Exodus 30:7
in Exodus 30And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of sweet spices: every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it.
KJV
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
⋯
This verse in Exodus 30
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWhen 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:
This site's exposition
put it before the vail
on Exodus 30:6-8
The altar stands outside the vail and its smoke goes over it, so the incense reaches where the priest may not. Burning it is tied to the lamps rather than given an hour of its own, once when the lamps are dressed and once when they are lit, which makes the light and the incense one daily duty. Luke 1:9-10 has Zacharias at this altar while the whole multitude prayed outside at the hour of incense, and Revelation 5:8 calls the odours the prayers of saints.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
In the third book there is also a discussion of how the high priest begot sons, since he had the obligation to enter the Holy of Holies twice a day where the altar of incense was, to offer incense morning and evening. Into [this], as the law states, he could not enter while unclean, and the law says that a man is even made unclean as a result of conjugal coition, and indeed it orders him to be washed with water, but it states also that he, although washed, "is unclean until evening." Hence I said, "It follows logically that he either be continent or that, on some days, the offering of incense be interrupted." I did not realize that this is not a logical consequence. For what is written, "he will be unclean until evening," can be understood to mean that he was no longer unclean during the evening itself but up to the evening, so that, cleansed, he could offer incense during the evening even though, after morning offering of incense, he had had conjugal relations with his wife for the procreation of children.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this altar every morning and every evening, which was intended not only to take away the ill smell of the flesh that was burnt daily on the brazen altar, but for the honour of God, and to shew the, acceptableness of his people's services to him.
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
CERTAIN ceremonies under the Law were only of annual celebration, while other matters were of daily observation. And by the daily repetition they were intended to be set forth as eminently constant and perpetual. These daily ordinances were to be regarded by the children of Israel as of standing obligation, abiding types of constant necessity, never to be removed so long as the dispensation should last.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
CERTAIN ceremonies under the Law were only of annual celebration, while other matters were of daily observation. And by the daily repetition they were intended to be set forth as eminently constant and perpetual. These daily ordinances were to be regarded by the children of Israel as of standing obligation, abiding types of constant necessity, never to be removed so long as the dispensation should last. When the priest went into the tabernacle, he could not enter it without being warned of sin and of sacrifice, for at the entrance of the holy place stood an altar of brass upon which there was offered, every morning, a lamb and every evening a lamb. This taught that access to God was not possible except by expiation—expiation by bloody sacrifice, expiation by the death of a substituted victim—expiation which must continue as long as sin remained. You could not even enter into the first court without the sight of an altar, blood and fire—thus showing us that there is no coming to God, even on the ordinary level of Christian experience, apart from the Atonement made by our Lord Jesus, who is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." You cannot be heard in penitent prayer, or receive pardon, or commence the life of faith, or be even a babe in Grace unless you know the great Truth of God, that the Lord "has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Without the shedding of blood, remission of sin and access to God are out of the question! Paul ascribes our drawing near unto the Lord to our Savior's perfect Sacrifice, for he says, "You who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ." Before the innermost sanctuary there hung a substantial veil and the entrance into the Holy of Holies was only permitted once in the year.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהִקְטִ֥יר | vehiktir | and he will make smoke | H6999 → | 116 times |
| עָלָ֛יו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַהֲרֹ֖ן | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| קְטֹ֣רֶת | ketoret | incense of | H7004 → | 60 times |
| סַמִּ֑ים | samim | perfume<s> | H5561 → | 16 times |
| בַּבֹּ֣קֶר | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| בַּבֹּ֗קֶר | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| בְּהֵיטִיב֛וֹ | beheitivo | when makes good he | H3190 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַנֵּרֹ֖ת | hanerot | the lamps | H5216 → | 49 times |
| יַקְטִירֶֽנָּה׃ | yaktirenah | he will make smoke it | H6999 → | 116 times |
וְהִקְטִ֥ירand he will make smoke
vehiktirH6999 →116 times
עָלָ֛יוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
אַהֲרֹ֖ןAaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
קְטֹ֣רֶתincense of
ketoretH7004 →60 times
סַמִּ֑יםperfume<s>
samimH5561 →16 times
בַּבֹּ֣קֶרin the morning
babokerH1242 →214 times
בַּבֹּ֗קֶרin the morning
babokerH1242 →214 times
בְּהֵיטִיב֛וֹwhen makes good he
beheitivoH3190 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַנֵּרֹ֖תthe lamps
hanerotH5216 →49 times
יַקְטִירֶֽנָּה׃he will make smoke it
yaktirenahH6999 →116 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 6:4and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
it leads to
- Acts 1:14
With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
- 1 Timothy 4:13–16
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
- Philippians 1:9–11
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
- Acts 1:14
Through
Luke 1:9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 2:28
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 29:11
Now, my sons, do not be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, to minister before Him, and to burn incense.”
- Exodus 30:7–8
And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.
- 1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce…
- 1 Samuel 2:28
Through
1 Samuel 2:28And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I…
it leads to
- Exodus 28:1
“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.
- Exodus 28:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services; Augustine of Hippo, RECONSIDERATIONS 81.2; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1710: “Incense and Light” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.