SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF INCENSE

This was an altar-shaped piece of furniture where incense was placed in large
quantities on the Day of Atonement to produce thick smoke which concealed YHWH’s
presence over the ark. Our author seems to place it inside the Holy of Holies.
This has caused commentators to take this phrase to refer to a “censer” because
this is how the Septuagint translates this term (cf. Lev. 16:12; 2 Chr. 26:19;
Ezek. 8:11; IV Mac. 7:11). However, Philo and Josephus use the same Greek word
for the incense altar. In the OT the altar is closely identified with the Holy
of Holies (cf. Exod.30:1-10, 37; but especially 1 Kgs. 6:22).

Coals were taken from the great sacrificial altar at the door of the tabernacle
and placed on this small stand. Incense was then placed on the coals to produce
a large amount of smoke. This wonderful smelling smoke obscured the high
priest’s eyes from seeing YHWH, who dwelt over the ark of the covenant between
the wings of the cherubim, in the Holy of Holies.