Moses
Incense, Atonement Money, Washing, Anointing Oil, and Holy Incense
The Lord’s presence among Israel requires holy incense, ransom, cleansing, anointing, and consecrated fragrance, because everything connected with His dwelling must be treated as holy to Him.
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The Lord’s presence among Israel requires holy incense, ransom, cleansing, anointing, and consecrated fragrance, because everything connected with His dwelling must be treated as holy to Him.
Exodus 30 argues that worship before the Lord is not merely access but consecrated access. The incense altar marks regular fragrant ministry before the veil and must be annually atoned for. The census ransom declares that every Israelite life belongs to God and must be acknowledged before Him. The basin requires priests to wash before holy service. The anointing oil consecrates the sanctuary and priesthood.
The incense is reserved for the Lord alone. The chapter presses the distinction between holy and common and warns against treating sacred things as personal property.
Israel, the covenant people redeemed from Egypt and being instructed in the worship, holiness, mediation, and sacred service of the tabernacle.
Mount Sinai, while Moses remains in the cloud receiving the Lord’s instructions for the tabernacle, priesthood, altar service, and holy materials.
The Lord’s presence among Israel requires holy incense, ransom, cleansing, anointing, and consecrated fragrance, because everything connected with His dwelling must be treated as holy to Him.
Moses
Israel, the covenant people redeemed from Egypt and being instructed in the worship, holiness, mediation, and sacred service of the tabernacle.
Mount Sinai, while Moses remains in the cloud receiving the Lord’s instructions for the tabernacle, priesthood, altar service, and holy materials.
- Israel needs a complete sanctuary order so that the holy Lord may dwell among them without His presence being profaned. Priests must know how to minister, wash, offer incense, guard sacred objects, and preserve the uniqueness of holy anointing oil and incense.
Ancient sanctuaries used incense, basins, sacred oils, perfumes, censuses, and purification rituals. In Israel, these are not magical objects or human inventions. They are commanded by the Lord and governed by holiness, atonement, mediation, and divine ownership.
Exodus 30 follows the priestly consecration instructions in Exodus 29 and continues the tabernacle service instructions by describing the altar of incense, census atonement money, bronze basin, sacred anointing oil, and sacred incense.
The chapter moves from the altar of incense and its regular priestly service, to atonement money given during a census, to the bronze basin for priestly washing, to the sacred anointing oil used to consecrate the tabernacle and priests, and finally to the holy incense that must be made and used only for the Lord.
Theological exposition and fulfillment
Exodus 30 clarifies the gospel by showing that sinners need more than access language. They need ransom, washing, atonement, consecration, and priestly mediation. The counted Israelite gives ransom money, but Christ gives Himself as the true ransom. The priests wash repeatedly, but Christ cleanses His people decisively and continues to sanctify them. The incense altar requires atonement, but Christ’s priestly intercession rests on His finished sacrifice.
The holy oil and incense are restricted to the Lord, reminding us that salvation and worship belong to God’s holy purpose, not human possession.
The incense altar is placed near the Most Holy Place and served regularly, with annual atonement.
The census offering teaches that every Israelite life is accountable to the Lord and must be ransomed.
Priests must wash before entering or ministering, because holy service requires purification.
The sacred oil consecrates the sanctuary, furnishings, and priests, and must be treated as holy.
The incense is holy to the Lord and must not be reproduced for private pleasure.
- 1-10: The gold altar of incense is made, placed before the veil, served daily, and atoned for annually.
- 11-16: Each counted Israelite gives the same half-shekel ransom to the Lord as atonement money.
- 17-21: The bronze basin is placed between the tent and altar so priests may wash before service.
- 22-33: A holy oil is made to consecrate the sanctuary, furnishings, altar, basin, and priests, and must not be copied or misused.
- 34-38: A holy incense blend is made for the Lord and forbidden for personal use.
Theological Argument
Exodus 30 argues that worship before the Lord is not merely access but consecrated access. The incense altar marks regular fragrant ministry before the veil and must be annually atoned for. The census ransom declares that every Israelite life belongs to God and must be acknowledged before Him. The basin requires priests to wash before holy service. The anointing oil consecrates the sanctuary and priesthood.
The incense is reserved for the Lord alone. The chapter presses the distinction between holy and common and warns against treating sacred things as personal property.
From incense before the veil, to ransom money for counted lives, to priestly washing, to sacred anointing, to holy incense reserved for the LORD.
- 1.The LORD appoints a holy altar for regular incense before His presence.
- 2.The incense altar must not be used for unauthorized worship and must receive annual atonement.
- 3.The lives of the counted Israelites require ransom before the LORD.
- 4.Priestly service requires repeated washing lest the priests die.
- 5.The sanctuary, its furnishings, and its priests must be consecrated by sacred anointing oil.
- 6.Holy oil and incense must not be copied or used for common pleasure.
Theological Focus
- Altar of incense
- Fragrant incense
- Regular priestly ministry
- Annual atonement
- Unauthorized incense forbidden
- Census ransom
- Atonement money
- Equal ransom
- Bronze basin
- Priestly washing
- Hands and feet
- Sacred anointing oil
- Consecration
- Most holy
- Holy incense
- Holy and common distinction
- Regular ministry before the Lord
- Holy worship cannot be improvised
- Atonement reaches sacred objects
- Life must be ransomed before God
- No class distinction in ransom
- Priestly cleansing is necessary
- Holy things must be consecrated
- Holy things must not be made common
- Fragrance belongs to worship
- The Lord defines holiness
- Holiness
- Atonement
- Ransom
- Priestly Mediation
- Cleansing
- Revelation-Governed Worship
- Holy/Common Distinction
- Christological Fulfillment
Theological Themes
The incense is burned every morning and twilight, tied to the lamp service before the Lord.
Unauthorized incense and improper offerings are forbidden on the incense altar.
The incense altar receives annual atonement on its horns.
The census offering teaches that each counted Israelite belongs to the Lord and needs ransom.
The rich and poor give the same half shekel because every life stands equally before the Lord.
Aaron and His sons must wash hands and feet before entering or ministering.
The tabernacle, furnishings, altar, basin, and priests are anointed and consecrated.
The sacred oil and incense may not be copied or used for ordinary purposes.
Incense and anointing oil create holy fragrance reserved for the Lord’s service.
Holiness is not personal preference but divine designation and restriction.
Covenant Significance
Exodus 30 safeguards the holiness of covenant worship. Israel’s priests minister with incense, cleansing, and consecration. Israel’s counted men give ransom money before the Lord. The sanctuary and its objects are set apart by anointing oil. The incense is holy to the Lord alone. The covenant people must learn that the Lord’s nearness is gracious, but His holiness governs every act, object, scent, payment, and priestly movement associated with worship.
- Covenant prayer and fragrance - The incense altar establishes regular fragrant ministry before the Lord.
- Covenant atonement - The incense altar and the census both involve atonement before the Lord.
- Covenant ransom - Each counted Israelite gives ransom money for His life.
- Covenant cleansing - Priests wash hands and feet before entering the tent or approaching the altar.
- Covenant consecration - The tabernacle, furnishings, and priests are consecrated with sacred oil.
- Covenant holiness - The sacred oil and incense are reserved for the Lord and must not be copied for common use.
- Exodus 27:20-21 - The incense service is connected with the regular tending of the lamps.
- Exodus 29:42-46 - The Lord promises to meet, consecrate, and dwell among Israel · Exodus 30 provides further service instructions for that holy dwelling.
- Leviticus 16:12-19 - Incense and blood are involved in the Day of Atonement service.
- Numbers 16:46-48 - Incense is later connected with priestly mediation during judgment.
- Psalm 141:2 - Prayer is compared to incense rising before the Lord.
Canonical Connections
Incense becomes associated with prayer and priestly intercession in later Scripture.
The census ransom contributes to the biblical theme that life belongs to God and must be redeemed.
The basin’s washing requirement develops the theme of cleansing for service before God.
The sacred anointing oil sets apart priests and sanctuary objects, contributing to the anointed-one theme.
The restrictions on oil and incense connect with the broader biblical mandate to distinguish holy and common.
The incense altar anticipates the need for priestly intercession fulfilled in Christ.
Cross References
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
Again Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, “Go, count Israel and Judah.” The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel,...
For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh. The blood shall be to you for a token...
Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. You...
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham called the name of that place...
Depart! Depart! Go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry Yahweh’s vessels.
The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me, because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound,
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. Fire came out from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they...
You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
“ ‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.’ ”
He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Yahweh, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil. He shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that the cloud of the incense...
“He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it...
For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.
Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
“ ‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, or tear his clothes. He must not go in to any dead...
The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the Tent of Meeting; and he shall pour out the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is...
Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them. He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them. He...
Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
Fire came out from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter the fire...
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from Yahweh! The plague has begun.” Aaron did as Moses...
The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses. They said to Moses, “Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, and there...
Exodus 30 clarifies the gospel by showing that sinners need more than access language. They need ransom, washing, atonement, consecration, and priestly mediation. The counted Israelite gives ransom money, but Christ gives Himself as the true ransom. The priests wash repeatedly, but Christ cleanses His people decisively and continues to sanctify them. The incense altar requires atonement, but Christ’s priestly intercession rests on His finished sacrifice.
The holy oil and incense are restricted to the Lord, reminding us that salvation and worship belong to God’s holy purpose, not human possession.
- Life requires ransom - The census offering teaches that Israel’s life belongs to the Lord and must be ransomed.
- Service requires cleansing - The basin teaches that priestly ministry requires washing before holy service.
- Worship requires atonement - Even the incense altar receives annual atonement.
- Holiness requires consecration - The oil sets apart objects and priests for the Lord’s service.
- Christ fulfills ransom and cleansing - Jesus gives His life as ransom and cleanses His people for service to God.
- Christ fulfills priestly intercession - The incense altar points toward the need for priestly mediation, fulfilled in Christ’s ongoing intercession.
- Do not treat ransom as merely financial transaction detached from life belonging to God.
- Do not turn priestly washing into self-cleansing apart from grace.
- Do not preach incense as mystical atmosphere apart from priestly mediation.
- Do not make holy oil or incense into modern superstition.
- Do not treat sacred restrictions as arbitrary · they protect the distinction between holy and common.
- Do not jump to Christ without preserving the chapter’s categories of incense, ransom, washing, anointing, consecration, and holiness.
Primary Emphasis
Exodus 30 contributes to the biblical theology fulfilled in Christ by revealing the need for atonement, cleansing, intercession, consecration, and holy access. The incense altar anticipates the priestly ministry of intercession. The ransom money points to life belonging to God and needing redemption. The basin points to cleansing necessary for service. The anointing oil points to consecration by God.
The holy incense points to worship reserved for God alone. Christ fulfills these categories as the true ransom, cleansing Savior, anointed Priest-King, intercessor, and mediator whose sacrifice and ongoing ministry bring His people near to God.
Chapter Contribution
Exodus 30 argues that worship before the Lord is not merely access but consecrated access. The incense altar marks regular fragrant ministry before the veil and must be annually atoned for. The census ransom declares that every Israelite life belongs to God and must be acknowledged before Him. The basin requires priests to wash before holy service. The anointing oil consecrates the sanctuary and priesthood.
The incense is reserved for the Lord alone. The chapter presses the distinction between holy and common and warns against treating sacred things as personal property.
The half-shekel is called atonement money and functions within the covenant census setting to avert plague.
The anointing theme develops canonically toward Christ, the Spirit-anointed Messiah and true priest.
The census ransom anticipates the greater biblical ransom theme fulfilled by Christ’s life given for many.
The basin contributes to the biblical cleansing trajectory fulfilled in Christ’s blood and sanctifying work.
The altar contributes to the canonical trajectory fulfilled in Christ’s priestly intercession and blood-secured access.
Priests must wash hands and feet before approaching the tent or altar, showing the necessity of purification in sanctuary service.
The tabernacle, furnishings, altar, basin, utensils, and priests are consecrated by the Lord’s appointed oil.
Unauthorized imitation for private enjoyment results in being cut off from the people.
The census is not mere administration; numbered lives belong to the Lord and must be acknowledged before Him.
The altar stands before the veil near the ark and atonement cover, close to the Lord’s appointed meeting place.
Rich and poor give the same half-shekel, showing that status cannot increase or reduce the ransom requirement.
The altar is most holy to the Lord, and its use is protected from unauthorized offerings.
The repeated death warning shows that holy approach is serious and cannot be handled casually.
The atonement money becomes a memorial before the Lord in connection with the tent of meeting service.
The incense ministry later becomes associated with prayers rising before God, though this passage itself emphasizes priestly incense service.
Aaron and His sons are anointed for priestly service, not self-appointed into holy ministry.
Though this passage focuses on incense, later Scripture associates incense with prayers rising before God, culminating in Christ’s intercession.
Aaron alone is assigned the regular incense ministry in connection with lamp service and annual atonement.
The counted Israelite gives a ransom for His life, acknowledging the Lord’s claim and the need for atonement.
The altar’s construction, placement, use, restrictions, and annual atonement are all governed by divine command.
The same formula must not be made for ordinary personal use, preserving the holy from common appropriation.
The priests’ ongoing service requires repeated washing, pointing to the need for consecrated conduct.
The altar, oil, incense, priests, and sanctuary objects are treated as holy to the Lord.
The incense altar receives annual atonement, and census money functions as atonement money for the Israelites’ lives.
Each counted Israelite gives ransom money to the Lord during the census.
Aaron ministers with incense, washing, and atonement before the Lord.
The bronze basin provides required washing for priestly hands and feet before service.
The sacred oil consecrates the tabernacle, furnishings, altar, basin, and priests.
The incense, oil, altar, ransom, and basin are all governed by the Lord’s explicit command.
The sacred oil and incense must not be copied or used for ordinary purposes.
The ransom, cleansing, anointing, incense, and priestly mediation prepare categories fulfilled in Christ.
Theological exposition and fulfillment
- Exodus 30 clarifies the gospel by showing that sinners need more than access language. They need ransom, washing, atonement, consecration, and priestly mediation. The counted Israelite gives ransom money, but Christ gives Himself as the true ransom. The priests wash repeatedly, but Christ cleanses His people decisively and continues to sanctify them. The incense altar requires atonement, but Christ’s priestly intercession rests on His finished sacrifice. The holy oil and incense are restricted to the Lord, reminding us that salvation and worship belong to God’s holy purpose, not human possession.
Sense altar
Definition A place of offering or sacrificial service.
References Exodus 30:1-10
Lexicon altar
Why it matters The altar of incense is the place of regular fragrant ministry before the Lord.
Sense incense, fragrant smoke
Definition Fragrant incense burned in sacred service.
References Exodus 30:1, 7-9, 34-38
Lexicon incense, fragrant smoke
Why it matters Incense is offered regularly before the Lord and is restricted to holy use.
Sense fragrant spices
Definition Aromatic spices used for sacred incense.
References Exodus 30:7, 34
Lexicon fragrant spices
Why it matters The incense is a holy fragrance reserved for the Lord.
Sense acacia wood
Definition Durable desert wood used for tabernacle objects.
References Exodus 30:1, 5
Lexicon acacia wood
Why it matters The incense altar and its poles are made from acacia wood overlaid with gold.
Sense pure gold
Definition Refined or pure gold used for holy objects.
References Exodus 30:3
Lexicon pure gold
Why it matters The incense altar is overlaid with pure gold because it stands near the Most Holy Place.
Sense horns
Definition Horn-like projections on the corners of an altar.
References Exodus 30:2-3, 10
Lexicon horns
Why it matters Atonement is made on the horns of the incense altar once a year.
Sense veil, curtain
Definition The curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
References Exodus 30:6
Lexicon veil, curtain
Why it matters The incense altar is placed before the veil near the ark and atonement cover.
Sense atonement cover, mercy seat
Definition The gold cover over the ark where the LORD meets Moses.
References Exodus 30:6
Lexicon atonement cover, mercy seat
Why it matters The incense altar stands before the atonement cover, emphasizing nearness to the place of divine meeting.
Sense to meet, appoint meeting
Definition To meet at an appointed place.
References Exodus 30:6, 36
Lexicon to meet, appoint meeting
Why it matters The incense altar stands before the place where the Lord meets with Moses.
Sense strange, unauthorized, foreign
Definition Something unauthorized or outside what is permitted.
References Exodus 30:9
Lexicon strange, unauthorized, foreign
Why it matters Unauthorized incense is forbidden on the incense altar.
Cross-language bridge 2 links · View in lexicon
Sense to make atonement, cover, purge
Definition To make atonement, cleanse, or cover guilt.
References Exodus 30:10, 15-16
Lexicon to make atonement, cover, purge
Why it matters Atonement is made on the incense altar and through the census ransom money.
Sense most holy
Definition A superlative expression meaning most holy.
References Exodus 30:10, 29, 36
Lexicon most holy
Why it matters The incense altar, sacred oil, and incense are treated as most holy to the Lord.
Sense take a census, lift the head
Definition An idiom for numbering or taking a census.
References Exodus 30:12
Lexicon take a census, lift the head
Why it matters The census requires ransom money so no plague comes on the people.
Sense ransom, covering price
Definition A ransom or price given for life.
References Exodus 30:12
Lexicon ransom, covering price
Why it matters Each counted Israelite gives a ransom for His life to the Lord.
Sense life, soul, self
Definition Life, person, soul, or self.
References Exodus 30:12, 15-16
Lexicon life, soul, self
Why it matters The ransom is given for each person’s life before the Lord.
Cross-language bridge 1 link · View in lexicon
Sense plague, blow, striking
Definition A plague or divine striking.
References Exodus 30:12
Lexicon plague, blow, striking
Why it matters The ransom offering prevents plague during the census.
Sense sanctuary shekel
Definition The sacred standard weight for sanctuary measurement.
References Exodus 30:13
Lexicon sanctuary shekel
Why it matters The ransom amount is measured according to the sanctuary shekel.
Sense half shekel
Definition A half-shekel weight or contribution.
References Exodus 30:13
Lexicon half shekel
Why it matters Each counted person gives the same half shekel as atonement money.
Sense memorial, remembrance
Definition A memorial or reminder before the LORD.
References Exodus 30:16
Lexicon memorial, remembrance
Why it matters The census money becomes a memorial for Israel before the Lord.
Sense basin, laver
Definition A basin used for priestly washing.
References Exodus 30:18, 28
Lexicon basin, laver
Why it matters The bronze basin provides water for priestly washing before service.
Sense bronze, copper
Definition Bronze or copper used in the basin and its stand.
References Exodus 30:18
Lexicon bronze, copper
Why it matters The basin and stand are made of bronze for priestly washing in the outer sanctuary area.
Sense to wash
Definition To wash or cleanse with water.
References Exodus 30:19-21
Lexicon to wash
Why it matters Priests must wash hands and feet before entering or ministering so they do not die.
Sense hands and feet
Definition Hands and feet, representing priestly action and movement.
References Exodus 30:19, 21
Lexicon hands and feet
Why it matters Priestly work and approach require cleansing before the Lord.
Sense to die
Definition To die.
References Exodus 30:20-21
Lexicon to die
Why it matters Failure to wash before priestly service brings death.
Sense holy anointing oil
Definition Sacred oil used to consecrate priests and sanctuary objects.
References Exodus 30:25, 31
Lexicon holy anointing oil
Why it matters The holy anointing oil consecrates the tabernacle, furnishings, altar, basin, and priests.
Sense liquid myrrh, free-flowing myrrh
Definition A fragrant resin used in sacred anointing oil.
References Exodus 30:23
Lexicon liquid myrrh, free-flowing myrrh
Why it matters Myrrh is one of the fine spices in the Lord’s holy anointing oil.
Sense cinnamon
Definition A fragrant spice used in the anointing oil.
References Exodus 30:23
Lexicon cinnamon
Why it matters Cinnamon is included in the sacred anointing oil formula.
Cross-language bridge 1 link · View in lexicon
Sense fragrant cane, calamus
Definition A fragrant reed or cane used in perfume.
References Exodus 30:23
Lexicon fragrant cane, calamus
Why it matters Calamus is part of the holy anointing oil blend.
Sense cassia
Definition An aromatic spice used in sacred oil.
References Exodus 30:24
Lexicon cassia
Why it matters Cassia completes the spice blend for the anointing oil.
Sense perfumer, compounder
Definition One who blends perfumes or spices skillfully.
References Exodus 30:25, 35
Lexicon perfumer, compounder
Why it matters The oil and incense are carefully blended by skilled work for holy use.
Sense to consecrate, sanctify
Definition To set apart as holy.
References Exodus 30:29-30
Lexicon to consecrate, sanctify
Why it matters The anointing oil consecrates objects and priests for the Lord’s service.
Sense to cut off
Definition To be cut off from the covenant community.
References Exodus 30:33, 38
Lexicon to cut off
Why it matters Misusing or copying the holy oil and incense brings severe covenant judgment.
Sense gum resin, aromatic drop
Definition A fragrant resin used in incense.
References Exodus 30:34
Lexicon gum resin, aromatic drop
Why it matters Gum resin is part of the holy incense blend.
Sense onycha
Definition An aromatic substance used in incense.
References Exodus 30:34
Lexicon onycha
Why it matters Onycha is one of the ingredients in the Lord’s holy incense.
Sense galbanum
Definition A resinous aromatic substance used in incense.
References Exodus 30:34
Lexicon galbanum
Why it matters Galbanum is included in the sacred incense formula.
Sense frankincense
Definition A fragrant resin used in offerings and incense.
References Exodus 30:34
Lexicon frankincense
Why it matters Pure frankincense is part of the incense blend placed before the Lord.
Cross-language bridge 1 link · View in lexicon
Sense salted, seasoned with salt
Definition Mixed or seasoned with salt.
References Exodus 30:35
Lexicon salted, seasoned with salt
Why it matters The incense is seasoned with salt, pure and sacred.
Sense pure, clean
Definition Pure or clean.
References Exodus 30:35
Lexicon pure, clean
Why it matters The incense must be pure and sacred before the Lord.
Sense holy, sacred, set apart
Definition Set apart for the LORD.
References Exodus 30:25, 31-32, 35-37
Lexicon holy, sacred, set apart
Why it matters The oil and incense are holy and must not be used commonly.
Sense to smell, enjoy fragrance
Definition To smell or enjoy fragrance.
References Exodus 30:38
Lexicon to smell, enjoy fragrance
Why it matters The sacred incense must not be copied for personal enjoyment of its fragrance.
Lexicon data: MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML (CC0) · Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0) · Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon (CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible Data (CC BY 4.0) · Full details
C.F. Keil & F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–91) — public domain
The Lord’s holy presence requires atonement, ransom, cleansing, consecration, and worship that remains holy to Him alone.
God’s people must not make worship casual, self-designed, or self-serving, but must come through ransom, cleansing, consecration, intercession, and reverent obedience.
Reverence, purity, humility, obedience, gratitude, consecration, disciplined prayer, and refusal to profane holy things.
- Set apart regular times for prayer, remembering the rhythm of morning and evening incense.
- Give thanks that Your life has been ransomed by Christ.
- Ask the Lord to cleanse Your hands, feet, thoughts, and service.
- Examine whether anything holy has become common or self-serving in Your life.
- Submit worship practices to Scripture rather than preference.
- Remember that God’s nearness is grace, but never casual.
- Rest in Christ as Your ransom, cleanser, anointed mediator, and intercessor.
- The chapter warns against unauthorized worship, treating sacred things as common, approaching without cleansing, numbering life without ransom, copying holy oil or incense for personal use, and assuming God’s holiness can be managed by human preference.
- Treating incense as mere atmosphere or decoration. - The incense is a commanded priestly ministry before the Lord and is guarded from unauthorized use.
- Assuming the incense altar is for all kinds of offerings. - The text explicitly forbids unauthorized incense, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings on it.
- Reading the census ransom as ordinary taxation only. - The text calls it ransom and atonement money connected to the lives of those counted.
- Thinking the rich can give more ransom and the poor less. - The Lord commands the same half shekel for rich and poor because every life stands equally before Him.
- Treating the basin as simple practical hygiene. - The washing is required for priestly service before the Lord and is tied to life and death.
- Turning anointing oil into a general religious product. - The sacred oil is holy to the Lord and must not be copied or used commonly.
- Treating holy incense as personally enjoyable perfume. - The incense formula is reserved for the Lord · copying it for personal fragrance brings covenant judgment.
- Do I approach worship as something God defines, or as something I am free to invent?
- Do I remember that my life belongs to the Lord and must be redeemed by Him?
- Where am I trying to serve without first being cleansed?
- Have I treated sacred things casually, as though they exist for my personal use?
- Do I have a regular rhythm of prayer and worship before God?
- Where am I tempted toward unauthorized spiritual practices that God has not commanded?
- How does Christ’s ransom, cleansing, anointing, and intercession deepen my confidence before God?
- Teach worship as God-defined nearness.
- Warn against making holy things common.
- Preach the equal need of ransom.
- Recover the seriousness of cleansing for service.
- Connect incense with prayer and intercession carefully.
- Honor regular hidden ministry.
- Lead people to Christ as the fulfillment.
After the altar and priestly consecration, the instructions add fragrant ministry before the veil.
The incense altar itself receives annual atonement, showing that even holy service requires cleansing.
The census offering prevents Israel from treating counted lives as mere human resource.
Even consecrated priests must wash repeatedly before ministry.
The oil consecrates the tabernacle, furnishings, altar, basin, and priests.
The incense and oil are beautiful, but their beauty is restricted to the Lord’s service.
The chapter grants regular ministry near the Lord while guarding it with warnings and restrictions.
The Biblical World
Chapter At A Glance
The chapter moves from the altar of incense and its regular priestly service, to atonement money given during a census, to the bronze basin for priestly washing, to the sacred anointing oil used to consecrate the tabernacle and priests, and finally to the holy incense that must be made and used only for the Lord.
Exodus 30 safeguards the holiness of covenant worship. Israel’s priests minister with incense, cleansing, and consecration. Israel’s counted men give ransom money before the Lord. The sanctuary and its objects are set apart by anointing oil. The incense is holy to the Lord alone. The covenant people must learn that the Lord’s nearness is gracious, but His holiness governs every act, object, scent, payment, and priestly movement associated with worship.
Exodus 30 clarifies the gospel by showing that sinners need more than access language. They need ransom, washing, atonement, consecration, and priestly mediation. The counted Israelite gives ransom money, but Christ gives Himself as the true ransom. The priests wash repeatedly, but Christ cleanses His people decisively and continues to sanctify them. The incense altar requires atonement, but Christ’s priestly intercession rests on His finished sacrifice.
The holy oil and incense are restricted to the Lord, reminding us that salvation and worship belong to God’s holy purpose, not human possession.
Reverence, purity, humility, obedience, gratitude, consecration, disciplined prayer, and refusal to profane holy things.
Focus Points
- Altar of incense
- Fragrant incense
- Regular priestly ministry
- Annual atonement
- Unauthorized incense forbidden
- Census ransom
- Atonement money
- Equal ransom
- Bronze basin
- Priestly washing
- Hands and feet
- Sacred anointing oil
- Consecration
- Most holy
- Holy incense
- Holy and common distinction
- Regular ministry before the Lord
- Holy worship cannot be improvised
- Atonement reaches sacred objects
- Life must be ransomed before God
- No class distinction in ransom
- Priestly cleansing is necessary
- Holy things must be consecrated
- Holy things must not be made common
- Fragrance belongs to worship
- The Lord defines holiness
- Holiness
- Atonement
- Ransom
- Priestly Mediation
- Cleansing
- Revelation-Governed Worship
- Holy/Common Distinction
- Christological Fulfillment
Cross References
Passages
Chapter opening: Exodus 30:1-10
Exo 30:1-6 (cf. Exo 37:25-28). Moses was directed to make an altar of burning of incense (lit. , incensing of incense), of acacia-wood, one cubit long and one broad, four-cornered, two cubits high, furnished with horns like the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:1-2), and to plate it with pure gold, the roof (גּג) thereof (i. e. , its upper side or surface, which was also made of wood), and its walls round about, and its horns; so that it was covered with gold quite down to the ground upon which it stood, and for this reason is often called the golden altar (Exo 39:38; Exo 40:5, Exo 40:26; Num 4:11).
Moreover it was to be ornamented with a golden wreath, and furnished with golden rings at the corners for the carrying-poles, as the ark of the covenant and the table of shew-bread were (Exo 25:11. , Exo 25:25.) ; and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exo 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exo 40:5), so that, although it really stood in the holy place between the candlestick on the south side and the table on the north (Exo 26:35; Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24), it was placed in the closest relation to the capporeth , and for this reason is not only connected with the most holy place in 1Ki 6:22, but is reckoned in Heb 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Heb 9:4).
Exo 30:1-6 (cf. Exo 37:25-28). Moses was directed to make an altar of burning of incense (lit. , incensing of incense), of acacia-wood, one cubit long and one broad, four-cornered, two cubits high, furnished with horns like the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:1-2), and to plate it with pure gold, the roof (גּג) thereof (i. e. , its upper side or surface, which was also made of wood), and its walls round about, and its horns; so that it was covered with gold quite down to the ground upon which it stood, and for this reason is often called the golden altar (Exo 39:38; Exo 40:5, Exo 40:26; Num 4:11).
Moreover it was to be ornamented with a golden wreath, and furnished with golden rings at the corners for the carrying-poles, as the ark of the covenant and the table of shew-bread were (Exo 25:11. , Exo 25:25.) ; and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exo 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exo 40:5), so that, although it really stood in the holy place between the candlestick on the south side and the table on the north (Exo 26:35; Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24), it was placed in the closest relation to the capporeth , and for this reason is not only connected with the most holy place in 1Ki 6:22, but is reckoned in Heb 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Heb 9:4).
Exo 30:1-6 (cf. Exo 37:25-28). Moses was directed to make an altar of burning of incense (lit. , incensing of incense), of acacia-wood, one cubit long and one broad, four-cornered, two cubits high, furnished with horns like the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:1-2), and to plate it with pure gold, the roof (גּג) thereof (i. e. , its upper side or surface, which was also made of wood), and its walls round about, and its horns; so that it was covered with gold quite down to the ground upon which it stood, and for this reason is often called the golden altar (Exo 39:38; Exo 40:5, Exo 40:26; Num 4:11).
Moreover it was to be ornamented with a golden wreath, and furnished with golden rings at the corners for the carrying-poles, as the ark of the covenant and the table of shew-bread were (Exo 25:11. , Exo 25:25.) ; and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exo 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exo 40:5), so that, although it really stood in the holy place between the candlestick on the south side and the table on the north (Exo 26:35; Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24), it was placed in the closest relation to the capporeth , and for this reason is not only connected with the most holy place in 1Ki 6:22, but is reckoned in Heb 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Heb 9:4).
Exo 30:1-6 (cf. Exo 37:25-28). Moses was directed to make an altar of burning of incense (lit. , incensing of incense), of acacia-wood, one cubit long and one broad, four-cornered, two cubits high, furnished with horns like the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:1-2), and to plate it with pure gold, the roof (גּג) thereof (i. e. , its upper side or surface, which was also made of wood), and its walls round about, and its horns; so that it was covered with gold quite down to the ground upon which it stood, and for this reason is often called the golden altar (Exo 39:38; Exo 40:5, Exo 40:26; Num 4:11).
Moreover it was to be ornamented with a golden wreath, and furnished with golden rings at the corners for the carrying-poles, as the ark of the covenant and the table of shew-bread were (Exo 25:11. , Exo 25:25.) ; and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exo 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exo 40:5), so that, although it really stood in the holy place between the candlestick on the south side and the table on the north (Exo 26:35; Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24), it was placed in the closest relation to the capporeth , and for this reason is not only connected with the most holy place in 1Ki 6:22, but is reckoned in Heb 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Heb 9:4).
Exo 30:1-6 (cf. Exo 37:25-28). Moses was directed to make an altar of burning of incense (lit. , incensing of incense), of acacia-wood, one cubit long and one broad, four-cornered, two cubits high, furnished with horns like the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:1-2), and to plate it with pure gold, the roof (גּג) thereof (i. e. , its upper side or surface, which was also made of wood), and its walls round about, and its horns; so that it was covered with gold quite down to the ground upon which it stood, and for this reason is often called the golden altar (Exo 39:38; Exo 40:5, Exo 40:26; Num 4:11).
Moreover it was to be ornamented with a golden wreath, and furnished with golden rings at the corners for the carrying-poles, as the ark of the covenant and the table of shew-bread were (Exo 25:11. , Exo 25:25.) ; and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exo 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exo 40:5), so that, although it really stood in the holy place between the candlestick on the south side and the table on the north (Exo 26:35; Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24), it was placed in the closest relation to the capporeth , and for this reason is not only connected with the most holy place in 1Ki 6:22, but is reckoned in Heb 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Heb 9:4).
Exo 30:1-6 (cf. Exo 37:25-28). Moses was directed to make an altar of burning of incense (lit. , incensing of incense), of acacia-wood, one cubit long and one broad, four-cornered, two cubits high, furnished with horns like the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 27:1-2), and to plate it with pure gold, the roof (גּג) thereof (i. e. , its upper side or surface, which was also made of wood), and its walls round about, and its horns; so that it was covered with gold quite down to the ground upon which it stood, and for this reason is often called the golden altar (Exo 39:38; Exo 40:5, Exo 40:26; Num 4:11).
Moreover it was to be ornamented with a golden wreath, and furnished with golden rings at the corners for the carrying-poles, as the ark of the covenant and the table of shew-bread were (Exo 25:11. , Exo 25:25.) ; and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exo 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exo 40:5), so that, although it really stood in the holy place between the candlestick on the south side and the table on the north (Exo 26:35; Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24), it was placed in the closest relation to the capporeth , and for this reason is not only connected with the most holy place in 1Ki 6:22, but is reckoned in Heb 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Heb 9:4).
Exo 30:7-9 Upon this altar Aaron was to burn fragrant incense, the preparation of which is described in Exo 30:34. , every morning and evening before Jehovah, at the time when he trimmed the lamps. No “strange incense” was to be offered upon it, - i. e. , incense which Jehovah had not appointed (cf. Lev 10:1), that is to say, which had not been prepared according to His instructions-nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat-offering; and no drink-offering was to be poured upon it.
As the altar of incense was not only marked as a place of sacrifice by its name מזבּח, “place of slain-offering,” but was put on a par with the altar of sacrifice by its square shape and its horns, it was important to describe minutely what sacrifices were to be offered upon it. For the burning of fragrant incense is shown to be a sacrifice, by the fact that it was offered upon a place of sacrifice, or altar.
Moreover the word הקטיר, to cause to ascend in smoke and steam, from קטר to smoke or steam, is not only applied to the lighting of incense, but also to the lighting and burning of the bleeding and bloodless sacrifices upon the altar of incense. Lastly, the connection between the incense-offering and the burnt-offering is indicated by the rule that they were to be offered at the same time.
Both offerings shadowed forth the devotion of Israel to its God, whilst the fact that they were offered every day exhibited this devotion as constant and uninterrupted. But the distinction between them consisted in this, that in the burnt or whole offering Israel consecrated and sanctified its whole life and action in both body and soul to the Lord, whilst in the incense-offering its prayer was embodied as the exaltation of the spiritual man to God (cf.
Psa 141:2; Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3-4); and with this there was associated the still further distinction, that the devotion was completed in the burnt-offering solely upon the basis of the atoning sprinkling of blood, whereas the incense-offering presupposed reconciliation with God, and on the basis of this the soul rose to God in this embodiment of its prayer, and was thus absorbed into His Spirit. In this respect, the incense-offering was not only a spiritualizing and transfiguring of the burnt-offering, but a completion of that offering also.
Exo 30:7-9 Upon this altar Aaron was to burn fragrant incense, the preparation of which is described in Exo 30:34. , every morning and evening before Jehovah, at the time when he trimmed the lamps. No “strange incense” was to be offered upon it, - i. e. , incense which Jehovah had not appointed (cf. Lev 10:1), that is to say, which had not been prepared according to His instructions-nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat-offering; and no drink-offering was to be poured upon it.
As the altar of incense was not only marked as a place of sacrifice by its name מזבּח, “place of slain-offering,” but was put on a par with the altar of sacrifice by its square shape and its horns, it was important to describe minutely what sacrifices were to be offered upon it. For the burning of fragrant incense is shown to be a sacrifice, by the fact that it was offered upon a place of sacrifice, or altar.
Moreover the word הקטיר, to cause to ascend in smoke and steam, from קטר to smoke or steam, is not only applied to the lighting of incense, but also to the lighting and burning of the bleeding and bloodless sacrifices upon the altar of incense. Lastly, the connection between the incense-offering and the burnt-offering is indicated by the rule that they were to be offered at the same time.
Both offerings shadowed forth the devotion of Israel to its God, whilst the fact that they were offered every day exhibited this devotion as constant and uninterrupted. But the distinction between them consisted in this, that in the burnt or whole offering Israel consecrated and sanctified its whole life and action in both body and soul to the Lord, whilst in the incense-offering its prayer was embodied as the exaltation of the spiritual man to God (cf.
Psa 141:2; Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3-4); and with this there was associated the still further distinction, that the devotion was completed in the burnt-offering solely upon the basis of the atoning sprinkling of blood, whereas the incense-offering presupposed reconciliation with God, and on the basis of this the soul rose to God in this embodiment of its prayer, and was thus absorbed into His Spirit. In this respect, the incense-offering was not only a spiritualizing and transfiguring of the burnt-offering, but a completion of that offering also.
Exo 30:7-9 Upon this altar Aaron was to burn fragrant incense, the preparation of which is described in Exo 30:34. , every morning and evening before Jehovah, at the time when he trimmed the lamps. No “strange incense” was to be offered upon it, - i. e. , incense which Jehovah had not appointed (cf. Lev 10:1), that is to say, which had not been prepared according to His instructions-nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat-offering; and no drink-offering was to be poured upon it.
As the altar of incense was not only marked as a place of sacrifice by its name מזבּח, “place of slain-offering,” but was put on a par with the altar of sacrifice by its square shape and its horns, it was important to describe minutely what sacrifices were to be offered upon it. For the burning of fragrant incense is shown to be a sacrifice, by the fact that it was offered upon a place of sacrifice, or altar.
Moreover the word הקטיר, to cause to ascend in smoke and steam, from קטר to smoke or steam, is not only applied to the lighting of incense, but also to the lighting and burning of the bleeding and bloodless sacrifices upon the altar of incense. Lastly, the connection between the incense-offering and the burnt-offering is indicated by the rule that they were to be offered at the same time.
Both offerings shadowed forth the devotion of Israel to its God, whilst the fact that they were offered every day exhibited this devotion as constant and uninterrupted. But the distinction between them consisted in this, that in the burnt or whole offering Israel consecrated and sanctified its whole life and action in both body and soul to the Lord, whilst in the incense-offering its prayer was embodied as the exaltation of the spiritual man to God (cf.
Psa 141:2; Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3-4); and with this there was associated the still further distinction, that the devotion was completed in the burnt-offering solely upon the basis of the atoning sprinkling of blood, whereas the incense-offering presupposed reconciliation with God, and on the basis of this the soul rose to God in this embodiment of its prayer, and was thus absorbed into His Spirit. In this respect, the incense-offering was not only a spiritualizing and transfiguring of the burnt-offering, but a completion of that offering also.
Exo 30:10 Once a year Aaron was to expiate the altar of incense with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement, because it was most holy to the Lord, that is to say, as is expressly observed in the directions concerning this expiatory act (Lev 16:18-19), to purify it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel. כּפּר, with על objecti constr. , signifies literally to cover over a thing, then to cover over sin, or make expiation.
In the second clause we have “ upon it ” (the altar) instead of “upon the horns of it,” because the altar itself was expiated in its horns. The use of מן in מדּם is to be explained on the ground that only a part of the blood of the sin-offering was smeared with the finger upon the horns. (For further remarks, see at Lev 16:18-19.) The term “most holy” is not only applied to this altar, in common with the inner division of the tabernacle (Exo 26:33), but also to the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 29:37; Exo 40:10), and all the vessels of the sanctuary (Exo 30:29), which were anointed with holy oil; then to the whole of the tabernacle in its holiest aspect (Num 18:10); and lastly, to all the sacrifices, which were given up entirely to Jehovah (see at Lev 2:3); - consequently to everything which stood in so intimate a relation to Jehovah as to be altogether removed, not only from use and enjoyment on the part of man, but also from contact on the part of unsanctified men.
Whoever touched a most holy thing was sanctified thereby (compare Exo 30:29 with Exo 29:37). The Atonement-Money, which every Israelite had to pay at the numbering of the people, has the first place among the supplementary instructions concerning the erection and furnishing of the sanctuary, and serves to complete the demand for freewill-offerings for the sanctuary (Exo 25:1-9).
Exo 30:12-15 “ When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel according to them that are numbered, they shall give every one an expiation for his soul to the Lord at their numbering, that a plague may not strike them (happen to them) at their numbering . ” פּקד, lit. , adspexit, then inspexit explorandi causa, hence to review, or number an army or a nation, for the purpose of enrolling for military service.
לפקדיהם with reference to the numbered, qui in censum veniunt . כּפר (expiation, expiation-money, from כּפּר to expiate) is to be traced to the idea that the object for which expiation was made was thereby withdrawn from the view of the person to be won or reconciled. It is applied in two ways: (1) on the supposition that the face of the person to be won was covered by the gift (Gen 32:21; 1Sa 12:3); and (2) on the supposition that the guilt itself was covered up (Psa 32:1), or wiped away (Jer 18:23), so far as the eye of God was concerned, as though it had no longer any existence, and that the sinful man was protected from the punishment of the judge in consequence of this covering.
In this way כּפר has acquired the meaning λύτρον, a payment by which the guilty are redeemed (Exo 21:30; Num 35:31); and this is the meaning which it has in the passage before us, where the soul is said to be protected by the copher , so as to be able to come without danger into the presence of the holy God (Num 8:19. See Oehler in Herzog's Cycl.) Such an approach to God took place at the numbering of the people for the purpose of enrolling them in the army of Jehovah (Num 1:3, cf.
Exo 7:4; Exo 12:41). Hence “every one who passed over to those that were numbered,” who was enrolled among them, i. e. , in the army of Jehovah, - that is to say, every male Israelite of 20 years old and upwards (Exo 30:14), - was to pay half a shekel of the sanctuary as atonement-money; the rich no more, the poor no less (Exo 30:15), because all were equal in the sight of Jehovah; and this payment was to be a “heave” ( terumah , see Exo 25:2) for Jehovah for the expiation of the souls.
The shekel of the sanctuary, which contained 20 gerahs, was no doubt the original shekel of full weight, as distinguished from the lighter shekel which was current in ordinary use. In Exo 38:26 the half shekel is called בּקע, lit. , the split, i. e. , half, from בּקע to split; and we find it mentioned as early as the time of the patriarchs as a weight in common use for valuing gold (Gen 24:22), so that, no doubt, even at that time there were distinct silver pieces of this weight, which were probably called shekels when employed for purposes of trade, since the word shekel itself does not denote any particular weight, as we may perceive at once form a comparison of 1Ki 10:17 and 2Ch 9:16, at least so far as later times are concerned.
The sacred shekel, to judge from the weight of Maccabean shekels, which are in existence still, and vary from 256 to 272 Parisian grains, weighed 274 grains, and therefore, according to present valuation, would be worth 26 groschen (about 2s. 7d.) , so that the half-shekel of bekah would be 13 groschen (1s. 3 1/2d.)
Exo 30:12-15 “ When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel according to them that are numbered, they shall give every one an expiation for his soul to the Lord at their numbering, that a plague may not strike them (happen to them) at their numbering . ” פּקד, lit. , adspexit, then inspexit explorandi causa, hence to review, or number an army or a nation, for the purpose of enrolling for military service.
לפקדיהם with reference to the numbered, qui in censum veniunt . כּפר (expiation, expiation-money, from כּפּר to expiate) is to be traced to the idea that the object for which expiation was made was thereby withdrawn from the view of the person to be won or reconciled. It is applied in two ways: (1) on the supposition that the face of the person to be won was covered by the gift (Gen 32:21; 1Sa 12:3); and (2) on the supposition that the guilt itself was covered up (Psa 32:1), or wiped away (Jer 18:23), so far as the eye of God was concerned, as though it had no longer any existence, and that the sinful man was protected from the punishment of the judge in consequence of this covering.
In this way כּפר has acquired the meaning λύτρον, a payment by which the guilty are redeemed (Exo 21:30; Num 35:31); and this is the meaning which it has in the passage before us, where the soul is said to be protected by the copher , so as to be able to come without danger into the presence of the holy God (Num 8:19. See Oehler in Herzog's Cycl.) Such an approach to God took place at the numbering of the people for the purpose of enrolling them in the army of Jehovah (Num 1:3, cf.
Exo 7:4; Exo 12:41). Hence “every one who passed over to those that were numbered,” who was enrolled among them, i. e. , in the army of Jehovah, - that is to say, every male Israelite of 20 years old and upwards (Exo 30:14), - was to pay half a shekel of the sanctuary as atonement-money; the rich no more, the poor no less (Exo 30:15), because all were equal in the sight of Jehovah; and this payment was to be a “heave” ( terumah , see Exo 25:2) for Jehovah for the expiation of the souls.
The shekel of the sanctuary, which contained 20 gerahs, was no doubt the original shekel of full weight, as distinguished from the lighter shekel which was current in ordinary use. In Exo 38:26 the half shekel is called בּקע, lit. , the split, i. e. , half, from בּקע to split; and we find it mentioned as early as the time of the patriarchs as a weight in common use for valuing gold (Gen 24:22), so that, no doubt, even at that time there were distinct silver pieces of this weight, which were probably called shekels when employed for purposes of trade, since the word shekel itself does not denote any particular weight, as we may perceive at once form a comparison of 1Ki 10:17 and 2Ch 9:16, at least so far as later times are concerned.
The sacred shekel, to judge from the weight of Maccabean shekels, which are in existence still, and vary from 256 to 272 Parisian grains, weighed 274 grains, and therefore, according to present valuation, would be worth 26 groschen (about 2s. 7d.) , so that the half-shekel of bekah would be 13 groschen (1s. 3 1/2d.)
Exo 30:12-15 “ When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel according to them that are numbered, they shall give every one an expiation for his soul to the Lord at their numbering, that a plague may not strike them (happen to them) at their numbering . ” פּקד, lit. , adspexit, then inspexit explorandi causa, hence to review, or number an army or a nation, for the purpose of enrolling for military service.
לפקדיהם with reference to the numbered, qui in censum veniunt . כּפר (expiation, expiation-money, from כּפּר to expiate) is to be traced to the idea that the object for which expiation was made was thereby withdrawn from the view of the person to be won or reconciled. It is applied in two ways: (1) on the supposition that the face of the person to be won was covered by the gift (Gen 32:21; 1Sa 12:3); and (2) on the supposition that the guilt itself was covered up (Psa 32:1), or wiped away (Jer 18:23), so far as the eye of God was concerned, as though it had no longer any existence, and that the sinful man was protected from the punishment of the judge in consequence of this covering.
In this way כּפר has acquired the meaning λύτρον, a payment by which the guilty are redeemed (Exo 21:30; Num 35:31); and this is the meaning which it has in the passage before us, where the soul is said to be protected by the copher , so as to be able to come without danger into the presence of the holy God (Num 8:19. See Oehler in Herzog's Cycl.) Such an approach to God took place at the numbering of the people for the purpose of enrolling them in the army of Jehovah (Num 1:3, cf.
Exo 7:4; Exo 12:41). Hence “every one who passed over to those that were numbered,” who was enrolled among them, i. e. , in the army of Jehovah, - that is to say, every male Israelite of 20 years old and upwards (Exo 30:14), - was to pay half a shekel of the sanctuary as atonement-money; the rich no more, the poor no less (Exo 30:15), because all were equal in the sight of Jehovah; and this payment was to be a “heave” ( terumah , see Exo 25:2) for Jehovah for the expiation of the souls.
The shekel of the sanctuary, which contained 20 gerahs, was no doubt the original shekel of full weight, as distinguished from the lighter shekel which was current in ordinary use. In Exo 38:26 the half shekel is called בּקע, lit. , the split, i. e. , half, from בּקע to split; and we find it mentioned as early as the time of the patriarchs as a weight in common use for valuing gold (Gen 24:22), so that, no doubt, even at that time there were distinct silver pieces of this weight, which were probably called shekels when employed for purposes of trade, since the word shekel itself does not denote any particular weight, as we may perceive at once form a comparison of 1Ki 10:17 and 2Ch 9:16, at least so far as later times are concerned.
The sacred shekel, to judge from the weight of Maccabean shekels, which are in existence still, and vary from 256 to 272 Parisian grains, weighed 274 grains, and therefore, according to present valuation, would be worth 26 groschen (about 2s. 7d.) , so that the half-shekel of bekah would be 13 groschen (1s. 3 1/2d.)
Exo 30:12-15 “ When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel according to them that are numbered, they shall give every one an expiation for his soul to the Lord at their numbering, that a plague may not strike them (happen to them) at their numbering . ” פּקד, lit. , adspexit, then inspexit explorandi causa, hence to review, or number an army or a nation, for the purpose of enrolling for military service.
לפקדיהם with reference to the numbered, qui in censum veniunt . כּפר (expiation, expiation-money, from כּפּר to expiate) is to be traced to the idea that the object for which expiation was made was thereby withdrawn from the view of the person to be won or reconciled. It is applied in two ways: (1) on the supposition that the face of the person to be won was covered by the gift (Gen 32:21; 1Sa 12:3); and (2) on the supposition that the guilt itself was covered up (Psa 32:1), or wiped away (Jer 18:23), so far as the eye of God was concerned, as though it had no longer any existence, and that the sinful man was protected from the punishment of the judge in consequence of this covering.
In this way כּפר has acquired the meaning λύτρον, a payment by which the guilty are redeemed (Exo 21:30; Num 35:31); and this is the meaning which it has in the passage before us, where the soul is said to be protected by the copher , so as to be able to come without danger into the presence of the holy God (Num 8:19. See Oehler in Herzog's Cycl.) Such an approach to God took place at the numbering of the people for the purpose of enrolling them in the army of Jehovah (Num 1:3, cf.
Exo 7:4; Exo 12:41). Hence “every one who passed over to those that were numbered,” who was enrolled among them, i. e. , in the army of Jehovah, - that is to say, every male Israelite of 20 years old and upwards (Exo 30:14), - was to pay half a shekel of the sanctuary as atonement-money; the rich no more, the poor no less (Exo 30:15), because all were equal in the sight of Jehovah; and this payment was to be a “heave” ( terumah , see Exo 25:2) for Jehovah for the expiation of the souls.
The shekel of the sanctuary, which contained 20 gerahs, was no doubt the original shekel of full weight, as distinguished from the lighter shekel which was current in ordinary use. In Exo 38:26 the half shekel is called בּקע, lit. , the split, i. e. , half, from בּקע to split; and we find it mentioned as early as the time of the patriarchs as a weight in common use for valuing gold (Gen 24:22), so that, no doubt, even at that time there were distinct silver pieces of this weight, which were probably called shekels when employed for purposes of trade, since the word shekel itself does not denote any particular weight, as we may perceive at once form a comparison of 1Ki 10:17 and 2Ch 9:16, at least so far as later times are concerned.
The sacred shekel, to judge from the weight of Maccabean shekels, which are in existence still, and vary from 256 to 272 Parisian grains, weighed 274 grains, and therefore, according to present valuation, would be worth 26 groschen (about 2s. 7d.) , so that the half-shekel of bekah would be 13 groschen (1s. 3 1/2d.)
Exo 30:16 This atonement-money Moses was to appropriate to the work of the sanctuary (cf. Exo 38:25-28, where the amount and appropriation are reported). Through this appropriation it became “ a memorial to the children of Israel before the Lord to expiate their souls, ” i. e. , a permanent reminder of their expiation before the Lord, who would henceforth treat them as reconciled because of this payment.
It was no ordinary tribute, therefore, which Israel was to pay to Jehovah as its King, but an act demanded by the holiness of the theocratic covenant. As an expiation for souls, it pointed to the unholiness of Israel’s nature, and reminded the people continually, that by nature it was alienated from God, and could only remain in covenant with the Lord and live in His kingdom on the ground of His grace, which covered its sin.
It was not till this sinful nature had been sanctified by a perfect atonement, and servitude under the law had been glorified and fully transformed into that sonship to which Israel was called as the first-born son of Jehovah, that as children of the kingdom they had no longer to pay this atonement-money for their souls (Mat 17:25-26). - According to Num 1:1, Num 1:18, as compared with Exo 40:17, the census of the nation was not taken till a month after the building of the tabernacle was completed, and yet the atonement-money to be paid at the taking of the census was to be appropriated to the purpose of the building, and must therefore have been paid before.
This apparent discrepancy may be reconciled by the simple assumption, that immediately after the command of God had been issued respecting the building of the tabernacle and the contributions which the people were to make for the purpose, the numbering of the males was commenced and the atonement-money collected from the different individuals, that the tabernacle was then built and the whole ceremonial instituted, and that, after all this had been done, the whole nation was enrolled according to its tribes, fathers’ houses, and families, on the basis of this provisional numbering, and thus the census was completed. For this reason the census gave exactly the same number of males as the numbering (cf.
Exo 38:26 and Num 1:46), although the one had been carried out nine months before the other.
Exo 30:17-21 (cf. Exo 38:8). The Brazen Laver, and its use. - The making of this vessel is not only mentioned in a supplementary manner, but no description is given of it because of the subordinate position which it occupied, and from the fact that it was not directly connected with the sanctuary, but was only used by the priests to cleanse themselves for the performance of their duties.
כּיּור: a basin, a round, caldron-shaped vessel. כּגּו (its support): by this we are not to understand the pedestal of the caldron, but something separate from the basin, which was no doubt used for drawing off as much water as was required for washing the officiating priests. For although כּן belongs to כּיּור, the fact that it is always specially mentioned in connection with the basin necessarily leads to the conclusion, that it had a certain kind of independence (cf.
Exo 31:9; Exo 35:16; Exo 39:39; Exo 40:11; Lev 8:11). These two vessels were to be made of brass or copper, like the other things in the court; and, according to Exo 38:8, they were made of the brass of the mirrors of the women who served before the door of the tabernacle. הצּבאת בּמראת does not mean either “provided with mirrors of the women” (Bähr, i. pp. 485-6), or ornamented “with forms, figures of women, as they were accustomed to appear at the sanctuary” ( Knobel ).
But these views are overthrown by the fact, that ב never signifies with in the sense of an outward addition, but always denotes the means, “not an independent object, but something accompanying and contributing to the action referred to” ( Ewald , §217, f . 3). In this case ב can only apply to the material used, whether we connect it with ויּעשׂ as in Exo 31:4, or, what seems decidedly more correct, with נחשׁת as a more precise definition; so that ב would denote that particular quality which distinguished the brass of which the basin was made ( Ewald , §217 f .)
, - apart altogether from the fact, that neither the mirrors of women, nor the figures of women, would form a fitting ornament for the basin, as the priests did not require to look at themselves when they washed their hands and feet; and there is still less ground for Knobel's fiction, that Levitical women went to the sanctuary at particular times, forming a certain procession, and taking things with them for the purpose of washing, cleaning, and polishing. The true meaning is given by the Septuagint, ἐκ τῶν κατόπτρων.
According to 1Sa 2:22, the צבאת were women, though not washer-women, but women who dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah, and spent them in religious exercises, in fasting and in prayer, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, mentioned in Luk 2:37. צבא denotes spiritual warfare, and is accordingly rendered by the lxx νηστεύειν, by Onkelos , orare , with which the Rabbins agree.
The mirrors of the women had been used for the purpose of earthly adorning. But now the pious Israelites renounced this earthly adorning, and offered it to the Lord as a heave-offering to make the purifying laver in front of the sanctuary, in order that “what had hitherto served as a means of procuring applause in the world might henceforth be the means of procuring the approbation of God” (Hengstenberg, Dissert .
vol. ii.) - The laver was to be placed between the tabernacle, i. e. , the dwelling, and the altar in the court (Exo 30:18), probably not in a straight line with the door of the dwelling and the altar of burnt-offering, but more sideways, so as to be convenient for the use of the priests, whether they were going into the tabernacle, or going up to the altar for service, to kindle a firing for Jehovah, i.
e. , to offer sacrifice upon the altar. They were to wash their hands, with which they touched the holy things, and their feet, with which they trod the holy ground (see Exo 3:5), “that they might not die,” as is again emphatically stated in Exo 30:20 and Exo 30:21. For touching holy things with unclean hands, and treading upon the floor of the sanctuary with dirty feet, would have been a sin against Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, deserving of death.
These directions do not imply “that, notwithstanding all their consecration, they were regarded as still defiled by natural uncleanness” ( Baumgarten ), but rather that consecration did not stamp them with a character indelebilis , or protect them from the impurities of the sinful nation in the midst of which they lived, or of their own nature, which was still affected with mortal corruption and sin.
Exo 30:17-21 (cf. Exo 38:8). The Brazen Laver, and its use. - The making of this vessel is not only mentioned in a supplementary manner, but no description is given of it because of the subordinate position which it occupied, and from the fact that it was not directly connected with the sanctuary, but was only used by the priests to cleanse themselves for the performance of their duties.
כּיּור: a basin, a round, caldron-shaped vessel. כּגּו (its support): by this we are not to understand the pedestal of the caldron, but something separate from the basin, which was no doubt used for drawing off as much water as was required for washing the officiating priests. For although כּן belongs to כּיּור, the fact that it is always specially mentioned in connection with the basin necessarily leads to the conclusion, that it had a certain kind of independence (cf.
Exo 31:9; Exo 35:16; Exo 39:39; Exo 40:11; Lev 8:11). These two vessels were to be made of brass or copper, like the other things in the court; and, according to Exo 38:8, they were made of the brass of the mirrors of the women who served before the door of the tabernacle. הצּבאת בּמראת does not mean either “provided with mirrors of the women” (Bähr, i. pp. 485-6), or ornamented “with forms, figures of women, as they were accustomed to appear at the sanctuary” ( Knobel ).
But these views are overthrown by the fact, that ב never signifies with in the sense of an outward addition, but always denotes the means, “not an independent object, but something accompanying and contributing to the action referred to” ( Ewald , §217, f . 3). In this case ב can only apply to the material used, whether we connect it with ויּעשׂ as in Exo 31:4, or, what seems decidedly more correct, with נחשׁת as a more precise definition; so that ב would denote that particular quality which distinguished the brass of which the basin was made ( Ewald , §217 f .)
, - apart altogether from the fact, that neither the mirrors of women, nor the figures of women, would form a fitting ornament for the basin, as the priests did not require to look at themselves when they washed their hands and feet; and there is still less ground for Knobel's fiction, that Levitical women went to the sanctuary at particular times, forming a certain procession, and taking things with them for the purpose of washing, cleaning, and polishing. The true meaning is given by the Septuagint, ἐκ τῶν κατόπτρων.
According to 1Sa 2:22, the צבאת were women, though not washer-women, but women who dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah, and spent them in religious exercises, in fasting and in prayer, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, mentioned in Luk 2:37. צבא denotes spiritual warfare, and is accordingly rendered by the lxx νηστεύειν, by Onkelos , orare , with which the Rabbins agree.
The mirrors of the women had been used for the purpose of earthly adorning. But now the pious Israelites renounced this earthly adorning, and offered it to the Lord as a heave-offering to make the purifying laver in front of the sanctuary, in order that “what had hitherto served as a means of procuring applause in the world might henceforth be the means of procuring the approbation of God” (Hengstenberg, Dissert .
vol. ii.) - The laver was to be placed between the tabernacle, i. e. , the dwelling, and the altar in the court (Exo 30:18), probably not in a straight line with the door of the dwelling and the altar of burnt-offering, but more sideways, so as to be convenient for the use of the priests, whether they were going into the tabernacle, or going up to the altar for service, to kindle a firing for Jehovah, i.
e. , to offer sacrifice upon the altar. They were to wash their hands, with which they touched the holy things, and their feet, with which they trod the holy ground (see Exo 3:5), “that they might not die,” as is again emphatically stated in Exo 30:20 and Exo 30:21. For touching holy things with unclean hands, and treading upon the floor of the sanctuary with dirty feet, would have been a sin against Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, deserving of death.
These directions do not imply “that, notwithstanding all their consecration, they were regarded as still defiled by natural uncleanness” ( Baumgarten ), but rather that consecration did not stamp them with a character indelebilis , or protect them from the impurities of the sinful nation in the midst of which they lived, or of their own nature, which was still affected with mortal corruption and sin.
Exo 30:17-21 (cf. Exo 38:8). The Brazen Laver, and its use. - The making of this vessel is not only mentioned in a supplementary manner, but no description is given of it because of the subordinate position which it occupied, and from the fact that it was not directly connected with the sanctuary, but was only used by the priests to cleanse themselves for the performance of their duties.
כּיּור: a basin, a round, caldron-shaped vessel. כּגּו (its support): by this we are not to understand the pedestal of the caldron, but something separate from the basin, which was no doubt used for drawing off as much water as was required for washing the officiating priests. For although כּן belongs to כּיּור, the fact that it is always specially mentioned in connection with the basin necessarily leads to the conclusion, that it had a certain kind of independence (cf.
Exo 31:9; Exo 35:16; Exo 39:39; Exo 40:11; Lev 8:11). These two vessels were to be made of brass or copper, like the other things in the court; and, according to Exo 38:8, they were made of the brass of the mirrors of the women who served before the door of the tabernacle. הצּבאת בּמראת does not mean either “provided with mirrors of the women” (Bähr, i. pp. 485-6), or ornamented “with forms, figures of women, as they were accustomed to appear at the sanctuary” ( Knobel ).
But these views are overthrown by the fact, that ב never signifies with in the sense of an outward addition, but always denotes the means, “not an independent object, but something accompanying and contributing to the action referred to” ( Ewald , §217, f . 3). In this case ב can only apply to the material used, whether we connect it with ויּעשׂ as in Exo 31:4, or, what seems decidedly more correct, with נחשׁת as a more precise definition; so that ב would denote that particular quality which distinguished the brass of which the basin was made ( Ewald , §217 f .)
, - apart altogether from the fact, that neither the mirrors of women, nor the figures of women, would form a fitting ornament for the basin, as the priests did not require to look at themselves when they washed their hands and feet; and there is still less ground for Knobel's fiction, that Levitical women went to the sanctuary at particular times, forming a certain procession, and taking things with them for the purpose of washing, cleaning, and polishing. The true meaning is given by the Septuagint, ἐκ τῶν κατόπτρων.
According to 1Sa 2:22, the צבאת were women, though not washer-women, but women who dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah, and spent them in religious exercises, in fasting and in prayer, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, mentioned in Luk 2:37. צבא denotes spiritual warfare, and is accordingly rendered by the lxx νηστεύειν, by Onkelos , orare , with which the Rabbins agree.
The mirrors of the women had been used for the purpose of earthly adorning. But now the pious Israelites renounced this earthly adorning, and offered it to the Lord as a heave-offering to make the purifying laver in front of the sanctuary, in order that “what had hitherto served as a means of procuring applause in the world might henceforth be the means of procuring the approbation of God” (Hengstenberg, Dissert .
vol. ii.) - The laver was to be placed between the tabernacle, i. e. , the dwelling, and the altar in the court (Exo 30:18), probably not in a straight line with the door of the dwelling and the altar of burnt-offering, but more sideways, so as to be convenient for the use of the priests, whether they were going into the tabernacle, or going up to the altar for service, to kindle a firing for Jehovah, i.
e. , to offer sacrifice upon the altar. They were to wash their hands, with which they touched the holy things, and their feet, with which they trod the holy ground (see Exo 3:5), “that they might not die,” as is again emphatically stated in Exo 30:20 and Exo 30:21. For touching holy things with unclean hands, and treading upon the floor of the sanctuary with dirty feet, would have been a sin against Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, deserving of death.
These directions do not imply “that, notwithstanding all their consecration, they were regarded as still defiled by natural uncleanness” ( Baumgarten ), but rather that consecration did not stamp them with a character indelebilis , or protect them from the impurities of the sinful nation in the midst of which they lived, or of their own nature, which was still affected with mortal corruption and sin.
Exo 30:17-21 (cf. Exo 38:8). The Brazen Laver, and its use. - The making of this vessel is not only mentioned in a supplementary manner, but no description is given of it because of the subordinate position which it occupied, and from the fact that it was not directly connected with the sanctuary, but was only used by the priests to cleanse themselves for the performance of their duties.
כּיּור: a basin, a round, caldron-shaped vessel. כּגּו (its support): by this we are not to understand the pedestal of the caldron, but something separate from the basin, which was no doubt used for drawing off as much water as was required for washing the officiating priests. For although כּן belongs to כּיּור, the fact that it is always specially mentioned in connection with the basin necessarily leads to the conclusion, that it had a certain kind of independence (cf.
Exo 31:9; Exo 35:16; Exo 39:39; Exo 40:11; Lev 8:11). These two vessels were to be made of brass or copper, like the other things in the court; and, according to Exo 38:8, they were made of the brass of the mirrors of the women who served before the door of the tabernacle. הצּבאת בּמראת does not mean either “provided with mirrors of the women” (Bähr, i. pp. 485-6), or ornamented “with forms, figures of women, as they were accustomed to appear at the sanctuary” ( Knobel ).
But these views are overthrown by the fact, that ב never signifies with in the sense of an outward addition, but always denotes the means, “not an independent object, but something accompanying and contributing to the action referred to” ( Ewald , §217, f . 3). In this case ב can only apply to the material used, whether we connect it with ויּעשׂ as in Exo 31:4, or, what seems decidedly more correct, with נחשׁת as a more precise definition; so that ב would denote that particular quality which distinguished the brass of which the basin was made ( Ewald , §217 f .)
, - apart altogether from the fact, that neither the mirrors of women, nor the figures of women, would form a fitting ornament for the basin, as the priests did not require to look at themselves when they washed their hands and feet; and there is still less ground for Knobel's fiction, that Levitical women went to the sanctuary at particular times, forming a certain procession, and taking things with them for the purpose of washing, cleaning, and polishing. The true meaning is given by the Septuagint, ἐκ τῶν κατόπτρων.
According to 1Sa 2:22, the צבאת were women, though not washer-women, but women who dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah, and spent them in religious exercises, in fasting and in prayer, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, mentioned in Luk 2:37. צבא denotes spiritual warfare, and is accordingly rendered by the lxx νηστεύειν, by Onkelos , orare , with which the Rabbins agree.
The mirrors of the women had been used for the purpose of earthly adorning. But now the pious Israelites renounced this earthly adorning, and offered it to the Lord as a heave-offering to make the purifying laver in front of the sanctuary, in order that “what had hitherto served as a means of procuring applause in the world might henceforth be the means of procuring the approbation of God” (Hengstenberg, Dissert .
vol. ii.) - The laver was to be placed between the tabernacle, i. e. , the dwelling, and the altar in the court (Exo 30:18), probably not in a straight line with the door of the dwelling and the altar of burnt-offering, but more sideways, so as to be convenient for the use of the priests, whether they were going into the tabernacle, or going up to the altar for service, to kindle a firing for Jehovah, i.
e. , to offer sacrifice upon the altar. They were to wash their hands, with which they touched the holy things, and their feet, with which they trod the holy ground (see Exo 3:5), “that they might not die,” as is again emphatically stated in Exo 30:20 and Exo 30:21. For touching holy things with unclean hands, and treading upon the floor of the sanctuary with dirty feet, would have been a sin against Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, deserving of death.
These directions do not imply “that, notwithstanding all their consecration, they were regarded as still defiled by natural uncleanness” ( Baumgarten ), but rather that consecration did not stamp them with a character indelebilis , or protect them from the impurities of the sinful nation in the midst of which they lived, or of their own nature, which was still affected with mortal corruption and sin.
Exo 30:17-21 (cf. Exo 38:8). The Brazen Laver, and its use. - The making of this vessel is not only mentioned in a supplementary manner, but no description is given of it because of the subordinate position which it occupied, and from the fact that it was not directly connected with the sanctuary, but was only used by the priests to cleanse themselves for the performance of their duties.
כּיּור: a basin, a round, caldron-shaped vessel. כּגּו (its support): by this we are not to understand the pedestal of the caldron, but something separate from the basin, which was no doubt used for drawing off as much water as was required for washing the officiating priests. For although כּן belongs to כּיּור, the fact that it is always specially mentioned in connection with the basin necessarily leads to the conclusion, that it had a certain kind of independence (cf.
Exo 31:9; Exo 35:16; Exo 39:39; Exo 40:11; Lev 8:11). These two vessels were to be made of brass or copper, like the other things in the court; and, according to Exo 38:8, they were made of the brass of the mirrors of the women who served before the door of the tabernacle. הצּבאת בּמראת does not mean either “provided with mirrors of the women” (Bähr, i. pp. 485-6), or ornamented “with forms, figures of women, as they were accustomed to appear at the sanctuary” ( Knobel ).
But these views are overthrown by the fact, that ב never signifies with in the sense of an outward addition, but always denotes the means, “not an independent object, but something accompanying and contributing to the action referred to” ( Ewald , §217, f . 3). In this case ב can only apply to the material used, whether we connect it with ויּעשׂ as in Exo 31:4, or, what seems decidedly more correct, with נחשׁת as a more precise definition; so that ב would denote that particular quality which distinguished the brass of which the basin was made ( Ewald , §217 f .)
, - apart altogether from the fact, that neither the mirrors of women, nor the figures of women, would form a fitting ornament for the basin, as the priests did not require to look at themselves when they washed their hands and feet; and there is still less ground for Knobel's fiction, that Levitical women went to the sanctuary at particular times, forming a certain procession, and taking things with them for the purpose of washing, cleaning, and polishing. The true meaning is given by the Septuagint, ἐκ τῶν κατόπτρων.
According to 1Sa 2:22, the צבאת were women, though not washer-women, but women who dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah, and spent them in religious exercises, in fasting and in prayer, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, mentioned in Luk 2:37. צבא denotes spiritual warfare, and is accordingly rendered by the lxx νηστεύειν, by Onkelos , orare , with which the Rabbins agree.
The mirrors of the women had been used for the purpose of earthly adorning. But now the pious Israelites renounced this earthly adorning, and offered it to the Lord as a heave-offering to make the purifying laver in front of the sanctuary, in order that “what had hitherto served as a means of procuring applause in the world might henceforth be the means of procuring the approbation of God” (Hengstenberg, Dissert .
vol. ii.) - The laver was to be placed between the tabernacle, i. e. , the dwelling, and the altar in the court (Exo 30:18), probably not in a straight line with the door of the dwelling and the altar of burnt-offering, but more sideways, so as to be convenient for the use of the priests, whether they were going into the tabernacle, or going up to the altar for service, to kindle a firing for Jehovah, i.
e. , to offer sacrifice upon the altar. They were to wash their hands, with which they touched the holy things, and their feet, with which they trod the holy ground (see Exo 3:5), “that they might not die,” as is again emphatically stated in Exo 30:20 and Exo 30:21. For touching holy things with unclean hands, and treading upon the floor of the sanctuary with dirty feet, would have been a sin against Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, deserving of death.
These directions do not imply “that, notwithstanding all their consecration, they were regarded as still defiled by natural uncleanness” ( Baumgarten ), but rather that consecration did not stamp them with a character indelebilis , or protect them from the impurities of the sinful nation in the midst of which they lived, or of their own nature, which was still affected with mortal corruption and sin.
Exo 30:22-25 The Holy Anointing Oil. - This was to be prepared from the best perfumes ראשׁע בּשׂמים, where ראשׁע, caput , the principal or chief, is subordinate to בּשׂמים), viz. , of four fragrant spices and olive-oil. The spices were, (1) liquid myrrh, as distinguished from the dry gum; - (2) קנּמן־בּשׂם, cinnamon of fragrance , the name having been introduced to the Semitic nations along with the thing itself, and then by the Phoenicians to the Greeks and Romans (κίνναμον, cinnamum ): whether it came from Ceylon, the great mart of cinnamon, is very doubtful, as there is not word that can be discovered in the Indian dialects corresponding to cinnamon ; - (3) cane of fragrance , the κάλαμος ἀρωματικός, calamus odoratus , of the Greek sand Romans, i.
e. , the scented calamus which is imported from India; - and (4) kiddah , probably cassia , and possibly the species called κιττώ in Dioscor. 1, 12, in which case קציעה (Psa 45:9) is either the generic name for cassia, or else refers to a different species. The proportion in which these spices were to be taken was 500 shekels or 14 1/2 lbs. of myrrh, half the quantity, i.
e. , 7 lbs, of cinnamon, and the same of calamus and cassia; in all, therefore, 21 lbs. of dry spices, which were to be mixed with one hin of oil (about 5 quarts) and 14 lbs. of liquid myrrh. These proportions preclude the supposition, that the spices were pulverized and mixed with the oil and myrrh in their natural condition, for the result in that case would have been a thick mess: they rather favour the statement of the Rabbins, that the dry spices were softened in water and boiled, to extract their essence, which was then mixed with oil and myrrh, and boiled again until all the watery part had evaporated.
An artificial production of this kind is also indicated by the expressions מרקחת רקח “ spice-work of spice-mixture ,” and רקח מעשׂה “ labour (work) of the perfumer or ointment-maker . ”
Exo 30:22-25 The Holy Anointing Oil. - This was to be prepared from the best perfumes ראשׁע בּשׂמים, where ראשׁע, caput , the principal or chief, is subordinate to בּשׂמים), viz. , of four fragrant spices and olive-oil. The spices were, (1) liquid myrrh, as distinguished from the dry gum; - (2) קנּמן־בּשׂם, cinnamon of fragrance , the name having been introduced to the Semitic nations along with the thing itself, and then by the Phoenicians to the Greeks and Romans (κίνναμον, cinnamum ): whether it came from Ceylon, the great mart of cinnamon, is very doubtful, as there is not word that can be discovered in the Indian dialects corresponding to cinnamon ; - (3) cane of fragrance , the κάλαμος ἀρωματικός, calamus odoratus , of the Greek sand Romans, i.
e. , the scented calamus which is imported from India; - and (4) kiddah , probably cassia , and possibly the species called κιττώ in Dioscor. 1, 12, in which case קציעה (Psa 45:9) is either the generic name for cassia, or else refers to a different species. The proportion in which these spices were to be taken was 500 shekels or 14 1/2 lbs. of myrrh, half the quantity, i.
e. , 7 lbs, of cinnamon, and the same of calamus and cassia; in all, therefore, 21 lbs. of dry spices, which were to be mixed with one hin of oil (about 5 quarts) and 14 lbs. of liquid myrrh. These proportions preclude the supposition, that the spices were pulverized and mixed with the oil and myrrh in their natural condition, for the result in that case would have been a thick mess: they rather favour the statement of the Rabbins, that the dry spices were softened in water and boiled, to extract their essence, which was then mixed with oil and myrrh, and boiled again until all the watery part had evaporated.
An artificial production of this kind is also indicated by the expressions מרקחת רקח “ spice-work of spice-mixture ,” and רקח מעשׂה “ labour (work) of the perfumer or ointment-maker . ”
Exo 30:22-25 The Holy Anointing Oil. - This was to be prepared from the best perfumes ראשׁע בּשׂמים, where ראשׁע, caput , the principal or chief, is subordinate to בּשׂמים), viz. , of four fragrant spices and olive-oil. The spices were, (1) liquid myrrh, as distinguished from the dry gum; - (2) קנּמן־בּשׂם, cinnamon of fragrance , the name having been introduced to the Semitic nations along with the thing itself, and then by the Phoenicians to the Greeks and Romans (κίνναμον, cinnamum ): whether it came from Ceylon, the great mart of cinnamon, is very doubtful, as there is not word that can be discovered in the Indian dialects corresponding to cinnamon ; - (3) cane of fragrance , the κάλαμος ἀρωματικός, calamus odoratus , of the Greek sand Romans, i.
e. , the scented calamus which is imported from India; - and (4) kiddah , probably cassia , and possibly the species called κιττώ in Dioscor. 1, 12, in which case קציעה (Psa 45:9) is either the generic name for cassia, or else refers to a different species. The proportion in which these spices were to be taken was 500 shekels or 14 1/2 lbs. of myrrh, half the quantity, i.
e. , 7 lbs, of cinnamon, and the same of calamus and cassia; in all, therefore, 21 lbs. of dry spices, which were to be mixed with one hin of oil (about 5 quarts) and 14 lbs. of liquid myrrh. These proportions preclude the supposition, that the spices were pulverized and mixed with the oil and myrrh in their natural condition, for the result in that case would have been a thick mess: they rather favour the statement of the Rabbins, that the dry spices were softened in water and boiled, to extract their essence, which was then mixed with oil and myrrh, and boiled again until all the watery part had evaporated.
An artificial production of this kind is also indicated by the expressions מרקחת רקח “ spice-work of spice-mixture ,” and רקח מעשׂה “ labour (work) of the perfumer or ointment-maker . ”
Exo 30:22-25 The Holy Anointing Oil. - This was to be prepared from the best perfumes ראשׁע בּשׂמים, where ראשׁע, caput , the principal or chief, is subordinate to בּשׂמים), viz. , of four fragrant spices and olive-oil. The spices were, (1) liquid myrrh, as distinguished from the dry gum; - (2) קנּמן־בּשׂם, cinnamon of fragrance , the name having been introduced to the Semitic nations along with the thing itself, and then by the Phoenicians to the Greeks and Romans (κίνναμον, cinnamum ): whether it came from Ceylon, the great mart of cinnamon, is very doubtful, as there is not word that can be discovered in the Indian dialects corresponding to cinnamon ; - (3) cane of fragrance , the κάλαμος ἀρωματικός, calamus odoratus , of the Greek sand Romans, i.
e. , the scented calamus which is imported from India; - and (4) kiddah , probably cassia , and possibly the species called κιττώ in Dioscor. 1, 12, in which case קציעה (Psa 45:9) is either the generic name for cassia, or else refers to a different species. The proportion in which these spices were to be taken was 500 shekels or 14 1/2 lbs. of myrrh, half the quantity, i.
e. , 7 lbs, of cinnamon, and the same of calamus and cassia; in all, therefore, 21 lbs. of dry spices, which were to be mixed with one hin of oil (about 5 quarts) and 14 lbs. of liquid myrrh. These proportions preclude the supposition, that the spices were pulverized and mixed with the oil and myrrh in their natural condition, for the result in that case would have been a thick mess: they rather favour the statement of the Rabbins, that the dry spices were softened in water and boiled, to extract their essence, which was then mixed with oil and myrrh, and boiled again until all the watery part had evaporated.
An artificial production of this kind is also indicated by the expressions מרקחת רקח “ spice-work of spice-mixture ,” and רקח מעשׂה “ labour (work) of the perfumer or ointment-maker . ”
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:26-33 (see at Lev 8:10.) This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it.
“ Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured ,” i. e. , it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). “Man,” i. e. , the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i. e. , according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general.
On the expression, “cut off from his people,” see at Gen 17:14.
Exo 30:34-38 The Holy Incense was also to be made of four ingredients, viz. , (1) nataph (στακτή, stacte ), i. e. , not the resinous myrrh, or sap obtained from the fragrant myrrh and dried, but a kind of storax gum resembling myrrh, which was baked, and then used, like incense, for fumigating; - (2) shecheleth (ὄνυξ, ungius odoratus ), the shell of a shell-fish resembling the purpura , of an agreeable odour; - (3) chelbenah (χαλβάνη), a resin of a pungent, bitter flavour, obtained, by means of an incision in the bark, from the ferula , a shrub which grows in Syria, Arabia, and Abyssinia, and then mixed with fragrant substances to give greater pungency to their odour; - and (4) lebonah (λίβανος or λιβανωτός), frankincense, a resin of a pleasant smell, obtained from a tree in Arabia Felix or India, but what tree has not been discovered.
זכּה pure, i. e. , unadulterated. The words יהיה בּבד בּד “part for part shall it be,” are explained by the lxx as meaning ἴσον ἴσῳ ἔσται, Vulg. aequalis ponderis erunt omnia , i. e. , with equal parts of all the different substances. But this is hardly correct, as בּד literally means separation, and the use of ב in this sense would be very striking. The explanation given by Aben Ezra is more correct, viz.
, “every part shall be for itself;” that is to say, each part was to be first of all prepared by itself, and then all the four to be mixed together afterwards.
Exo 30:34-38 The Holy Incense was also to be made of four ingredients, viz. , (1) nataph (στακτή, stacte ), i. e. , not the resinous myrrh, or sap obtained from the fragrant myrrh and dried, but a kind of storax gum resembling myrrh, which was baked, and then used, like incense, for fumigating; - (2) shecheleth (ὄνυξ, ungius odoratus ), the shell of a shell-fish resembling the purpura , of an agreeable odour; - (3) chelbenah (χαλβάνη), a resin of a pungent, bitter flavour, obtained, by means of an incision in the bark, from the ferula , a shrub which grows in Syria, Arabia, and Abyssinia, and then mixed with fragrant substances to give greater pungency to their odour; - and (4) lebonah (λίβανος or λιβανωτός), frankincense, a resin of a pleasant smell, obtained from a tree in Arabia Felix or India, but what tree has not been discovered.
זכּה pure, i. e. , unadulterated. The words יהיה בּבד בּד “part for part shall it be,” are explained by the lxx as meaning ἴσον ἴσῳ ἔσται, Vulg. aequalis ponderis erunt omnia , i. e. , with equal parts of all the different substances. But this is hardly correct, as בּד literally means separation, and the use of ב in this sense would be very striking. The explanation given by Aben Ezra is more correct, viz.
, “every part shall be for itself;” that is to say, each part was to be first of all prepared by itself, and then all the four to be mixed together afterwards.
Exo 30:34-38 The Holy Incense was also to be made of four ingredients, viz. , (1) nataph (στακτή, stacte ), i. e. , not the resinous myrrh, or sap obtained from the fragrant myrrh and dried, but a kind of storax gum resembling myrrh, which was baked, and then used, like incense, for fumigating; - (2) shecheleth (ὄνυξ, ungius odoratus ), the shell of a shell-fish resembling the purpura , of an agreeable odour; - (3) chelbenah (χαλβάνη), a resin of a pungent, bitter flavour, obtained, by means of an incision in the bark, from the ferula , a shrub which grows in Syria, Arabia, and Abyssinia, and then mixed with fragrant substances to give greater pungency to their odour; - and (4) lebonah (λίβανος or λιβανωτός), frankincense, a resin of a pleasant smell, obtained from a tree in Arabia Felix or India, but what tree has not been discovered.
זכּה pure, i. e. , unadulterated. The words יהיה בּבד בּד “part for part shall it be,” are explained by the lxx as meaning ἴσον ἴσῳ ἔσται, Vulg. aequalis ponderis erunt omnia , i. e. , with equal parts of all the different substances. But this is hardly correct, as בּד literally means separation, and the use of ב in this sense would be very striking. The explanation given by Aben Ezra is more correct, viz.
, “every part shall be for itself;” that is to say, each part was to be first of all prepared by itself, and then all the four to be mixed together afterwards.
Exo 30:34-38 The Holy Incense was also to be made of four ingredients, viz. , (1) nataph (στακτή, stacte ), i. e. , not the resinous myrrh, or sap obtained from the fragrant myrrh and dried, but a kind of storax gum resembling myrrh, which was baked, and then used, like incense, for fumigating; - (2) shecheleth (ὄνυξ, ungius odoratus ), the shell of a shell-fish resembling the purpura , of an agreeable odour; - (3) chelbenah (χαλβάνη), a resin of a pungent, bitter flavour, obtained, by means of an incision in the bark, from the ferula , a shrub which grows in Syria, Arabia, and Abyssinia, and then mixed with fragrant substances to give greater pungency to their odour; - and (4) lebonah (λίβανος or λιβανωτός), frankincense, a resin of a pleasant smell, obtained from a tree in Arabia Felix or India, but what tree has not been discovered.
זכּה pure, i. e. , unadulterated. The words יהיה בּבד בּד “part for part shall it be,” are explained by the lxx as meaning ἴσον ἴσῳ ἔσται, Vulg. aequalis ponderis erunt omnia , i. e. , with equal parts of all the different substances. But this is hardly correct, as בּד literally means separation, and the use of ב in this sense would be very striking. The explanation given by Aben Ezra is more correct, viz.
, “every part shall be for itself;” that is to say, each part was to be first of all prepared by itself, and then all the four to be mixed together afterwards.