Exodus 30:1-13 ▼

1 “You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense.

2 It is to be square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns must be of one piece.

3 Overlay with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns, and make a molding of gold around it.

4 And make two gold rings below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry it.

5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

6 Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony— where I will meet with you.

7 And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.

8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come.

9 On this altar you must not offer unauthorized incense or a burnt offering or grain offering; nor are you to pour a drink offering on it.

10 Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”

11 Then the LORD said to Moses,

12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.

13 Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.