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Exodus 30

World English Bible

WEB

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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh.” 11Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh. 14Everyone who passes over to those who are counted, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to Yahweh. 15The 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. 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 Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.” 17Yahweh 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 Yahweh. 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.” 22Moreover 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; 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.’” 34Yahweh 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 Yahweh. 38Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Exodus Chapter 30 provides detailed instructions regarding the construction and use of the altar of incense, the atonement money, and the anointing oil, all of which are vital components of the worship practices established for the Israelites. The chapter begins with the command to make an altar of incense from acacia wood, measuring one cubit square and two cubits high. This altar is to be placed in front of the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, symbolizing the importance of prayer and worship in approaching God. The incense burned on this altar is to be a special blend, made according to God's specifications, and is not to be replicated for personal use, emphasizing the sacredness of worship (#altarofincense, #worship).

The chapter continues with the instruction for the Israelites to give a half shekel as atonement money when they are counted in a census. This act serves as a reminder of their need for redemption and the importance of each individual's contribution to the community of faith. The atonement money is to be used for the service of the tabernacle, reinforcing the idea that worship and community are interconnected (#atonementmoney). Finally, God commands the creation of a holy anointing oil, which is to be used to consecrate the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, and the priests. This oil, made from specific spices, symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit and the sanctification of those set apart for God's service (#anointingoil, #holiness). Overall, Exodus 30 emphasizes the significance of proper worship, the need for atonement, and the holiness required in approaching God.

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Referenced by

  1. Exodus 37:25v1Exodus 37:25 describes the construction of the altar of incense, as commanded in Exodus 30:1-10, symbolizing the prayers of the people rising to God.
  2. Exodus 38:26v13Exodus 38:26 mentions the half-shekel offering for each person counted in the census. This is a fulfillment of the command given in Exodus 30:13-16, where the half-shekel is described as a ransom for each person, emphasizing the concept of atonement and equality before God.
  3. Leviticus 10:1v9Leviticus 10:1 describes Nadab and Abihu offering unauthorized fire before the Lord, which was against the command in Exodus 30:9 that no unauthorized incense should be offered.
  4. Numbers 1:2v12Numbers 1:2 commands a census of the Israelites, which is connected to Exodus 30:12 where God instructs Moses on how to conduct a census, emphasizing the importance of each person's contribution and the need for atonement.
  5. 1 Kings 7:23v181 Kings 7:23 describes the construction of the 'Sea,' a large basin for ceremonial washing. Exodus 30:18 outlines the original bronze basin for the tabernacle, showing continuity in worship practices from the tabernacle to the temple.
  6. 2 Kings 12:4-5v122 Kings 12:4-5 discusses the collection of money for temple repairs, which is reminiscent of the census tax described in Exodus 30:12-16, intended for the service of the tabernacle.
  7. 2 Chronicles 4:6v172 Chronicles 4:6 mentions the ten basins used for washing, which echoes the instructions for the bronze laver in the Tabernacle found in Exodus 30:17-21.
  8. Nehemiah 10:32-33v11Nehemiah 10:32-33 discusses the temple tax for the service of the house of God, which is reminiscent of the half-shekel offering described in Exodus 30:11-16 for the maintenance of the tabernacle.
  9. Psalms 26:6v19Psalm 26:6 mentions washing hands in innocence, which relates to the ritual washing commanded in Exodus 30:19-21 for the priests, symbolizing purity and readiness to approach God.
  10. Psalms 133:2v30Psalm 133:2 compares unity to the precious anointing oil on Aaron's head, which is described in Exodus 30:30 as part of the consecration of priests, symbolizing holiness and divine blessing.
  11. Song of Solomon 3:6v34The imagery of the bride coming up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, echoes the sacred incense used in the tabernacle, symbolizing holiness and divine presence.
  12. Matthew 17:24-27v13In Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus discusses the temple tax, which is rooted in the law given in Exodus 30:13-16. This passage highlights Jesus' fulfillment of the law and His divine sonship.
  13. Revelation 8:3v7Revelation 8:3 mentions the offering of incense with the prayers of the saints, reminiscent of the incense offering by the priests in Exodus 30:7-8, symbolizing the prayers of God's people rising before Him.

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