Meaning of “altar”
Altar — (Heb. mizbe'ah, from a word meaning "to slay"), any structure of earth (Ex. 20:24) or unwrought stone (20:25) on which sacrifices were offered. Altars were generally erected in conspicuous places (Gen. 22:9; Ezek. 6:3; 2 Kings 23:12; 16:4; 23:8; Acts 14:13). The word is used in Heb. 13:10 for the sacrifice offered upon it--the sacrifice Christ offered. Paul found among the many altars erected in Athens one bearing the inscription, "To the unknown God" (Acts 17:23), or rather "to an [i.e., some] unknown God." The reason for this inscription cannot now be accurately determined. It afforded the apostle the occasion of proclaiming the gospel to the "men of Athens." The first altar we read of is that erected by Noah (Gen. 8:20). Altars were erected by Abraham (Gen. 12:7; 13:4; 22:9), by Isaac (Gen. 26:25), by Jacob (33:20; 35:1, 3), and by Moses (Ex. 17:15, "Jehovah-nissi"). In the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple, two altars were erected. (1.) The altar of burnt offering (Ex. 30:28), called also the "brasen altar" (Ex. 39:39) and "the table of the Lord" (Mal. 1:7). This altar, as erected in the tabernacle, is described in Ex. 27:1-8. It was a hollow square, 5 cubits in length and in breadth, and 3 cubits in height. It was made of shittim wood, and was overlaid with plates of brass. Its corners were ornamented with "horns" (Ex. 29:12; Lev. 4:18). In Ex. 27:3 the various utensils appertaining to the altar are enumerated. They were made of brass. (Comp. 1 Sam. 2:13, 14; Lev. 16:12; Num. 16:6, 7.) In Solomon's temple the altar was of larger dimensions (2 Chr. 4:1. Comp. 1 Kings 8:22, 64; 9:25), and was made wholly of brass, covering a structure of stone or earth. This altar was renewed by Asa (2 Chr. 15:8). It was removed by Ahaz (2 Kings 16:14), and "cleansed" by Hezekiah, in the latter part of whose reign it was rebuilt. It was finally broken up and carried away by the Babylonians (Jer. 52:17). After the return from captivity it was re-erected (Ezra 3:3, 6) on the same place where it had formerly stood. (Comp. 1 Macc. 4:47.) When Antiochus Epiphanes pillaged Jerusalem the altar of burnt offering was taken away. Again the altar was erected by Herod, and remained in its place till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (70 A.D.). The fire on the altar was not permitted to go out (Lev. 6:9). In the Mosque of Omar, immediately underneath the great dome, which occupies the site of the old temple, there is a rough projection of the natural rock, of about 60 feet in its extreme length, and 50 in its greatest breadth, and in its highest part about 4 feet above the general pavement. This rock seems to have been left intact when Solomon's temple was built. It was in all probability the site of the altar of burnt offering. Underneath this rock is a cave, which may probably have been the granary of Araunah's threshing-floor (1 Chr. 21:22). (2.) The altar of incense (Ex. 30:1-10), called also "the golden altar" (39:38; Num. 4:11), stood in the holy place "before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony." On this altar sweet spices were continually burned with fire taken from the brazen altar. The morning and the evening services were commenced by the high priest offering incense on this altar. The burning of the incense was a type of prayer (Ps. 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4). This altar was a small movable table, made of acacia wood overlaid with gold (Ex. 37:25, 26). It was 1 cubit in length and breadth, and 2 cubits in height. In Solomon's temple the altar was similar in size, but was made of cedar-wood (1 Kings 6:20; 7:48) overlaid with gold. In Ezek. 41:22 it is called "the altar of wood." (Comp. Ex. 30:1-6.) In the temple built after the Exile the altar was restored. Antiochus Epiphanes took it away, but it was afterwards restored by Judas Maccabaeus (1 Macc. 1:23; 4:49). Among the trophies carried away by Titus on the destruction of Jerusalem the altar of incense is not found, nor is any mention made of it in Heb. 9. It was at this altar Zacharias ministered when an angel appeared to him (Luke 1:11). It is the only altar which appears in the heavenly temple (Isa. 6:6; Rev. 8:3,4).
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Altar
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Bible Search for “altar”
Genesis Chapter 8 Verse 20 — And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Genesis Chapter 12 Verse 8 — And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. Genesis Chapter 12 Verse 7 — And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. Genesis Chapter 13 Verse 18 — Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD. Genesis Chapter 13 Verse 4 — Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. Genesis Chapter 22 Verse 9 — And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Genesis Chapter 26 Verse 25 — And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well. Genesis Chapter 33 Verse 20 — And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael. Genesis Chapter 35 Verse 7 — And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. Genesis Chapter 35 Verse 3 — And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. Genesis Chapter 35 Verse 1 — And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Exodus Chapter 17 Verse 15 — And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: Exodus Chapter 20 Verse 26 — Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. Exodus Chapter 20 Verse 25 — And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Exodus Chapter 20 Verse 24 — An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Exodus Chapter 21 Verse 14 — But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. Exodus Chapter 24 Verse 6 — And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Exodus Chapter 24 Verse 4 — And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Exodus Chapter 27 Verse 7 — And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. Exodus Chapter 27 Verse 6 — And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. Exodus Chapter 27 Verse 5 — And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar. Exodus Chapter 27 Verse 1 — And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. Exodus Chapter 28 Verse 43 — And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 44 — And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 38 — Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 37 — Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 36 — And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 25 — And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 21 — And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 20 — Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 18 — And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 16 — And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 13 — And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 12 — And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. Exodus Chapter 30 Verse 28 — And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. Exodus Chapter 30 Verse 27 — And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, Exodus Chapter 30 Verse 20 — When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: Exodus Chapter 30 Verse 18 — Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. Exodus Chapter 30 Verse 1 — And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. Exodus Chapter 31 Verse 9 — And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, Exodus Chapter 31 Verse 8 — And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, Exodus Chapter 32 Verse 5 — And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. Exodus Chapter 34 Verse 13 — But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: Exodus Chapter 35 Verse 16 — The altar of burnt offering, with his brazen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, Exodus Chapter 35 Verse 15 — And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle, Exodus Chapter 37 Verse 25 — And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. Exodus Chapter 38 Verse 30 — And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar, Exodus Chapter 38 Verse 7 — And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards. Exodus Chapter 38 Verse 4 — And he made for the altar a brazen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it. Exodus Chapter 38 Verse 3 — And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
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