Exodus Chapter 30 to 31 : Easy-to-Read Version  | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

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The Altar for Burning Incense

30 {God said to Moses,} “Make an altar* from acacia wood. You will use this altar for burning incense.* 2You must make the altar square—1 cubit* long and 1 cubit wide. It must be 2 cubits* high. There will be horns at the four corners. These horns must be made as one piece with the altar. 3Cover the top and all the sides of the altar with pure gold. And put gold trim all around the altar. 4Below this trim there should be two gold rings. There should be two gold rings on opposite sides of the altar. These gold rings will be used with poles to carry the altar. 5Make the poles from acacia wood also. Cover the poles with gold. 6Put the altar in front of the special curtain. The Box of the Agreement* is behind that curtain. The altar will be in front of the cover* that is above the Agreement.* This is the place where I will meet with you. 7“Aaron must burn sweet smelling incense* on the altar* every morning. He will do this when he comes to care for the lamps. 8He must burn incense again in the evening. This is the time when he checks the lamps in the evenings. So that incense will be burned before the Lord every day forever. 9Don’t use this altar for offering any other kind of incense or burnt offering. Don’t use this altar to offer any kind of grain offering or drink offering. 10“Once a year Aaron must make a special sacrifice* to the Lord. Aaron will use the blood of the sin offering to erase the sins of the people. Aaron will do this at the horns of this altar.* This day will be called the Day of Atonement. This will be a very special day for the Lord.”

The Temple Tax

11The Lord said to Moses, 12“Count the people of Israel so that you will know how many people there are. Every time this is done, every person must make a payment for himself to the Lord. If each person does this, then no terrible thing will happen to the people. 13Every person who is counted must pay 1⁄2 shekel. (That is 1⁄2 shekel by the official measure.* This shekel weighs 20 gerahs.*) This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. 14Every person who is at least 20 years old will be counted. And every person counted must give the Lord this offering. 15Rich people must not give more than 1⁄2 shekel. And poor people must not give less than 1⁄2 shekel. All people will make the same offering to the Lord. This will be a payment for your life. 16Gather this money from the people of Israel. Use the money for the service in the Meeting Tent.* This payment will be a way for the Lord to remember his people. They will be paying for their own lives.”

The Washing Bowl

17The Lord said to Moses, 18“Make a bronze* bowl and put it on a bronze base. You will use this for washing. Put the bowl between the Meeting Tent* and the altar.* Fill the bowl with water. 19Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet with the water from this bowl. 20Every time they enter the Meeting Tent or come near the altar they must wash with water. This way they will not die. 21And they must wash their hands and their feet so they won’t die. This will be a law that continues forever for Aaron and his people. This law will continue for all Aaron’s people who will live in the future.”

The Anointing Oil

22Then the Lord said to Moses, 23“Find the finest spices. Get 12 pounds* of liquid myrrh, half that amount (that is, 6 pounds*) of sweet smelling cinnamon, and 12 pounds of sweet smelling cane, 24and 12 pounds of cassia. Use the official measure* to measure all these things. Also get 1 gallon* of olive oil. 25“Mix all these things to make a special sweet-smelling anointing oil.* 26Pour this oil on the Meeting Tent* and on the Box of the Agreement.* This will show that these things have a special purpose. 27Pour the oil on the table and on all the dishes on the table. And pour this oil on the lamp and on all its tools. Pour the oil on the incense* altar. 28Also, pour the oil on the altar for burning offerings to God. Pour this oil on everything on that altar. Pour this oil on the bowl and on the base under the bowl. 29You will make all these things holy. They will be very special to the Lord. Anything that touches these things will also become holy. 30“Pour the oil on Aaron and his sons. This will show that they serve me in a special way. Then they can serve me as priests. 31Tell the people of Israel that the anointing oil* is holy—it must always be used only for me. 32No one should use this oil like an ordinary perfume. Don’t make perfume the same way you make this special oil. This oil is holy, and it should be very special to you. 33If anyone makes a perfume like this holy oil, and if he gives it to a foreigner, then that person must be separated from his people.”

The Incense

34Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get these sweet-smelling spices: resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense. Be sure that you have equal amounts of these spices. 35Mix the spices together to make a sweet-smelling incense.* Do this the same as a perfume maker would do it. Also mix salt with this incense. This will make it pure and special. 36Grind some of the incense until it becomes a fine powder. Put the powder in front of the Agreement* in the Meeting Tent.* This is the place where I meet with you. You must use this incense powder only for its very special purpose. 37You must use this incense only in this special way for the Lord. You will make this incense in a special way. Don’t make any other incense in this special way. 38A person might want to make some of this incense for himself, so he can enjoy the smell. But if he does this, then he must be separated from his people.”

incense Special dried tree sap. Burned to make a sweet smelling smoke, it was offered as a gift to God. 1 cubit 1’ 8 5/8” (52.5cm) 2 cubits 3’ 5 5/16” (105cm). Box of the Agreement Or, “ark of the Covenant.” The box containing the flat stones with the Ten Commandments written on them and other things that proved God was with the people of Israel during their time in the Sinai desert. cover Also called “mercy seat.” The Hebrew word can mean “lid,” “cover” or “the place where sins are forgiven.” Agreement Literally, “Proof.” The flat stones with the Ten Commandments written on them. These were proof of the Agreement between God and the people of Israel. altar A table or raised area used for offering sacrifices. sacrifice(s) A gift to God. Usually, it was a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. official measure Literally, “holy shekel,” the standard of measure used by the priests in the tabernacle or temple. gerah(s) 1/50 of an ounce. Meeting Tent The Holy Tent (tabernacle), where the people of Israel went to meet with God. bronze A metal. The Hebrew word can mean “copper,” “bronze,” or “brass.” 12 pounds Literally, “500 measures.” 6 pounds Literally, “250 measures.” 1 gallon Literally, “a hin.” anointing oil Olive oil that was poured on things or people to show that they were chosen for a special work or purpose.


Bezalel and Oholiab

31 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2“I have chosen a man from the family group of Judah to do some special work for me. His name is Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur. 3I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God—I have given him the skill and knowledge to do all kinds of things. 4Bezalel is a very good designer. And he can make things from gold, silver, and bronze. 5Bezalel can cut and set beautiful jewels. And he can work with wood. Bezalel can do all kinds of work. 6I have also chosen Oholiab to work with him. Oholiab is the son of Ahisamach from the family group of Dan. And I have given skills to all the other workers so they can make all the things that I have commanded you: 7the Meeting Tent,* the Box of the Agreement,* the cover* for the Box, 8the table and everything on it, the altar* for burning incense,* 9the altar for burning offerings and the things used at the altar, the bowl and the base under it, 10the special clothes for Aaron the priest, the special clothes for Aaron’s sons when they serve as priests, 11the sweet-smelling anointing oil,* the sweet-smelling incense for the Holy Place.* These workers must make all these things the way that I have commanded you.”

The Sabbath

12Then the Lord said to Moses, 13“Tell the people of Israel this: ‘You must follow the rules about my special days of rest. You must do this because they will be a sign between you and me for all generations. This will show you that I, the Lord, have made you my special people. 14“‘Make the Sabbath* a special day. If a person treats the Sabbath like any other day, then that person must be killed. Any person who works on the Sabbath day must be cut off (separated) from his people. 15There are six other days in the week for working. But the seventh day is a very special day of rest. That is the special day to honor the Lord. Any person who works during the Sabbath must be killed. 16The people of Israel must remember the Sabbath and make it a special day. They must continue to do this forever. It is an agreement between them and me that will continue forever. 17The Sabbath will be a sign between me and the people of Israel forever. The Lord worked six days and made heaven and earth. And on the seventh day he rested and relaxed.’” 18So the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then the Lord gave him the two flat stones with the Agreement* on them. God used his finger and wrote on the stones.

Meeting Tent The Holy Tent (tabernacle), where the people of Israel went to meet with God. Box of the Agreement Or, “ark of the Covenant.” The box containing the flat stones with the Ten Commandments written on them and other things that proved God was with the people of Israel during their time in the Sinai desert. incense Special dried tree sap. Burned to make a sweet-smelling smoke, it was offered as a gift to God. Agreement Literally, “Proof.” The flat stones with the Ten Commandments written on them. These were proof of the Agreement between God and the people of Israel. cover Also called “mercy seat.” The Hebrew word can mean “lid,” “cover” or “the place where sins are forgiven.” altar A table or raised area used for offering sacrifices. Sabbath Saturday, a special day of rest and worship for Jews.

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