Chapter 30 discusses the golden incense altar. The altar was located inside the Mishkan structure in between the Shulchan and the Menorah right in front of the Holy of Holies. Why is the altar discussed here after the clothing of the Kohen Gadol and well after all the other vessels are discussed? Ramban explains that the altar is connected to the penultimate verse in the previous chapter where God proclaims that He will dwell amongst the people in the Mishkan. The incense altar is what allows God to dwell amongst the people because the incense represents the attribute of justice. Moshe will burn incense to halt a plague later. It is also why this altar has an additional explanation:
“Place it in front of the curtain that is over the Ark—in front of the cover that is over the Pact—where I will meet with you” (verse 6):
וְנָתַתָּה אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל־אֲרוֹן הָעֵדֻת לִפְנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל־הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אִוָּעֵד לְךָ שָׁמָּה (שמות ל:ו).
Ramban’s interpretation does not fully explain why the altar is listed last. It could have been listed after the other vessels, but not after the whole ceremony for the priests. Sforno has the exact opposite opinion. He looks at the penultimate verse in the previous chapter as a conclusion of the previous section, not a link. Everything else in the Mishkan was meant to attract God to the space and make it a location for God to dwell amongst the people. The incense altar was there to thank God for dwelling and connecting with the people. That is why it comes after everything else. The problem with Sforno is that the seventh verse links the Menorah to the Altar:
“On it Aaron shall burn aromatic incense: he shall burn it every morning when he tends the lamps” (verse 7):
וְהִקְטִיר עָלָיו אַהֲרֹן קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ אֶת־הַנֵּרוֹת יַקְטִירֶנָּה (שמות ל:ז).
It is possible that the golden altar is here to bookend the description of the Mishkan. The description started with the Ark in the Holy of Holies and then worked its way outside to the Menorah and the Shulchan, then the actual structure itself, then the copper altar outside and then priests. The Torah now comes full circle to the center of the holiest place right by the curtain.
Order in Text Element Theme
1 Ark (Aron) Covenant, Divine Presence (Holy of Holies)
2 Table (Shulchan) Sustenance, Material Blessing
3 Menorah Light, Spiritual Illumination
4 Tabernacle Structure Space for Divine Dwelling
5 Copper Altar Atonement, Sacrifice for the Nation
6 Priestly Garments Mediation, Representation of Israel
7 Incense Altar Intimacy, Prayer, Justice before God
This pattern suggests the Torah moves from the innermost sanctity outward, then circles back inward to conclude with the incense altar—creating a literary and thematic “bookend” effect.
