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The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

29 [a] “Now this is what[b] you are to do for them to consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests. Take a young[c] bull and two rams without blemish;[d] and[e] bread made without yeast, and perforated cakes without yeast mixed with oil, and wafers without yeast spread[f] with oil—you are to make them using[g] fine wheat flour. You are to put them in one basket and present[h] them in the basket, along with[i] the bull and the two rams.

“You are to present[j] Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting. You are to wash[k] them with water and take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic,[l] the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastpiece; you are to fasten the ephod on him by using the skillfully woven waistband.[m] You are to put the turban on his head and put the holy diadem[n] on the turban. You are to take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.[o] You are to present his sons and clothe them with tunics and wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons[p] and put headbands on them, and so the ministry of priesthood will belong to them by a perpetual ordinance. Thus you are to consecrate[q] Aaron and his sons.

10 “You are to present the bull at the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to put[r] their hands on the head[s] of the bull. 11 You are to kill the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting 12 and take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar[t] with your finger; all the rest of[u] the blood you are to pour out at the base of the altar. 13 You are to take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the lobe[v] that is above the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and burn them[w] on the altar. 14 But the meat of the bull, its skin, and its dung you are to burn up[x] outside the camp.[y] It is the purification offering.[z]

15 “You are to take one ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head, 16 and you are to kill the ram and take its blood and splash it all around on the altar. 17 Then you are to cut the ram into pieces and wash the entrails and its legs and put them on its pieces and on its head 18 and burn[aa] the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering[ab] to the Lord, a soothing aroma; it is an offering made by fire[ac] to the Lord.[ad]

19 “You are to take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head, 20 and you are to kill the ram and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot,[ae] and then splash the blood all around on the altar. 21 You are to take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it[af] on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, so that he may be holy,[ag] he and his garments along with his sons and his sons’ garments.

22 “You are to take from the ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe[ah] of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and the right thigh—for it is the ram for consecration[ai] 23 and one round flat cake of bread, one perforated cake of oiled bread, and one wafer from the basket of bread made without yeast that is before the Lord. 24 You are to put all these[aj] in Aaron’s hands[ak] and in his sons’ hands, and you are to wave them as a wave offering[al] before the Lord. 25 Then you are to take them from their hands and burn[am] them[an] on the altar for a burnt offering, for a soothing aroma before the Lord. It is an offering made by fire to the Lord. 26 You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration; you are to wave it as a wave offering before the Lord, and it is to be your share. 27 You are to sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution,[ao] which were waved and lifted up as a contribution from the ram of consecration, from what belongs to Aaron and to his sons. 28 It is to belong to Aaron and to his sons from the Israelites, by a perpetual ordinance, for it is a contribution. It is to be a contribution from the Israelites from their peace offerings, their contribution to the Lord.

29 “The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they may be anointed[ap] in them and consecrated[aq] in them. 30 The priest who succeeds him[ar] from his sons, when he first comes[as] to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, is to wear them for seven days.[at]

31 “You are to take the ram of the consecration and cook[au] its meat in a holy place.[av] 32 Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that was in the basket at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 33 They are to eat those things by which atonement was made[aw] to consecrate and to set them apart, but no one else[ax] may eat them, for they are holy. 34 If any of the meat from the consecration offerings[ay] or any of the bread is left over[az] until morning, then you are to burn up[ba] what is left over. It must not be eaten,[bb] because it is holy.

35 “Thus you are to do for Aaron and for his sons according to all that I have commanded you; you are to consecrate them[bc] for[bd] seven days. 36 Every day you are to prepare a bull for a purification offering[be] for atonement.[bf] You are to purify[bg] the altar by[bh] making atonement for it, and you are to anoint it to set it apart as holy. 37 For seven days[bi] you are to make atonement for the altar and set it apart as holy. Then the altar will be most holy.[bj] Anything that touches the altar will be holy.[bk]

38 “Now this is what you are to prepare[bl] on the altar every day continually: two lambs a year old. 39 The first lamb you are to prepare in the morning, and the second lamb you are to prepare around sundown.[bm] 40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah[bn] of fine flour mixed with a fourth of a hin[bo] of oil from pressed olives, and a fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 41 The second lamb you are to offer around sundown; you are to prepare for it the same meal offering as for the morning and the same drink offering, for a soothing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.

42 “This will be a regular[bp] burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet[bq] with you to speak to you there. 43 There I will meet[br] with the Israelites, and it will be set apart as holy by my glory.[bs]

44 “So I will set apart as holy[bt] the tent of meeting and the altar, and I will set apart as holy Aaron and his sons that they may minister as priests to me. 45 I will reside[bu] among the Israelites, and I will be their God, 46 and they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt, so that I may reside among them. I am the Lord their God.

The Altar of Incense

30 [bv] “You are to make an altar for burning incense;[bw] you are to make it of[bx] acacia wood.[by] Its length is to be 18 inches[bz] and its width 18 inches; it will be square. Its height is to be 36 inches,[ca] with its horns of one piece with it.[cb] You are to overlay it with pure gold—its top,[cc] its four walls,[cd] and its horns—and make a surrounding border of gold for it.[ce] You are to make two gold rings for it under its border, on its two flanks; you are to make them on its two sides.[cf] The rings[cg] will be places[ch] for poles to carry it with. You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

“You are to put it in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the testimony (before the atonement lid that is over the testimony), where I will meet you. Aaron is to burn sweet incense[ci] on it morning by morning; when he attends to[cj] the lamps he is to burn incense.[ck] When Aaron sets up the lamps around sundown he is to burn incense on it; it is to be a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You must not offer strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering, and you must not pour out a drink offering on it. 10 Aaron is to make atonement on its horns once in the year with some of the blood of the sin offering for atonement;[cl] once in the year[cm] he is to make atonement on it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”[cn]

The Ransom Money

11 [co] The Lord spoke to Moses,[cp] 12 “When you take a census[cq] of the Israelites according to their number,[cr] then each man is to pay a ransom[cs] for his life to the Lord when you number them,[ct] so that there will be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered[cu] is to pay this: a half shekel[cv] according to the shekel of the sanctuary[cw] (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering[cx] to the Lord. 14 Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord. 15 The rich are not to pay more and the poor are not to pay less than the half shekel when giving[cy] the offering of the Lord, to make atonement[cz] for your lives. 16 You are to receive the atonement money[da] from the Israelites and give it for the service[db] of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial[dc] for the Israelites before the Lord, to make atonement[dd] for your lives.”

The Bronze Laver

17 [de] The Lord spoke to Moses,[df] 18 “You are also to make a large bronze[dg] basin with a bronze stand[dh] for washing. You are to put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it,[di] 19 and Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet from it.[dj] 20 When they enter[dk] the tent of meeting, they must wash with[dl] water so that they do not die.[dm] Also, when they approach[dn] the altar to minister by burning incense[do] as an offering made by fire[dp] to the Lord, 21 they must wash[dq] their hands and their feet so that they do not die. And this[dr] will be a perpetual ordinance for them and for their descendants[ds] throughout their generations.”[dt]

Oil and Incense

22 [du] The Lord spoke to Moses,[dv] 23 “Take[dw] choice spices:[dx] 12½ pounds[dy] of free-flowing myrrh,[dz] half that—about 6¼ pounds—of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 6¼ pounds of sweet-smelling cane, 24 and 12½ pounds of cassia, all weighed[ea] according to the sanctuary shekel, and four quarts[eb] of olive oil. 25 You are to make this[ec] into[ed] a sacred anointing oil, a perfumed compound,[ee] the work of a perfumer. It will be sacred anointing oil.

26 “With it you are to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, 28 the altar for the burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 29 So you are to sanctify them,[ef] and they will be most holy;[eg] anything that touches them will be holy.[eh]

30 “You are to anoint Aaron and his sons and[ei] sanctify them so that they may minister as my priests. 31 And you are to tell the Israelites: ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It must not be applied[ej] to people’s bodies, and you must not make any like it with the same recipe. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts any of it on someone not a priest[ek] will be cut off[el] from his people.’”

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take[em] spices, gum resin,[en] onycha,[eo] galbanum,[ep] and pure frankincense[eq] of equal amounts[er] 35 and make it into an incense,[es] a perfume,[et] the work of a perfumer. It is to be finely ground,[eu] and pure and sacred. 36 You are to beat some of it very fine and put some of it before the ark of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it is to be most holy to you. 37 And the incense that you are to make, you must not make for yourselves using the same recipe; it is to be most holy to you, belonging to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes anything like it, to use as perfume,[ev] will be cut off from his people.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 29:1 sn Chap. 29 is a rather long, involved discussion of the consecration of Aaron the priest. It is similar to the ordination service in Lev 8. In fact, the execution of what is instructed here is narrated there. But these instructions must have been formulated after or in conjunction with Lev 1-7, for they presuppose a knowledge of the sacrifices. The bulk of the chapter is the consecration of the priests: 1-35. It has the preparation (1-3), washing (4), investiture and anointing (5-9), sin offering (10-14), burnt offering (15-18), installation peace offering (19-26, 31-34), other offerings’ rulings (27-30), and the duration of the ritual (35). Then there is the consecration of the altar (36-37), and the oblations (38-46). There are many possibilities for the study and exposition of this material. The whole chapter is the consecration of tabernacle, altar, people, and most of all the priests. God was beginning the holy operations with sacral ritual. So the overall message would be: Everyone who ministers, everyone who worships, and everything they use in the presence of Yahweh, must be set apart to God by the cleansing, enabling, and sanctifying work of God.
  2. Exodus 29:1 tn Heb “the thing.”
  3. Exodus 29:1 tn Literally: “take one bull, a ‘son’ of the herd.”
  4. Exodus 29:1 tn The word תָּמִים (tamim) means “perfect.” The animals could not have diseases or be crippled or blind (see Mal 1). The requirement was designed to ensure that the people would give the best they had to Yahweh. The typology pointed to the sinless Messiah who would fulfill all these sacrifices in his one sacrifice on the cross.
  5. Exodus 29:2 sn This will be for the minkhah (מִנְחָה) offering (Lev 2), which was to accompany the animal sacrifices.
  6. Exodus 29:2 tn Or “anointed” (KJV, ASV).
  7. Exodus 29:2 tn The “fine flour” is here an adverbial accusative, explaining the material from which these items were made. The flour is to be finely sifted, and from the wheat, not the barley, which was often the material used by the poor. Fine flour, no leaven, and perfect animals, without blemishes, were to be gathered for this service.
  8. Exodus 29:3 tn The verb קָרַב (qarav) in the Hiphil means to “bring near” to the altar, or, to offer something to God. These gifts will, therefore, be offered to him for the service of this ritual.
  9. Exodus 29:3 tn Heb “and with.”
  10. Exodus 29:4 tn Here too the verb is Hiphil (now imperfect) meaning “bring near” the altar. The choice of this verb indicates that they were not merely being brought near, but that they were being formally presented to Yahweh as the offerings were.
  11. Exodus 29:4 sn This is the washing referred to in Lev 8:6. This is a complete washing, not just of the hands and feet that would follow in the course of service. It had to serve as a symbolic ritual cleansing or purifying as the initial stage in the consecration. The imagery of washing will be used in the NT for regeneration (Titus 3:5).
  12. Exodus 29:5 tn The Hiphil of לָבַשׁ (lavash, “to clothe”) will take double accusatives; so the sign of the accusative is with Aaron, and then with the articles of clothing. The translation will have to treat Aaron as the direct object and the articles as indirect objects, because Aaron receives the prominence in the verse—you will clothe Aaron.
  13. Exodus 29:5 tn The verb used in this last clause is a denominative verb from the word for ephod. And so “ephod the ephod on him” means “fasten as an ephod the ephod on him” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 316).
  14. Exodus 29:6 sn This term does not appear in chap. 28, but it can only refer to the plate with the inscription on it that was tied to the turban. Here it is called a “holy diadem,” a diadem that is distinctly set apart for this service. All the clothing was described as “holy garments,” and so they were all meant to mark the separation of the priests to this holy service. The items of clothing were each intended for different aspects of ministry, and so this step in the consecration was designed to symbolize being set apart for those duties, or, prepared (gifted) to perform the ministry.
  15. Exodus 29:7 sn The act of anointing was meant to set him apart for this holy service within the house of Yahweh. The psalms indicate that no oil was spared in this ritual, for it ran down his beard and to the hem of his garment. Oil of anointing was used for all major offices (giving the label with the passive adjective “mashiakh” (or “messiah”) to anyone anointed. In the further revelation of Scripture, the oil came to signify the enablement as well as the setting apart, and often the Holy Spirit came on the person at the anointing with oil. The olive oil was a symbol of the Spirit in the OT as well (Zech 4:4-6). And in the NT “anointing” signifies empowerment by the Holy Spirit for service.
  16. Exodus 29:9 tc Hebrew has both the objective pronoun “them” and the names “Aaron and his sons.” Neither the LXX nor Leviticus 8:13 has “Aaron and his sons,” suggesting that this may have been a later gloss in the text.
  17. Exodus 29:9 tn Heb “and you will fill the hand” and so “consecrate” or “ordain.” The verb draws together the individual acts of the process.
  18. Exodus 29:10 tn The verb is singular, agreeing with the first of the compound subject—Aaron.
  19. Exodus 29:10 sn The details of these offerings have to be determined from a careful study of Leviticus. There is a good deal of debate over the meaning of laying hands on the animals. At the very least it identifies the animal formally as their sacrifice. But it may very well indicate that the animal is a substitute for them as well, given the nature and the effect of the sacrifices.
  20. Exodus 29:12 sn This act seems to have signified the efficacious nature of the blood, since the horns represented power. This is part of the ritual of the sin offering for laity, because before the priests become priests they are treated as laity. The offering is better described as a purification offering rather than a sin offering, because it was offered, according to Leviticus, for both sins and impurities. Moreover, it was offered primarily to purify the sanctuary so that the once-defiled or sinful person could enter (see J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB]).
  21. Exodus 29:12 tn The phrase “rest of” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
  22. Exodus 29:13 tn S. R. Driver suggests that this is the appendix or an appendix, both here and in v. 22 (Exodus, 320). “The surplus, the appendage of liver, found with cow, sheep, or goat, but not with humans: Lobus caudatus” (HALOT 453 s.v. יֹתֶרֶת).
  23. Exodus 29:13 tn Heb “turn [them] into sweet smoke” since the word is used for burning incense.sn The giving of the visceral organs and the fat has received various explanations. The fat represented the best, and the best was to go to God. If the animal is a substitute, then the visceral organs represent the will of the worshiper in an act of surrender to God.
  24. Exodus 29:14 tn Heb “burn with fire.”
  25. Exodus 29:14 sn This is to be done because there is no priesthood yet. Once they are installed, then the sin/purification offering is to be eaten by the officiating priests as a sign that the offering was received. But priests could not consume their own sin offering.
  26. Exodus 29:14 sn There were two kinds of “purification offering,” those made with confession for sin and those made without. The title needs to cover both of them, and if it is called in the traditional way “the sin offering,” that will convey that when people offered it for skin diseases, menstruation, or having babies, they had sinned. That was not the case. Moreover, it is usual to translate the names of the sacrifices by what they do more than what they cover—so peace offering, reparation offering, and purification offering.
  27. Exodus 29:18 tn Heb “turn to sweet smoke.”
  28. Exodus 29:18 sn According to Lev 1 the burnt offering (often called whole burnt offering, except that the skins were usually given to the priests for income) was an atoning sacrifice. By consuming the entire animal, God was indicating that he had completely accepted the worshiper, and as it was a sweet smelling fire sacrifice, he was indicating that he was pleased to accept it. By offering the entire animal, the worshiper was indicating on his part a complete surrender to God.
  29. Exodus 29:18 tn The word אִשֶּׁה (ʾisheh) has traditionally been translated “an offering made with fire” or the like, because it appears so obviously connected with fire. But further evidence from Ugaritic suggests that it might only mean “a gift” (see Milgrom, Leviticus 1-16, 161).
  30. Exodus 29:18 sn These sections show that the priest had to be purified or cleansed from defilement of sin and also be atoned for and accepted by the Lord through the blood of the sacrifice. The principles from these two sacrifices should be basic to anyone seeking to serve God.
  31. Exodus 29:20 sn By this ritual the priests were set apart completely to the service of God. The ear represented the organ of hearing (as in “ears you have dug” in Ps 40 or “awakens my ear” in Isa 50), and this had to be set apart to God so that they could hear the Word of God. The thumb and the hand represented the instrument to be used for all ministry, and so everything that they “put their hand to” had to be dedicated to God and appropriate for his service. The toe set the foot apart to God, meaning that the walk of the priest had to be consecrated—where he went, how he conducted himself, what life he lived, all belonged to God now.
  32. Exodus 29:21 tn Here “it” has been supplied.
  33. Exodus 29:21 tn The verb in this instance is Qal and not Piel, “to be holy” rather than “sanctify.” The result of all this ritual is that Aaron and his sons will be set aside and distinct in their life and their service.
  34. Exodus 29:22 tn S. R. Driver suggests that this is the appendix or an appendix, both here and in v. 13 (Exodus, 320). “The surplus, the appendage of liver, found with cow, sheep, or goat, but not with humans: Lobus caudatus” (HALOT 453 s.v. יֹתֶרֶת).
  35. Exodus 29:22 tn Heb “filling.”
  36. Exodus 29:24 tn Heb “the whole” or “the all.”
  37. Exodus 29:24 tn Heb “palms.”
  38. Exodus 29:24 tn The “wave offering” is תְּנוּפָה (tenufah); it is, of course, cognate with the verb, but an adverbial accusative rather than the direct object. In Lev 23 this seems to be a sacrificial gesture of things that are for the priests—but they present them first to Yahweh and then receive them back from him. So the waving is not side to side, but forward to Yahweh and then back to the priest. Here it is just an induction into that routine, since this is the ordination of the priests and the gifts are not yet theirs. So this will all be burned on the altar.
  39. Exodus 29:25 tn “turn to sweet smoke.”
  40. Exodus 29:25 tn “them” has been supplied.
  41. Exodus 29:27 sn These are the two special priestly offerings: the wave offering (from the verb “to wave”) and the “presentation offering” (older English: heave offering; from a verb “to be high,” in Hiphil meaning “to lift up,” an item separated from the offering, a contribution). The two are then clarified with two corresponding relative clauses containing two Hophals: “which was waved and which was presented.” In making sacrifices, the breast and the thigh belong to the priests.
  42. Exodus 29:29 tn The construction is an infinitive construct with the preposition ל (lamed). The form simply means “for anointing,” but it serves to express the purpose or result of their inheriting the sacred garments.
  43. Exodus 29:29 tn This form is a Piel infinitive construct with the preposition ל (lamed). It literally reads “for filling the hands,” the idiom used throughout this chapter for ordination or installation. Here too it has a parallel use of purpose or result.
  44. Exodus 29:30 tn Heb “after him”; NCV, NLT “after Aaron.”
  45. Exodus 29:30 tn The text just has the relative pronoun and the imperfect tense. It could be translated “who comes/enters.” But the context seems to indicate that this would be when he first comes to the tent to begin his tenure as High Priest, and so a temporal clause makes this clear. “First” has been supplied.
  46. Exodus 29:30 tn “Seven days” is an adverbial accusative of time. The ritual of ordination is to be repeated for seven days, and so they are to remain there in the court in full dress.
  47. Exodus 29:31 tn Or “boil” (see Lev 8:31).
  48. Exodus 29:31 sn The “holy place” must be in the courtyard of the sanctuary. Lev 8:31 says it is to be cooked at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Here it says it will be eaten there as well. This, then, becomes a communion sacrifice, a peace offering which was a shared meal. Eating a communal meal in a holy place was meant to signify that the worshipers and the priests were at peace with God.
  49. Exodus 29:33 tn The clause is a relative clause modifying “those things,” the direct object of the verb “eat.” The relative clause has a resumptive pronoun: “which atonement was made by them” becomes “by which atonement was made.” The verb is a Pual perfect of כִּפֵּר (kipper, “to expiate, atone, pacify”).
  50. Exodus 29:33 tn The Hebrew word is “stranger, alien” (זָר, zar). But in this context it means anyone who is not a priest (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 324).
  51. Exodus 29:34 tn Or “ordination offerings” (Heb “fillings”).
  52. Exodus 29:34 tn The verb in the conditional clause is a Niphal imperfect of יָתַר (yatar); this verb is repeated in the next clause (as a Niphal participle) as the direct object of the verb “you will burn” (a Qal perfect with a vav [ו] consecutive to form the instruction).
  53. Exodus 29:34 tn Heb “burn with fire.”
  54. Exodus 29:34 tn The verb is a Niphal imperfect negated. It expresses the prohibition against eating this, but in the passive voice: “it will not be eaten,” or stronger, “it must not be eaten.”
  55. Exodus 29:35 tn Heb “you will fill their hand.”
  56. Exodus 29:35 tn The “seven days” is the adverbial accusative explaining that the ritual of the filling should continue daily for a week. Leviticus makes it clear that they are not to leave the sanctuary.
  57. Exodus 29:36 tn The construction uses a genitive: “a bull of the sin offering,” which means, a bull that is designated for a sin (or better, purification) offering.
  58. Exodus 29:36 sn It is difficult to understand how this verse is to be harmonized with the other passages. The ceremony in the earlier passages deals with atonement made for the priests, for people. But here it is the altar that is being sanctified. The “sin [purification] offering” seems to be for purification of the sanctuary and altar to receive people in their worship.
  59. Exodus 29:36 tn The verb is וְחִטֵּאתָ (vehitteʾta), a Piel perfect of the word usually translated “to sin.” Here it may be interpreted as a privative Piel (as in Ps 51:7 [9]), with the sense of “un-sin” or “remove sin.” It could also be interpreted as related to the word for “sin offering,” and so be a denominative verb. It means “to purify, cleanse.” The Hebrews understood that sin and contamination could corrupt and pollute even nonliving things, and so they had to be purified.
  60. Exodus 29:36 tn The preposition ב (bet) on the infinitive is understood as instrumental here (NIV, NLT), though the construction is frequently temporal (KJV, NRSV, NASB, ESV). If it were temporal without being instrumental, then it would imply that some other action is performed to purge the altar when making atonement for it.
  61. Exodus 29:37 tn Once again this is an adverbial accusative of time. Each day for seven days the ritual at the altar is to be followed.
  62. Exodus 29:37 tn The construction is the superlative genitive: “holy of holies,” or “most holy.”
  63. Exodus 29:37 sn This line states an unusual principle, meant to preserve the sanctity of the altar. S. R. Driver explains it this way (Exodus, 325): If anything comes in contact with the altar, it becomes holy and must remain in the sanctuary for Yahweh’s use. If a person touches the altar, he likewise becomes holy and cannot return to the profane regions. He will be given over to God to be dealt with as God pleases. Anyone who was not qualified to touch the altar did not dare approach it, for contact would have meant that he was no longer free to leave but was God’s holy possession—and might pay for it with his life (see Exod 30:29; Lev 6:18b, 27; Ezek 46:20).
  64. Exodus 29:38 tn The verb is “you will do,” “you will make.” It clearly refers to offering the animals on the altar, but may emphasize all the preparation that was involved in the process.
  65. Exodus 29:39 tn Heb “between the two evenings” or “between the two settings” (בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם, ben haʿarbayim). This expression has had a good deal of discussion. (1) Tg. Onq. says “between the two suns,” which the Talmud explains as the time between the sunset and the time the stars become visible. More technically, the first “evening” would be the time between sunset and the appearance of the crescent moon, and the second “evening” the next hour, or from the appearance of the crescent moon to full darkness (see Deut 16:6 “at the going down of the sun”). (2) Saadia, Rashi, and Kimchi say the first evening is when the sun begins to decline in the west and cast its shadows, and the second evening is the beginning of night. (3) The view adopted by the Pharisees and the Talmudists (b. Pesahim 61a) is that the first evening is when the heat of the sun begins to decrease, and the second evening begins at sunset, or, roughly from 3-5 p.m. The Mishnah (m. Pesahim 5:1) indicates the lamb was killed about 2:30 p.m.—anything before noon was not valid. S. R. Driver concludes from this survey that the first view is probably the best, although the last view was the traditionally accepted one (Exodus, 89-90). Late afternoon or early evening seems to be intended, the time of twilight perhaps.
  66. Exodus 29:40 tn The phrase “of an ephah” has been supplied for clarity (cf. Num 28:5). The ephah was a commonly used dry measure whose capacity is now uncertain: “Quotations given for the ephah vary from ca. 45 to 20 liters” (C. Houtman, Exodus, 2:340-41).
  67. Exodus 29:40 tn “Hin” is a transliterated Hebrew word that seems to have an Egyptian derivation. The amount of liquid measured by a hin is uncertain: “Its presumed capacity varies from about 3,5 liters to 7,5 liters” (C. Houtman, Exodus, 3:550).
  68. Exodus 29:42 tn The translation has “regular” instead of “continually,” because they will be preparing this twice a day.
  69. Exodus 29:42 tn The relative clause identifies the place in front of the Tent as the place that Yahweh would meet Moses. The main verb of the clause is אִוָּעֵד (ʾivvaʿed), a Niphal imperfect of the verb יָעַד (yaʿad), the verb that is cognate to the name “tent of meeting”—hence the name. This clause leads into the next four verses.
  70. Exodus 29:43 tn The verb now is a Niphal perfect from the same root, with a vav (ו) consecutive. It simply continues the preceding verb, announcing now that he would meet the people.
  71. Exodus 29:43 tn Or “will be sanctified by my glory” (KJV and ASV both similar).sn The tabernacle, as well as the priests and the altar, will be sanctified by the power of Yahweh’s presence. The reference here is to when Yahweh enters the sanctuary in all his glory (see Exod 40:34f.).
  72. Exodus 29:44 tn This verse affirms the same point as the last, but now with an active verb: “I will set apart as holy” (or “I will sanctify”). This verse, then, probably introduces the conclusion of the chapter: “So I will….”
  73. Exodus 29:45 tn The verb has the root שָׁכַן (shakan), from which came the word for the dwelling place, or sanctuary, itself (מִשְׁכָּן, mishkan). It is also used for the description of “the Shekinah glory.” God is affirming that he will reside in the midst of his people.
  74. Exodus 30:1 sn Why this section has been held until now is a mystery. One would have expected to find it with the instructions for the other furnishings. The widespread contemporary view that it was composed later does not answer the question, it merely moves the issue to the work of an editor rather than the author. N. M. Sarna notes concerning the items in chapter 30 that “all the materials for these final items were anticipated in the list of invited donations in 25:3-6” and that they were not needed for installing Aaron and his sons (Exodus [JPSTC], 193). Verses 1-10 can be divided into three sections: the instructions for building the incense altar (1-5), its placement (6), and its proper use (7-10).
  75. Exodus 30:1 tn The expression is מִזְבֵּחַ מִקְטַר קְטֹרֶת (mizbeakh miqtar qetoret), either “an altar, namely an altar of incense,” or “an altar, [for] burning incense.” The second noun is “altar of incense,” although some suggest it is an active noun meaning “burning.” If the former, then it is in apposition to the word for “altar” (which is not in construct). The last noun is “incense” or “sweet smoke.” It either qualifies the “altar of incense” or serves as the object of the active noun. B. Jacob says that in order to designate that this altar be used only for incense, the Torah prepared the second word for this passage alone. It specifies the kind of altar this is (Exodus, 828).
  76. Exodus 30:1 tn This is an adverbial accusative explaining the material used in building the altar.
  77. Exodus 30:1 sn See M. Haran, “The Uses of Incense in Ancient Israel Ritual,” VT 10 (1960): 113-15; N. Glueck, “Incense Altars,” Translating and Understanding the Old Testament, 325-29.
  78. Exodus 30:2 tn Heb “a cubit.”
  79. Exodus 30:2 tn Heb “2 cubits.”
  80. Exodus 30:2 tn Heb “its horns from it.”
  81. Exodus 30:3 tn Heb “roof.”
  82. Exodus 30:3 tn Heb “its walls around.”
  83. Exodus 30:3 tn Heb “and make for it border gold around.” The verb is a consecutive perfect. See Exod 25:11, where the ark also has such a molding.
  84. Exodus 30:4 sn Since it was a small altar, it needed only two rings, one on either side, in order to be carried. The second clause clarifies that the rings should be on the sides, the right and the left, as you approach the altar.
  85. Exodus 30:4 tn Heb “And it”; this refers to the rings collectively in their placement on the box, and so the word “rings” has been used to clarify the referent for the modern reader.
  86. Exodus 30:4 tn Heb “for houses.”
  87. Exodus 30:7 tn The text uses a cognate accusative (“incense”) with the verb “to burn” or “to make into incense/sweet smoke.” Then, the noun “sweet spices” is added in apposition to clarify the incense as sweet.
  88. Exodus 30:7 tn The Hebrew is בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ (behetivo), a Hiphil infinitive construct serving in a temporal clause. The Hebrew verb means “to make good” and so in this context “to fix” or “to dress.” This refers to cleansing and trimming the lamps.
  89. Exodus 30:7 sn The point of the little golden altar of incense is normally for intercessory prayer, and then at the Day of Atonement for blood applied atonement. The instructions for making it show that God wanted his people to make a place for prayer. The instructions for its use show that God expects that the requests of his people will be pleasing to him.
  90. Exodus 30:10 tn The word “atonements” (plural in Hebrew) is a genitive showing the result or product of the sacrifice made.
  91. Exodus 30:10 sn This ruling presupposes that the instruction for the Day of Atonement has been given, or at the very least, are to be given shortly. That is the one day of the year that all sin and all ritual impurity would be removed.
  92. Exodus 30:10 sn The phrase “most holy to the Lord” means that the altar cannot be used for any other purpose than what is stated here.
  93. Exodus 30:11 sn This brief section has been interpreted a number of ways by biblical scholars (for a good survey and discussion, see B. Jacob, Exodus, 829-35). In this context the danger of erecting and caring for a sanctuary may have been in view. A census would be taken to count the losses and to cover the danger of coming into such proximity with the holy place; payment was made to ransom the lives of the people numbered so that they would not die. The money collected would then be used for the care of the sanctuary. The principle was fairly straightforward: Those numbered among the redeemed of the Lord were to support the work of the Lord to maintain their fellowship with the covenant. The passage is fairly easy to outline: I. Every covenant member must give a ransom for his life to avoid death (11-12); II. The ransom is the same for all, whether rich or poor (13-15); and III. The ransom money supports the sanctuary as a memorial for the ransomed (16).
  94. Exodus 30:11 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.” This full means for introducing a quotation from the Lord is used again in 30:17, 22; 31:1; and 40:1. It appears first in 6:10. Cynthia L. Miller discusses its use in detail (The Representation of Speech in Biblical Hebrew Narrative, 373-86).
  95. Exodus 30:12 tn The expression is “when you take [lift up] the sum [head] of the Israelites.”
  96. Exodus 30:12 tn The form is לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם (lifqudehem, “according to those that are numbered of/by them”) from the verb פָּקַד (paqad, “to visit”). But the idea of this word seems more to be that of changing or determining the destiny, and so “appoint” and “number” become clear categories of meaning for the word. Here it simply refers to the census, but when this word is used for a census it often involves mustering an army for a military purpose. Here there is no indication of a war, but it may be laying down the principle that when they should do this, here is the price. B. Jacob (Exodus, 835) uses Num 31 as a good illustration, showing that the warrior was essentially a murderer, if he killed anyone in battle. For this reason his blood was forfeit; if he survived he must pay a כֹּפֶר (kofer) because every human life possesses value and must be atoned for. The payment during the census represented a “presumptive ransom” so that they could not be faulted for what they might do in war.
  97. Exodus 30:12 tn The “ransom” is כֹּפֶר (kofer), a word related to words translated “atone” and “atonement.” Here the noun refers to what is paid for the life. The idea is that of delivering or redeeming by a substitute—here the substitute is the money. If they paid the amount, their lives would be safe (W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:473).
  98. Exodus 30:12 tn The temporal clause uses a preposition, an infinitive construct, and then an accusative. The subject is supplied: “in numbering them” means “when [you] number them.” The verb could also be rendered “when you muster them.”
  99. Exodus 30:13 sn Each man was to pass in front of the counting officer and join those already counted on the other side.
  100. Exodus 30:13 sn The half shekel weight of silver would be about one-fifth of an ounce (6 grams).
  101. Exodus 30:13 sn It appears that some standard is in view for the amount of a shekel weight. The sanctuary shekel is sometimes considered to be twice the value of the ordinary shekel. The “gerah,” also of uncertain meaning, was mentioned as a reference point for the ancient reader to understand the value of the required payment. It may also be that the expression meant “a sacred shekel” and looked at the purpose more—a shekel for sanctuary dues. This would mean that the standard of the shekel weight was set because it was the traditional amount of sacred dues (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 333). “Though there is no certainty, the shekel is said to weigh about 11,5 grams…. Whether an official standard is meant [by ‘sanctuary shekel’] or whether the sanctuary shekel had a different weight than the ‘ordinary’ shekel is not known” (C. Houtman, Exodus, 3:181).
  102. Exodus 30:13 tn Or “contribution” (תְּרוּמָה, terumah).
  103. Exodus 30:15 tn The form is לָתֵת (latet), the Qal infinitive construct with the lamed preposition. The infinitive here is explaining the preceding verbs. They are not to increase or diminish the amount “in paying the offering.” The construction approximates a temporal clause.
  104. Exodus 30:15 tn This infinitive construct (לְכַפֵּר, lekhapper) provides the purpose of giving the offering—to atone.
  105. Exodus 30:16 tn Heb “the silver of the atonements.” The genitive here is the result (as in “sheep of slaughter”) telling what the money will be used for (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 11, §44).
  106. Exodus 30:16 sn The idea of “service” is maintenance and care of the sanctuary and its service, meaning the morning and evening sacrifices and the other elements to be used.
  107. Exodus 30:16 sn S. R. Driver says this is “to keep Jehovah in continual remembrance of the ransom which had been paid for their lives” (Exodus, 334).
  108. Exodus 30:16 tn The infinitive could be taken in a couple of ways here. It could be an epexegetical infinitive: “making atonement.” Or it could be the infinitive expressing result: “so that atonement will be made for your lives.”
  109. Exodus 30:17 sn Another piece of furniture is now introduced, the laver, or washing basin. It was a round (the root means to be round) basin for holding water, but it had to be up on a pedestal or base to let water run out (through taps of some kind) for the priests to wash—they could not simply dip dirty hands into the basin. This was for the priests primarily to wash their hands and feet before entering the tent. It stood in the courtyard between the altar and the tent. No dimensions are given. The passage can be divided into three sections: the instructions (17-18), the rules for washing (19-20), and the reminder that this is a perpetual statute.
  110. Exodus 30:17 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.”
  111. Exodus 30:18 sn The metal for this object was obtained from the women from their mirrors (see Exod 38:8).
  112. Exodus 30:18 tn Heb “and its stand bronze.”
  113. Exodus 30:18 tn The form is the adverb “there” with the directive qamets-he.
  114. Exodus 30:19 tn That is, from water from it.
  115. Exodus 30:20 tn The form is an infinitive construct with the temporal preposition ב (bet), and a suffixed subjective genitive: “in their going in,” or, whenever they enter.
  116. Exodus 30:20 tn “Water” is an adverbial accusative of means, and so is translated “with water.” Gesenius classifies this with verbs of “covering with something.” But he prefers to emend the text with a preposition (see GKC 369 §117.y, n. 1).
  117. Exodus 30:20 tn The verb is a Qal imperfect with a nuance of final imperfect. The purpose/result clause here is indicated only with the conjunction: “and they do not die.” But clearly from the context this is the intended result of their washing—it is in order that they not die.
  118. Exodus 30:20 tn Here, too, the infinitive is used in a temporal clause construction. The verb נָגַשׁ (nagash) is the common verb used for drawing near to the altar to make offerings—the official duties of the priest.
  119. Exodus 30:20 tn The text uses two infinitives construct: “to minister to burn incense”; the first is the general term and expresses the purpose of the drawing near, and the second infinitive is epexegetical, explaining the first infinitive.
  120. Exodus 30:20 tn The translation “as an offering made by fire” is a standard rendering of the one word in the text that appears to refer to “fire.” Milgrom and others contend that it simply means a “gift” (Leviticus 1-16, 161).
  121. Exodus 30:21 tn Heb “and [then] they will wash.”
  122. Exodus 30:21 tn The verb is “it will be.”
  123. Exodus 30:21 tn Heb “for his seed.”
  124. Exodus 30:21 tn Or “for generations to come”; it literally is “to their generations.”sn The symbolic meaning of washing has been taught throughout the ages. This was a practical matter of cleaning hands and feet, but it was also symbolic of purification before Yahweh. It was an outward sign of inner spiritual cleansing, or forgiveness. Jesus washed the disciples feet (Jn 13) to show this same teaching; he asked the disciples if they knew what he had done (so it was more than washing feet). In this passage the theological points for the outline would be these: I. God provides the means of cleansing; II. Cleansing is a prerequisite for participating in the worship, and III. (Believers) priests must regularly appropriate God’s provision of cleansing.
  125. Exodus 30:22 sn The chapter ends with these two sections. The oil (22-33) is the mark of consecration, and the incense (34-38) is a mark of pleasing service, especially in prayer. So the essence of the message of the chapter is that the servants of God must be set apart by the Spirit for ministry and must be pleasing to God in the ministry.
  126. Exodus 30:22 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.”
  127. Exodus 30:23 tn The construction uses the imperative “take,” but before it is the independent pronoun to add emphasis to it. After the imperative is the ethical dative (lit. “to you”) to stress the task to Moses as a personal responsibility: “and you, take to yourself.”
  128. Exodus 30:23 tn Heb “spices head.” This must mean the chief spices, or perhaps the top spice, meaning fine spices or choice spices. See Song 4:14; Ezek 27:22.
  129. Exodus 30:23 tn Or “500 shekels.” Verse 24 specifies that the sanctuary shekel was the unit for weighing the spices. The total of 1500 shekels for the four spices is estimated at between 77 and 100 pounds, or 17 to 22 kilograms, depending on how much a shekel weighed (C. Houtman, Exodus, 3:576).
  130. Exodus 30:23 sn Myrrh is an aromatic substance that flows from the bark of certain trees in Arabia and Africa and then hardens. “The hardened globules of the gum appear also to have been ground into a powder that would have been easy to store and would have been poured from a container” (J. Durham, Exodus [WBC], 3:406).
  131. Exodus 30:24 tn The words “all weighed” are added for clarity in English.
  132. Exodus 30:24 tn Or “a hin.” A hin of oil is estimated at around one gallon (J. Durham, Exodus [WBC], 3:406).
  133. Exodus 30:25 tn Heb “it.”
  134. Exodus 30:25 tn The word “oil” is an adverbial accusative, indicating the product that results from the verb (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, §52).
  135. Exodus 30:25 tn The somewhat rare words rendered “a perfumed compound” are both associated with a verbal root having to do with mixing spices and other ingredients to make fragrant ointments. They are used with the next phrase, “the work of a perfumer,” to describe the finished oil as a special mixture of aromatic spices and one requiring the knowledge and skills of an experienced maker.
  136. Exodus 30:29 tn The verb is a Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive; in this verse it is summarizing or explaining what the anointing has accomplished. This is the effect of the anointing (see Exod 29:36).
  137. Exodus 30:29 tn This is the superlative genitive again, Heb “holy of holies.”
  138. Exodus 30:29 tn See Exod 29:37; as before, this could refer to anything or anyone touching the sanctified items.
  139. Exodus 30:30 tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive follows the imperfect of instruction; it may be equal to the instruction, but more likely shows the purpose or result of the act.
  140. Exodus 30:32 tn Without an expressed subject, the verb may be treated as a passive. Any common use, as in personal hygiene, would be a complete desecration.
  141. Exodus 30:33 tn Heb “a stranger,” meaning someone not ordained a priest.
  142. Exodus 30:33 sn The rabbinic interpretation of this is that it is a penalty imposed by heaven, that the life will be cut short and the person could die childless.
  143. Exodus 30:34 tn The construction is “take to you,” which could be left in that literal sense, but more likely the suffix is an ethical dative, stressing the subject of the imperative.
  144. Exodus 30:34 sn This is from a word that means “to drip”; the spice is a balsam that drips from a resinous tree.
  145. Exodus 30:34 sn This may be a plant, or it may be from a species of mollusks; it is mentioned in Ugaritic and Akkadian; it gives a pungent odor when burnt.
  146. Exodus 30:34 sn This is a gum from plants of the genus Ferula; it has an unpleasant odor, but when mixed with others is pleasant.
  147. Exodus 30:34 tn The word “spice” is repeated here, suggesting that the first three formed half of the ingredients and this spice the other half—but this is conjecture (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 400).
  148. Exodus 30:34 tn Heb “of each part there will be an equal part.”
  149. Exodus 30:35 tn This is an accusative of result or product.
  150. Exodus 30:35 tn The word is in apposition to “incense,” further defining the kind of incense that is to be made.
  151. Exodus 30:35 tn The word מְמֻלָּח (memullakh), a passive participle, is usually taken to mean “salted.” Since there is no meaning like that for the Pual form, the word probably should be taken as “mixed,” as in Rashi and Tg. Onq. Seasoning with salt would work if it were food, but since it is not food, if it means “salted” it would be a symbol of what was sound and whole for the covenant. Some have thought that it would have helped the incense burn quickly with more smoke.
  152. Exodus 30:38 tn Or to smell it, to use for the maker’s own pleasure.