Moses receives instructions for the incense altar using the same "cubit" measurements found only in the ark's dimensions, linking humanity's prayers directly to God's presence.
Exodus 30
The Altar of Incense
1“You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood.
2Its length shall be a cubit, and its width a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.
3You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it.
4You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.
5You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
6You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the covenant, before the mercy seat that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you.
7Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.
8When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
9You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it.
10Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.”
The Census Tax
11The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
12“When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are counted among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to the LORD when you count them, that there be no plague among them when you count them.
13They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are counted, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs); half a shekel for an offering to the LORD.
14Everyone who passes over to those who are counted, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to the LORD.
15The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.
16You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.”
The Bronze Basin
17The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
18“You shall also make a basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, in which to wash. You shall put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.
19Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in it.
20When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they don’t die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD.
21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die. This shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations.”
The Anointing Oil
22Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
23“Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;
24and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; and a hin of olive oil.
25You shall make it into a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26You shall use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant,
27the table and all its articles, the lamp stand and its accessories, the altar of incense,
28the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base.
29You shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy.
30You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.
31You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations.
32It shall not be poured on man’s flesh, and do not make any like it, according to its composition. It is holy. It shall be holy to you.
33Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.’”
The Sacred Incense
34The LORD said to Moses, “Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, onycha, and galbanum: sweet spices with pure frankincense. There shall be an equal weight of each.
35You shall make incense of it, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.
36You shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the covenant in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy.
37You shall not make this incense, according to its composition, for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for the LORD.
38Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people.”
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Theme
Exodus 30 provides detailed instructions for four additional elements of tabernacle worship: the golden altar of incense, the census tax system, the bronze basin for priestly washing, and the sacred anointing oil and incense. These regulations emphasize the holiness required for approaching God, establishing specific protocols for atonement, purification, and consecration. The chapter underscores that worship must follow God's precise instructions, with particular attention to the priests' need for ritual cleansing and the community's collective responsibility through the census offering.
Context
Following the detailed tabernacle construction plans in chapters 25-29, this chapter completes the worship regulations before the golden calf incident disrupts Israel's covenant relationship.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-10 The Golden Altar of Incense Instructions for constructing and using the incense altar, including daily offerings and annual atonement rituals.
- 11-16 The Census Tax Requirements for a half-shekel offering from every counted Israelite to make atonement and support tabernacle service.
- 17-21 The Bronze Basin Commands to construct a washing basin for priestly purification before entering the tabernacle or offering sacrifices.
- 22-33 The Sacred Anointing Oil Recipe and instructions for the holy anointing oil used to consecrate the tabernacle and priests.
- 34-38 The Sacred Incense Formula for the special incense blend reserved exclusively for tabernacle worship, with strict prohibitions against personal use.
The Altar of Incense
30:1–30:10 law instruction solemn
God provides detailed instructions for constructing the golden altar of incense where Aaron will burn perpetual incense before the Lord. The altar requires annual atonement and is designated as most holy to the Lord.
person_contrast
Moses receives instructions for the incense altar using the same "cubit" measurements found only in the ark's dimensions, linking humanity's prayers directly to God's presence.
The Census Tax
30:11–30:16 law instruction solemn
God commands a census tax of half a shekel from every man twenty years and older to make atonement for their souls. Rich and poor pay equally, and the money supports the Tent of Meeting as a memorial before the Lord.
person_contrast
Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience commands, uniquely receives instructions here about protective atonement payments, linking census-taking to plague prevention through monetary offerings.
The Bronze Basin
30:17–30:21 law instruction solemn
God instructs Moses to make a bronze basin for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tent of Meeting or approaching the altar. This washing ritual prevents death and becomes a perpetual statute.
person_contrast
Moses receives instructions for ritual washing that transforms physical cleanliness into a matter of life and death, making bodily purification as sacred as moral obedience.
The Anointing Oil
30:22–30:33 law instruction solemn
God provides the recipe for holy anointing oil made from specific spices and olive oil to consecrate the tabernacle furnishings and priests. The oil is sacred for generations, and misuse results in being cut off from the people.
person_contrast
Moses receives the only divinely prescribed perfume recipe in Scripture, transforming him from lawgiver to sacred aromatherapist as God specifies exact measurements for myrrh, cinnamon, and cassia.
The Sacred Incense
30:34–30:38 law instruction solemn
God instructs Moses on the precise composition of sacred incense for the tabernacle, emphasizing its holy nature and the severe penalty for unauthorized replication.
person_contrast
Moses receives the only biblical recipe requiring "equal weight" measurements, transforming him from lawgiver into precise perfumer as God dictates exact proportions for sacred incense.
Insights
Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience commands, uniquely receives instructions here about protective atonement payments, linking census-taking to plague prevention through monetary offerings.
Moses receives instructions for ritual washing that transforms physical cleanliness into a matter of life and death, making bodily purification as sacred as moral obedience.
Moses receives the only divinely prescribed perfume recipe in Scripture, transforming him from lawgiver to sacred aromatherapist as God specifies exact measurements for myrrh, cinnamon, and cassia.
Moses receives the only biblical recipe requiring "equal weight" measurements, transforming him from lawgiver into precise perfumer as God dictates exact proportions for sacred incense.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Exodus 30:1 4 references
Lexicals 4
Exodus 37:25 Lexical
He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its width a cubit. Its height wa…
Exodus 38:1 Lexical
He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits…
Exodus 27:6 Lexical
You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
Exodus 27:1 Lexical
“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide. The altar shall be square. Its height…
Exodus 30:2 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 37:25 Lexical
He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its width a cubit. Its height wa…
Exodus 27:1 Lexical
“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide. The altar shall be square. Its height…
Exodus 38:1 Lexical
He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits…
Ezekiel 40:47 Lexical
He measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, square. The altar was before the house.
Genesis 6:15 Lexical
This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its hei…
Exodus 30:3 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 37:26 Lexical
He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it.
Exodus 25:11 Lexical
You shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and outside, and you shall make a gold molding around i…
Exodus 37:2 Lexical
He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold for it around it.
Exodus 37:11 Lexical
He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.
Exodus 25:24 Lexical
You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.
Exodus 30:4 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 37:27 Lexical
He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with wh…
Exodus 25:14 Lexical
You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.
Exodus 37:5 Lexical
He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
Exodus 27:7 Lexical
Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when carrying it.
Exodus 38:7 Lexical
He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
Exodus 30:5 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 25:28 Lexical
You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.
Exodus 37:28 Lexical
He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
Exodus 37:4 Lexical
He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
Exodus 37:15 Lexical
He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.
Exodus 25:13 Lexical
You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exodus 30:6 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 25:22 Lexical
There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on th…
Exodus 35:12 Lexical
the ark, and its poles, the mercy seat, the veil of the screen;
Leviticus 16:2 Lexical
and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the ve…
Numbers 7:89 Lexical
When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard his voice speaking to him from above the mercy…
Exodus 31:7 Lexical
the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,
Exodus 30:7 4 references
Lexicals 4
2 Chronicles 13:11 Lexical
They burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in…
Exodus 40:27 Lexical
and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Numbers 4:16 Lexical
“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal o…
2 Chronicles 29:7 Lexical
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offe…
Exodus 30:8 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Chronicles 13:11 Lexical
They burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in…
Leviticus 24:3 Lexical
Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning befor…
2 Chronicles 29:7 Lexical
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offe…
Numbers 4:16 Lexical
“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal o…
Exodus 27:21 Lexical
In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from ev…
Exodus 30:9 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 16:13 Lexical
He burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offe…
Numbers 29:34 Lexical
and one male goat for a sin offering; in addition to the continual burnt offering, its meal offering, and its drink offe…
Numbers 29:6 Lexical
in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its meal offering, and the continual burnt offering with its meal…
Numbers 29:11 Lexical
one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and it…
Numbers 28:31 Lexical
Besides the continual burnt offering and its meal offering, you shall offer them and their drink offerings. See that the…
Exodus 30:10 5 references
Lexicals 5
Leviticus 16:27 Lexical
The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Ho…
Exodus 29:36 Lexical
Every day you shall offer the bull of sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement fo…
Leviticus 16:18 Lexical
“He shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood…
Leviticus 8:15 Lexical
He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the al…
Ezekiel 43:20 Lexical
You shall take of its blood and put it on its four horns, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all ar…
Exodus 30:13 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 38:26 Lexical
a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those w…
Numbers 18:16 Lexical
You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels o…
Leviticus 27:25 Lexical
All your valuations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs to the shekel.
Numbers 3:47 Lexical
you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the sheke…
Ezekiel 45:12 Lexical
The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.
Exodus 30:15 1 reference
Exodus 30:16 5 references
Lexicals 5
Numbers 8:19 Lexical
I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the…
Numbers 31:54 Lexical
Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of…
Leviticus 16:20 Lexical
“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
Leviticus 16:33 Lexical
Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the alt…
Leviticus 16:17 Lexical
No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has m…
Exodus 30:18 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 40:30 Lexical
He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash.
Exodus 38:8 Lexical
He made the basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the d…
Exodus 40:7 Lexical
You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein.
Exodus 39:39 Lexical
the bronze altar, its grating of bronze, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base,
Exodus 35:16 Lexical
the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its base;
Exodus 30:19 1 reference
Exodus 30:20 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 28:43 Lexical
They shall be on Aaron and on his sons, when they go in to the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to m…
Leviticus 1:13 Lexical
but the innards and the legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall offer the whole, and burn it on the altar. It is…
Leviticus 8:21 Lexical
He washed the innards and the legs with water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for…
Leviticus 1:9 Lexical
but he shall wash its innards and its legs with water. The priest shall burn all of it on the altar, for a burnt offerin…
Numbers 18:17 Lexical
“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy…
Exodus 30:21 1 reference
Exodus 30:23 5 references
Lexicals 5
Song of Solomon 4:14 Lexical
spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree; myrrh and aloes, with all the best spices,
Exodus 38:26 Lexical
a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those w…
Proverbs 7:17 Lexical
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Esther 2:12 Lexical
Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days o…
Song of Solomon 5:13 Lexical
His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
Exodus 30:24 5 references
Lexicals 5
Numbers 7:25 Lexical
gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy…
Numbers 7:61 Lexical
gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy sh…
Numbers 7:13 Lexical
and his offering was: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy…
Numbers 7:67 Lexical
gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy sh…
Numbers 7:55 Lexical
gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy sh…
Exodus 30:25 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 37:29 Lexical
He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
2 Chronicles 16:14 Lexical
They buried him in his own tomb, which he had dug out for himself in David’s city, and laid him in the bed which was fil…
1 Chronicles 9:30 Lexical
Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices.
Numbers 4:16 Lexical
“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal o…
Exodus 40:9 Lexical
“You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its…
Exodus 30:26 4 references
Lexicals 4
Exodus 31:7 Lexical
the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,
Numbers 7:89 Lexical
When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard his voice speaking to him from above the mercy…
Exodus 27:21 Lexical
In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from ev…
Leviticus 24:3 Lexical
Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning befor…
Exodus 30:27 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 31:8 Lexical
the table and its vessels, the pure lamp stand with all its vessels, the altar of incense,
Numbers 3:31 Lexical
Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they ministe…
2 Chronicles 13:11 Lexical
They burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in…
2 Chronicles 29:18 Lexical
Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace and said, “We have cleansed all the LORD’s house, including the…
1 Kings 7:48 Lexical
Solomon made all the vessels that were in the LORD’s house: the golden altar and the table that the show bread was on, o…
Exodus 30:28 4 references
Lexicals 4
Exodus 31:9 Lexical
the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base,
Exodus 35:16 Lexical
the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its base;
Leviticus 8:11 Lexical
He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to san…
Exodus 39:39 Lexical
the bronze altar, its grating of bronze, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base,
Exodus 30:29 2 references
Exodus 30:30 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 40:13 Lexical
You shall put on Aaron the holy garments; and you shall anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the…
Exodus 28:41 Lexical
You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanc…
Numbers 3:3 Lexical
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s…
Exodus 29:44 Lexical
I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar. I will also sanctify Aaron and his sons to minister to me in the prie…
Exodus 28:3 Lexical
You shall speak to all who are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garmen…
Exodus 30:31 4 references
Lexicals 4
Exodus 40:9 Lexical
“You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its…
Exodus 31:11 Lexical
the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they s…
Exodus 37:29 Lexical
He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
Numbers 4:16 Lexical
“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal o…
Exodus 30:34 1 reference
Exodus 30:35 1 reference
Exodus 30:36 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Samuel 22:43 Lexical
Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.
Exodus 29:42 Lexical
It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, w…
Numbers 10:3 Lexical
When they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
Exodus 27:21 Lexical
In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from ev…
Leviticus 24:3 Lexical
Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning befor…
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