Numbers 16:39

39 tulit ergo Eleazar sacerdos turibula aenea in quibus obtulerant hii quos incendium devoravit et produxit ea in lamminas adfigens altari

Numbers 16:39 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 16:39

And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers
The metal of which these censers were made is particularly observed, to show that they were fit for the use they were ordered to be put unto, namely, for a covering of the altar of burnt offering, which was covered with brass, that being very suitable, since fire was continually burning on it; and by this it appears that these censers were different from those of Aaron and his sons, for theirs were silver ones; the high priest on the day of atonement indeed made use of golden one, but at all other times he used a silver one F2; and so did the common priests every day, morning and night, when they offered incense F3,

wherewith they that were burnt had offered;
the two hundred fifty men burnt with fire from the Lord, having offered incense to him with the brazen censers:

and they were made broad [plates for] a covering of the altar;
not by Eleazar, but by workmen skilled in the art of drawing or beating any kind of metal into thin plates, by the direction and order of Eleazar.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 Misn. Yoma, c. 4. sect. 4.
F3 Misn. Tamid, c. 5. sect. 5.

Numbers 16:39 In-Context

37 praecipe Eleazaro filio Aaron sacerdotis ut tollat turibula quae iacent in incendio et ignem huc illucque dispergat quoniam sanctificata sunt
38 in mortibus peccatorum producatque ea in lamminas et adfigat altari eo quod oblatum sit in eis incensum Domino et sanctificata sint ut cernant ea pro signo et monumento filii Israhel
39 tulit ergo Eleazar sacerdos turibula aenea in quibus obtulerant hii quos incendium devoravit et produxit ea in lamminas adfigens altari
40 ut haberent postea filii Israhel quibus commonerentur ne quis accedat alienigena et qui non est de semine Aaron ad offerendum incensum Domino ne patiatur sicut passus est Core et omnis congregatio eius loquente Domino ad Mosen
41 murmuravit autem omnis multitudo filiorum Israhel sequenti die contra Mosen et Aaron dicens vos interfecistis populum Domini
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.