Exodus 30:26

(26) Thou shalt anoint the tabernacle.—The tabernacle and its contents were to be first consecrated, then the priests. In the tabernacle itself, the consecration was to begin with the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies, then to proceed to the Holy place, where the table of shewbread with its “vessels,” the golden candlestick, and the altar of incense were to be anointed; and finally to pass the vail to the outer court, where the holy oil was to be sprinkled upon the brazen altar, and upon the laver, to sanctify them. (See Exo_30:26-29; and comp. Lev_8:10-11.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 30:26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,

Ver. 26. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle.] So to consecrate the same to God’s service, and to set forth how joyfully and gladly men should serve the Lord.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY

REV. WILLIAM ADAMSON

Anointing-Oil Symbolism! Exo_30:26-30.

(1.) All parts of the Mosaic worship were symbolic; and all those parts were symbolic of Christ. They all silently spoke of One beyond and behind, above and around them. Moreover, the most explicit directions were given for their anointing. The altars and the sacred furniture, as well as the priests and the high priest, were to be most carefully anointed. But the unction seems to have been most special in the case of the high priest. As, then, the various portions of the Tabernacle and its appurtenances were emblematic of Christ, this anointing must also have been figurative of something done to Christ.

(2.) One of the sweetest names of the Lord Jesus is “Christ”—the Anointed One. “With my holy oil, have I anointed Him.” The unction of the Holy One, our great High Priest received in (a) Intention, long before the head of Aaron had received the material unction; (b) Intimation, when the wise men of the East laid their gifts at His feet; (c) Interpretation, when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven upon Him, as He knelt in prayer on Jordan’s strand. He received not the Spirit by measure; for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

“Nor prayer is made by man alone;

The Holy Spirit pleads,

And Jesus, on the eternal throne,

For sinners intercedes.”

—Montgomery.

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY

REV. WILLIAM ADAMSON

Sacrificial Speech! Exo_30:1-38.

(1.) No student of the Bible needs to be reminded that by the complicated and long protracted series of events which preceded, accompanied, and followed the Exodus from Egypt, the essential doctrine of Gospel truth and grace are distinctly made known. By a stupendous array of symbolic acts and facts they are most emphatically confirmed and illustrated.

(2.) Thomson remarks that what is more pertinent, if possible, is that the record of them is so guided as to suggest and evolve the very best words, figures, and phrases by which these fundamental doctrines can be set forth. This is equally true of the words and ideas in this chapter of Exodus, as of the paschal lamb in Egypt, or the smiting of the rock in Horeb.

(3.) The symbolic acts and facts, it has been wisely asserted, in connection with the typical institutions, rites, and ceremonies of the Mosaic economy, were designed to permeate, and did permeate, the entire religious consciousness of the Hebrews. They thus gave birth to spiritual ideas and emotions wholly peculiar, and to corresponding formulas by which to give expression to them.

“I saw a Moslem work upon his shroud alone,

With earnest care, even as the silkworms weave their own,

When with that sacred Script it was filled from side to side,

He wrapt it round his body, and in calmness died.”

—Oriental.

Incense-Ingredients! Exo_30:34-38.

(1.) Composition! Exo_30:34-35. The ingredients are described with great precision; and were principally obtained in traffic from the Phœnicians. A few of them were products of native plants; but most of them came from Arabia, India, and spice islands of the Indian Archipelago. Great skill was required in the mixing of these ingredients. The art was a recognised profession among the Jews; and the rokechim, translated “apothecary” in our version, was simply a maker of perfumes.

(2.) Consecration! Exo_30:36-37. This mixture was to be pounded in very small particles, and deposited as a very holy thing in the Tabernacle, before the ark of the testimony. It has been said that this was to ensure a store of it being always in readiness. But this excludes the Divine idea of “holy consecration.” Hence, according to the Rabbins, one of the fifteen prefects was retained in Solomon’s temple for the special purpose of preparing it; and a part of the temple was reserved for his use as a laboratory, to indicate the purity of incense.

(3.) Conservation! Exo_30:38. So precious and holy was this incense considered, that it was forbidden to make a similar perfume for private use on pain of death.

“Nor will He to those lips attend

Whose prayers are not sincere.”

—Burton.

Incense and Unction! Exo_30:1-38. The Canticle of Solomon lies in the casket of Revelation—an exquisite gem—engraved with emblematic characters. It is a retrospective poem upon Christ in the Pentateuch; and it is a prospective poem upon Christ in the New Testament.

(1.) Son_3:6 : “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness” is Jesus Christ coming up from the wilderness of Judea—from the wilderness, whence the sweetest odours are gathered; for not amid rich and cultured fields, but amongst the rocks and sands of the desert, are the incense and unction herbs obtained.

(2.) He comes up “like pillars of smoke,” which cannot derive its significance from the Shekinah pillar-cloud, but from those fragrant clouds of incense wafted upwards on the eastern air—in type of the prayers of Jesus on His Baptism. As perfumes of fragrant oil anoint our High Priest; so pillars of perfumed vapours ascend from His heart.

(3.) He comes up “perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,” anointed with the Holy Spirit; for on Jesus our great High Priest the Spirit is shed immeasurably. In this “Vessel of Honour” the Spirit is poured, abiding in Himself in all fulness, and as an exhaustless fountain ever overflowing for His people.

“The Spirit, through the Saviour shed,

His sacred fire imparts,

Refines our dross, and love divine

Enkindles in our hearts.”

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

All things which appertain to the Tabernacle.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

And thou shall anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith,.... It cannot be thought the whole of it should be anointed all over, but only a part of it for the whole; and this was either typical of the human nature of Christ, the true tabernacle God pitched, and not man, and which was anointed with the Holy Ghost; or of the church and people of God, who are an holy tabernacle or temple of the Lord, and who receive the unction from the Holy One:

and the ark of the testimony; the chest where the law was, and stood in the most holy place of the tabernacle; and was a type of the Messiah, the anointed One, in whose heart the law was, and who is the fulfilling end of it for righteousness.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This was only an outward ceremony, signifying the separation and sanctification of these things for the service of God; as the anointing of kings and priests noted their designation to their offices.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 26-29. Thou shalt anoint the tabernacle. The first application of the holy oil was to be to the inanimate objects constituting the paraphernalia of worship viz.,

1. The tabernacle itself as a whole;

2. The furniture of the holy of holies the ark and mercy seat;

3. The furniture of the holy place the show-bread table, the candlestick,and the altar of incense; and

4. The furniture of the court the altar of burnt-offering, and the laver. After applying the oil to these, Moses was to proceed to the anointing of the priests. (Compare Lev_8:10-12)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(see at Lev 8:10.). This anointing oil was holy, either because it was made from the four fragrant substances according to the proportions commanded by Jehovah, or because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy (cf. Exo 30:32), and forbade for all time, on pain of death (Exo 30:31), not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it. "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured," i.e., it is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body (Exo 30:32). "Man," i.e., the ordinary man in distinction from the priests. בּמתכּנתּו according to its measure, i.e., according to the proportions prescribed for its manufacture. זר (Exo 30:33) a stranger, is not only the non-Israelite, but laymen or non-priests in general. On the expression, "cut off from his people," see at Gen 17:14.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking to Moses.

You must anoint

Here "you" refers to Moses. (See: Forms of You)

ark of the testimony

The ark is the chest that contains the commandments. This can be stated clearly in the translation. See how you translated this in Exodus 26:33. AT: "the chest containing the commandments" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the altar for burnt offerings

"the altar on which offering were burnt"

translationWords

anoint

tent of meeting

oil

ark

lampstand

altar of incense

altar

burnt offering

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ומשחת בו AND THOU SHALT ANOINT WITH IT — All anointings mentioned in Scriptures were made in the form of a Greek X except the anointing of kings which were made round the head like a crown (wreath) (Keritot 5b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.