Exodus 29:37
Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "most holy" isn't just about the altar's status; it signifies its unique ability to confer holiness onto anything that touches it, making even common things sacred by association. This highlights a profound principle: proximity to God’s presence, symbolized by the altar, transforms and consecrates.
This passage comes at the end of a detailed description of the seven-day consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons as priests. After the sacrifices and rituals are completed for the priests, the focus shifts to the altar itself, which is to be consecrated over seven days, ensuring it becomes supremely holy and that anything touching it is likewise made sacred. This sets the stage for the ongoing ministry and sacrifices that will be offered there, establishing the altar as the central point of contact between God and His people.
Why a whole week for just one altar? Discover the intentionality behind this extended purification.
The command to make atonement and consecrate the altar for seven days wasn't just a formality. It speaks to the profound seriousness of dedicating something so central to worship. Imagine repeating the purification rituals day after day. This wasn't a quick cleanse; it was a deep, immersive process. This extended period signifies that the altar, the very place where sacrifices would bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful people, needed to be thoroughly and undeniably set apart. It underscores that approaching God requires more than a superficial gesture; it demands a complete and sustained dedication.
The altar isn't just holy; it makes everything else holy. Explore this powerful concept of 'contagious holiness'.
The verse declares the altar shall be 'most holy,' and then adds, 'Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.' This isn't about a passive holiness; it's an active, radiating quality. Think of it like this: the altar's holiness was so absolute, so divinely charged, that its mere touch imparted its sacredness. This highlights a crucial theological point: holiness isn't just a state of being; it's a power that transforms. In the Old Testament, this meant offerings laid upon it were accepted by God. For us, this points to the ultimate altar – Christ himself – whose sacrifice doesn't just make himself holy, but makes us holy and our offerings acceptable to God.
The holiness of the altar created a clear line. What does this 'most holy' boundary teach us about approaching God?
The description of the altar as 'most holy' (literally 'holiness of holinesses') sets it apart as the absolute pinnacle of sanctity within the tabernacle. This elevated status wasn't just for show; it established a critical boundary. The phrase 'whatever toucheth the altar shall be holy' also carries an imperative sense: only that which holy, or that which is to be made holy by touching it (like an offering), should come near. Unqualified or unholy things had no place here. This teaches us a vital lesson about approaching God: His holiness demands reverence and a recognition of our own limitations. We cannot simply barge into His presence; we must come through the divinely appointed means, recognizing the sacred space His presence and His worship occupy.
Understand the original words
qodesh qodashim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A state of being set apart exclusively for God; it denotes absolute purity, transcendence, and being removed from common or ordinary use.
qodesh · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
The state of being dedicated to God. In the Old Testament, it implies that something touched by a holy object shares in its sanctified status, requiring careful handling or restricted access.
Jesus echoes this concept when He states that the altar is greater than the offering placed upon it, highlighting how sacred objects consecrate what they touch.
Hebrews 13:10This passage directly contrasts the Old Testament altar with Christ, suggesting that believers today have a different kind of altar, one from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Leviticus 2:3This verse shows how the principle of holiness being transferred through touch extended to offerings, specifying that portions of meal offerings brought to the altar were 'most holy.'
1 Samuel 21:6This account demonstrates the practical application of the altar's holiness, where consecrated bread, considered holy by proximity to sacred things, could only be eaten by priests, illustrating the pervasive nature of holiness.
2 Samuel 6:6-7The tragic incident with Uzzah, who was struck down for touching the Ark (a most holy object), underscores the profound danger and serious consequence of unfit persons or things coming into contact with extreme holiness.
clarkeExodus 29:37: "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."
Whatsoever touches the altar shall be holy - To this our Lord refers Matthew 23:19 , where he says the altar sanctifies the gift; and this may be understood as implying that whatever was laid on the altar became the Lord's property, and must be wholly devoted to sacred uses, for in no other sense could such things be sanctified…
ellicottExodus 29:37: "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."
(37) An altar most holy. —Heb., an altar, holiness of holinesses. Whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.—Rather, must be holy; nothing which is not holy must touch it. The future has the force of an imperative, as in the Ten Commandments.
The phrase "most holy" isn't just about the altar's status; it signifies its unique ability to confer holiness onto anything that touches it, making even common things sacred by association. This highlights a profound principle: proximity to God’s presence, symbolized by the altar, transforms and consecrates.
This passage comes at the end of a detailed description of the seven-day consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons as priests. After the sacrifices and rituals are completed for the priests, the focus shifts to the altar itself, which is to be consecrated over seven days, ensuring it becomes supremely holy and that anything touching it is likewise made sacred. This sets the stage for the ongoing ministry and sacrifices that will be offered there, establishing the altar as the central point of contact between God and His people.
This passage comes at the end of a detailed description of the seven-day consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons as priests. After the sacrifices and rituals are completed for the priests, the focus shifts to the altar itself, which is to be consecrated over seven days, ensuring it becomes supremely holy and that anything touching it is likewise made sacred. This sets the stage for the ongoing ministry and sacrifices that will be offered there, establishing the altar as the central point of contact between God and His people.
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"Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy." — The phrase "most holy" isn't just about the altar's status; it signifies its unique ability to confer holiness onto anything that touches it, making even common things sacred by association. This h…
