Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 30:1-10

"And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of acacia wood shalt thou make it. 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 one piece with it. 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. And two golden rings shalt thou make for it under the crown thereof; upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make them; and they shall be for places for staves wherewith to bear it. And thou shalt make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of sweet spices: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations. Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-offering, nor meal-offering; and ye shall pour no drink-offering thereon. And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah." — Exodus 30:1-10 (ASV)

(Exodus 37:25–28; Exodus 40:26–27). The altar of incense was to be a casing of boards of shittim wood (Exodus 25:5), (Exodus 25:18) 18 inches square and three feet in height (taking the cubit as 18 inches), entirely covered with plates of gold. Four “horns” were to project upward at the corners like those of the altar of burnt-offering (Exodus 27:2). A crown or molding of gold was to run round the top. On each of two opposite sides there was to be a gold ring through which the staves were to be put when it was moved from place to place (Exodus 30:4).

By the two corners thereof - Not corners. See the margin. The sense appears to be: And two gold rings you shall make for it under its molding; on its two sides you shall make them (i.e., one ring on each side).

The place for the altar of incense (Exodus 30:6) was outside the veil, opposite to the ark of the covenant and between the candlestick on the south side and the showbread table on the north (Exodus 40:22–24).

It appears to have been regarded as having a more intimate connection with the Holy of Holies than the other things in the holy place. The mention of the mercy-seat in this verse, if we associate with it the significance of incense as figuring the prayers of the Lord’s people (Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3–4), seems to furnish additional ground for an inference that the incense altar took precedence of the table of showbread and the candlestick.

(Exodus 30:7) The lamps - See (Exodus 25:37).

(Exodus 30:7–8) The offering of the incense accompanied that of the morning and evening sacrifice. The two forms of offering symbolized the spirit of man reaching after communion with Yahweh, both in act and utterance. See (Psalms 141:2).

(Exodus 30:9) By this regulation, the symbolism of the altar of incense was kept free from ambiguity. Atonement was made by means of the victim on the brazen altar in the court outside; the prayers of the reconciled worshippers had their type within the tabernacle.

(Exodus 30:10) See the marginal references.