Exodus, Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Verses 1-38: The Altar of Incense, The Census Tax, The Bronze Basin, The Anointing Oil, and The Incense

1. You shall make an altar for burning incense; make it of acacia wood.
2. Its length shall be a cubit, and its width a cubit; it shall be square, and its height two cubits; its horns shall be of one piece with it.
3. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make for it a gold molding all around.
4. Two gold rings shall you make for it under its molding on two opposite sides; they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it.
5. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
6. Place it in front of the veil that is by the Ark of the Testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.
7. Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it.
8. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
9. You shall not offer any strange incense on it, or a burnt offering or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it.
10. 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 for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.
11. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
12. “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then each shall give a ransom for his soul to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.
13. This they shall give, everyone who passes among those who are numbered: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs), a half shekel as an offering to the LORD.
14. Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the LORD.
15. The 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 your souls.
16. And you shall take the atonement money of 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 the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.”
17. “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
18. You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.
19. Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it.
20. When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die. Or when they approach the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD.
21. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they will not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations.”
22. Moreover, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
23. “Take for yourself the finest spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty,
24. and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin.
25. You shall make these into a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.
26. With it you shall anoint the Tent of Meeting, 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 basin and its stand.
29. You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them will become holy.
30. And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve Me as priests.
31. 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 like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you.
33. Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on a stranger shall be cut off from his people.'”
34. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; of each shall there be an equal part:
35. and make it into an incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy:
36. and you shall beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you; it shall be unto you most holy.
37. And as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make to yourselves according to its composition; it shall be unto you holy for the LORD.
38. Whoever makes any like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people.”

Interpretation: Exodus 30 elaborates on the means by which the Tabernacle is to be a place of continuous worship and communion with God. The instructions for the altar of incense, the census tax, the bronze basin, the anointing oil, and the incense emphasize the holiness required in approaching God and maintaining His presence among the Israelites. The altar of incense represents continuous prayer and intercession, while the census tax underscores the value of each individual within the community and their collective responsibility towards the sanctuary. The bronze basin highlights the importance of purification, the anointing oil sets apart the sacred objects and priests for God’s service, and the specific incense formula ensures the uniqueness of the worship. Together, these elements stress the careful observance of God’s commands as an expression of the Israelites’ covenant relationship with Him, reinforcing themes of holiness, consecration, and the presence of God dwelling among His people.