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Exodus 30
Lexham English Bible

Instructions for Making the Incense Altar

30 “And you will make an altar for burning incense; you will make it of acacia wood, 2 a cubit its length and a cubit its width—it will be square—and two cubits its height, its horns of one piece with it.[a] 3 And you will overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around and its horns, and you will make for it a gold molding all around. 4 And you will make two gold rings for it; under its molding on two opposite sides[b] you will make them as holders[c] for poles to carry it with them. 5 You will make the poles of acacia wood, and you will overlay them with gold. 6 And you will put it before the curtain that is upon the ark of the testimony, before the atonement cover, which is on the testimony, there where I will meet with you.

7 “And on it Aaron will turn fragrant incense into smoke; each morning[d] when he tends the lamps, he will turn it into smoke. 8 And when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight,[e] he will turn it into smoke—incense of continuity—before Yahweh throughout your generations. 9 You will not offer on it strange incense or a burnt offering or a grain offering, and you will not pour a libation on it. 10 And Aaron will make atonement on its horns one time in the year from the blood of the sin offering of the atonement; one time in the year he will make atonement on it throughout your generations; it is a most holy thing for Yahweh.”

Instructions for Numbering the People

11 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “When you take a census of[f] the Israelites[g] to count them, they will each give the ransom of his life for Yahweh when counting them, and a plague will not be among them when counting them. 13 This they will give, everyone who is counted,[h] the half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs per shekel. The half shekel is a contribution for Yahweh. 14 Everyone who is counted[i] from twenty years old[j] and above will give the contribution of Yahweh. 15 The rich will not give more, and the poor will not give less than the half shekel to give the contribution of Yahweh to make atonement for their lives. 16 And you will take the atonement money from the Israelites[k] and give it to the service of the tent of assembly, and it will be as a memorial for the Israelites[l] before Yahweh to make atonement for your lives.”

Instructions for Making the Basin

17 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “And you will make a basin of bronze and its bronze stand for washing, and you will put it between the tent of assembly and the altar, and you will put water there. 19 And Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and their feet with it. 20 When they come to the tent of assembly, they will wash with water so that they do not die, or when they approach the altar to serve by turning to smoke an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 21 And they will wash their hands and their feet so that they do not die, and it will be a lasting rule for them—to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.

Instructions for Making Anointing Oil and Incense

22 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “And take for yourself top quality balsam oils, five hundred shekels of flowing myrrh, half as much—two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant reed, 24 and five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the sanctuary shekel, and a hin of olive oil. 25 And you will make it into holy anointing oil, a spice blend of a fragrant ointment the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil. 26 And you will anoint with it the tent of assembly and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its equipment and the lampstand and its equipment and the incense altar, 28 and the altar of burnt offering and all its equipment and the basin and its stand. 29 And you will consecrate them, and they will be most holy things; anyone who[m] touches them will be holy. 30 And you will anoint Aaron and his sons, and you will consecrate them to serve as priests for me.

31 “And you will speak to the Israelites,[n] saying, ‘This will be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It will not be poured on human flesh, and with its measurements[o] you will not make any like it; it is holy; it will be holy to you. 33 Anyone who compounds perfume like it and who puts it on a stranger will be cut off from his people.’”

34 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Take for yourself fragrant perfumes—stacte resin and onycha and galbanum—fragrant perfumes and pure frankincense, an equal part of each,[p] 35 and make it into a compound of incense, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, holy. 36 And you will grind part of it to powder, and you will put part of it before the testimony in the tent of assembly where I will meet with you; it will be a most holy thing to you. 37 And the incense that you will make with its measurements[q] you will not make for yourselves; it will be holy to you for Yahweh. 38 Anyone who makes any like it to smell it will be cut off from his people.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 Literally “from it”
  2. Exodus 30:4 Literally “on two of its sides you will make on two of its sides”
  3. Exodus 30:4 Literally “houses”
  4. Exodus 30:7 Literally “in the morning in the morning”
  5. Exodus 30:8 Literally “between the two evenings”
  6. Exodus 30:12 Literally “when you lift up the heads of”
  7. Exodus 30:12 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  8. Exodus 30:13 Literally “all of the going over to the being counted”
  9. Exodus 30:14 Literally “all of the going over to the being counted”
  10. Exodus 30:14 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  11. Exodus 30:16 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  12. Exodus 30:16 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  13. Exodus 30:29 Or “anything that”; literally “all touching”
  14. Exodus 30:31 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  15. Exodus 30:32 Or “recipe” or “formula”
  16. Exodus 30:34 Literally “part by part it will be”
  17. Exodus 30:37 Or “recipe” or “formula”
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Exodus 30
New King James Version

The Altar of Incense(A)

30 “You shall make (B)an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a [a]molding of gold all around. 4 Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it before the (C)veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the (D)mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

7 “Aaron shall burn on it (E)sweet incense every morning; when (F)he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. 8 And when Aaron lights the lamps [b]at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer (G)strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. 10 And (H)Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The Ransom Money

11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 (I)“When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give (J)a[c] ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no (K)plague among them when you number them. 13 (L)This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (M)(a shekel is twenty gerahs). (N)The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an [d]offering to the Lord. 15 The (O)rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves. 16 And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and (P)shall [e]appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be (Q)a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”

The Bronze Laver

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 18 (R)“You shall also make a [f]laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall (S)put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, 19 for Aaron and his sons (T)shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. 20 When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die. 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And (U)it shall be a [g]statute forever to them—to him and his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Holy Anointing Oil(V)

22 Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Also take for yourself (W)quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid (X)myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling (Y)cane, 24 five hundred shekels of (Z)cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a (AA)hin of olive oil. 25 And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be (AB)a holy anointing oil. 26 (AC)With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; 27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; (AD)whatever touches them must be holy. 30 (AE)And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

31 “And 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; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. (AF)It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 (AG)Whoever [h]compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, (AH)shall be [i]cut off from his people.’ ”

The Incense(AI)

34 And the Lord said to Moses: (AJ)“Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. 35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound (AK)according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting (AL)where I will meet with you. (AM)It shall be most holy to you. 37 But as for the incense which you shall make, (AN)you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its [j]composition. It shall be to you holy for the Lord. 38 (AO)Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:3 border
  2. Exodus 30:8 Lit. between the two evenings
  3. Exodus 30:12 the price of a life
  4. Exodus 30:14 contribution
  5. Exodus 30:16 give
  6. Exodus 30:18 basin
  7. Exodus 30:21 requirement
  8. Exodus 30:33 mixes
  9. Exodus 30:33 Put to death
  10. Exodus 30:37 Lit. proportion
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Exodus 30
English Standard Version

The Altar of Incense

30 (A)“You shall make (B)an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit[a] shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. (C)Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall (D)overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be (E)holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the (F)mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall (G)burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he (H)dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer (I)unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 (J)Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the (K)sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The Census Tax

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 (L)“When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give (M)a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel[b] according to the (N)shekel of the sanctuary (the (O)shekel is twenty gerahs),[c] (P)half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than (Q)the half shekel, when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall (R)give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to (S)remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

The Bronze Basin

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “You shall also make a (T)basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. (U)You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons (V)shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering[d] to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall (W)be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil and Incense

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the (X)finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of (Y)aromatic cane, 24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a (Z)hin[e] of olive oil. 25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the (AA)perfumer; it shall be a (AB)holy anointing oil. 26 (AC)With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the (AD)basin and its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. (AE)Whatever touches them will become holy. 30 (AF)You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. (AG)It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 (AH)Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

34 The Lord said to Moses, (AI)“Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an (AJ)incense blended as by the (AK)perfumer, (AL)seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting (AM)where I shall meet with you. (AN)It shall be most holy for you. 37 And the incense that you shall make (AO)according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord. 38 (AP)Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. Exodus 30:13 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  3. Exodus 30:13 A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram
  4. Exodus 30:20 Or an offering by fire
  5. Exodus 30:24 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
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Exodus 30
New International Version

The Altar of Incense(A)

30 “Make an altar(B) of acacia wood for burning incense.(C) 2 It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high[a]—its horns(D) of one piece with it. 3 Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.(E) 4 Make two gold rings(F) for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.(G) 6 Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover(H) that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

7 “Aaron must burn fragrant incense(I) on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. 8 He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.(J) 9 Do not offer on this altar any other incense(K) or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Once a year(L) Aaron shall make atonement(M) on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering[b](N) for the generations to come.(O) It is most holy to the Lord.”

Atonement Money

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take a census(P) of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom(Q) for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague(R) will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,[c] according to the sanctuary shekel,(S) which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,(T) are to give an offering to the Lord. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less(U) when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. 16 Receive the atonement(V) money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting.(W) It will be a memorial(X) for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

17 Then the Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze basin,(Y) with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet(Z) with water(AA) from it. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.(AB) Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance(AC) for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”(AD)

Anointing Oil

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the following fine spices:(AE) 500 shekels[d] of liquid myrrh,(AF) half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon,(AG) 250 shekels[e] of fragrant calamus,(AH) 24 500 shekels(AI) of cassia(AJ)—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin[f] of olive oil. 25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.(AK) It will be the sacred anointing oil.(AL) 26 Then use it to anoint(AM) the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them(AN) so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.(AO)

30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate(AP) them so they may serve me as priests.(AQ) 31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil(AR) for the generations to come.(AS) 32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.(AT) 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off(AU) from their people.’”

Incense

34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices(AV)—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, 35 and make a fragrant blend of incense,(AW) the work of a perfumer.(AX) It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet(AY) with you. It shall be most holy(AZ) to you. 37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy(BA) to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off(BB) from their people.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high
  2. Exodus 30:10 Or purification offering
  3. Exodus 30:13 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.8 grams; also in verse 15
  4. Exodus 30:23 That is, about 12 1/2 pounds or about 5.8 kilograms; also in verse 24
  5. Exodus 30:23 That is, about 6 1/4 pounds or about 2.9 kilograms
  6. Exodus 30:24 That is, probably about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters
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