Exodus 30

The Altar of Incense

1 ‘Moses, build an altar just for burning incense. Use acacia wood.’

2 ‘Make it 1 ½ feet long, 1 ½ feet wide, and 3 feet high. Put horns on each corner.’

3 ‘Cover the whole thing in pure gold, the top, sides, and horns. Put a gold trim around it.’

4 ‘Make two gold rings and attach them below the trim on opposite sides to hold the carrying poles.’

5 ‘Make the poles from acacia wood and cover them in gold.’

6 ‘Place this altar in front of the curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, right in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I will meet with you.’

7 ‘Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.’

8 ‘And every evening when he lights the lamps, he must burn incense before the Lord. This is a rule forever.’

9 ‘Do not burn any unauthorized incense, grain offerings, or drink offerings on it. And definitely do not sacrifice animals there.’

10 ‘Once a year, Aaron must purify the altar by putting the blood of the sin offering on its horns. This must be done every year. This altar is most holy to the Lord.’

The Census Offering (Ransom Money for Life)

11 Then the Lord told Moses,

12 ‘When you take a census and count the people, each person must pay a ransom for their life to avoid any plagues.’

13 ‘Each person must give half a shekel of silver (measured by the sanctuary shekel) as an offering to the Lord.’

14 ‘Everyone 20 years old and up must give this offering.’

15 ‘The rich cannot give more, and the poor cannot give less. This offering is to purify your lives and make atonement for your sins.’

16 ‘Take this atonement money and use it to fund the work of the Tabernacle. This will remind the Lord that you belong to Him.’

The Bronze Wash Basin

17 Then the Lord told Moses,

18 ‘Make a bronze wash basin with a bronze stand and put it between the altar and the Tabernacle. Fill it with water.’

19 ‘Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet before they enter the Tabernacle.’

20 ‘If they do not wash up before entering or before approaching the altar, they will die.’

21 ‘They must always wash up before serving Me. This is a rule forever.’

The Anointing Oil

22 The Lord told Moses,

23 ‘Take the finest spices: 12 ½ pounds of liquid myrrh, 6 ¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 ¼ pounds of fragrant cane,

24 12 ½ pounds of cassia (all measured by the sanctuary shekel), and a gallon of olive oil.’

25 ‘Mix them into a sacred anointing oil, blended like perfume.’

26 ‘Use it to anoint the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant,’

27 ‘The table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its accessories, the incense altar,’

28 ‘The burnt offering altar and its utensils, and the wash basin with its stand.’

29 ‘Consecrate them, and they will be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy.’

30 ‘Anoint Aaron and his sons and set them apart as My priests.’

31 ‘Tell the Israelites: This is My holy anointing oil for generations to come.’

32 ‘Do not pour it on anyone who is not a priest, and do not copy the formula. This is sacred, and it must stay that way.’

33 ‘Anyone who makes or uses this oil improperly must be cut off from the people.’

The Incense Formula

34 The Lord told Moses, ‘Take equal amounts of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.’

35 ‘Blend them together with salt to make a holy incense, like a perfume.’

36 ‘Grind some of it into fine powder and place it in front of the Ark in the Tabernacle, where I will meet you. This incense is most holy.’

37 ‘Never make this incense for your own use, it is holy and set apart for Me.’

38 ‘Anyone who copies this scent for personal use must be cut off from the people.’