1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:
25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,
28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.
33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.
38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
1 And thou shalt make H6213 an altar H4196 to burn H4729 incense H7004 upon: of shittim H7848 wood H6086 shalt thou make H6213 it.
2 A cubit H520 shall be the length H753 thereof, and a cubit H520 the breadth H7341 thereof; foursquare H7251 shall it be: and two cubits H520 shall be the height H6967 thereof: the horns H7161 thereof shall be of the same.
3 And thou shalt overlay H6823 it with pure H2889 gold, H2091 the top H1406 thereof, and the sides H7023 thereof round about, H5439 and the horns H7161 thereof; and thou shalt make H6213 unto it a crown H2213 of gold H2091 round about. H5439
4 And two H8147 golden H2091 rings H2885 shalt thou make H6213 to it under the crown H2213 of it, by the two H8147 corners H6763 thereof, upon the two H8147 sides H6654 of it shalt thou make H6213 it; and they shall be for places H1004 for the staves H905 to bear H5375 it withal. H1992
5 And thou shalt make H6213 the staves H905 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and overlay H6823 them with gold. H2091
6 And thou shalt put H5414 it before H6440 the vail H6532 that is by the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715 before H6440 the mercy seat H3727 that is over the testimony, H5715 where I will meet H3259 with thee.
7 And Aaron H175 shall burn H6999 thereon sweet H5561 incense H7004 every morning: H1242 when he dresseth H3190 the lamps, H5216 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it.
8 And when Aaron H175 lighteth H5927 the lamps H5216 at even, H6153 he shall burn incense H6999 upon it, a perpetual H8548 incense H7004 before H6440 the LORD H3068 throughout your generations. H1755
9 Ye shall offer H5927 no strange H2114 incense H7004 thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, H5930 nor meat offering; H4503 neither shall ye pour H5258 drink offering H5262 thereon.
10 And Aaron H175 shall make an atonement H3722 upon the horns H7161 of it once H259 in a year H8141 with the blood H1818 of the sin offering H2403 of atonements: H3725 once H259 in the year H8141 shall he make atonement H3722 upon it throughout your generations: H1755 it is most H6944 holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068
11 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
12 When thou takest H5375 the sum H7218 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 after their number, H6485 then shall they give H5414 every man H376 a ransom H3724 for his soul H5315 unto the LORD, H3068 when thou numberest H6485 them; that there be no plague H5063 among them, when thou numberest H6485 them.
13 This they shall give, H5414 every one that passeth H5674 among H5921 them that are numbered, H6485 half H4276 a shekel H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary: H6944 (a shekel H8255 is twenty H6242 gerahs:) H1626 an half H4276 shekel H8255 shall be the offering H8641 of the LORD. H3068
14 Every one that passeth H5674 among them that are numbered, H6485 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above, H4605 shall give H5414 an offering H8641 unto the LORD. H3068
15 The rich H6223 shall not give more, H7235 and the poor H1800 shall not give less H4591 than half H4276 a shekel, H8255 when they give H5414 an offering H8641 unto the LORD, H3068 to make an atonement H3722 for your souls. H5315
16 And thou shalt take H3947 the atonement H3725 money H3701 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and shalt appoint H5414 it for the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation; H4150 that it may be a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 to make an atonement H3722 for your souls. H5315
17 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
18 Thou shalt also make H6213 a laver H3595 of brass, H5178 and his foot H3653 also of brass, H5178 to wash H7364 withal: and thou shalt put H5414 it between the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 and the altar, H4196 and thou shalt put H5414 water H4325 therein.
19 For Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall wash H7364 their hands H3027 and their feet H7272 thereat:
20 When they go H935 into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 they shall wash H7364 with water, H4325 that they die H4191 not; or when they come near H5066 to the altar H4196 to minister, H8334 to burn offering H6999 made by fire H801 unto the LORD: H3068
21 So they shall wash H7364 their hands H3027 and their feet, H7272 that they die H4191 not: and it shall be a statute H2706 for ever H5769 to them, even to him and to his seed H2233 throughout their generations. H1755
22 Moreover the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
23 Take H3947 thou also unto thee principal H7218 spices, H1314 of pure H1865 myrrh H4753 five H2568 hundred H3967 shekels, and of sweet H1314 cinnamon H7076 half H4276 so much, H4276 even two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels, and of sweet H1314 calamus H7070 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels,
24 And of cassia H6916 five H2568 hundred H3967 shekels, after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 and of oil H8081 olive H2132 an hin: H1969
25 And thou shalt make H6213 it an oil H8081 of holy H6944 ointment, H4888 an ointment H7545 compound H4842 after the art H4639 of the apothecary: H7543 it shall be an holy H6944 anointing H4888 oil. H8081
26 And thou shalt anoint H4886 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 therewith, and the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715
27 And the table H7979 and all his vessels, H3627 and the candlestick H4501 and his vessels, H3627 and the altar H4196 of incense, H7004
28 And the altar H4196 of burnt offering H5930 with all his vessels, H3627 and the laver H3595 and his foot. H3653
29 And thou shalt sanctify H6942 them, that they may be most H6944 holy: H6944 whatsoever toucheth H5060 them shall be holy. H6942
30 And thou shalt anoint H4886 Aaron H175 and his sons, H1121 and consecrate H6942 them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. H3547
31 And thou shalt speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 This shall be an holy H6944 anointing H4888 oil H8081 unto me throughout your generations. H1755
32 Upon man's H120 flesh H1320 shall it not be poured, H3251 neither shall ye make H6213 any other like it, after the composition H4971 of it: it is holy, H6944 and it shall be holy H6944 unto you.
33 Whosoever H834 H376 compoundeth H7543 any like it, or whosoever putteth H5414 any of it upon a stranger, H2114 shall even be cut H3772 off from his people. H5971
34 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Take H3947 unto thee sweet spices, H5561 stacte, H5198 and onycha, H7827 and galbanum; H2464 these sweet H5561 spices H5561 with pure H2134 frankincense: H3828 of each H905 shall there be a like H905 weight:
35 And thou shalt make H6213 it a perfume, H7004 a confection H7545 after the art H4639 of the apothecary, H7543 tempered H4414 together, pure H2889 and holy: H6944
36 And thou shalt beat H7833 some of it very small, H1854 and put H5414 of it before H6440 the testimony H5715 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 where I will meet H3259 with thee: it shall be unto you most H6944 holy. H6944
37 And as for the perfume H7004 which thou shalt make, H6213 ye shall not make H6213 to yourselves according to the composition H4971 thereof: it shall be unto thee holy H6944 for the LORD. H3068
38 Whosoever H834 H376 shall make H6213 like unto that, to smell H7306 thereto, shall even be cut off H3772 from his people. H5971
1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it.
2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be; and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
4 And two golden rings shalt thou make for it under the crown thereof; upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make them; and they shall be for places for staves wherewith to bear it.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of sweet spices: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it.
8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations.
9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor meal-offering; and ye shall pour no drink-offering thereon.
10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.
11 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to those that are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
13 This they shall give, every one that passeth over unto them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Jehovah.
14 Every one that passeth over unto them that are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of Jehovah.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
17 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, whereat to wash. And thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
19 And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20 when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
22 Moreover Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Take thou also unto thee the chief spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred `shekels', and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty,
24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin.
25 And thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint therewith the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony,
27 and the table and all the vessels thereof, and the candlestick and the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense,
28 and the altar of burnt-offering with all the vessels thereof, and the laver and the base thereof.
29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
32 Upon the flesh of man shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any like it, according to the composition thereof: it is holy, `and' it shall be holy unto you.
33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.
34 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight;
35 and thou shalt make of it incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure `and' holy:
36 and thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
37 And the incense which thou shalt make, according to the composition thereof ye shall not make for yourselves: it shall be unto thee holy for Jehovah.
38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereof, he shall be cut off from his people.
1 `And thou hast made an altar `for' making perfume; `of' shittim wood thou dost make it;
2 a cubit its length, and a cubit its breadth, (it is square), and two cubits its height; its horns `are' of the same.
3 `And thou hast overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides round about, and its horns; and thou hast made to it a crown of gold round about;
4 and two rings of gold thou dost make to it under its crown; on its two ribs thou dost make `them', on its two sides, and they have become places for staves, to bear it with them.
5 `And thou hast made the staves of shittim wood, and hast overlaid them with gold;
6 and thou hast put it before the vail, which `is' by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat which `is' over the testimony, whither I am met with thee.
7 `And Aaron hath made perfume on it, perfume of spices, morning by morning; in his making the lamps right he doth perfume it,
8 and in Aaron's causing the lamps to go up between the evenings, he doth perfume it; a continual perfume before Jehovah to your generations.
9 `Ye do not cause strange perfume to go up upon it, and burnt-offering, and present, and libation ye do not pour out on it;
10 and Aaron hath made atonement on its horns, once in a year, by the blood of the sin-offering of atonements; once in a year doth he make atonement for it, to your generations; it `is' most holy to Jehovah.'
11 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
12 `When thou takest up the sum of the sons of Israel for their numbers, then they have given each an atonement `for' his soul to Jehovah in their being numbered, and there is no plague among them in their being numbered.
13 `This they do give, every one passing over unto those numbered, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel `is' twenty gerahs); half a shekel `is' the heave-offering to Jehovah;
14 every one passing over unto those numbered, from a son of twenty years and upwards, doth give the heave-offering of Jehovah;
15 the rich doth not multiply, and the poor doth not diminish from the half-shekel, to give the heave-offering of Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
16 `And thou hast taken the atonement-money from the sons of Israel, and hast given it for the service of the tent of meeting; and it hath been to the sons of Israel for a memorial before Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.'
17 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
18 `And thou hast made a laver of brass (and its base of brass), for washing; and thou hast put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and hast put water there;
19 and Aaron and his sons have washed at it their hands and their feet,
20 in their going in unto the tent of meeting they wash `with' water, and die not; or in their drawing nigh unto the altar to minister, to perfume a fire-offering to Jehovah,
21 then they have washed their hands and their feet, and they die not, and it hath been to them a statute age-during, to him and to his seed to their generations.'
22 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
23 `And thou, take to thyself principal spices, wild honey five hundred `shekels'; and spice-cinnamon, the half of that, two hundred and fifty; and spice-cane two hundred and fifty;
24 and cassia five hundred, by the shekel of the sanctuary, and olive oil a hin;
25 and thou hast made it a holy anointing oil, a compound mixture, work of a compounder; it is a holy anointing oil.
26 `And thou hast anointed with it the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony,
27 and the table and all its vessels, and the candlestick and its vessels, and the altar of perfume,
28 and the altar of burnt-offering and all its vessels, and the laver and its base;
29 and thou hast sanctified them, and they have been most holy; all that is coming against them is holy;
30 and Aaron and his sons thou dost anoint, and hast sanctified them for being priests to Me.
31 `And unto the sons of Israel thou dost speak, saying, A holy anointing oil is this to Me, to your generations;
32 on flesh of man it is not poured, and with its proper proportion ye make none like it; it `is' holy; it is holy to you;
33 a man who compoundeth `any' like it, or who putteth of it on a stranger -- hath even been cut off from his people.'
34 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Take to thee spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, spices and pure frankincense; they are part for part;
35 and thou hast made it a perfume, a compound, work of a compounder, salted, pure, holy;
36 and thou hast beaten `some' of it small, and hast put of it before the testimony, in the tent of meeting, whither I am met with thee; most holy it is to you.
37 `As to the perfume which thou makest, with its proper proportion ye do not make to yourselves, holy it is to thee to Jehovah;
38 a man who maketh `any' like it -- to be refreshed by it -- hath even been cut off from his people.'
1 And thou shalt make an altar for the burning of incense: of acacia-wood shalt thou make it;
2 a cubit the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof -- square shall it be; and two cubits its height; of itself shall be its horns.
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make upon it a border of gold round about.
4 And two rings of gold shalt thou make for it under its border; by its two corners shalt thou make [them], on the two sides thereof; and they shall be for receptacles for the staves, with which to carry it.
5 And thou shalt make the staves of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 And thou shalt put it in front of the veil which is before the ark of the testimony in front of the mercy-seat which is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon fragrant incense: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn the incense.
8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps between the two evenings, he shall burn the incense -- a continual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations.
9 Ye shall offer up no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor oblation; neither shall ye pour drink-offering thereon.
10 And Aaron shall make atonement for its horns once in the year: with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement shall he make atonement for it, once in the year, throughout your generations: it is most holy to Jehovah.
11 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
12 When thou shalt take the sum of the children of Israel according to those of them that are numbered, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to Jehovah on their being numbered, that there be no plague among them on their being numbered.
13 This shall they give -- every one that passeth among them that are numbered -- half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, -- twenty gerahs the shekel; a half shekel shall be the heave-offering for Jehovah.
14 Every one that passeth among those that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give the heave-offering of Jehovah.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when ye give the heave-offering of Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement-money of the children of Israel, and devote it to the service of the tent of meeting; and it shall be a memorial to the children of Israel before Jehovah, to make atonement for your souls.
17 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of copper, and its stand of copper, for washing; and thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water in it.
19 And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet out of it.
20 When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they come near to the altar to serve, to burn an offering by fire to Jehovah.
21 And they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die; and it shall be an everlasting statute for them, for him and for his seed throughout their generations.
22 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
23 And thou, take best spices -- of liquid myrrh five hundred [shekels], and of sweet cinnamon the half -- two hundred and fifty, and of sweet myrtle two hundred and fifty,
24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin;
25 and make of it an oil of holy ointment, a perfume of perfumery after the work of the perfumer: it shall be the holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint the tent of meeting with it, and the ark of the testimony,
27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lamp-stand and its utensils, and the altar of incense,
28 and the altar of burnt-offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its stand.
29 And thou shalt hallow them, that they may be most holy: whatever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt anoint, and shalt hallow them, that they may serve me as priests.
31 And thou shalt speak to the children of Israel, saying, A holy anointing oil shall this be unto me throughout your generations.
32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make [any] like it, after the preparation of it: it is holy -- holy shall it be unto you.
33 Whoever compoundeth [any] like it, or whoever putteth [any] of it upon any strange thing, shall be cut off from his peoples.
34 And Jehovah said to Moses, Take fragrant drugs -- stacte, and onycha, and galbanum -- fragrant drugs and pure frankincense; in like proportions shall it be.
35 And thou shalt make it into incense, a perfume, after the work of the perfumer, salted, pure, holy.
36 And thou shalt beat [some] of it to powder, and put [some] of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
37 And the incense that thou shalt make, ye shall not make for yourselves according to the proportions of it; it shall be unto thee holy to Jehovah.
38 Whoever maketh like unto it, to smell it, shall be cut off from his peoples.
1 "You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood.
2 Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.
3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, the top of it, the sides of it around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it.
4 You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.
5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
6 You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.
7 Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.
8 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.
9 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal-offering; and you shall pour no drink-offering on it.
10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh."
11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them.
13 They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh.
14 Everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to Yahweh.
15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.
16 You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls."
17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
18 "You shall also make a basin of brass, and the base of it of brass, in which to wash. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.
19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in it.
20 When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die: and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations."
22 Moreover Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
23 "Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;
24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary; and a hin of olive oil.
25 You shall make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26 You shall use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony,
27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense,
28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base.
29 You shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy.
30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest's office.
31 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations.
32 It shall not be poured on man's flesh, neither shall you make any like it, according to its composition: it is holy. It shall be holy to you.
33 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.'"
34 Yahweh said to Moses, "Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be an equal weight;
35 and you shall make incense of it, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy:
36 and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy.
37 The incense which you shall make, according to its composition you shall not make for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for Yahweh.
38 Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people."
1 And you are to make an altar for the burning of perfume; of hard wood let it be made.
2 The altar is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high, and its horns are to be made of the same.
3 It is to be plated with the best gold, the top of it and the sides and the horns, with an edging of gold all round it.
4 Under the edge on the two opposite sides, you are to make two gold rings, to take the rods for lifting it.
5 And make these rods of the same wood, plating them with gold.
6 And let it be placed in front of the veil before the ark of the law, before the cover which is over the law, where I will come face to face with you.
7 And on this altar sweet spices are to be burned by Aaron every morning when he sees to the lights.
8 And every evening, when he puts the lights up in their places, the spices are to be burned, a sweet-smelling smoke going up before the Lord from generation to generation for ever.
9 No strange perfume, no burned offering or meal offering, and no drink offering is to be offered on it.
10 And once every year Aaron is to make its horns clean: with the blood of the sin-offering he is to make it clean once every year from generation to generation: it is most holy to the Lord.
11 And the Lord said to Moses,
12 When you are taking the number of the children of Israel, let every man who is numbered give to the Lord a price for his life, so that no disease may come on them when they are numbered.
13 And this is what they are to give; let every man who is numbered give half a shekel, by the scale of the holy place: (the shekel being valued at twenty gerahs:) this money is an offering to the Lord.
14 Everyone who is numbered, from twenty years old and over, is to give an offering to the Lord.
15 The man of wealth is to give no more and the poor man no less than the half-shekel of silver, when the offering is made to the Lord as the price for your lives.
16 And you are to take this money from the children of Israel to be used for the work of the Tent of meeting, to keep the memory of the children of Israel before the Lord and to be the price of your lives.
17 And the Lord said to Moses,
18 You are to make a brass washing-vessel, with a brass base; and put it between the Tent of meeting and the altar, with water in it;
19 That it may be used by Aaron and his sons for washing their hands and feet;
20 Whenever they go into the Tent of meeting they are to be washed with water, to keep them from death; and whenever they come near to do the work of the altar, or to make an offering by fire to the Lord,
21 Their hands and feet are to be washed. so that they may be safe from death: this is an order to them for ever; to him and his seed from generation to generation.
22 And the Lord said to Moses,
23 Take the best spices, five hundred shekels' weight of liquid myrrh, and of sweet cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred and fifty shekels, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet calamus,
24 And of cassia, five hundred shekels' weight measured by the scale of the holy place, and of olive oil a hin:
25 And make these into a holy oil, a perfume made by the art of the perfume-maker; it is to be a holy oil.
26 This oil is to be put on the Tent of meeting, and on the ark of the law,
27 And on the table and all its vessels, and on the support for the lights, with its vessels, and on the altar for burning spices,
28 And on the altar of burned offerings with its vessels, and on the washing-vessel and its base.
29 And you are to make them most holy; anything touching them will become holy.
30 And put the oil on Aaron and his sons, making them holy to do the work of priests to me.
31 And say to the children of Israel, This is to be the Lord's holy oil, from generation to generation.
32 It is not to be used for man's flesh, and no other is to be made like it: holy it is, and you are to keep it holy.
33 Whoever makes any like it, or puts it on one who is not a priest, will be cut off from his people.
34 And the Lord said to Moses, Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, with the best frankincense, in equal weights;
35 And make from them a perfume, such as is made by the art of the perfume-maker, mixed with salt, and clean and holy.
36 And put some of it, crushed very small, in front of the ark in the Tent of meeting, where I will come face to face with you; it is to be most holy.
37 You are not to make any perfume like it for yourselves: it is to be kept holy to the Lord.
38 Whoever makes any like it, for its sweet smell, will be cut off from his people.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 30
Commentary on Exodus 30 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Altar of Incense and Incense-Offering bring the directions concerning the sanctuary to a close. What follows, from Ex 30:11-31:17, is shown to be merely supplementary to the larger whole by the formula “and Jehovah spake unto Moses,” with which every separate command is introduced (cf. Exodus 30:11, Exodus 30:17, Exodus 30:22, Exodus 30:24, Exodus 31:1, Exodus 31:12).
Exodus 30:1-6
(cf. Exodus 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 (Exodus 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 (Exodus 39:38; Exodus 40:5, Exodus 40:26; Numbers 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 (Exodus 25:11., Exodus 25:25.); and its place was to be in front of the curtain, which concealed the ark of the covenant (Exodus 26:31), “before the capporeth” (Exodus 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 (Exodus 26:35; Exodus 40:22, Exodus 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 1 Kings 6:22, but is reckoned in Hebrews 9:4 as part of the furniture of the most holy place (see Delitzsch on Hebrews 9:4).
Exodus 30:7-9
Upon this altar Aaron was to burn fragrant incense, the preparation of which is described in Exodus 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. Leviticus 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. Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 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.
Exodus 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 (Leviticus 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 Leviticus 16:18-19.) The term “most holy” is not only applied to this altar, in common with the inner division of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:33), but also to the altar of burnt-offering (Exodus 29:37; Exodus 40:10), and all the vessels of the sanctuary (Exodus 30:29), which were anointed with holy oil; then to the whole of the tabernacle in its holiest aspect (Numbers 18:10); and lastly, to all the sacrifices, which were given up entirely to Jehovah (see at Leviticus 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 Exodus 30:29 with Exodus 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 (Exodus 25:1-9).
Exodus 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 (Genesis 32:21; 1 Samuel 12:3); and (2) on the supposition that the guilt itself was covered up (Psalms 32:1), or wiped away (Jeremiah 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 (Exodus 21:30; Numbers 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 (Numbers 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 (Numbers 1:3, cf. Exodus 7:4; Exodus 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 (Exodus 30:14), - was to pay half a shekel of the sanctuary as atonement-money; the rich no more, the poor no less (Exodus 30:15), because all were equal in the sight of Jehovah; and this payment was to be a “heave” ( terumah , see Exodus 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 Exodus 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 (Genesis 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 1 Kings 10:17 and 2 Chronicles 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.).
Exodus 30:16
This atonement-money Moses was to appropriate to the work of the sanctuary (cf. Exodus 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 (Matthew 17:25-26). - According to Numbers 1:1, Numbers 1:18, as compared with Exodus 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. Exodus 38:26 and Numbers 1:46), although the one had been carried out nine months before the other.
(cf. Exodus 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. Exodus 31:9; Exodus 35:16; Exodus 39:39; Exodus 40:11; Leviticus 8:11). These two vessels were to be made of brass or copper, like the other things in the court; and, according to Exodus 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 Exodus 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 1 Samuel 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 Luke 2:37.
(Note: Knobel's objection to this explanation, viz., that “at a time when the sanctuary was not yet erected, the author could not speak of women as coming to the door of the sanctuary, or performing religious service there,” would contain its own refutation, if there were any ground for it at all. For before the sanctuary was erected, the author could not speak of Levitical women as coming at particular times to the sanctuary, and bringing things with them for the purpose of washing and cleaning. But the participle צבאת does not imply that they had served there before the erection of the sanctuary, but only that from that time forward, they did perform service there.)
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 (Exodus 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 Exodus 3:5), “that they might not die,” as is again emphatically stated in Exodus 30:20 and Exodus 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.
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 (Psalms 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 .”
(see at Leviticus 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. Exodus 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exodus 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 (Exodus 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 (Exodus 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 Genesis 17:14.
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.
Exodus 30:35
Of this Moses was to make incense, spicework, etc. (as in Exodus 30:25), salted, seasoned with salt ( ממלּח , a denom. from מלח salt), like the meat-offering in Leviticus 2:13. The word does not mean μεμιγμένον , mixtum (lxx, Vulg .), or rubbed to powder, for the rubbing or pulverizing is expressed by שׁחקתּ־הרק in the following verse.
Exodus 30:36
Of this incense (a portion) was to be placed “ before the testimony in the tabernacle ,” i.e., not in the most holy place, but where the altar of incense stood (cf. Exodus 30:6 and Leviticus 16:12). The remainder was of course to be kept elsewhere.
Exodus 30:37-38
There is the same prohibition against imitating or applying it to a strange use as in the case of the anointing oil (Exodus 30:32, Exodus 30:33). “ To smell thereto ,” i.e., to enjoy the perfume of it.