Exodus 30 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Incense Altar

30 “You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood.(A) 2 It must be square, eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide;[a] it must be thirty-six inches high.[b] Its horns must be of one piece with it. 3 Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. 4 Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. 5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

6 “You are to place the altar in front of the curtain 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 must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps.(B) 8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You must not offer unauthorized incense on it,(C) or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it.

10 “Once a year Aaron is to perform the atonement ceremony for the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the atonement ceremony for[c] it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement on the horns.(D) The altar is especially holy to the Lord.”

The Atonement Money

11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 12 “When you take a census(E) of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom(F) for his life to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague(G) will come on them as they are registered. 13 Everyone who is registered must pay half a shekel[d] according to the sanctuary shekel (twenty gerahs to the shekel). This half shekel is a contribution to the Lord.(H) 14 Each man who is registered, twenty years old or more, must give this contribution to the Lord. 15 The wealthy may not give more and the poor may not give less(I) than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for[e] your lives. 16 Take the atonement price[f] from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone for your lives.”(J)

The Bronze Basin

17 The Lord spoke to Moses: 18 “Make a bronze basin(K) for washing and a bronze stand for it. Set it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet from the basin. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister by burning a food offering to the Lord, they must wash with water so that they will not die. 21 They must wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this is to be a permanent statute(L) for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil

22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23 “Take for yourself the finest spices:(M) 12½ pounds[g] of liquid myrrh, half as much (6¼ pounds[h]) of fragrant cinnamon, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane, 24 12½ pounds of cassia (by the sanctuary shekel), and a gallon[i] of olive oil.(N) 25 Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a scented blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil.(O)

26 “With it you are to anoint(P) the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 27 the table with all its utensils, the lampstand with its utensils, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 Consecrate them and they will be especially holy. Whatever touches them will be consecrated. 30 Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate(Q) them to serve me as priests.

31 “Tell the Israelites: This will be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It must not be used for ordinary anointing on a person’s body, and you must not make anything like it using its formula. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. 33 Anyone who blends something like it or puts some of it on an unauthorized person must be cut off(R) from his people.”

The Sacred Incense

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures. 35 Prepare expertly blended incense from these; it is to be seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 Grind some of it into a fine powder and put some in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It must be especially holy(S) to you. 37 As for the incense you are making, you must not make any for yourselves using its formula. It is to be regarded by you as holy—belonging to the Lord. 38 Anyone who makes something like it to smell its fragrance must be cut off from his people.”

Footnotes

  1. 30:2 Lit one cubit its length and one cubit its width
  2. 30:2 Lit wide; and two cubits its height
  3. 30:10 Or on
  4. 30:13 A shekel is about two-fifths of an ounce of silver
  5. 30:15 Or to ransom, also in v. 16
  6. 30:16 Lit the silver of the atonement
  7. 30:23 Lit 500 (shekels), also in v. 24
  8. 30:23 Lit 250 (shekels)
  9. 30:24 Lit a hin

Cross references

  1. 30:1 : Ex 37:25; Rv 8:3
  2. 30:7 : Ex 27:21; 1Sm 2:28; 1Ch 23:13; Lk 1:9
  3. 30:9 : Lv 10:1
  4. 30:10 : Lv 16:18
  5. 30:12 : Nm 1:2; 2Sm 24:2
  6. 30:12 : Nm 31:50; Mt 20:28
  7. 30:12 : Ex 12:13; 2Sm 24:13,21,25
  8. 30:13 : Ex 38:26; Nm 3:47; Mt 17:24
  9. 30:15 : Pr 22:2; Eph 6:9
  10. 30:16 : Ex 38:25–28; Nm 16:40
  11. 30:18 : Ex 38:8; 40:7,30; 1Kg 7:38
  12. 30:21 : Ex 27:21; 28:43
  13. 30:23 : Sg 4:14; Ezk 27:22
  14. 30:24 : Ex 29:40; Ps 45:8
  15. 30:25 : Ex 37:29; Nm 35:25
  16. 30:26 : Ex 40:9; Lv 8:10; Nm 7:1
  17. 30:30 : Ex 29:7; Lv 8:12,30
  18. 30:33 : Gn 17:14; Ex 30:38
  19. 30:36 : Ex 29:37; Lv 2:3

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Exodus 30 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

30 `And thou hast made an altar [for] making perfume; [of] shittim wood thou dost make it; 2 a cubit its length, and a cubit its breadth, (it is square), and two cubits its height; its horns [are] of the same. 3 `And thou hast overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides round about, and its h...
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Exodus 30 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

30 Also thou shalt make an altar of the wood of shittim, for to burn incense; (And thou shalt make an altar out of shittim wood, or acacia wood, on which to burn incense;) 2 and the altar shall have a cubit of length, and another cubit of breadth, that is four-cornered, and two cubits in height; (an...
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Exodus 30 - World English Bible (WEB)

30 “You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood. 2 Its length shall be a cubit,[a] and its width a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides arou...
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Exodus 30 - The Voice (VOICE)

30 Eternal One: Make an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense 2 in the shape of a square—18 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches high. Carve the horns and the top of the altar out of one piece of wood. 3 Overlay the top, sides, and horns with pure gold, and attach gold trim around its...
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Exodus 30 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Incense Altar30 “You are to make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. 2 It is to be square—one cubit in length, one cubit wide, and two cubits high. The horns must be of one piece with it. 3 You are to overlay it with pure gold on top, all around the sides and over the horns. Also you are ...
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Exodus 30 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Altar of Incense30 “You shall make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood shall you make it. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; it shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height; its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 And you shall overlay it with pure gold...
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Exodus 30 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Altar of Incense30 “You shall make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood shall you make it. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; it shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height; its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 And you shall overlay it with pure gold...
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Exodus 30 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Altar of Incense30 You shall make an altar on which to offer incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 It shall be one cubit long, and one cubit wide; it shall be square, and shall be two cubits high; its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, a...
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Exodus 30 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Altar of Incense30 “You shall make an altar on which to offer incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.(A)2 It shall be one cubit long and one cubit wide; it shall be square and shall be two cubits high; its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and...
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Exodus 30 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Exodus 30 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Altar for Special Perfume30 “Make an altar for burning special perfume. Make it of acacia wood. 2 It will be as long and as wide as a man’s arm and as high as a man’s waist. Its horns will be of one piece with it. 3 Cover its top, all its sides and its horns with pure gold. And make a piece of...
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Exodus 30 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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Exodus 30 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The altar of incense30 ‘Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. 2 It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high[a] – its horns of one piece with it. 3 Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold moulding around it. 4 Make two ...
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Exodus 30 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Altar for Burning Incense30 “Make an altar for burning incense. Make it out of acacia wood. 2 It must be one and a half feet square and three feet high. Make a horn stick out from each of its upper four corners. 3 Cover the top, sides and horns with pure gold. Put a strip of gold around it. 4...
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Exodus 30 - New English Translation (NET)

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