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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV 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.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV 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.
- NLT 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The incense altar was placed before the veil, near the ark and mercy seat where God met His people. Prayer and worship were directed toward God's atoning presence.
Overview
Positioned just outside the veil, the incense altar stood as close as possible to the ark and the mercy seat. This placement linked the ascending incense to the place of atonement and God's meeting with Israel. It foreshadows Christ, whose intercession rises before the true mercy seat, having opened the way through the veil by His flesh (Hebrews 10:19-20).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Exod 25:21–22You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you.
- Heb 9:3–5After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,
- Heb 4:16Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.
- Exod 40:26He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil;
- Exod 29:42–43It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you.
- Exod 40:3You shall put the ark of the testimony in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
- Exod 26:31–35“You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman shall it be made.
- Exod 40:5You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
- Lev 16:13and he shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the testimony, so that he will not die.
- Num 17:4You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.
- Matt 27:51Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
- 1 Chr 28:11Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, for its houses, for its treasuries, for its upper rooms, for its inner rooms, for the place of the mercy seat;
- Exod 30:36and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 30:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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