1“Make from acacia wood an altar for burning incense. ⁸¹

2It shall be square, measuring a cubit by a cubit, by two cubits high, with horns on its corners that are all one piece with the altar.

3Cover its top, its side, and its horns with pure gold, and make a gold trim to go all around it.

4On two of the altar's sides make two gold rings and attach them below the trim to hold the poles that carry it.

5Make the poles of acacia wood and cover them with gold.

6Put the altar in front of the veil that hangs before the Ark of the Testimony and the atonement cover that is over the Testimony ⁸²where I will meet with you.

7Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps.

8When he lights the lamps in the evening he must burn incense again so that incense will always be burned in the Lord's presence for generations to come.

9Don't offer on this altar any unapproved incense ⁸³or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour out a drink offering upon it.

10Once a year Aaron must perform the atonement ⁸⁴ritual by placing blood on the horns of the altar from the sin offering for atonement. This yearly atonement ritual must be carried out for generations to come. This is the Lord's holy altar.”

11The Lord told Moses,

12“When you take a census of the Israelites, each man must pay the Lord to buy back his life when he's counted. Then they won't suffer from the plague when they're counted.

13Each one who crosses over to those counted ⁸⁵must give a half shekel (using the sanctuary shekel standard, which weighs twenty gerahs). This half shekel is an offering to the Lord.

14This offering to the Lord is required from everyone twenty years old and more.

15When you give this offering to buy back your lives the rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less.

16Take this money paid by the Israelites and use it for the expenses involved in the services of the Tent of Meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites to buy back your lives in the presence of the Lord.”

17The Lord told Moses,

18“Make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

19Aaron and his sons will use it to wash their hands and feet.

20Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they are to wash with water so that they will not die. When they approach the altar to present burnt offerings to the Lord,

21they must also wash so that they will not die. This requirement is to be observed by them and their descendants for all generations.”

22The Lord told Moses,

23“Take the best quality spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, 250 shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 250 shekels of aromatic reed,

24500 shekels of cassia (weights using the sanctuary shekel standard), and a hin of olive oil.

25Mix these together into holy anointing oil, an aromatic blend like the product of an expert perfumer. Use it as holy anointing oil.

26Use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Testimony,

27the table and all its equipment, the lampstand and its equipment, the altar of incense,

28the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin plus its stand.

29Dedicate them so that they will be especially holy. Whatever touches them will become holy.

30Anoint Aaron and his sons too and dedicate them to serve as priests for me.

31Tell the Israelites, ‘This is to be my holy anointing oil for all generations to come.

32Don't use it on ordinary people and don't make anything like it using the same formula. It is holy, and you must treat it as being holy.

33Anyone who mixes anointing oil like it, or puts it on someone other than a priest, ⁸⁶will be expelled from their people.’”

34The Lord told Moses, “Take equal amounts of these aromatic spices: balsam resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.

35Add some salt and make pure and holy incense blended like the product of an expert perfumer.

36Grind some of it into powder and place it in front of the Ark of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be especially holy to you.

37Don't make for yourselves any incense like it using the same formula. You are to consider this incense as holy to the Lord.

38Anyone who makes incense like this for themselves to enjoy will be expelled from their people.”