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The incense employed in the service of the Tabernacle was compounded of four ingredients: stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. It might only be used in the worship of God. The penalty of death was affixed to the making or using of it for profane purposes (vers. 37, 38). It is called "holy of holies" (ver. 36), or "most holy." This incense was burnt morning and evening upon the golden altar of incense, which stood in the holy place (vers. 7, 8). We see, here, that in the original institution the burning of incense was the special work of the high priest; the duty is assigned to Aaron himself, not to his sons. Like the shewbread, and the daily sacrifice, the incense also is called "perpetual" (ver. 8). Besides the daily incense, the offering of incense in the Holy of Holies by the high priest on the Day of Atonement, formed a very solemn and important part of the ceremonies of that day. But for the cloud of incense covering the mercy-seat, the high priest would have died on entering the holiest place (Leviticus 16:13). Incense was a symbol, not only of prayer generally, but more especially of intercessory prayer. On one remarkable occasion we find even the power of atoning ascribed to the offering of incense (Numbers 16:46-48). Here the rehearsal, as it were, of the incense-offering of the day of atonement, exercised a similar intercessory and atoning power, even without any accompanying sacrifice or shedding of blood. A wonderful foreshadowing of the more powerful incense-offering of a greater High Priest who "ever liveth," etc.

(E. F. Willis, M. A.).

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Parallel Verses

KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:

WEB: Yahweh said to Moses, "Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be an equal weight;