Exo 30:1-10 | Clarke | STEP | The altar of burnt incense, . Dimensions, . Golden crown, . Rings and staves, , . Where placed, , . Use, . The ransom price of half a shekel, . Who were to pay it, . The rich and the poor to pay alike, . The use to which it was applied, . The brazen laver, and its uses, . The holy anointing oil, and its component parts, . To be applied to the tabernacle, ark, golden table, candlestick, altar of burnt-offerings, and the laver, . And to Aaron and his sons, . Never to be applied to any other uses, and none like it ever to be made, . The perfume, and how made, , . Its use, . Nothing similar to it ever to be made, , . Verse 1 Altar to burn incense - The Samaritan omits the ten first verses of this chapter, because it inserts them after (note). Shittim wood - The same of which the preceding articles were made, because it was abundant in those parts, and because it was very durable; hence everywhere the Septuagint translation, which was made in Egypt, renders the original by ξυλον ασηπτον, incorruptible wood.

Exodus 30:1-10

Introduction

The altar of burnt incense, Exo 30:1. Dimensions, Exo 30:2. Golden crown, Exo 30:3. Rings and staves, Exo 30:4, Exo 30:5. Where placed, Exo 30:6, Exo 30:7. Use, Exo 30:8-10. The ransom price of half a shekel, Exo 30:11-13. Who were to pay it, Exo 30:14. The rich and the poor to pay alike, Exo 30:15. The use to which it was applied, Exo 30:16. The brazen laver, and its uses, Exo 30:17-21. The holy anointing oil, and its component parts, Exo 30:22-25. To be applied to the tabernacle, ark, golden table, candlestick, altar of burnt-offerings, and the laver, Exo 30:26-29. And to Aaron and his sons, Exo 30:30. Never to be applied to any other uses, and none like it ever to be made, Exo 30:31-33. The perfume, and how made, Exo 30:34, Exo 30:35. Its use, Exo 30:36. Nothing similar to it ever to be made, Exo 30:37, Exo 30:38.

Verse 1

Altar to burn incense - The Samaritan omits the ten first verses of this chapter, because it inserts them after Exo 26:32 (note).

Shittim wood - The same of which the preceding articles were made, because it was abundant in those parts, and because it was very durable; hence everywhere the Septuagint translation, which was made in Egypt, renders the original by ξυλον ασηπτον, incorruptible wood. Verse 2

Four-square - That is, on the upper or under surface, as it showed four equal sides; but it was twice as high as it was broad, being twenty-one inches broad, and three feet six inches high. It was called, not only the altar of incense, but also the golden altar, Num 4:11. For the crown, horns, staves, etc., see on the altar of burnt-offering, Exo 27:1 (note), etc. Verse 6

Before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony - These words in the original are supposed to be a repetition, by mistake, of the preceding clause; the word הפרכת happarocheth, the veil, being corrupted by interchanging two letters into הכפרת haccapporeth, the mercy-seat; and this, as Dr. Kennicott observes, places the altar of incense before the mercy-seat, and consequently In the holy of holies! Now this could not be, as the altar of incense was attended every day, and the holy of holies entered only once in the year. The five words which appear to be a repetition are wanting in twenty-six of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and in the Samaritan. The verse reads better without them, and is more consistent with the rest of the account. Verse 7

When he dresseth the lamps - Prepares the wicks, and puts in fresh oil for the evening.

Shall burn incense upon it - Where so many sacrifices were offered it was essentially necessary to have some pleasing perfume to counteract the disagreeable smells that must have arisen from the slaughter of so many animals, the sprinkling of so much blood, and the burning of so much flesh, etc. The perfume that was to be burnt on this altar is described Exo 30:34. No blood was ever sprinkled on this altar, except on the day of general expiation, which happened only once in the year, Exo 30:10. But the perfume was necessary in every part of the tabernacle and its environs. Verse 9

No strange incense - None made in any other way.

Nor burnt-sacrifice - It should be an altar for incense, and for no other use. Verse 10

An atonement - once in a year - On the tenth day of the seventh month. See Lev 16:18 (note), etc., and the notes there. See Clarke on Lev 16:21 (note), etc.