The Altar of Incense
Exodus 30, verse 1. “Now you shall make an altar of incense of incorruptible wood. Exodus 30, verse 2. You shall make it a cubit in length and a cubit in width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. Exodus 30, verse 3. You shall overlay its grating, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a rim of gold all around. Exodus 30, verse 4. Two gold rings you shall make for it under the molded rim 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. Exodus 30, verse 5. You shall make the poles of incorruptible wood and overlay them with gold. Exodus 30, verse 6. You shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the testimonies, where I will make Myself known to you. Exodus 30, verse 7. Aaron shall burn on it fine compounded incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. Exodus 30, verse 8. When Aaron lights the lamps in the evening, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. Exodus 30, verse 9. You shall not offer strange incense on it, or an offering made by fire, or a sacrifice; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. Exodus 30, verse 10. Now Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year, purging it with the blood of purification throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”
Gifts of Money
Exodus 30, verse 11. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Exodus 30, verse 12. “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for his soul to the Lord, so there may be no plague among them when you number them. Exodus 30, verse 13. This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a drachma according to the drachma of the sanctuary (a drachma is twenty obols). The half-drachma shall be an offering to the Lord. Exodus 30, verse 14. Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord. Exodus 30, verse 15. The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a drachma when you give an offering to the Lord to make atonement for your souls. Exodus 30, verse 16. You shall take the money of the offering of the children of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tabernacle of testimony, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord to make atonement for your souls.”
A Laver of Bronze
Exodus 30, verse 17. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Exodus 30, verse 18. “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of testimony and the altar. You shall put water in it, Exodus 30, verse 19. for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet with water from it. Exodus 30, verse 20. When they go into the tabernacle of testimony, they shall wash with water, lest they die, or when they come near the altar to minister and to offer whole burnt offerings to the Lord. Exodus 30, verse 21. So they shall wash their hands and feet with water when they go into the tabernacle of testimony, lest they die. It shall be an ordinance forever to them—for him and his genealogy after him.”
Holy Oil for Anointing
Exodus 30, verse 22. Furthermore the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Exodus 30, verse 23. “Also take for yourself aromatic spices, the flower of costly myrrh—five hundred shekels’ worth—and fragrant cinnamon—half as much, two hundred and fifty, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling calamus, Exodus 30, verse 24. and five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. Exodus 30, verse 25. You shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. Exodus 30, verse 26. With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of testimony and the ark of the tabernacle of testimony; Exodus 30, verse 27. and the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; Exodus 30, verse 28. and the altar of whole burnt offerings with all its utensils, and the table and all its utensils, and the laver and its base. Exodus 30, verse 29. You shall sanctify them so they may be most holy; whatever touches them will be holy. Exodus 30, verse 30. You shall anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may minister to Me as priests. Exodus 30, verse 31. You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil throughout your generations. Exodus 30, verse 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. Exodus 30, verse 33. Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.’”
Incense
Exodus 30, verse 34. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and sweet galbanum, and pure frankincense; there shall be equal amounts of each. Exodus 30, verse 35. You shall make of these perfumed incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, mixed, pure, and holy. Exodus 30, verse 36. And you shall beat some of it very fine and put some of it before the testimonies in the tabernacle of testimony, where I will make Myself known to you. It shall be a most holy incense to you. Exodus 30, verse 37. You shall not make any for yourselves according to this composition. It shall be to you a holy thing for the Lord. Exodus 30, verse 38. Whoever makes any like it to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”