Lexical Summary machtah: Firepan, censer Original Word: מַחְתָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance censer, firepan, snuffdish The same as mchittah in the sense of removal; a pan for live coals -- censer, firepan, snuffdish. see HEBREW mchittah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chathah Definition a fireholder, censer, snuff dish NASB Translation censer (3), censers (4), firepan (3), firepans (9), trays (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַחְתָּה noun feminine fire-holder, censer, snuffdish; — absolute ׳מ Leviticus 16:12; Numbers 17:11; suffix מַחְתָּתוֺ Leviticus 10:1+ 4 t.; plural absolute מַחְתּוֺת Numbers 16:6 4t.; מַחְתֹּת Numbers 16:17 3t.; construct מַחְתּוֺת Numbers 17:3; Numbers 17:4; suffix מַחְתֹּתָיו Exodus 27:3; מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ Exodus 25:38 2t; — 1 snuff-holder, snuff-dish (NowArchäol. ii, 63. 65) of gold Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23; Numbers 4:9 (all P). 2 bronze utensils, fire-pans, belonging to altar of burnt-offerings Exodus 27:3; Exodus 38:3, compare Numbers 4:14 (all P); fire-pans of gold 1 Kings 7:50 2Chronicles 4:22; 2 Kings 25:15 = Jeremiah 52:19. 3 censer, Leviticus 10:1; Leviticus 16:12; Numbers 16:6,17 (4 t. in verse); Numbers 16:18; Numbers 17:2; Numbers 17:3; Numbers 17:4 (of bronze), Numbers 16:11 (all P). חִתָּה, חַתְחַת see below חתת. Topical Lexicon Overview מַחְתָּה (machtah) designates the portable firepan or censer used for handling burning coals and incense in Israel’s worship. Crafted of gold or bronze according to its particular ritual context, the utensil appears twenty-two times across Torah, Kings, Chronicles, and Jeremiah, spanning tabernacle inception to temple destruction. Each reference underscores the holiness of God, the necessity of atonement, and the danger of approaching Him apart from His ordained means. Tabernacle Furnishings • Exodus 25:38; 37:23 – Gold firepans accompanied the golden lampstand, receiving hot coals or trimmed wicks so that the seven lamps might burn continually before the LORD. Priestly Ministry and Holy Fire Leviticus 10:1 confronts careless worship: “Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their own censers, put fire in them, and placed incense on them; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD”. Immediate judgment revealed that neither lineage nor zeal substitutes for obedience. Conversely, on the Day of Atonement the same utensil became an instrument of mercy: “He must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them behind the veil” (Leviticus 16:12). The priest approached the mercy seat enveloped in the incense cloud, prefiguring the perfect mediation of Christ. Transportation by the Kohathites Numbers 4:9, 14 notes the covering and carriage of the machta during Israel’s journeys. Even in transit, sacred implements required prescribed handling, emphasizing that worship is not confined to location but to divine order. Rebellion and Remembrance: Korah’s Censers In Numbers 16 the machta becomes a symbol of usurped priesthood. Moses instructed the 250 rebels, “Take censers for yourselves… and present them before the LORD” (Numbers 16:6-7). After fire consumed them, the censers were hammered into bronze plating for the altar: “for the censers are holy” (Numbers 16:37-39). The very objects of presumption became a lasting memorial, warning Israel that approach to God demands consecration through His chosen mediator. Aaron’s rapid intercession with his censer halted the plague (Numbers 16:46), illustrating the power of ordained priestly ministry to stand “between the living and the dead.” Temple Worship under Solomon and Successive Monarchs 1 Kings 7:50 and 2 Chronicles 4:22 list golden firepans among Solomon’s temple treasures, paralleling the earlier golden censers of the tabernacle. Their inclusion shows continuity between wilderness worship and the permanent sanctuary. The Babylonians later confiscated these vessels (2 Kings 25:15; Jeremiah 52:19), signalling judgment upon covenant unfaithfulness and the temporary cessation of temple rites. Theological Significance 1. Holiness of God: The machta’s association with holy fire depicts God as a consuming fire whose presence sanctifies or judges. Typological Insights • Incense ascending from the censer typifies the intercessory prayers of Christ and His people (Revelation 8:3-4). Practical Applications for Ministry • Worship must be regulated by Scripture, not personal innovation. Forms and Transliterations הַ֠מַּחְתָּה הַמַּחְתֹּ֑ת הַמַּחְתֹּ֤ת הַמַּחְתֹּת֙ הַמַּחְתּ֨וֹת הַמַּחְתּוֹת֙ המחתה המחתות המחתת וְהַמַּחְתּ֖וֹת וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ וּמַחְתֹּתָ֑יו והמחתות ומחתתיה ומחתתיו מַחְתָּת֔וֹ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ מַחְתָּתֽוֹ׃ מַחְתֹּ֑ת מַחְתֹּתֶ֑יהָ מַחְתּ֔וֹת מַחְתּ֣וֹת מַחְתּוֹת֩ מחתות מחתת מחתתו מחתתו׃ מחתתיה ham·maḥ·tāh ham·maḥ·tō·wṯ ham·maḥ·tōṯ Hammachtah hammachTot hammaḥtāh hammaḥtōṯ hammaḥtōwṯ machtaTo machTot machtoTeiha maḥ·tā·ṯōw maḥ·tō·ṯe·hā maḥ·tō·wṯ maḥ·tōṯ maḥtāṯōw maḥtōṯ maḥtōṯehā maḥtōwṯ ū·maḥ·tō·ṯāw ū·maḥ·tō·ṯe·hā umachtoTav umachtoTeiha ūmaḥtōṯāw ūmaḥtōṯehā vehammachTot wə·ham·maḥ·tō·wṯ wəhammaḥtōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 25:38 HEB: וּמַלְקָחֶ֥יהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ זָהָ֥ב טָהֽוֹר׃ NAS: Its snuffers and their trays [shall be] of pure KJV: And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, [shall be of] pure INT: snuffers and their trays gold pure Exodus 27:3 Exodus 37:23 Exodus 38:3 Leviticus 10:1 Leviticus 16:12 Numbers 4:9 Numbers 4:14 Numbers 16:6 Numbers 16:17 Numbers 16:17 Numbers 16:17 Numbers 16:17 Numbers 16:18 Numbers 16:37 Numbers 16:38 Numbers 16:39 Numbers 16:46 1 Kings 7:50 2 Kings 25:15 2 Chronicles 4:22 Jeremiah 52:19 22 Occurrences |
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