The Altar for Burning Incense

30 “Make an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense. ² Make it square—·eighteen inches [^La cubit] long and ·eighteen inches [^La cubit] wide—and make it ·thirty-six inches [^Ltwo cubits] high. The ·corners that stick out like horns [^Lhorns; 27:2] must be one piece with the altar. ³ ·Cover [^LOverlay] its top, its sides, and its ·corners [^Lhorns] with pure gold, and put a gold ·strip [molding] all around the altar. ⁴ Make two gold rings beneath the gold ·strip [molding] on opposite sides of the altar, and slide poles through them to carry the altar. ⁵ Make the poles from acacia wood and ·cover [overlay] them with gold. ⁶ Put the altar of incense in front of the curtain that is ·near [or above] the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty; ^LTestimony; 25:10], in front of the ·lid that covers that Ark [mercy seat; atonement cover; 25:17–22]. There I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on the altar every morning when he comes to ·take care of [trim; dress; put in good order] the oil lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again ·in the evening [at twilight] when he lights the lamps, so incense will burn before the Lord ·every day [regularly; continually] ·from now on [^Lthroughout your generations]. ⁹ Do not use this altar for offering ·any other [^Lstrange; profane] incense [Lev. 10:1–7], or burnt offering [Lev. 1], or any kind of ·grain [or gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 3], or drink offering. ¹⁰ Once a year Aaron must make ·the altar ready for service to God by putting blood on its corners [atonement on its corners/horns]—the blood of the animal ·offered to remove sins [as an atoning sin offering]. He is to do this once a year ·from now on [^Lthroughout your generations]. ·This altar belongs completely to the Lord’s service [^LIt is most holy/^Tthe holy of holies to the Lord].”