Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 30:3
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
3. pure gold ] see on Exo 25:3. From being thus overlaid wholly (except at the bottom) with gold, it was also called the golden altar (Exo 39:38, Exo 40:5; Exo 40:26, Num 4:11).
sides ] Heb. walls: so of the Bronze altar, Lev 1:15; Lev 5:9.
a crown ] a rim or moulding: see on Exo 25:11, and cf. Exo 25:24.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The top was made hollow like a grate, that the ashes might fall through it. The
crown was a border which encompassed the altar, that the things laid on it might not fall off.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,…. Hence this altar is sometimes called the golden altar, Nu 4:11 this may figure the deity of Christ, whose head is as the most fine gold, and is in the divine nature, in the form of God, and is the brightness of his glory, and possessed of the same perfections; or rather the glorification of his human nature in heaven, where he is highly exalted, and the preciousness of his intercession, which is always powerful and prevalent, and the duration of it:
the top thereof, and the sides thereof, round about, and the horns thereof: all and each of them were covered with gold; this altar had a top, when the altar of burnt offering had none, but its hollow place was filled up with earth at every encampment; so Jarchi observes: this was not a grate, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, for here were neither blood nor ashes to be let through; but it was a flat covering like the roof of a house, as the word signifies, on which was set a golden dish, with live coals and incense burning on them; and which, when burnt, was carried away: and the sides are the four sides of the frame, it being a square, or the two sides and two ends of it; and the horns, the four horns at each corner, all were covered with plates of gold; so that this altar was a richer and more excellent one than that of burnt offering; and may signify the superior excellency of Christ’s state of exaltation to that of his humiliation: in the latter, which the altar of burnt offering respected, he was made of no reputation, and became obedient to the death of the cross, yea, was made sin, and a curse for his people; but in the former, which the altar of incense respected, he was raised from the dead, and had glory given him; he was raised for the justification of his people, and was himself justified in the Spirit, ascended on high, was received into glory, sat down at the right hand of God, making continual intercession for his saints:
and thou shall make unto it a crown of gold round about; which was partly to keep from slipping what was put upon it, but chiefly for ornament; and plainly points at the exaltation of Christ in our nature in heaven, as our interceding high priest, where he is a priest upon his throne; and is crowned with glory and honour.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Thou shalt overlay it with pure gold.Next to the Ark of the Covenant the most holy article of furniture contained either in the sanctuary or in its court was the altar of incense. It symbolised prayer in its general use (Psa. 141:2; Luk. 1:10), and it symbolised expiation in the purpose whereto it was to be applied on certain occasions, as when the high priest had sinned in his official capacity (Lev. 4:3-12), or when the whole congregation had sinned through inadvertence (Lev. 4:13-21). It was, therefore, most holy to the Lord. Hence, its materials were to be the same with those of the ark of the covenant, and its place was to be directly opposite the ark, near to it, but on the outer side of the vail (Exo. 40:5).
A crown of gold round about.Comp. what is said of the table of shewbread (Exo. 25:24). In both cases a raised rim or edging is meant, which would prevent what was on the top from falling off.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
Ver. 3. Overlay it with pure gold. ] Shadowing Christ’s deity, yielding glory to his humanity.
A crown of gold round about.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sides. Hebrew. kir, a wall, or side.
crown of gold. See note on Exo 25:24.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
overlay it: Exo 25:11, Exo 25:24
top: Heb. roof
sides: Heb. walls
Reciprocal: Exo 25:25 – a golden crown to the border Exo 37:2 – General 1Ki 6:22 – also Eze 43:17 – and the border