The Altar for Burning Incense

²⁵ Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood. The altar was square. It was 18 inches long, 18 inches wide and 36 inches high. Each corner stuck out like a horn. Each corner was joined into one piece with the altar. ²⁶ He covered the top and all the sides and the corners with pure gold. Then he put gold trim around the altar. ²⁷ He made two gold rings and put them below the trim on opposite sides of the altar. These rings held the poles for carrying the altar. ²⁸ He made the poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold.

²⁹ Then he made the holy olive oil for appointing the priests. He also made the pure, sweet-smelling incense. He made them like a person who mixes perfumes.

The Altar for Burning Incense

30 “Make an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense. ² Make it square—18 inches long and 18 inches wide. It must be 36 inches high. Make the corners stick out like horns. These must be one piece with the altar. ³ Cover its top, its sides and its corners with pure gold. And put a gold strip all around the altar. ⁴ Make two gold rings beneath the gold strip on opposite sides of the altar. Slide poles through these gold rings to carry the altar. ⁵ Make the poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold. ⁶ Put the altar of incense in front of the curtain. This curtain is in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Put the altar in front of the lid that covers that Ark of the Covenant. There 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 take care of the oil lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again in the evening when he lights the lamps. So incense will burn before the Lord every day from now on. ⁹ Do not use this altar for offering any other incense or burnt offering. Do not use this altar to offer any kind of grain offering or drink offering. ¹⁰ Once a year Aaron must make the altar ready for service to God. He will do it by putting blood on its corners. This is blood of the animal offered to remove sins. He is to do this once a year from now on. This altar belongs completely to God’s service.”

Incense

³⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take these sweet-smelling spices: resin, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense. Be sure that you have equal amounts of each. ³⁵ You must make incense as a man who makes perfume would do. Add salt to it to keep it pure and holy. ³⁶ Beat some of the incense into a fine powder. Put some of it in front of the Ark of the Covenant in the Meeting Tent. There I will meet with you. You must use this incense powder only for its very special purpose. ³⁷ Do not make incense for yourselves the same way you make this incense. Treat it as holy to the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes incense like this to use as perfume must be separated from his people.”