The Second Book of Moses, called Exodus
Exodus 30
Chapter XXX · Vol. I, pp. 345–348
1 The altar of incense. 11 The ransom of souls. 17 The brazen laver. 22 The holy anointing oil. 34 The composition of the perfume.
1 AND thou shalt make a an altar to burn incense upon; of b shittim-wood shalt thou make it.
a ch. 37.25-28; 40.5. 1 Ki. 7.48. ver. 10. Le. 4.7, 18. Re. 8.3. Ps. 141.2. Jn. 16.23. 2 Ch. 30.27.
2 A cubit[≈ 46 cm · 1 ft 6 in]1 shall be the length thereof, and a cubit[≈ 46 cm · 1 ft 6 in] the breadth thereof, (four-square shall it be,) and two cubits[≈ 91 cm · 3 ft] shall be the height thereof; the horns thereof shall be of the same.
1 i.e. near twenty-two inches.
3 And thou shalt overlay c it with pure gold, the top2 thereof, and the sides3 thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a d crown of gold round about.
c ch. 25.11, 24. He. 4.14. Col. 2.9. Re. 8.3.
2 Heb. roof.
3 Heb. walls.
d Or, cornice, He. 2.8, 9. Ps. 21.3, 5. Re. 19.12.
4 And e two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two 4 corners thereof; upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it: and they shall be for places for the staves to f bear it withal.
5 And thou shalt make the g staves of shittim-wood, and overlay them with gold.
g ch. 25. 13, 27; 27. 6.
6 And thou shalt put it h before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before i the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
h ch. 26. 35; 40. 5, 26; ver. 36.
i ch. 25. 17, 21, 22.
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon k sweet incense every morning: when he l dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
k Heb. incense of spices, Lu. 1. 9. Re. 8. 3. Ps. 141. 2. Ja. 5. 16. Jn. 16. 23.
l ch. 27. 11. Le. 24. 3, 4. Nu. 8. 2, 3. 1 Sa. 3. 3.
8 And when Aaron lighteth5 the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it; m a perpetual incense6 before the LORD, throughout your generations.
5 Or, setteth up. Heb. causeth to ascend.
m He. 7. 25. Ro. 8. 34. 1 Th. 5. 17.
6 The altar of incense for burning perfumes represents that name of Christ in which believers offer up all their prayers, Jn. 14. 13. Re. 8. 3, or their prayers rendered acceptable by that name, Re. 5. 8. The altar of burnt-offering in the outward apartment represents the sacrifice of our outward bodies, Ro. 12. 1. The altar of incense in the holy place represents the gratitude and thanksgivings of the inward spirit. Ps. 141. 2. He. 13. 15.—C.
9 Ye shall offer n no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-sacrifice, nor meat-offering; neither shall ye pour drink-offering thereon.
n ver. 34-36. Le. i. ii. Ga. 1. 8, 9.
10 And Aaron shall o 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 Whenp thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, after their number,7 then shall they give every man a q ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among r them when thou numberest them.
p ch. 38. 25, 26. Nu. i. xxvi.; 31. 50.
7 Heb. them that are to be numbered.
q ver. 13. 2 Ki. 11. 16. 2 Ch. 24. 6. 1 Ti. 2. 6. Mat. 20. 28.
13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are s numbered, half a shekel[≈ 5.7 g · 0.2 oz], after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel[≈ 11 g · 0.4 oz]8 is twenty gerahs[≈ 11 g · 0.4 oz]:9) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
s Ge. 23. 15. 1 Ch. 23. 29. Mat. 17. 24. Le. 27. 25. Nu. 3. 47. Eze. 45. 10, 12.
8 A shekel is twenty-seven pence three farthings.
9 The gerah was about three half-pence. The half-shekel about fourteen pence, British money.—C.
14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
15 Thet rich shall not give more,1 and the poor shall not give less,2 than half a shekel[≈ 5.7 g · 0.2 oz], when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.3
t Job 34. 19. Ga. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11.
1 Heb. multiply.
2 Heb. diminish.
3 How beautifully does this show the perfect equality of men in the sight of God. Their souls are all of equal value. Riches and poverty, rank and humble birth, genius and weakness of intellect, cannot either increase or diminish the value of an immortal soul in the eye of its Creator.—P.
16 And thou shalt take the atonement-money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the u service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a x memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
u ch. 38. 27, 28.
x ch. 28. 12, 29; 39. 7. Le. 2. 9, 16; 5. 12; 6. 15; 24. 7. Nu. 10. 10; 31. 54. Zec. 6. 14.
17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18 Thou shalt also make y a laver of brass,4 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:
y ch. 38. 8. 1 Ki. 7. 23-39. 2 Ch. 4. 2-6, 14, 15. Zec. 13. 1. 1 Jn. 1. 7. Eze. 36. 25, 26.
4 The form of the laver is not given. The expression his foot, to wash withal, suggests the probability that the laver was a high vessel or cistern, from which the water could be let out by pipes and valves, and that the foot was a lower wider basin, in and above which the laver stood, and into which the water fell, so that the priests could wash in the descending stream. This opinion is countenanced by the fact, that the Orientals till this day dislike to wash in a basin, but prefer either a natural or artificial falling stream. This exhaustible laver in which the priests must be washed, 'that they die not,' represents that inexhaustible fountain, opened 'for sin and for uncleanness,' Zec. 13. 1. The washing of the hands and feet represents the completeness of regeneration, Jn. 13. 10. 2 Co. 5. 17.—C.
19 For Aaron and his sons shall z wash their hands and their feet thereat.
A.M. 2513. B.C. 1491.
z Re. 4. 6; 15. 2; 1. 5. Ps. 26. 6. Tit. 3. 5. Jn. 13. 8, 10. He. 10. 22. Is. 52. 11, 15.
20 Whena 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:
a Le. 10. 1, 3. ch. 12. 15. He. 12. 28, 29. Ps. 89. 7. Ec. 5. 1. See ver. 19.
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not; and it shall be a statute b for ever to them, even to him and to his seed, throughout their generations.
b While the ceremonial dispensation lasts, ch. 12. 14, 17; 27. 21; 28. 43. Le. 6. 18; 7. 34, 36; 10. 9, 15; 16. 31; 17. 7; 23. 14, 21, 31, 41. Nu. 18. 11, 19, 23; 10. 10.
22 Moreover, the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Take thou also unto thee c principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels[≈ 5.7 kg · 13 lb],5 and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels[≈ 2.9 kg · 6.3 lb], and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels[≈ 2.9 kg · 6.3 lb],
c Ps. 45. 8. Ca. 1. 13; 4. 14. Eze. 27. 19, 22.
5 Near sixteen pounds avoirdupois.
24 And of cassia five hundred shekels[≈ 5.7 kg · 13 lb], after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil-olive an d hin[≈ 3.7 litres · 6.5 pints].
d ch. 29. 40. Le. 19. 36; 23. 13. Nu. 15. 4-6, 9; 28. 14. Eze. 4. 11; 45. 24; 46. 5, 7, 11, 14; about six pints.
25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the e apothecary: it shall be an f holy anointing oil.
e Or, perfumer, 1 Ch. 9. 30.
26 And thou shalt g anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
g Le. 8. 10. Nu. 7. 10. Is. 61. 1. Jn. 3. 34. Ac. 10. 38. Ps. 45. 7, 8. Ca. 3. 6. 2 Co. 1. 21, 22. Zec. 13. 10. Eze. 36. 27. Jn. 14. 26; 15. 26; 16. 9-14.
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: h whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
h ch. 29. 37. Hag. 2. 13. He. 9. 14. Mat. 7. 6.
30 And thou shalt i anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
i ch. 40. 15; 29. 7, &c. Le. 4. 3, 5, 16; 8. 12, 30; 16. 32; 21. 10. Is. 11. 2, 3; 61. 1. Jn. 3. 34. Eze. 36. 27. Ps. 45. 7. Ca. 3. 6. 2 Co. 1. 21, 22. See ver. 26.
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 k flesh shall it not be poured; l neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.
k Le. 21. 10. Mat. 7. 6. Jude 19.
l ver. 33, 37, 38. 1 Ki. 12. 31-33. Mat. 15. 9. 2 Ti. 3. 5.
33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a m stranger, n shall even be cut off from his people.6
m Not a priest, Le. 22. 10, 12, 13. Nu. 1. 51; 3. 10; 18. 4, 7.
n See ver. 38. Ge. 17. 14. Job 34. 19, 20.
6 The perfumed anointing oil was poured, ver. 32, on the tabernacle and its sacred contents, and upon Aaron and his sons, as the act, means, and witness of their being sanctified; that is, separated from common use and service, and set apart to God. Oil was poured, at their inauguration, upon prophets, priests, and kings or judges. It represents the Spirit of God, which alone qualifies for the effectual discharge of any duty. Thus it is said 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me,' Is. 61. 1. It was neither to be imitated nor put upon a stranger. From which we learn that believers must follow God's word and Spirit, not their own imagination, and that they must acknowledge none but Christ as their Prophet, Priest, and King, Jn. 10. 5.—C.
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 o perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered4 together, pure and holy.
36 And thou shalt p beat some of it very small, and put of it q before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where r I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
p Le. 16. 12. He. 5. 7. Hos. 5. 15. Ps. 51. 17.
q ver. 6.
r ch. 25. 22; 29. 37, 42. Le. 1. 1; 16. 2. 2 Co. 5. 19.
37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, s ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.
s ver. 32. 33.
38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even t be cut off from his people.
t Ge. 17. 14. ch. 31. 14. Le. 7. 20-27; 17. 4, 9; 19. 8; 23. 29; xviii. xx. Nu. 15. 30, 31; 19. 13, 20.
Notes
[Ver. 6. The altar of incense thus stood directly in front of the priest as he entered the tabernacle, between him and the veil which covered the mercy-seat in the holy of holies. In offering incense the face of the priest was necessarily directed toward the mercy-seat, though he could not see the glory of God which rested there. This indicates that though we cannot see God, our prayers ought always to be addressed directly to him. P.]
Ver. 10. [Sin-offering of atonements. The yearly atonement for the altar of incense reminds us, not only to repent of acknowledged and visible transgressions, but specially to be humbled for 'the iniquity of our holy things,' Ex. 28. 38.—Note, Nothing, however spiritual, can be accepted of God but through the blood of atonement. C.]
Ver. 15. [God, who is no respecter of persons, values the lives of rich and poor alike. What a lesson of humility to the rich! What a lesson of contentment to the poor! C.]
Reflections.—In this golden altar surely I discern Jesus, the God-man, crowned with glory and honour, and set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as the great intercessor for his people, and the mean of the acceptance of all their prayers, praises, and religious services! In this ransom-money was not Jesus prefigured as giving himself equally for every one of the race, his own brethren, that no plague may be found among them? In this laver was not Jesus typified as the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, in which all the people and ministers ought to wash their conscience and heart before and after every approach to God! In this sacred oil I behold the Holy Ghost in his precious and manifold, but well-connected, gifts and graces, with which Jesus, his people, and all who believe in Christ, are anointed of God! In this sacred incense I discern the precious and acceptable intercessions of my Redeemer, together with the cordial prayers, praises, and services of his people! Let me then, by faith, depend on his advocacy, since he presents his infinite merits before God, answerable to the circumstances of every man who believes in Christ! Let all the Israel of God rest and rejoice in him as the one dying to save from sin, while we daily wash. in the fountain of his blood and Spirit, till we be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: and let the genuine Spirit and grace of Christ dwell in us, and not the counterfeit appearance; for dreadful is the hazard of turning his grace into licentiousness, pretending the possession of the Spirit, or counterfeiting the work of God!
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.