מִזְבֵּחַ 401 noun masculineJoshua 22:10 altar (Arabic
,
place of slaughter, trench made by torrent, Sabean
מדֿבח DHM
Epigr. Denkm. 24);
מ׳ absolute
2 Kings 18:22 223 times,
הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה Exodus 29:13 31 times; construct
מִזְבַּח Exodus 20:24 76 times, suffix
מִזְבְּחִי Exodus 20:26 7 times,
מִזְבַּחֲךָ 1 Kings 8:31 3 times,
מִזְבְּחֶ֑ךָ Deuteronomy 33:10;
מִזְבְּחוֺ Judges 6:31 2 times; plural
מִזְבְּחֹת Numbers 23:1 5 times,
מִזְבְּחוֺת 2 Kings 21:3 23 times, suffix
מִזְבְּחוֺתֶיךָ Psalm 84:4, other suffixes
21 times; —
1. J E narrate that altars were built by Noah after leaving the ark
Genesis 8:20; by Abraham at Shechem
Genesis 12:7, Bethel
Genesis 12:8, Hebron
Genesis 13:18, mountain in land Moriah
Genesis 22:9; by Issac at Beersheba
Genesis 26:25; by Jacob at Shechem
Genesis 33:20 (yet this perhaps mistake for
מַצֵּבָה, being object of
וַיַּצֶּבשָֿׁם, not elsewhere with
מזבח, compare also Di), at Bethel
Genesis 35:7, by Moses at Rephidim
Exodus 17:15, Horeb
Exodus 24:4, by Balak at Bamoth Baal, Pisgah, & Peor
Numbers 23:1,
14,
29; by Joshua on Mt. Ebal
Joshua 8:30: the prophetic histories narrate that altars were built by Gideon at Ophra
Judges 6:24; by a man of God at Bethel
Judges 21:4; by Samuel at Ramah
1 Samuel 7:17; by Saul after Michmash
1 Samuel 14:35; by David on the threshing floor of Ornan
2 Samuel 24:25 =
1 Chronicles 21:18;
1 Chronicles 22:1; that Solomon sacrificed on the altar at Gibeon
1 Kings 3:4 and built altars in the temple at Jerusalem
1 Kings 6:20;
1 Kings 8:64; that Jeroboam built an altar at Bethel
1 Kings 12:32 (which was destroyed by Josiah
2 Kings 23:15); and that Elijah repaired an ancient altar on Carmel
1 Kings 18:30. An altar in Egypt is predicted
Isaiah 19:19. All this accords with the law of the Covenant code
Exodus 20:24-26 which recognises a plurality of altars and prescribes that they shall be built of
אֲדָמָה, or of unhewn stones, and without steps. So
אֲבָנִים Deuteronomy 27:6 (JE),
אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֺת Joshua 8:31, and twelve stones
1 Kings 18:30,
32; compare
Isaiah 27:9. The altar was also a place of refuge
Exodus 21:24 (JE)
1 Kings 1:50,
51;
1 Kings 2:28.
3. P limits sacrifices to the altars of the tabernacle. A great altar was built east of the Jordan, but it was according to P only as an
עֵד after the pattern of the altar before the Tabernacle
Joshua 22:10-34. P describes two altars:
4. Solomon made two altars for the temple at Jerusalem:
5. Ezekiel plans two altars for the new temple:
b. an altar for the court, probably same dimensions as
4a, with stairs
Ezekiel 43:13-17.
6. after the return Jeshua built an altar on the ancient site in the court of the temple
Ezra 3:2.
7. besides these altars used in the worship of Yahweh, Ahab built an altar to Baal in Samaria
1 Kings 16:32; Ahaz made an altar on the roof of the upper chamber, and other kings of Judah made altars in the two courts, all of which were destroyed by Josiah
2 Kings 23:12.
12. the horns of the altar were especially for the application of the blood of the sin-offering in the ritual; sin is represented as graven
לְקַרְנוֺת מִזְבְּחוֺתֵיכֶם Jeremiah 17:1; therefore of blood for cleansing it was said
נָתַן על קרנות המ׳ Exodus 29:12;
Leviticus 4:7,
18,
25,
30,
34;
Leviticus 8:15;
Leviticus 9:9;
Leviticus 16:18 (all P). An ancient custom is referred to,
Psalm 118:27 אִסְרוחַֿג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַדקֿרנות המזבח bind the festal victim with cords, unto the horns of the altar: Ainsworth paraphrases: 'that is, all the court over, untill you come even to the hornes of the altar, intending hereby many sacrifices,' so De; but Che 'bind the procession with branches, (step on) to the altar-horns,' that is in sacred procession round the altar.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
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