examination of mummies and other Egyptian relics; and the Israelites, therefore, would have the best opportunities of acquiring in that country the skill in pounding and mixing them which they were called to exercise in the service of the tabernacle. But the recipe for the incense as well as for the oil in the tabernacle, though it receives illustration from the customs of Egypt, was peculiar, and being prescribed by divine authority, was to be applied to no common or inferior purpose.