Bible Commentaries

Verse 2

Exo 30:2 A cubit [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits [shall be] the height thereof: the horns thereof [shall be] of the same.

Ver. 2. A cubit shall be the length. ] That in Ezekiel Eze 41:22 is much larger, as setting forth the service of God under the gospel.

Verse 3

Exo 30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.

Ver. 3. Overlay it with pure gold. ] Shadowing Christ’s deity, yielding glory to his humanity.

A crown of gold round about. ] To show that devotion is a rich royal virtue, best beseeming the best princes.

Verse 6

Exo 30:6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that [is] by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that [is] over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Ver. 6. Where I will meet with thee. ] To give oracles and answers of mercy. God still "meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness." Isa 64:5

Verse 7

Exo 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.

Ver. 7. Shall burn thereon sweet incense. ] Faciunt et vespae favos. The heathens had the like custom -

“Verbenasque adole pingues, et mascula thura.”

- Virgil.

Verse 8

Exo 30:8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.

Ver. 8. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps. ] To show that our prayers must be made according to the light and direction of God’s Word, lest we ask we know not what, and worship we know not how.

Verse 9

Exo 30:9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

Ver. 9. No strange incense. ] So may we not pray, but according to God’s revealed will. 1Jn 5:14

Verse 10

Exo 30:10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it [is] most holy unto the LORD.

Ver. 10. An atonement upon the horns of it. ] Pardon must be sought for the defects found in prayers; as Nehemiah craved mercy for his reformations.

Verse 12

Exo 30:12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when [thou] numberest them.

Ver. 12. That there be no plague. ] David, in numbering the people, neglected this duty; thence the plague.

Verse 13

Exo 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel [is] twenty gerahs:) an half shekel [shall be] the offering of the LORD.

Ver. 13. Half a shekel. ] Towards the making of the tabernacle; and as an amercing himself for his sin, that subjected him to utter destruction. Exo 30:15

Verse 14

Exo 30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.

Ver. 14. From twenty years old. ] Such were able to get it, before they gave it.

Verse 15

Exo 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when [they] give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Ver. 15. The rich shall not give more. ] They are both of a price, because in spirituals they are equal. 2Pe 1:1

Verse 16

Exo 30:16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Ver. 16. That it may be a memorial. ] A perpetual poll money, in token of homage and subjection to the Almighty.

Verse 18

Exo 30:18 Thou shalt also make a laver [of] brass, and his foot [also of] brass, to wash [withal]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

Ver. 18. Between the tabernacle and the altar. ] The laver and altar situated in the same court, signified the same; as the water and blood issuing out of Christ’s side, viz., the necessary concurrence of justification and sanctification in all that shall be saved.

Verse 19

Exo 30:19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:

Ver. 19. For Aaron and his sons. ] Here they were to wash before they prayed for the people. Heb 10:22 We must first make our own peace with God before we take upon us to intercede for others. So did David. Psalms 25:22 ; Psa 51:18-19 So we are advised to do, Lamentations 3:39-40 .

Verse 20

Exo 30:20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:

Ver. 20. Wash with water. ] "Wash their hands in innocency," before they "compass God’s altar." Psalms 26:6 Heb 10:22 Isa 52:11

Verse 21

Exo 30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, [even] to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

Ver. 21. That they die not. ] Come not to an untimely end, as Nadab and Abihu did. Lev 10:1-2

Verse 26

Exo 30:26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,

Ver. 26. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle. ] So to consecrate the same to God’s service, and to set forth how joyfully and gladly men should serve the Lord.

Verse 29

Exo 30:29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

Ver. 29. Whatsoever toucheth them. ] So are all those anointed holy, that by a lively faith touch the Lord Christ.

Verse 30

Exo 30:30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that [they] may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

Ver. 30. Aaron and his sons. ] Those only that succeeded him in the office of high priest. Leviticus 4:3 ; Leviticus 4:5 ; Leviticus 4:16 ; Lev 16:32

Verse 32

Exo 30:32 Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make [any other] like it, after the composition of it: it [is] holy, [and] it shall be holy unto you.

Ver. 32. Upon man’s flesh.] A Latine Postiller hence infers, in a hyperbolical sense, that priests are angels, not having human flesh.

Verse 33

Exo 30:33 Whosoever compoundeth [any] like it, or whosoever putteth [any] of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

Ver. 33. Whosoever compoundeth any like it. ] Holy things must not be profaned, on pain of death. No people so abuse Scripture to common and ordinary use as the Jews do.

Verse 36

Exo 30:36 And thou shalt beat [some] of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.

Ver. 36. And thou shalt beat some of it very small. ] This holy perfume, as in the matter costly, so in the manner it cost much pounding and beating: to show that Church prayer must be accurate and elaborate; it must cost setting on, as we say.