Exodus
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Exodus 30
Exodus 30
Commentary · verses 1-38
Commentary · verses 1-5
Verses 1-5: How to make the altar of incense.
1And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it.
2A 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.
1And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
2A 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.
Commentary · verse 2
The altar for burning incense was about 18 inches square and 36 inches high.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Commentary · verses 6-10
Verses 6-10: the use of the altar of incense.
6And 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.
7And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of sweet spices: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it.
8And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations.
9Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor meal-offering; and ye shall pour no drink-offering thereon.
10And 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.
6And 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.
7And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
8And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
9Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
10And 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.
Commentary · verses 11-12
Verses 11-12: the reason for ransom money.
11And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 12When 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.
11And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12When 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.
Commentary · verse 12
The people gave an offering when they were numbered.
Commentary · verses 13-16
Verses 13-16: How to take a census with ransom money.
13This 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.
14Every one that passeth over unto them that are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of Jehovah.
15The 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.
13This 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.
14Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
15The 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.
Commentary · verse 15
A flat rate among everyone. The "temple tax" was taken from everyone who was twenty years and older. In the Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 17:24-27), Jesus and Peter were the only ones to pay this tax because they were the only ones twenty years and older.
16And 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.
16And 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.
Commentary · verses 17-21
Verses 17-21: the bronze/brass laver.
17And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 18Thou 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.
19And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20when 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.
21So 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.
17And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18Thou 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.
19For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20When 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:
21So 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.
Commentary · verses 22-23
Verses 22-23: the holy anointing oil.
22Moreover Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 23Take 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, 24and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin;
22Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23Take 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,
24And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:
Commentary · verse 24
Here was each ingredient and its Hebrew word and meaning according to Strong's Concordance:
- Myrrh - Strong's #4753 mowr - "as distilling in drops, and also as bitter"
- Cinnamon - Strong's #7076 qinnomown - "to erect"
- Calamus - Strong's #7070 qaneh - "a reed; by resemblance a rod for measuring" from Strong's #7069 qinah - "to erect, i.e. to create; by extens. to procure especially by purchase"
- Cassia - Strong's #6916 qiddah - "cassia bark as in shrivelled rolls" from Strong's #6915 qadad - "to shrivel up, to bow down the head"
- Olive - Strong's #2132 zayith - "an olive as yielding illuminating oil"
- Oil - Strong's #8081 shemen - "grease, fig. richness:-anointing, X fat (things), X fruitful" from Strong's #8080 shaman - "to shine"
Look at the descriptions of the ingredients. This described Jesus' death on the cross. His Blood fell in drops on the ground during His bitter death, He was erected on the cross, to purchase our salvation, in an act of worship (to bow the head), and the result was a fruitful act that has shone across time.
Fragrances have three parts: top, middle, and bottom (base) notes. These are also called the head, heart, and body. The top notes are what you smell first and fade the quickest, a liquid that wants to evaporate into a gas. The middle is the main part of the fragrance that holds the fragrance together, a liquid. The bottom (base) is the part of the fragrance that lasts the longest, it is what is left when everything else is gone, it is a solid. A great fragrance has all three areas balanced: solids dissolved in a liquid that contains liquids that want to evaporate.
Myrrh was a bottom note that came from a resin. Cinnamon was actually a middle note and had the ability to repel insects. "Cassia" was a heavier version of cinnamon, so it was a middle (to bottom) note. The cinnamon we use today is actually cassia. Calamus was a top note. This fragrance was balanced.
This fragrance was used to cover the instruments and the priests inside the tabernacle. So, one of the benefits of this fragrance was that it kept flies, etc. from off of the holy instruments. This fragrance was not supposed to be put on anyone else, nor experienced in any setting outside of the tabernacle. Violating this instruction from God resulted in cutting the person off from community. God wanted the tabernacle to be the only place people experienced this fragrance.
The point of the fragrance was to help people get to the proper emotional level more quickly because they would associate that smell with that specific location and their emotional state. Experiencing that smell outside of that location would make the emotional bond less strong.
25and thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26And thou shalt anoint therewith the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, 27and the table and all the vessels thereof, and the candlestick and the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense, 28and the altar of burnt-offering with all the vessels thereof, and the laver and the base thereof.
25And 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.
26And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
27And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,
28And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
Commentary · verses 25-28
The first fragrance was applied to everything so the entire place smelled like this.
29And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
31And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
32Upon 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.
29And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
31And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
32Upon 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.
Commentary · verses 29-32
They were not allowed to make another fragrance even like it or use it outside of the tabernacle.
33Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.
33Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
Commentary · verse 33
Trying to make this would result in being cut off from God's people.
Commentary · verses 34-38
Verses 34-38: the holy incense.
34And 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;
34And 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:
Commentary · verse 34
This fragrance consisted of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. The first three ingredients were mentioned once in the entire Bible, this reference. The actual chemical represented in this fragrance is still debated. "Stacte" came from snails and shellfish. The other three were resins from plants.
- Stacte - Strong's #5198 nata(w)ph - "drop" from Strong's #5197 nataph - "ooze; fig. to speak by inspiration: prophesy"
- Onycha - Strong's #7827 shecheleth - "peeling off by concussion of sound" from Strong's #7826 shachal - "to roar; a lion"
- Galbanum - Strong's #2468 Chuldah - "an Israelitess" from Strong's #2465 cheled - "to glide swiftly; life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence the world (as transient)"
- Frankincense - Strong's #3828 lebonah - "incense" from Strong's #3836 laben - "white" from Strong's #3835 laban - "to become white"
First of all, all four ingredients were bottom (base) notes. This fragrance could last for thousands of years. Second, it was beaten small and put before the testimony in the tabernacle. Third, there is some debate over what plant galbanum came from and whether it is currently extinct. These directions would have been followed for the temple in Jerusalem, which was the one that needs to be rebuilt to fulfill prophecy. This fragrance may lead to objective proof of the location of the temple. If they find this combination of four ingredients in a small spot, especially if one of the ingredients is impossible to get today, they will know exactly where the temple was located.
Finally, look at the imagery of going before God in the tabernacle: God is going to speak to us (prophesy) and (with His Word) peel off the effects of this transient world so that we are clean (white). Jesus was the Lion of Judah, He was the Prophet, He made us clean, all in a very short time on this earth.
35and thou shalt make of it incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy: 36and 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.
35And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:
36And 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.
Commentary · verse 36
This fragrance was put in the ground of the tabernacle, objectively marking the location of the temple. It was a solid because it consisted completely of base notes.
37And 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.
37And 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.
Commentary · verse 37
The second fragrance was also not to be made except for the Lord and with His direction.
38Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereof, he shall be cut off from his people.
38Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
Commentary · verse 38
Again, trying to make this would have resulted in being cut off.
Exodus 28-30 covered God's instructions to Moses concerning the dress of the priesthood, ceremonies, rites, and implements used within the tabernacle. Moses and Joshua went up to the mount with God for forty days and forty nights. The next chapter concluded what God stated during that time and then we will find out what the people did during that same forty days and forty nights...
This chapter concerned the craftsmen and more tabernacle related subjects.