The Altar of Incense(A)

30 “You shall make (B)an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a [a]molding of gold all around. Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it before the (C)veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the (D)mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

“Aaron shall burn on it (E)sweet incense every morning; when (F)he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps [b]at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer (G)strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. 10 And (H)Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

The Ransom Money

11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 (I)“When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give (J)a[c] ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no (K)plague among them when you number them. 13 (L)This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (M)(a shekel is twenty gerahs). (N)The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an [d]offering to the Lord. 15 The (O)rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves. 16 And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and (P)shall [e]appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be (Q)a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”

The Bronze Laver

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 18 (R)“You shall also make a [f]laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall (S)put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, 19 for Aaron and his sons (T)shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. 20 When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die. 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And (U)it shall be a [g]statute forever to them—to him and his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Holy Anointing Oil(V)

22 Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Also take for yourself (W)quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid (X)myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling (Y)cane, 24 five hundred shekels of (Z)cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a (AA)hin of olive oil. 25 And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be (AB)a holy anointing oil. 26 (AC)With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; 27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; (AD)whatever touches them must be holy. 30 (AE)And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

31 “And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on man’s flesh; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. (AF)It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 (AG)Whoever [h]compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, (AH)shall be [i]cut off from his people.’ ”

The Incense(AI)

34 And the Lord said to Moses: (AJ)“Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. 35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound (AK)according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting (AL)where I will meet with you. (AM)It shall be most holy to you. 37 But as for the incense which you shall make, (AN)you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its [j]composition. It shall be to you holy for the Lord. 38 (AO)Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

Artisans for Building the Tabernacle(AP)

31 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: (AQ)“See, I have called by name Bezalel the (AR)son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have (AS)filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

“And I, indeed I, have appointed with him (AT)Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the (AU)gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: (AV)the tabernacle of meeting, (AW)the ark of the Testimony and (AX)the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle— (AY)the table and its utensils, (AZ)the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, (BA)the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and (BB)the laver and its base— 10 (BC)the [k]garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, 11 (BD)and the anointing oil and (BE)sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

The Sabbath Law

12 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: (BF)‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who (BG)sanctifies[l] you. 14 (BH)You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who [m]profanes it shall surely be put to death; for (BI)whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Work shall be done for (BJ)six days, but the (BK)seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is (BL)a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for (BM)in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses (BN)two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

The Gold Calf(BO)

32 Now when the people saw that Moses (BP)delayed coming down from the mountain, the people (BQ)gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, (BR)“Come, make us [n]gods that shall (BS)go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who (BT)brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

And Aaron said to them, “Break off the (BU)golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. (BV)And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.

Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that (BW)brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a (BX)proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people (BY)sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

And the Lord said to Moses, (BZ)“Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt (CA)have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which (CB)I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, (CC)‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ” And the Lord said to Moses, (CD)“I have seen this people, and indeed it is a [o]stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, (CE)let Me alone, that (CF)My wrath may burn hot against them and I may [p]consume them. And (CG)I will make of you a great nation.”

11 (CH)Then Moses pleaded with [q]the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 (CI)Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and (CJ)relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You (CK)swore by Your own self, and said to them, (CL)‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” 14 So the Lord (CM)relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

15 And (CN)Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now the (CO)tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

18 But he said:

It is not the noise of the shout of victory,
Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
But the sound of singing I hear.”

19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that (CP)he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 (CQ)Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. 21 And Moses said to Aaron, (CR)“What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”

22 So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. (CS)You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”

25 Now when Moses saw that the people were (CT)unrestrained (for Aaron (CU)had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and (CV)let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ” 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 (CW)Then Moses said, [r]“Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”

30 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, (CX)“You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; (CY)perhaps I can (CZ)make atonement for your sin.” 31 Then Moses (DA)returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have (DB)made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, (DC)blot me (DD)out of Your book which You have written.”

33 And the Lord said to Moses, (DE)“Whoever has sinned against Me, I will (DF)blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have (DG)spoken to you. (DH)Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, (DI)in the day when I (DJ)visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.”

35 So the Lord plagued the people because of (DK)what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:3 border
  2. Exodus 30:8 Lit. between the two evenings
  3. Exodus 30:12 the price of a life
  4. Exodus 30:14 contribution
  5. Exodus 30:16 give
  6. Exodus 30:18 basin
  7. Exodus 30:21 requirement
  8. Exodus 30:33 mixes
  9. Exodus 30:33 Put to death
  10. Exodus 30:37 Lit. proportion
  11. Exodus 31:10 Or woven garments
  12. Exodus 31:13 consecrates
  13. Exodus 31:14 defiles
  14. Exodus 32:1 Or a god
  15. Exodus 32:9 stubborn
  16. Exodus 32:10 destroy
  17. Exodus 32:11 Lit. the face of the Lord
  18. Exodus 32:29 Lit. Fill your hand

The Altar of Incense(A)

30 “Make an altar(B) of acacia wood for burning incense.(C) It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high[a]—its horns(D) of one piece with it. Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.(E) Make two gold rings(F) for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.(G) Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover(H) that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

“Aaron must burn fragrant incense(I) on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.(J) Do not offer on this altar any other incense(K) or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Once a year(L) Aaron shall make atonement(M) on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering[b](N) for the generations to come.(O) It is most holy to the Lord.”

Atonement Money

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take a census(P) of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom(Q) for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague(R) will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel,[c] according to the sanctuary shekel,(S) which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more,(T) are to give an offering to the Lord. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less(U) when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. 16 Receive the atonement(V) money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting.(W) It will be a memorial(X) for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

17 Then the Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze basin,(Y) with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet(Z) with water(AA) from it. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.(AB) Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance(AC) for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”(AD)

Anointing Oil

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the following fine spices:(AE) 500 shekels[d] of liquid myrrh,(AF) half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon,(AG) 250 shekels[e] of fragrant calamus,(AH) 24 500 shekels(AI) of cassia(AJ)—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin[f] of olive oil. 25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.(AK) It will be the sacred anointing oil.(AL) 26 Then use it to anoint(AM) the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them(AN) so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.(AO)

30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate(AP) them so they may serve me as priests.(AQ) 31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil(AR) for the generations to come.(AS) 32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.(AT) 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off(AU) from their people.’”

Incense

34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices(AV)—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, 35 and make a fragrant blend of incense,(AW) the work of a perfumer.(AX) It is to be salted and pure and sacred. 36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet(AY) with you. It shall be most holy(AZ) to you. 37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy(BA) to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off(BB) from their people.”

Bezalel and Oholiab(BC)

31 Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel(BD) son of Uri, the son of Hur,(BE) of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge(BF) and with all kinds of skills(BG) to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab(BH) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan,(BI) to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers(BJ) to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting,(BK) the ark of the covenant law(BL) with the atonement cover(BM) on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table(BN) and its articles, the pure gold lampstand(BO) and all its accessories, the altar of incense,(BP) the altar of burnt offering(BQ) and all its utensils, the basin(BR) with its stand— 10 and also the woven garments(BS), both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 and the anointing oil(BT) and fragrant incense(BU) for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded(BV) you.”

The Sabbath

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths.(BW) This will be a sign(BX) between me and you for the generations to come,(BY) so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.(BZ)

14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death;(CA) those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work(CB) is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,(CC) holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath,(CD) celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign(CE) between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.(CF)’”(CG)

18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai,(CH) he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone(CI) inscribed by the finger of God.(CJ)

The Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,(CK) they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[g] who will go before(CL) us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”(CM)

Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings(CN) that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol(CO) cast in the shape of a calf,(CP) fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[h](CQ) Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”(CR)

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival(CS) to the Lord.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.(CT) Afterward they sat down to eat and drink(CU) and got up to indulge in revelry.(CV)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,(CW) have become corrupt.(CX) They have been quick to turn away(CY) from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol(CZ) cast in the shape of a calf.(DA) They have bowed down to it and sacrificed(DB) to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’(DC)

“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked(DD) people. 10 Now leave me alone(DE) so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy(DF) them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”(DG)

11 But Moses sought the favor(DH) of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?(DI) 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’?(DJ) Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster(DK) on your people. 13 Remember(DL) your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self:(DM) ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars(DN) in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land(DO) I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented(DP) and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law(DQ) in his hands.(DR) They were inscribed(DS) on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.(DT)

17 When Joshua(DU) heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”

18 Moses replied:

“It is not the sound of victory,
    it is not the sound of defeat;
    it is the sound of singing that I hear.”

19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf(DV) and the dancing,(DW) his anger burned(DX) and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces(DY) at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf the people had made and burned(DZ) it in the fire; then he ground it to powder,(EA) scattered it on the water(EB) and made the Israelites drink it.

21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

22 “Do not be angry,(EC) my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.(ED) 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’(EE) 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”(EF)

25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock(EG) to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”(EH) 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin.(EI) But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement(EJ) for your sin.”

31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed!(EK) They have made themselves gods of gold.(EL) 32 But now, please forgive their sin(EM)—but if not, then blot me(EN) out of the book(EO) you have written.”

33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out(EP) of my book. 34 Now go, lead(EQ) the people to the place(ER) I spoke of, and my angel(ES) will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish,(ET) I will punish them for their sin.”

35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf(EU) Aaron had made.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 30:2 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high
  2. Exodus 30:10 Or purification offering
  3. Exodus 30:13 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.8 grams; also in verse 15
  4. Exodus 30:23 That is, about 12 1/2 pounds or about 5.8 kilograms; also in verse 24
  5. Exodus 30:23 That is, about 6 1/4 pounds or about 2.9 kilograms
  6. Exodus 30:24 That is, probably about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters
  7. Exodus 32:1 Or a god; also in verses 23 and 31
  8. Exodus 32:4 Or This is your god; also in verse 8