Exodus 30:6

Complete Jewish Bible

"Place it in front of the curtain by the ark for the testimony, in front of the ark-cover that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

King James Version
And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Lexham English Bible
And you will put it before the curtain that is upon the ark of the testimony, before the atonement cover, which is on the testimony, there where I will meet with you.

New Century Version
Put the altar of incense in front of the curtain that is near the Ark of the Agreement, in front of the lid that covers that Ark. There I will meet with you.

New English Translation
"You are to put it in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the testimony (before the atonement lid that is over the testimony), where I will meet you.

Amplified Bible
"You shall put the altar of incense [in the Holy Place] in front and outside of the veil that screens the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

New American Standard Bible
"You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the atoning cover that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
After thou shalt set it before the vaile, that is neere the Arke of Testimonie, before the Merciseate that is vpon the Testimonie, where I will appoynt with thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Contemporary English Version
Put the altar in front of the inside curtain of the sacred tent. The chest with the place of mercy is kept behind that curtain, and I will talk with you there.

Darby Translation
And thou shalt put it in front of the veil which is before the ark of the testimony in front of the mercy-seat which is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
Put the altar just outside the special curtain that hangs in front of the Box of the Agreement. So the altar will be in front of the mercy-cover that is above the Agreement. This is the place where I will meet with you.

English Standard Version
And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.

George Lamsa Translation
And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Good News Translation
Put this altar outside the curtain which hangs in front of the Covenant Box. That is the place where I will meet you.

Christian Standard Bible®
“You are to place the altar in front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony—in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony—where I will meet with you.

Literal Translation
And you shall put it in front of the veil which is beside the ark of the testimony; in front of the mercyseat which is over the testimony, there where I meet you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and shalt set it before the vayle, that hangeth before the Arke of wytnesse, and before the Mercyseate yt is vpon the wytnesse, from whence I wyl proteste vnto the.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Bible in Basic English
And let it be placed in front of the veil before the ark of the law, before the cover which is over the law, where I will come face to face with you.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thou shalt put it before the vayle that is by the arke of testimonie before the mercie seate, that is, vpon the testimonie where I wyll meete with thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the ark-cover that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

King James Version (1611)
And thou shalt put it before the Uaile, that is by the Arke of the Testimonie before the Mercie-seat, that is, ouer the Testimonie where I will meet with thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt set it before the veil that is over the ark of the testimonies, wherein I will make myself known to thee from thence.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Berean Standard Bible
Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the Ark of the Testimony-before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony-where I will meet with you.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and thou schalt sette the auter ayens the veil, which veil hangith bifor the ark of witnessyng bifor the propiciatorie, bi which the witnessyng is hilid, where Y schal speke to thee.

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast put it before the vail, which [is] by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat which [is] over the testimony, whither I am met with thee.

Update Bible Version
And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony where I will meet with you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt put it before the vail that [is] by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that [is] over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

World English Bible
You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

New King James Version
And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

New Living Translation
Place the incense altar just outside the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant, in front of the Ark's cover—the place of atonement—that covers the tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. I will meet with you there.

New Life Bible
Put this altar in front of the curtain that is by the box of the Law, in front of the mercy-seat that is over the box of the Law. There I will meet with you.

New Revised Standard
You shall place it in front of the curtain that is above the ark of the covenant, in front of the mercy seat that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And thou shalt place it before the veil, which is by the ark of the testimony, - before the propitiatory which is upon the testimony, where I will meet thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt set the altar over against the veil, that hangeth before the ark of the testimony before the propitiatory wherewith the testimony is covered, where I will speak to thee.

Revised Standard Version
And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.

THE MESSAGE
"Place the Altar in front of the curtain that hides the Chest of The Testimony, in front of the Atonement-Cover that is over The Testimony where I will meet you. Aaron will burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he polishes the lamps, and again in the evening as he prepares the lamps for lighting, so that there will always be incense burning before God , generation after generation. But don't burn on this Altar any unholy incense or Whole-Burnt-Offering or Grain-Offering. And don't pour out Drink-Offerings on it. Once a year Aaron is to purify the Altar horns. Using the blood of the Absolution-Offering of atonement, he is to make this atonement every year down through the generations. It is most holy to God ."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Contextual Overview

¹ (vii) "You are to make an altar on which to burn incense; make it of acacia-wood. ² It is to be eighteen inches square and three feet high; its horns are to be of one piece with it. ³ Overlay it with pure gold — its top, all around its sides, and its horns; and put around it a molding of gold. ⁴ Make two gold rings for it under its molding at the two corners on both sides; this is where the carrying-poles will go. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold. ⁶ "Place it in front of the curtain by the ark for the testimony, in front of the ark-cover that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. ⁷ Aharon will burn fragrant incense on it as a pleasing aroma every morning; he is to burn it when he prepares the lamps. ⁸ (Maftir) Aharon is also to burn it when he lights the lamps at dusk; this is the regular burning of incense before Adonai through all your generations. ⁹ You are not to offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering or a grain offering; and you are not to pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Aharon is to make atonement on its horns once a year — with the blood of the sin offering of atonement he is to make atonement for it once a year through all your generations; it is especially holy to Adonai ." Haftarah Tetzaveh: Yechezk'el (Ezekiel) 43:10–27 B'rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Tetzaveh: Philippians 4:10–20 Adonai said to Moshe, "When you take a census of the people of Isra'el and register them, each, upon registration, is to pay a ransom for his life to Adonai , to avoid any breakout of plague among them during the time of the census. Everyone subject to the census is to pay as an offering to Adonai half a shekel [one-fifth of an ounce of silver]— by the standard of the sanctuary shekel (a shekel equals twenty gerahs). Everyone over twenty years of age who is subject to the census is to give this offering to Adonai — the rich is not to give more or the poor less than the half-shekel when giving Adonai 's offering to atone for your lives. You are to take the atonement money from the people of Isra'el and use it for the service in the tent of meeting, so that it will be a reminder of the people of Isra'el before Adonai to atone for your lives." Adonai said to Moshe, "You are to make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aharon and his sons will wash their hands and feet there when they enter the tent of meeting — they are to wash with water, so that they won't die. Also when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for Adonai , they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they won't die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations." Adonai said to Moshe, "Take the best spices — 500 shekels of myrrh [12 1/2 pounds], half this amount (250 shekels) of aromatic cinnamon [6 1/4 pounds], 250 shekels of aromatic cane, 500 shekels of cassia (use the sanctuary standard), and one gallon of olive oil — and make them into a holy anointing oil; blend it and perfume it as would an expert perfume-maker; it will be a holy anointing oil. Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark for the testimony, the table and all its utensils, the menorah and all its utensils, the incense altar, the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, and the basin with its base. You are to consecrate them — they will be especially holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons — you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen. "Tell the people of Isra'el, ‘This is to be a holy anointing oil for me through all your generations. It is not to be used for anointing a person's body; and you are not to make any like it, with the same composition of ingredients — it is holy, and you are to treat it as holy. Whoever makes any like it or uses it on any unauthorized person is to be cut off from his people.'" Adonai said to Moshe, "Take aromatic plant substances — balsam resin, sweet onycha root and bitter galbanum gum — these spices along with frankincense, all in equal quantities; and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy. You are to grind up some of it very finely and put it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; you are to regard it as especially holy. You are not to make for your own use any incense like it, with the same composition of ingredients — you are to treat it as holy, for Adonai . Whoever makes up any like it to use as perfume is to be cut off from his people."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

veil: Exodus 26:31-35, Exodus 40:3, Exodus 40:5, Exodus 40:26, Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 9:3, Hebrews 9:4

before the mercy seat that is over the testimony: The words לפני הכפרת אשר על העדת, liphney haccapporeth asher al haaiduth, "before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony," are thought to be a repetition of the preceding clause, לפני הפרכת אשר על ארן הערת, liphney happarocheth asher al aron haaiduth, "before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony; the word הפרכת , [Strong's H6532], happarocheth, "the vail," being corrupted, by transposing the letters into הכפרת , [Strong's H3727], hacapporeth, "the mercy-seat," and the word ארן, [Strong's H727], aron, "ark," omitted. This repetition, as Dr. Kennicott observes, places the altar of incense before the mercy-seat, and consequently in the Holy of Holies! Now this could not be, as the altar of incense was attended every day, and the Holy of Holies entered only once in the year. The five words which appear to be a repetition are wanting in twenty-six of Kennicott's and Rossi's manuscripts and in the Samaritan Text. Exodus 25:21, Exodus 25:22, Leviticus 16:13, 1 Chronicles 28:11, Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 9:5

I will: Exodus 30:36, Exodus 29:42, Exodus 29:43, Numbers 17:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 3:18 - met Exodus 16:34 - General Exodus 25:16 - General Exodus 36:35 - veil of blue Leviticus 21:23 - go in 1 Kings 6:22 - also 1 Chronicles 23:13 - to burn incense Isaiah 64:5 - meetest

Cross-References

Genesis 30:14
(iv) During the wheat harvest season Re'uven went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Le'ah. Rachel said to Le'ah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes [so that I can be fertile]."

Genesis 30:16
When Ya‘akov came in from the field in the evening, Le'ah went out to meet him and said, "You have to come and sleep with me, because I've hired you with my son's mandrakes." So Ya‘akov slept with her that night.

Genesis 30:17
God listened to Le'ah, and she conceived and bore Ya‘akov a fifth son.

Genesis 30:20
Le'ah said, "God has given me a wonderful gift. Now at last my husband will live with me, since I have borne him six sons." And she called him Z'vulun [living together].

Genesis 30:32
I will also go through the flock and pick out every speckled, spotted or brown sheep, and every speckled or spotted goat; these and their offspring will be my wages.

Genesis 30:35
That day Lavan removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted and all the female goats that were speckled or spotted, every one with white on it, and all the brown sheep; turned them over to his sons;

Genesis 35:25
The sons of Bilhah Rachel's slave-girl were Dan and Naftali.

Genesis 46:23
The sons of Dan: Hushim.

Deuteronomy 33:22
(v) Of Dan he said: "Dan is a lion cub leaping forth from Bashan."

Psalms 35:24
Give judgment for me, Adonai , my God, as your righteousness demands. Don't let them gloat over me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou shalt put it before the vail,.... That divides between the holy and the most holy place; not within the vail in the holy of holies, but before it at the holy place, for there the altar of incense stood: Josephus o says, between the candlestick and the table, i.e. of shewbread, stood the altar of incense; now the candlestick and shewbread were in the holy place; and with this account the Talmudists p agree, who say, that the table was in the north, distant from the wall two cubits and a half, and the candlestick on the south, distant from the wall two cubits and a half, and the altar was in the middle, and stood between them: and Maimonides q gives the like account of its situation, which is here further described:

that is by the ark of the testimony; which vail was by it, before which the altar was placed; the ark of the testimony was the chest or coffer in which the law was put, and which was the testimony of the will of God, from whence it had this name; and it stood in the most holy place; and not by it in the same place, but over against it, in the holy place stood the altar of incense:

before the mercy seat, that is over the testimony; the mercy seat that was over the ark, a lid or cover to it, where the testimony was; and towards this, before the face of it, was the altar of incense, where the priest officiating, looked directly towards it; having that in view for the acceptance of the people's prayers to God through Christ, which they were making while he was burning the incense:

where I will meet thee; as he had before promised, Exodus 25:22.

o Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 8. p T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 33. 2. q Hilchot Beth. Habechirah, c. 1. sect. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Exodus 37:25-28; Exodus 40:26-27. The altar of incense was to be a casing of boards of shittim wood Exodus 25:5, Exodus 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 Exodus 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.

Exodus 30:4

By the two corners thereof - Not corners. See the margin. The sense appears to be: And two gold rings shalt thou make for it under its moulding; on its two sides shalt thou make them (i. e. one ring on each side).

Exodus 30:6

The place for the altar of incense was outside the veil, opposite to the ark of the covenant and between the candlestick on the south side and the showbread table on the north Exodus 40:22-24. It appears to have been regarded as having a more intimate connection with the holy of holies than the other things in the holy place; and the mention of the mercy-seat in this verse, if we associate with it the significance of incense as figuring the prayers of the Lord’s people Psalms 141:2; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4, seems to furnish additional pound for an inference that the incense altar took precedence of the table of showbread and the candlestick.

Exodus 30:7

The lamps - See Exodus 25:37.

Exodus 30:7-8

The offering of the incense accompanied that of the morning and evening sacrifice. The two forms of offering symbolized the spirit of man reaching after communion with Yahweh, both in act and utterance. See Psalms 141:2.

Exodus 30:9

By this regulation, the symbolism of the altar of incense was kept free from ambiguity. atonement was made by means of the victim on the brazen altar in the court ontside; the prayers of the reconciled worshippers had their type within the tabernacle.

Exodus 30:10

See the marginal references.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 30:6. Before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony — These words in the original are supposed to be a repetition, by mistake, of the preceding clause; the word הפרכת happarocheth, the veil, being corrupted by interchanging two letters into הכפרת haccapporeth, the mercy-seat; and this, as Dr. Kennicott observes, places the altar of incense before the mercy-seat, and consequently IN the holy of holies! Now this could not be, as the altar of incense was attended every day, and the holy of holies entered only once in the year. The five words which appear to be a repetition are wanting in twenty-six of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and in the Samaritan. The verse reads better without them, and is more consistent with the rest of the account.