Exodus 30:6 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.
Exodus 30:6 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.
Exodus 30:6 niv
Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law?before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law?where I will meet with you.
Exodus 30:6 esv
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.
Exodus 30:6 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.
Exodus 30 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Tabernacle Structure & Veil's Significance | ||
| Exod 26:33-34 | "You shall hang the veil... so that the veil may make a division between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. You shall put the ark of the testimony..." | Defines the veil's purpose and ark's position. |
| Lev 16:2 | "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil..." | Strict prohibition on entering behind the veil. |
| Matt 27:51 | "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom..." | New Testament fulfillment: access through Christ. |
| Heb 9:3 | "Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place..." | Identifies the location of the Most Holy Place. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus... through the curtain, that is, through his flesh," | Explains the new access through Christ's sacrifice. |
| The Altar of Incense: Purpose & Symbolism | ||
| Exod 30:1 | "You shall make an altar on which to burn incense..." | Initial command to construct the altar. |
| Exod 30:7-8 | "Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it every morning... and when Aaron lights the lamps..." | Daily ritual: burning incense morning and evening. |
| Ps 141:2 | "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you..." | Prayer equated with incense. |
| Rev 5:8 | "...golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." | Heavenly depiction of prayers as incense. |
| Rev 8:3-4 | "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints..." | Angelic ministry of prayers with incense. |
| Lev 16:12-13 | "...and he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord..." | Incense used on Day of Atonement rituals. |
| Num 16:46-47 | "Take your censer and put fire in it from the altar and put incense on it... to make atonement..." | Incense used as intercession against plague. |
| Ark of the Testimony, Mercy Seat & God's Presence | ||
| Exod 25:10-22 | "They shall make an ark of acacia wood... make a mercy seat..." | Instructions for the Ark and Mercy Seat. |
| Lev 16:14-15 | "...and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat..." | Atonement blood sprinkled on the mercy seat. |
| Rom 3:25 | "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood..." | Christ as the ultimate mercy seat (propitiation). |
| Heb 9:5 | "...above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat." | Description of the mercy seat's cherubim. |
| Ps 99:1 | "The LORD reigns... He dwells between the cherubim..." | God's throne above the cherubim on the mercy seat. |
| Num 7:89 | "Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat..." | God's direct communication from the mercy seat. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy..." | Application: confidence in approaching God's mercy. |
| Divine Command & Heavenly Pattern | ||
| Exod 25:9 | "According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture..." | Emphasizes adherence to God's exact pattern. |
| Exod 40:33 | "...and erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work." | Completion confirming obedience to commands. |
| Heb 8:5 | "They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things..." | Earthly Tabernacle reflecting a heavenly reality. |
Exodus 30 verses
Exodus 30 6 Meaning
Exodus 30:6 specifies the precise location for the altar of incense within the Tabernacle: it was to be placed in the Holy Place directly in front of the veil. This veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Testimony and its mercy seat resided. This careful positioning signified that the ascending smoke of incense, representing prayer and worship, was directed towards the immediate presence of God, who dwelt above the mercy seat, underscoring the vital connection between worship, God's covenant presence, and atonement.
Exodus 30 6 Context
Exodus Chapter 30 elaborates on the detailed divine blueprint for the Tabernacle's sacred furnishings and their corresponding rituals. Following the commands for constructing the Ark and the general Tabernacle structure, this verse provides the specific, divinely ordained placement for the Golden Altar of Incense, a key piece of furniture in the Holy Place. This chapter also details the anointing oil, incense formula, and the half-shekel temple tax. The context underscores God's meticulous instructions for creating a sacred space where He would dwell among His people, emphasizing holiness, order, and the prescribed means for His presence to be manifested and approached by Israel. The altar's precise orientation signifies its purpose in connecting human worship to the Most Holy Place.
Exodus 30 6 Word analysis
- "And thou shalt put it": (Hebrew: v'samta oto וְשַׂמְתָּ אֹתוֹ) This command is addressed to Moses, reflecting God's direct and authoritative instruction. "It" refers to the Altar of Incense (Exod 30:1), highlighting that its placement is not arbitrary but divinely mandated, signifying a precise arrangement for sacred functions.
- "before": (Hebrew: lifnei לִפְנֵי) Literally means "in the face of" or "in front of." It signifies direct alignment and proximity, even with the veil acting as a barrier, suggesting a spiritual orientation towards the Most Holy Place.
- "the vail": (Hebrew: haparokhet הַפָּרֹכֶת) This specific, elaborately woven curtain (Exod 26:31) served as the crucial barrier between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, symbolizing God's profound holiness and man's restricted access due to sin.
- "that is by": Denotes close physical adjacency to the veil, emphasizing the altar's position at the threshold of the most sacred divine presence.
- "the ark of the testimony": (Hebrew: aron ha'edut אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת) The Ark of the Covenant, named "Testimony" because it contained the tablets of God's Law, representing His covenantal decrees and direct revelation. It was the central artifact in the Most Holy Place, symbolizing God's covenant faithfulness and throne among His people.
- "before": (Hebrew: lifnei לִפְנֵי) The repeated use emphasizes the precise orientation of the altar. It’s positioned so that the incense rises directly towards the Ark and mercy seat, functionally pointing prayer towards God's manifest presence.
- "the mercy seat": (Hebrew: hakapporeth הַכַּפֹּרֶת) This was the solid gold lid on top of the Ark, with two cherubim guarding it. It was the place of atonement, where the blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Its name derives from kaphar, meaning "to cover" or "to make propitiation." It represented God's throne of grace where He met with Moses.
- "that is over the testimony": "The testimony" here refers specifically to the two tablets of the Law housed inside the Ark. The mercy seat resting directly "over" the Law symbolizes God's gracious provision of atonement and mercy as covering or prevailing over the demands of His holy Law, making fellowship with a holy God possible.
Exodus 30 6 Bonus section
- While physically located in the Holy Place, the Altar of Incense (the Golden Altar) is intrinsically linked to the Most Holy Place, not just spatially, but also functionally. It represents a spiritual extension towards the divine presence, making the Holy Place the true "antechamber" of God's direct abode.
- The ritualistic "fragrance" of the incense served not only as an act of worship but also had a conceptual purification effect, symbolically cleansing the air as prayers ascended to a holy God.
- The progression of the Tabernacle's furniture from the outer courtyard to the Holy Place and then the Most Holy Place illustrates the journey of spiritual approach: sacrifice (bronze altar) leads to fellowship, light, and prayer (table of showbread, lampstand, incense altar), which culminates in access to God's presence through atonement (Ark/Mercy Seat).
- The highly specific divine instructions for Tabernacle construction, down to the exact placement of each article, demonstrate God's demand for order, purity, and absolute adherence to His prescribed ways for worship and relationship, rejecting any human improvisations.
Exodus 30 6 Commentary
Exodus 30:6 delineates the critical placement of the Altar of Incense, anchoring it at the most privileged location within the Holy Place – directly oriented towards the Ark of the Testimony and the Mercy Seat. This precision underscores that the purpose of the incense (representing prayer and worship) is not merely general devotion but a direct appeal to God's immediate presence. It teaches that access to God, symbolized by the veil, is inextricably linked to His covenant faithfulness (Ark of the Testimony) and, fundamentally, to the atonement He provides (Mercy Seat). This setup foreshadows Christ as our ultimate access point and Propitiation, through whom our prayers ascend acceptably to the Father, transcending the former barrier of the veil.