Commentary on Harmony of the Law Volume 1 Complete John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
7. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
7. Et adolebit super illud Aharon suffitum aromatum singulis matutinis, quando aptabit lucernas adolebit illum.
8. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
8. Et quando accendet Aharon lucernas inter duas vesperas, adolebit suffitum illum jugiter coram Jehova in generationibus vestris.
9. Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
9. Non offeretis super illud suffitum alium, neque holocaustum, neque minha: sed nec libamen libabitis super illud.
10. And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
10. Et expiabit Aharon super cornua ejus semel in anno sanguine oblationis pro peccato expiationum: semel in anno expiabit super illud in generationibus vestris. Sanctitas sanctitatum est Jehovae.
1. And thou shalt make an altar. God now issues His commands respecting the altar of burnt incense, whereby the people were assured that the odor of the worship under the Law was sweet to Him. This ceremony indeed also prevailed among the Gentiles; whence there is frequent mention made by heathen authors of incense-burning; but what its object was they knew not themselves, nor did they care to reflect upon its proper intention, since they conceived themselves to have done all that was required of them, by the bare sign itself. In this way, however, God would encourage His believing people, by giving them to know that the worship which they offered at this command sent up to him a sweet savor. Meanwhile He admonished them diligently to beware lest any uncleanness should profane their sacrifices, but that they should come cleansed and pure into His sight. And David applies this type specially to prayer, when he says: "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense." (Psalm 131:2.)