Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 30

Thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon. —Why the directions concerning the altar of incense were delayed until this place, instead of being given when the rest of the furniture of the holy place was described (Exodus 25), it is impossible to say. But there is certainly no reason to suspect a dislocation of the text. The mode in which Aaron is spoken of in Exodus 30:7-10 implies a previous mention of his consecration to the high priesthood.

That incense would be among the offerings which God would require to be offered to Him had already appeared in Exodus 25:6. Its preciousness, its fragrance, and its appearing to rise in cloud after cloud to heaven, gave it a natural place in the symbolism of worship and led to its use in the religious rites of a variety of nations. Egyptian priests continually appear on the monuments with censers in their hands, in which presumably incense is being offered, and the inscriptions mention that it was imported from Arabia and used largely in the festivals of Ammon (Records of the Past, vol. x., pp. 14-19).

Herodotus tells us that the Babylonians consumed annually a thousand talents’ weight of it at the feast of Belus (i. 183). The use of it by the Greeks and Romans in their sacrifices is well known. Here again, as so often in the Mosaic dispensation, God sanctioned in His worship an innocent rite, which natural reason had pointed out to man as fitting and appropriate, not regarding its use in false religions as barring its adoption into the true.

Of shittim wood shalt thou make it. — Of the same main material as “the brazen altar” (Exodus 27:1), but covered differently.

Foursquare shall it be. — Of the same shape as “the brazen altar” (Exodus 27:1), but much smaller—two cubits high instead of three cubits, and a cubit square at the top instead of five cubits. This small space was ample for burning so precious a material, which could only be offered in small quantities.

The horns thereof. — Compare Exodus 27:2, and Note 1, ad loc.

Shall be of the same — i.e., of one piece with the altar, not made separately and then attached to it.

You shall overlay it with pure gold. — Next to the Ark of the Covenant, the most holy article of furniture contained either in the sanctuary or in its court was the altar of incense. It symbolised prayer in its general use (Psalms 141:2; Luke 1:10), and it symbolised expiation in the purpose to which it was to be applied on certain occasions, as when the high priest had sinned in his official capacity (Leviticus 4:3–12), or when the whole congregation had sinned through inadvertence (Leviticus 4:13–21). It was, therefore, most holy to the Lord. Hence, its materials were to be the same as those of the ark of the covenant, and its place was to be directly opposite the ark, near to it, but on the outer side of the veil (Exodus 40:5).

A crown of gold round about. — Compare what is said of the table of shewbread (Exodus 25:24). In both cases, a raised rim or edging is meant, which would prevent what was on the top from falling off.

Two golden rings. —The golden altar was so much smaller and lighter than the brazen one that only two rings were required for carrying it, instead of the “four rings” needed by the brazen altar (Exodus 27:4).

By the two corners thereof. —Rather, on the two sides thereof. The word used means, literally, “ribs,” and is explained in the following clause.

Before the veil. —The ark was behind the veil (Exodus 26:33; Exodus 40:3), the altar of incense directly in front of it, nearer to the veil than either the golden candlestick or the table of shewbread. Hence the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of it as belonging, in a certain sense, to the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:4; see Kay, in Speaker’s Commentary). The veil that is by the ark of the testimony is distinguished here from the veil, or curtain, at the entrance to the holy place.

Before the mercy seat. —The altar bore a close relation to the mercy seat. It was the instrument by which the “mercy” there enthroned was made available to the penitent sinner.

Where I will meet with thee. —Compare Exodus 25:22; Exodus 29:42–43.