« | Exodus 30 | » |
1 "Then make another altar of acacia wood for burning incense.
2 Make it 18 inches square and 36 inches high, with horns at the corners carved from the same piece of wood as the altar itself.
3 Overlay the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold, and run a gold molding around the entire altar.
4 Make two gold rings, and attach them on opposite sides of the altar below the gold molding to hold the carrying poles.
5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
6 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.
7 "Every morning when Aaron maintains the lamps, he must burn fragrant incense on the altar.
8 And each evening when he lights the lamps, he must again burn incense in the LORD's presence. This must be done from generation to generation.
9 Do not offer any unholy incense on this altar, or any burnt offerings, grain offerings, or liquid offerings.
10 "Once a year Aaron must purify the altar by smearing its horns with blood from the offering made to purify the people from their sin. This will be a regular, annual event from generation to generation, for this is the LORD's most holy altar."
11 Then the LORD said to Moses,
12 "Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay a ransom for himself to the LORD. Then no plague will strike the people as you count them.
13 Each person who is counted must give a small piece of silver as a sacred offering to the LORD. (This payment is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs.)
14 All who have reached their twentieth birthday must give this sacred offering to the LORD.
15 When this offering is given to the LORD to purify your lives, making you right with him, the rich must not give more than the specified amount, and the poor must not give less.
16 Receive this ransom money from the Israelites, and use it for the care of the Tabernacle. It will bring the Israelites to the LORD's attention, and it will purify your lives."
17 Then the LORD said to Moses,
18 "Make a bronze washbasin with a bronze stand. Place it between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water.
19 Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet there.
20 They must wash with water whenever they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the LORD and when they approach the altar to burn up their special gifts to the LORD-- or they will die!
21 They must always wash their hands and feet, or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants, to be observed from generation to generation."
22 Then the LORD said to Moses,
23 "Collect choice spices-- 12-1/2 pounds of pure myrrh, 6-1/4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6-1/4 pounds of fragrant calamus,
24 and 12-1/2 pounds of cassia-- as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil.
25 Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil.
26 Use this sacred oil to anoint the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant,
27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and all its accessories, the incense altar,
28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the washbasin with its stand.
29 Consecrate them to make them absolutely holy. After this, whatever touches them will also become holy.
30 "Anoint Aaron and his sons also, consecrating them to serve me as priests.
31 And say to the people of Israel, 'This holy anointing oil is reserved for me from generation to generation.
32 It must never be used to anoint anyone else, and you must never make any blend like it for yourselves. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy.
33 Anyone who makes a blend like it or anoints someone other than a priest will be cut off from the community.'"
34 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather fragrant spices-- resin droplets, mollusk shell, and galbanum-- and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense, weighed out in equal amounts.
35 Using the usual techniques of the incense maker, blend the spices together and sprinkle them with salt to produce a pure and holy incense.
36 Grind some of the mixture into a very fine powder and put it in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I will meet with you in the Tabernacle. You must treat this incense as most holy.
37 Never use this formula to make this incense for yourselves. It is reserved for the LORD, and you must treat it as holy.
38 Anyone who makes incense like this for personal use will be cut off from the community."
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.