INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 30 This chapter treats of the altar of incense, its form and use, Exodus 30:1 of the ransom of the Israelites, with the half shekel when numbered, Exodus 30:11 of the laver for the priests to wash their hands and feet at before service, Exodus 30:17 of the anointing oil, the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT MAKE AN ALTAR TO BURN INCENSE UPON,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call it incense of spices, properly enough, for it was made of various spices; of which see Exodus 30:34 and this was necessary on a natural and civil account, to remove those ill smells from the sanctuary, oc... [ Continue Reading ]
A CUBIT SHALL BE THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND A CUBIT THE BREADTH THEREOF, FOUR SQUARE SHALL IT BE,.... It was one Jewish square cubit, which is in surface, according to Bishop Cumberland, three English square feet, and about forty seven square inches; which may denote the solidity, perfection, and exten... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT OVERLAY IT WITH PURE GOLD,.... Hence this altar is sometimes called the golden altar, Numbers 4:11 this may figure the deity of Christ, whose head is as the most fine gold, and is in the divine nature, in the form of God, and is the brightness of his glory, and possessed of the same p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TWO GOLDEN RINGS SHALT THOU MAKE TO IT UNDER THE CROWN OF IT,.... The crown was on the top of the altar, at the edge of it all around; and just underneath it were two rings of gold, two on each side: BY THE TWO CORNERS THEREOF, UPON THE TWO SIDES OF IT SHALL THOU MAKE THEM; at each corner a rin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE STAVES OF SHITTIM WOOD,.... Of the same wood the altar itself was made: AND OVERLAY THEM WITH GOLD; as that was; these rings and staves may be an emblem of the precious ordinances of Christ, in which he grants his presence; and where he is held forth in different ages and pl... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT PUT IT BEFORE THE VAIL,.... That divides between the holy and the most holy place; not within the vail in the holy of holies, but before it at the holy place, for there the altar of incense stood: Josephus o says, between the candlestick and the table, i.e. of shewbread, stood the altar o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AARON SHALL BURN THEREON SWEET INCENSE EVERY MORNING,.... This in later times was done by a common priest, who obtained this service by lots as we find in the times of Zacharias, Luke 1:9 the incense was fetched out of the house of Abtines, where it was made, and burning coals were taken off of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN AARON LIGHTETH THE LAMPS AT EVEN, HE SHALL BURN INCENSE UPON IT,.... In the evening the priest went into the holy place to light the lamps that were gone out, Exodus 27:20 at the same time he burnt incense on the altar; and as the daily sacrifice was offered up morning and evening, so the i... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL OFFER NO STRANGE INCENSE THEREON,.... Which had not the same, but was made of other materials, or had more or fewer; whatever was not exactly the same was not to be offered; and so to make use of other mediators than Christ, whether angels or men, or to put up prayer to God for the sake of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AARON SHALL MAKE AN ATONEMENT UPON THE HORNS OF IT ONCE IN A YEAR,.... On the day of atonement, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra explain it; and the atonement here referred to seems to be an atonement for the altar itself, see Leviticus 16:18 and as the altar of burnt offer... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... Continued his discourse; or, there being some intermission, reassumed it: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU TAKEST THE SUM OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AFTER THEIR NUMBER,.... An account of them, how many they are; which was sometimes done, and was proper to be done, especially in time of war; though the present case seems to be for the sake of raising money for the tabernacle and the service of i... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS THEY SHALL GIVE, EVERYONE THAT PASSETH AMONG THEM THAT ARE NUMBERED,.... And their number, according to Jarchi, was known by what was paid; for he says the sum was taken not by heads, but everyone gave the half shekel, and by counting them the number was known, as follows: HALF A SHEKEL AFTER... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY ONE THAT PASSETH AMONG THEM THAT ARE NUMBERED, FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND ABOVE,.... Even Levites, Israelites, proselytes, and servants freed, but not women, bond servants, or children x: SHALL GIVE AN OFFERING TO THE LORD; the half shekel before mentioned. x Misn. Shekalim, c. 1. sect. 1, 3.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RICH SHALL NOT GIVE MORE, AND THE POOR SHALL NOT GIVE LESS THAN HALF A SHEKEL,.... Which shows that the Israelites were alike in the esteem of God, their worldly circumstances making no difference; their souls being alike, the same ransom price was given for them; and that they were all to have... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL TAKE THE ATONEMENT MONEY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... The half shekel, the ransom of their souls: AND SHALL APPOINT IT FOR THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION; for the building of the tabernacle, for the repairs of it, and for the sacrifices offered in it; particularl... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... Again, at another time, and upon another subject: SAYING, as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT ALSO MAKE A LAVER OF BRASS, AND HIS FOOT ALSO OF BRASS, TO WASH [WITHAL],.... For Aaron, and his sons, and the priests in succession, to wash at before their entrance on their ministry; and denotes in general the necessity of purity, in order to minister in the priestly office; and which... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AARON AND HIS SONS SHALL WASH THEIR HANDS AND THEIR FEET THEREAT. Not in it, but at it; the laver had mouths or spouts, as Ben Melech says, from whence the water flowed when the priests washed their hands and feet at it; and so Bartenora says z they did not wash out of the laver, but from water... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY GO INTO THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, THEY SHALL WASH WITH WATER,.... The laver standing near the door of the tabernacle, they washed at it as soon as they entered; and no man, we are told c, entered into the court before he washed, even though he was clean; though he had contracted... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY SHALL WASH THEIR HANDS AND THEIR FEET, THAT THEY DIE NOT,.... By the immediate hand of God, who would so greatly resent such a neglect of his command; and by how much easier it was to perform it, by so much the more were they inexcusable, and to be treated with greater severity; and this is... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... Some little time afterwards, while he was yet with him on the mount: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE THOU ALSO UNTO THEE PRINCIPAL SPICES,.... To make the anointing oil with, and are as follow: OF PURE MYRRH FIVE HUNDRED SHEKELS; it is strange that Saadiah, and so Maimonides f, should take this for musk, which comes from a beast, and is confuted by Aben Ezra from Song of Solomon 5:1 from when... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF CASSIA FIVE HUNDRED [SHEKELS],.... Or two hundred and fifty ounces: AFTER THE SHEKEL OF THE SANCTUARY; according to the standard weight kept there. This "cassia" was not the "cassia solutiva", which is of a purgative nature, and now in use in physic, but the "cassia odorata", or the sweet sm... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT MAKE IT AN OIL OF HOLY OINTMENT,.... All the above spices and oil being put together, an ointment was to be made out of them, not thick, as ointments usually are, but a liquid to be poured, and therefore called an "oil of ointment", and "holy", because devoted only to sacred uses: AN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL ANOINT THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION THEREWITH,.... It cannot be thought the whole of it should be anointed all over, but only a part of it for the whole; and this was either typical of the human nature of Christ, the true tabernacle God pitched, and not man, and which was anoint... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TABLE, AND ALL HIS VESSELS,.... The shewbread table, with all things appertaining to it, rings, staves, dishes, spoons, bowls, c. all were anointed which had respect to Christ, and the communion of his people with him, feeding on him, that food which endures for ever, whom God the Father has... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING, WITH ALL ITS VESSELS,.... Pans, shovels, basins, c. and this altar particularly was sprinkled with it seven times, Leviticus 8:10: AND THE LAVER, AND HIS FOOT the laver of brass for the priests to wash their hands and feet in, and the foot or base of it on which it... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT SANCTIFY THEM, THAT THEY MAY BE MOST HOLY,.... By anointing them, and so be set apart for sacred uses only; as by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the people of God, the vessels of mercy, are really sanctified, and made meet for the master's use; and therefore it is called the sanctifica... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL ANOINT AARON AND HIS SONS,.... Them alone, and not others, as Aben Ezra, who were typical of Christ anointed with the Spirit of God without measure, to his various offices of prophet, priest and King; and also of all the saints, who are anointed priests to God, to offer up spiritual s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... When he was come down from the mount, and gave the instructions about the making and using of this oil: SAYING, THIS SHALL BE AN HOLY ANOINTING OIL UNTO ME THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS; Abarbinel, and other Jewish writers, conclude from hence, th... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON MAN'S FLESH SHALL IT NOT BE POURED,.... That is, not upon common men, or on men's flesh in common, as was usual at feasts and entertainments in the eastern countries, see Psalms 23:5 but this was not to be used on such occasions, otherwise it was poured on the flesh of some men, as Aaron and hi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER COMPOUNDETH ANY LIKE IT,.... For his own use, or for any other than what God appointed it for: or WHOSOEVER PUTTETH ANY OF IT UPON A STRANGER; meaning not a Gentile, an alien from the commonwealth of israel; though Japhet interprets it of such a stranger who was not of the children of Isr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES,.... In a continued discourse, or some time after the former, though more probably at the same time; since it concerns the incense to be offered on the altar of incense, about which directions are given in the former part of the chapter: TAKE UNTO THEE SWEET SPICES: whi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT MAKE IT A PERFUME,.... By mixing the above spices together: A CONFECTION AFTER THE ART OF THE APOTHECARY; in the manner they beat, compound, and mix several ingredients together: TEMPERED TOGETHER; or "salted" l, with salt of Sodom, as Aben Ezra interprets it; and Maimonides m says,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL BEAT SOME OF IT VERY SMALL,.... Or every one of the spices; for this does not seem to respect any different usage of some part of the incense from the rest; but it was all to be beat very small, that it might mix together the better, and be easier spread upon the coals, and the smoke... [ Continue Reading ]
AND [AS] FOR THE PERFUME WHICH THOU SHALT MAKE,.... As above directed: YE SHALL NOT MAKE TO YOURSELVES ACCORDING TO THE COMPOSITION THEREOF; that is, for their own use, for the scenting of their rooms, or to snuff up, or smell to, as in the next verse: IT SHALL BE UNTO THEE HOLY FOR THE LORD; sepa... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER SHALL MAKE LIKE UNTO THAT, TO SMELL THERETO,.... A man might make a perfume of the same ingredients, and of the same weight, and exactly like it, but not to burn for his own delight and pleasure; but if he made it and sold it to the congregation, as Jarchi observes, he was not guilty; but... [ Continue Reading ]