Home/Biblical Encyclopedia/I/II) The incense altar

II) The incense altar

Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia

, also called the golden altar to distinguish it from the altar of burnt offering, which bore the name “bronze” (Exod. 38:30). The name “altar” belongs to this one not entirely fittingly, for no sacrifices were offered upon it; only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, did the high priest sprinkle its horns with the blood of the sin offering (Exod. 30:10).

Scripture cited

Exodus 38:30 Exodus 30:10

Related entries

Ithamar (land of palms) (Exod 6:23; 28:1; Lev 10:16) - Aaron's fourth son. After the death of his brothers Nadab and…
Talent (Exod. 38:25–29; Matt. 18:24; 25:15)—a large unit of weight and monetary reckoning, commonly divided into…
Anointing and the Anointed One . The anointing of persons—kings, high priests, and prophets—and of places and objects with oil or specially…
Arts, Crafts, and Fine Arts. The beginnings of the various arts, crafts, fine arts, and other inventions are hidden in remote antiquity.…
Bathing (2 Sam 11:2) - bathing and frequent washings were prescribed to the Hebrews by the Mosaic Law (Exod 30:18;…
Censer (Lev 10:1) - one of the sacred vessels of the tabernacle and temple, used for burning incense on especially…
Cinnamon (Exod 30:23; Prov 7:17; Song 4:14; Sirach 24:15; Rev 18:13) - fragrant aromatic bark taken from a tree of the…
Didrachma (two drachmas) (Matt. 17:24) — a Greek silver coin, equal in our reckoning to about 48 kopecks silver. It was…
Frankincense (Exod. 30:34)—an aromatic resin obtained from Boswellia trees by incisions in the bark. The pale resin…
Galbanum (Exod. 30:34)—an aromatic gum resin included with stacte, onycha, and frankincense in the sacred incense. Its…

Search the whole Encyclopedia All 4,575 entries, searchable, with every entry linked to the verses it explains.