Exodus 30
1 “[Tell the skilled workers to] make an altar from acacia wood, for burning incense.
“Make an altar for burning incense from acacia wood.
2 It is to be square, (18 in./45 cm.) on each side. It is to be (3 feet/90 cm.) high. [Tell them to] make [a projection that looks like] a horn on each of the top corners. The projections must be carved from the same block of wood that the altar [is made from].
It shall be square, measuring a cubit by a cubit, by two cubits high, with horns on its corners that are all one piece with the altar.
3 [They must] cover the top and the four sides, including the projections, with pure gold. Put a gold border around the altar, [near the top].
Cover its top, its side, and its horns with pure gold, and make a gold trim to go all around it.
4 [They must] make two gold rings for carrying the altar. [They must] attach them to the altar below the border, one on each side of the altar. These rings are for the poles for carrying the altar.
Make two gold rings for the altar and attach them below the trim, two on both sides, to hold the poles to carry it.
5 [Tell them to] make these [two] poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold.
Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold.
6 [They must] put this altar outside the curtain that hangs in front of the sacred chest and its lid. That is the place where I will talk with you.
Put the altar in front of the veil that hangs before the Ark of the Testimony and the atonement cover that is over the Testimony where I will meet with you.
7 Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on this altar. He must burn some every morning when he takes care of the lamps,
Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps.
8 and he must burn some in the evening when he lights the lamps. The incense must be burned continually, throughout all future generations.
When he lights the lamps in the evening he must burn incense again so that incense will always be burned in the Lord's presence for generations to come.
9 The priests must not burn on the altar any incense that I have not told you to burn, or burn any animal on it, or any grain offering for me, or pour any wine on it as an offering.
Don't offer on this altar any unapproved incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour out a drink offering upon it.
10 One time every year Aaron must perform the ritual for making this altar pure. He must do it by putting on its four projections some of the blood from the animal that was sacrificed (to remove the guilt of the people’s sins/so that the people would no longer be guilty for sins). This ritual is to be done by Aaron and his descendants throughout all future generations. This altar must be completely dedicated to me, Yahweh.”
Once a year Aaron must perform the atonement ritual by placing blood on the horns of the altar from the sin offering for atonement. This yearly atonement ritual must be carried out for generations to come. This is the Lord's holy altar.”
11 Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
The Lord told Moses,
12 “When your [leaders] (take a census of/count) the Israeli people, each man [who is counted] must pay to me a price to save his life. They must do this in order that no disaster will happen to them while the people are being counted.
“When you take a census of the Israelites, each man must pay the Lord to buy back his life when he's counted. Then they won't suffer from the plague when they're counted.
13 Every man who is counted must pay to me (0.2 ounces/5.7 grams) of silver. They must use the official standard when they weigh the silver.
Each one who crosses over to those counted must give a half shekel, (using the sanctuary shekel standard, which weighs twenty gerahs). This half shekel is an offering to the Lord.
14 All the men who are at least 20 years old must pay this amount to me when the people are counted.
This offering to the Lord is required from everyone twenty years old and more.
15 Rich men must not pay more than this amount, and poor men must not pay less than this amount, when they pay this money to save their lives.
When you give this offering to buy back your lives the rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less.
16 Your leaders must collect this money from the Israeli people and give it to [those who will] take care of the Sacred Tent. This money is the payment for the lives of those who take care of the Sacred Tent, (to enable me not to forget them/and then I will remember to protect them).”
Take this money paid by the Israelites and use it for the expenses involved in the services of the Tent of Meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites to buy back your lives in the presence of the Lord.”
17 Yahweh [also] said to Moses/me,
The Lord told Moses,
18 “[Tell the skilled workers to] make a bronze washbasin and a bronze base for it. [They must] put it between the Sacred Tent and the altar, and fill it with water.
“Make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.
19 Aaron and his sons must ritually wash their hands and their feet with this water
Aaron and his sons will use it to wash their hands and feet.
20 before they enter the Sacred Tent and before they come to the altar to sacrifice offerings that will be burned on it. If [they do that], they will not die [because of disobeying my instructions].
Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they are to wash with water so that they will not die. When they approach the altar to present burnt offerings to the Lord,
21 They must wash their hands and their feet, in order that they will not die. They and the males descended from them must obey this ritual throughout all generations.”
they must also wash so that they will not die. This requirement is to be observed by them and their descendants for all generations.”
22 Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
The Lord told Moses,
23 “[Tell the people to] collect some of the finest spices— (12 pounds/6 kg.) of (liquid myrrh/sweet-smelling sap named myrrh), (6 pounds/3 kg.) of sweet-smelling cinnamon, (6 pounds/3 kg.) of a sweet-smelling cane/reed,
“Take the best quality spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, 250 shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 250 shekels of aromatic reed,
24 and (12 pounds/6 kg.) of (cassia/a sweet-smelling bark named cassia). [Be sure] that they use the official standard when they weigh these things. Tell an expert perfumer to mix these with (one gallon/four liters) of olive oil
500 shekels of cassia, (weights using the sanctuary shekel standard), and a hin of olive oil.
25 to make sacred oil for anointing.
Mix these together into holy anointing oil, an aromatic blend like the product of an expert perfumer. Use it as holy anointing oil.
26 Use this oil for anointing the Sacred Tent, the sacred chest,
Use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony,
27 the table and all the things that are used with it, the lampstand and all the things that are used to take care of it, the altar for [burning] incense,
the table and all its equipment, the lampstand and its equipment, the altar of incense,
28 and the altar for offering sacrifices that will be burned, along with its bases and the washbasin and all the things that are used with it.
the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin plus its stand.
29 Dedicate them by anointing them, in order that they will be completely holy/sacred. Anyone or anything that touches the altar will become taboo.
Dedicate them so that they will be especially holy. Whatever touches them will become holy.
30 And anoint Aaron and his sons. [By doing that], you will dedicate them to serve me [by being] priests.
Anoint Aaron and his sons too and dedicate them to serve as priests for me.
31 And tell the Israeli people, ‘This oil will be my sacred anointing oil that must be used throughout all future generations.
Tell the Israelites, ‘This is to be my holy anointing oil for all generations to come.
32 You must not pour it on the bodies of people who are not priests, and you must not make other oil to be like it by mixing the same amount of those things. This oil is sacred, and you must consider it to be sacred.’
Don't use it on ordinary people and don't make anything like it using the same formula. It is holy, and you must treat it as being holy.
33 I will consider that anyone who makes ointment like this [for any other purpose], and anyone who puts any of this ointment on someone who is not a priest, no longer be allowed to associate with my people.”
Anyone who mixes anointing oil like it, or puts it on someone other than a priest, will be expelled from their people.’”
34 Yahweh also said to Moses/me, “[Tell the people to] take equal parts of several sweet spices—stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—
The Lord told Moses, “Take equal amounts of these aromatic spices: balsam resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.
35 and tell an expert perfumer to mix them together to make some perfume. Add some salt to keep it pure and make it holy.
Add some salt and make pure and holy incense blended like the product of an expert perfumer.
36 Beat some of it into a fine powder. Then take some of it into the Sacred Tent and sprinkle it in front of the sacred chest. You must all consider this incense to be very holy.
Grind some of it into powder and place it in front of the Ark of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be especially holy to you.
37 The people must not mix the same spices to make incense for themselves. This incense must be completely dedicated to me, Yahweh.
Don't make for yourselves any incense like it using the same formula. You are to consider this incense as holy to the Lord.
38 I will consider that anyone who makes incense like this to use it for perfume will no longer be allowed to associate with my people.”
Anyone who makes incense like this for themselves to enjoy will be expelled from their people.”
