Exodus 30:36

Exo 30:36 And thou shalt beat [some] of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.

Ver. 36. And thou shalt beat some of it very small.] This holy perfume, as in the matter costly, so in the manner it cost much pounding and beating: to show that Church prayer must be accurate and elaborate; it must cost setting on, as we say.

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.

(36) Thou shalt . . . put it before the testimony.—Some pieces of the incense were to be continually before the ark of the covenant, either on the golden altar, or perhaps at its base ready for offering. This would symbolise the need of the perpetual offering of prayer.

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

36. beat some of it very small] cf. Lev_16:12 ‘incense beaten small.’ The ingredients named in v. 34 were mixed together, and then apparently melted down into a solid mass: small portions of this were broken off, from time to time, and beaten into a powder, which was then placed ready for use, every morning and evening (v. 7), outside the veil, near the altar of incense. Or (Di.) ‘put’ may mean, put upon the altar and burn.

before the testimony] i.e. before the ark, as Exo_16:34 : see on Exo_25:16.

meet with thee] See on Exo_25:22.

most holy] See on Exo_29:37. The anointing oil, not being brought into such close proximity to Jehovah, was only ‘holy’ (v. 32).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And thou shall beat some of it very small,.... Or every one of the spices; for this does not seem to respect any different usage of some part of the incense from the rest; but it was all to be beat very small, that it might mix together the better, and be easier spread upon the coals, and the smoke thereof go up the sooner:

and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation; that is, upon the altar of incense, which was placed there, Exo 30:6 and here it was to be put in order to be burnt, not to be kept, either to be looked at, or smelled to:

where I will meet with thee; See Gill on Exo 30:6.

it shall be unto you most holy; reckoned by them most sacred, and not to be put to any private or profane uses.

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

Place. On the table of perfumes, to be burnt morning and evening. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Some of it; so much as is sufficient for the daily incense.

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

Thou shalt beat some of it very small. This is against Knobel"s rendering of malakh, which would imply that all was broken into small pieces. A certain portion only was to be thus prepared from time to time and placed ready for offering. It was to be put before the testimonyi.e. , opposite the m-k, but outside the vail. This near vicinity to the Divine Presence rendered it most holy.

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

ונתת ממנה וגו׳ AND THOU SHALT PUT OF IT [BEFORE THE TESTIMONY IN THE APPOINTED TENT] — This refers to the incense which was burnt daily on the inner altar that was in the tent of meeting.

אשר אועד לך שמה WHERE I WILL BE MET BY THEE — All appointments for the purpose of speaking unto you which I shall make with you I shall confine to that place (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:22).

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.

AND THOU SHALT PUT OF IT BEFORE THE TESTIMONY IN THE TENT OF MEETING, WHERE I WILL MEET WITH THEE. We may possibly explain that Scripture mentions here all the [various] regulations concerning the burning of the incense. It thus states that he should burn of it before the Testimony in the Holy of Holies, which refers to the incense burnt on the Day of Atonement, and that he should also burn of it in the Tent of Meeting, [referring to that burnt] every day. The phrase, where I will meet with thee refers back to [before] the Testimony [from where He spoke to Moses]. It is possible that He refers to the putting of the incense on the inner altar which is set before the ark of the Testimony, does not allude to the incense burnt on the Day of Atonement in the Holy of Holies, as explained above, but is instead to be understood as follows: “and thou shalt put of it [daily] on the inner altar which is set in the Tent of Meeting before the Testimony in the Holy of Holies.” as He says in the section of Vayakheil. (40:5): And thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of Testimony.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.