Exodus 30:33 kjv

Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

Exodus 30:33 nkjv

Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.' "

Exodus 30:33 niv

Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.'?"

Exodus 30:33 esv

Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.'"

Exodus 30:33 nlt

Anyone who makes a blend like it or anoints someone other than a priest will be cut off from the community.'"

Exodus 30 verses

Exodus 30 33 Meaning

This verse decrees a severe consequence for two specific actions related to the holy anointing oil: creating an exact replica of its divine formula or applying any of the authentic oil to an unauthorized person. Both actions were deemed profound acts of desecration, warranting the individual's "cutting off from his people," emphasizing the oil's sacred, set-apart nature exclusively for God's chosen service and demonstrating God's unwavering demand for holy distinction.

Exodus 30 33 Context

Exodus 30 specifies further instructions for the Tabernacle's furnishings and sacred rites. Following the detailed commands for the altar of incense (vv. 1-10), the atonement money (vv. 11-16), and the bronze laver (vv. 17-21), God outlines the precise recipe and usage of the holy anointing oil (vv. 22-33) and the sacred incense (vv. 34-38). The anointing oil was to consecrate the Tabernacle and all its articles—including the Ark, table, lampstand, altars, and laver—as well as Aaron and his sons, setting them apart for divine service (vv. 26-30). This context establishes the oil's paramount holiness and its unique role in sanctifying elements crucial for approaching and worshiping a holy God. Exodus 30:33, therefore, serves as a solemn warning guarding against profanation, asserting that any imitation of its composition or unauthorized application was an offense against divine order and an act of irreverence towards God's distinctive holiness.

Exodus 30 33 Word analysis

• Whoever compounds: The Hebrew term for "compounds" is derived from the root basam (בּשׂם), which relates to spices or fragrance, indicating the specific, intricate process of preparing the aromatic oil. It refers to someone deliberately trying to manufacture or imitate the exact formula, thereby usurping God's exclusive prerogative in defining what is sacred and diminishing the unique nature of divine revelation.
• any like it: The Hebrew phrase ka-mohu (כָמֹהוּ) means "according to its likeness" or "its specific form/manner." This signifies not just any similar oil but one made precisely to the specifications of the holy oil, emphasizing the unallowable imitation of God's divinely given pattern for the sacred. It reinforces that its uniqueness was a divine mandate, not a mere preference.
• or puts any of it: This refers to the act of applying or using the actual consecrated oil. It's not about imitation here, but about the misuse of an already sacred object. It covers distribution or anointing for purposes not designated by God.
• on an outsider: The Hebrew word zar (זָר) translates as "stranger," "unauthorized person," or "profane one." This term specifically refers to anyone not designated or consecrated by God for priestly service or those elements of the Tabernacle specifically hallowed by God. Its application to a zar blurred the crucial distinction between the holy and the common, treating the sacred as common.
• shall be cut off: The Hebrew wə-niḵ-rə-ṯāh (וְנִכְרְתָה) comes from the root karath (כרת), meaning "to cut," "sever," or "destroy." This is a severe covenantal penalty. Depending on the specific transgression and context within the Torah, it could signify:
  • Excommunication: Exclusion from the Israelite community, leading to social ostracization and loss of covenantal protections and benefits.
  • Divine Judgment/Death: Direct divine intervention resulting in the offender's premature death.
  • Loss of Covenant Membership: A permanent spiritual and relational separation from God's chosen people, signifying a forfeiture of one's place within the covenant. It underscores the ultimate gravity of offending divine holiness.
• from his people: The phrase mē-ʿam-māw (מֵעַמָּיו) signifies expulsion or severance from the community of Israel. This penalty underscores that defiling God's holy things was not merely a personal transgression but an offense against the entire covenant community, endangering their collective holiness and relationship with God. It meant losing one's heritage, identity, and protective embrace within the covenant family.

Words-group analysis:

• Whoever compounds any like it: This group of words addresses the intellectual and creative aspect of disobedience. It warns against human attempts to replicate divine sacredness through human ingenuity or design. God's design is unique, sovereignly appointed, and not subject to human imitation, signifying that true holiness is of divine origin and cannot be manufactured by human means. This protects against reducing God's holiness to a mere formula or a craftable object.
• or puts any of it on an outsider: This phrase highlights the practical act of profanation through improper application. It emphasizes the absolute boundary between the sacred and the common. The consecrated oil was to set apart objects and people for God's service. Applying it to one not chosen by God for this specific purpose violated this boundary, effectively treating what God had consecrated as ordinary or available for common, unsanctified use. It stresses the sanctity of divine election and separation.
• shall be cut off from his people: This phrase reveals the profound consequence of violating God's holiness. It is the ultimate form of discipline within the covenant, signifying a complete separation from the source of life, blessing, and communal identity. It highlights God's zero tolerance for profanation concerning His sacred provisions, demonstrating the crucial importance of respecting the distinctiveness of His presence and commands. It secures the purity and identity of the covenant community by removing elements that defile it.

Exodus 30 33 Bonus section

The severity of the "cut off" penalty for misusing or imitating the holy anointing oil speaks volumes about the Israelite worldview regarding God's direct interaction. Unlike pagan cults where sacred practices or objects might be shared or replicated by neighboring communities, Yahweh emphatically differentiated His worship from all others. This law served as a potent polemic against syncretism, preventing Israel from blending God's sacred rituals with the common or even idolatrous practices of surrounding nations. The prohibition also underscores that true holiness emanates from God alone and cannot be conjured or manufactured by human hands or formulas. It cultivated an understanding among the Israelites that divine authorization was paramount for anything connected to the worship of God, setting a clear standard of obedience over human ingenuity or innovation in matters of faith. This instruction further ensured that the Tabernacle, priesthood, and their functions were viewed as unique conduits of divine interaction, preventing them from being trivialized or commodified within the society.

Exodus 30 33 Commentary

Exodus 30:33 emphatically reiterates the principle of divine exclusivity concerning sacred things under the Old Covenant. The precise composition of the anointing oil, and its sacred application, were direct revelations from God, thus making it absolutely unique and beyond human replication or unauthorized use. This was not a command about chemical properties, but a profound theological statement: God defines what is holy, sets its boundaries, and ordains its specific use. To mimic its formula was to claim co-authorship in defining sacredness, presumptuously attempting to replicate God's divine act of sanctification. To apply it to an "outsider" was to profane what God had specifically set apart, collapsing the essential distinction between the holy and the common, thereby insulting God's inherent holiness and His right to choose. The severe penalty of being "cut off" underscores God's unwavering commitment to His holy character and the absolute necessity for His people to uphold His distinct standards. This principle transcends the Old Covenant ritual, foreshadowing New Covenant truths where the anointing of the Holy Spirit is exclusively God's prerogative (1 Jn 2:20, 27) and a defiling of God's temple (believers as His Spirit's dwelling) carries equally severe spiritual implications (1 Cor 3:17). The verse calls all generations to reverent respect for God's holiness and His specific commands.