Incense

How Nave’s arranged it

• Formula for compoundingExodus 30:34Exodus 30:35
• Uses ofExodus 30:36–38Leviticus 16:12Numbers 16:17Numbers 16:40Numbers 16:46Deuteronomy 33:10
• Compounded by BezaleelExodus 37:29
• By priests1 Chronicles 9:30
• Offered morning and eveningExodus 30:7Exodus 30:82 Chronicles 13:11
• On the golden altarExodus 30:1–7Exodus 40:5Exodus 40:272 Chronicles 2:42 Chronicles 32:12
• In making atonementLeviticus 16:12Leviticus 16:13Numbers 16:46Numbers 16:47Luke 1:10
• Offered by Nadab and Abihu in an unauthorized mannerLeviticus 10:1Leviticus 10:2
• Korah, Dathan, and AbiramNumbers 16:16–35
• By Uzziah2 Chronicles 26:16–21
• Offered in idolatrous worship1 Kings 12:23Jeremiah 41:5Ezekiel 8:11
• Presented by the wise men to JesusMatthew 2:11

The passages, in Bible order (35)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Exodus 30:1–7

   “You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:1–72 voices

   “And David applies this type specially to prayer, when he says: "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense." (Psalm 131:2.) Therefore, as the other altar of which we have been hearing, was devoted to the victims for the purpose of propitiating God, so also this altar perfumed the sacrifices with the odor of its incense, that they might be acceptable to God.

   “Exo 37:25-28; Exo 40:26-27. The altar of incense was to be a casing of boards of shittim wood Exo 25:5, Exo 25:18 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 Exo 27:2. A crown or moulding 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.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:1–7→

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2. Exodus 30:7

   And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:72 voices

   “When he dresseth the lamps - Prepares the wicks, and puts in fresh oil for the evening. Shall burn incense upon it - Where so many sacrifices were offered it was essentially necessary to have some pleasing perfume to counteract the disagreeable smells that must have arisen from the slaughter of so many animals, the sprinkling of so much blood, and the burning of so much flesh, etc. The perfume that was to be burnt on this altar is described Exo 30:

   “As by the offerings on the brazen altar satisfaction was made for what had been done displeasing to God, so, by the offering on this, what they did well was, as it were, recommended to the divine acceptance; for our two great concerns with God are to be acquitted from guilt and accepted as righteous in his sight.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:7→

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3. Exodus 30:8

   When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:82 voices

   “The devotions of sanctified souls are well-pleasing to God, of a sweet-smelling savour; the prayers of saints are compared to sweet odours ( Rev. v. 8 ), but it is the incense which Christ adds to them that makes them acceptable ( Rev. viii. 3 ), and his blood that atones for the guilt which cleaves to our best services.

   “But "Aaron" is frequently used for the whole priestly order, and in later times, any of the priests might have officiated at this altar in rotation (Lu 1:9).

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:8→

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4. Exodus 30:34

   The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures,

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:342 voices

   “This incense was placed within the sanctuary, to be at hand when the priest required to burn on the altar. The art of compounding unguents and perfumes was well known in Egypt, where sweet-scented spices were extensively used not only in common life, but in the ritual of the temples.

   “Take unto thee sweet spices - The holy perfume was compounded of the following ingredients: Stacte - נטף nataph, supposed to be the same with what was afterwards called the balm of Jericho. Stacte is the gum which spontaneously flows from the tree which produces myrrh. See Clarke’s note on Exo 30:23. Onycha - שחלת shecheleth, allowed by the best critics to be the unguis odoriferans described by Rumph, which is the external crust of the shell-fish purpura or murex, and is the basis of the principal perfumes made in the East Indies.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:34→

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5. Exodus 30:35

   and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:351 voice

   “This incense was placed within the sanctuary, to be at hand when the priest required to burn on the altar. The art of compounding unguents and perfumes was well known in Egypt, where sweet-scented spices were extensively used not only in common life, but in the ritual of the temples.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:35→

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6. Exodus 30:36–38

   Grind some of it into fine powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:36–381 voice

   “This incense was placed within the sanctuary, to be at hand when the priest required to burn on the altar. The art of compounding unguents and perfumes was well known in Egypt, where sweet-scented spices were extensively used not only in common life, but in the ritual of the temples.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:36–38→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Exodus 37:29

   He also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Exodus 40:5

   Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Exodus 40:27

   and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him.

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Leviticus 10:1

    Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

    ›Commentary on Leviticus 10:12 voices

    “Nadab and Abihu - The two elder sons of Aaron Exo 6:23; Num 3:2, who were among those invited to accompany Moses when he was going up Mount Sinai, but who were “to worship afar off,” and not “come near the Lord.” Exo 24:1-2. Censer - See Exo 25:38 note. Strange fire - The point of their offence is evidently expressed in this term. This may very probably mean that the incense was lighted at an unauthorized time.

    “Now as this was forbidden implicitly; chap. vi, 12, especially when God himself made a comment upon that text, and by sending fire from heaven declared of what fire he there spake; so it is more than probable it was forbidden expressly, though that be not here mentioned, nor was it necessary it should be.

    Everything gathered on Leviticus 10:1→

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11. Leviticus 10:2

    So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.

    ›Commentary on Leviticus 10:22 voices

    “From the Lord - From heaven, or rather from the sanctuary. Devoured them - Destroyed their lives; for their bodies and garments were not consumed. Thus the sword is said to devour, 2 Sam. ii, 26.

    “The expression, "from the Lord," indicates that this fire issued from the most holy place. In the destruction of these two young priests by the infliction of an awful judgment, the wisdom of God observed the same course, in repressing the first instance of contempt for sacred things, as he did at the commencement of the Christian dispensation (Ac 5:1-11).

    Everything gathered on Leviticus 10:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Leviticus 16:12

    Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil.

    ›Commentary on Leviticus 16:121 voice

    “It is important, in reference to the meaning of the day of atonement, to observe the order of the rites as they are described in these verses. Lev 16:12 A censer - See Exo 25:38 note. The altar before the Lord - i. e. the altar of burnt-offering on which the fire was always burning. Lev 16:14 The high priest must have come out from the most holy place to fetch the blood, leaving the censer smoking within, and then have entered again within the veil.

    Everything gathered on Leviticus 16:12→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Leviticus 16:13

    He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony, so that he will not die.

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Numbers 16:16–35

    And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Numbers 16:17

    Each man is to take his censer, place incense in it, and present it before the LORD—250 censers. You and Aaron are to present your censers as well.”

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Numbers 16:40

    just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

    Verse page →Original language →