Exodus 30:1-21 ▼

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 <1.5 ft x 1.5 ft x 3 ft / 45.7 cm x 45.7 cm x 91.4 cm>. 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 (the ark of the covenant) before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony—where I will meet with you.

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

8 When Aaron (light bringer) sets up the lamps at twilight \between the two evenings/, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD {YHWH} for the generations to come.

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

10 Once a year Aaron (light bringer) 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 (purification offering) of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD {YHWH}.”

11 Then the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out),

12 “When you take a census of the Israelites (God prevails) to number them, each man must pay the LORD {YHWH} 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 <0.2 oz / 5.7 g>, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs <0.4 oz / 11.4 g>. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD {YHWH}.

14 Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD {YHWH}.

15 In making the offering to the LORD {YHWH} to atone for your⁺ lives, the rich shall not give more than a half shekel, nor shall the poor give less.

16 Take the atonement money from the Israelites (God prevails) and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will serve as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD {YHWH} to make atonement for your⁺ lives.”

17 And the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out),

18 “You are to make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Set it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it,

19 with which Aaron (light bringer) and his sons are to wash their hands and feet.

20 Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD {YHWH}, they must wash with water so that they will not die.

21 Thus they are to wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this shall be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”