+
2 times;
pl.
מִזְבְּחֹת
Nu 23:1
+
5 times,
מִזְבְּחֹות
2 K 21:3
+
23 times,
sf.
מִזְבְּחֹותֶיךָ
ψ 84:4
, other
sfs.
21 times;—
1.
JE narrate that altars were built by Noah after leaving the ark
Gn 8:20
; by Abraham at Shechem
12:7
, Bethel
12:8
, Hebron
13:8
, mt. in land Moriah
22:9
; by Isaac at Beersheba
26:25
; by Jacob at Shechem
33:20
(yet this perhaps mistake for
מַצֵּבָה
, being
obj.
of
וַיַּצֶּב־שָׁם
, not elsewhere with
מזבח
,
cf.
also
Di
), at Bethel
35:7
, by Moses at Rephidim
Ex 17:15
, Horeb
24:4
, by Balak at Bamoth Baal, Pisgah, & Peor
Nu 23:1
,
14
,
29
; by Joshua on Mt. Ebal
Jos 8:30
: the prophetic histories narrate that altars were built by Gideon at Ophra
Ju 6:24
; by a man of God at Bethel
Ju 21:4
; by Samuel at Ramah
1 S 7:17
; by Saul after Michmash
1 S 14:35
; by David on the threshing floor of Ornan
2 S 24:25
=
1 Ch 21:1
8,
1 Ch 22:1
; that Solomon sacrificed on the altar at Gibeon
1 K 3:4
and built altars in the temple at Jerusalem
1 K 6:20
;
8:64
; that Jeroboam built an altar at Bethel
1 K 12:32
(which was destroyed by Josiah
2 K 23:15
); and that Elijah repaired an ancient altar on Carmel
1 K 18:30
. An altar in Egypt is predicted
Is 19:19
. All this accords with the law of the Covenant code
Ex 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
Dt 27:5
(JE),
אֲבָנִיםתוֹמלֵשְׁ
Dt 25:6 Jos 8:31
, and twelve stones
1 K 18:31
;
cf.
Is 27:
9. The altar was also a place of refuge
Ex 21:14
(JE)
1 K 1:50
,
51
;
2:28
.
2.
D
prescribes one central altar
Dt 12:5 f. 2
7; but no attempt to enforce this principle appears before Hezekiah (
2 K 18:4
,
22
), and Josiah, whose reform is more effectual,
2 K 23:8–20
.
3.
P
limits sacrifices to the altars of the tabernacle. A great altar was built
E
. of the Jordan, but it was according to
P
only as an
עֵד
after the pattern of the altar before the Tabernacle
Jos 22:10–34
.
P
describes two altars:
a.
the
מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה
Ex 30:2
8;
31:9
;
35:16
;
38:1
;
40:6
,
10
,
29 Lv 4:
7,
10
,
25
(×2),
30
,
34
=
מ׳ הַנְּחשֶׁת
Ex 38:3
0;
39:39
, made of acacia wood plated with brass, 5 × 5 × 3 cubits in size, with four horns and a network of brass, on which all sacrifices by fire were made
Ex 27:1– 8
;
38:1–7
;
b.
מ׳ מִקְטַר קְטֹוֶת
made of acacia wood plated with gold, 1 × 1 × 2 cubits in size, with four horns and a crown of gold
Ex 30:1–6
=
מ׳ הקטרת
Ex 30:27
;
31:8
;
35:15
;
37:25
=
מ׳ הזהב
Ex 39:3
8;
40:5
,
26 Nu 4:11
=
מ׳ קטרת הַסַּמִּים
Lv 4:
7; these altars are named elsewhere only in Chr.
1 Ch 6:34
;
16:40
;
21:29
;
2 Ch 1:5
,
6
.
4.
Solomon made two altars for the temple at Jerusalem:
a.
מ׳ הַנְּחשֶׁת
for the court
1 K 8:64
(which was laid aside by Ahaz
2 K 16:14
,
15
, who made an altar after the model of one he saw in Damascus
2 K 16:11
); in
v
14
הַמִּזְבַּח הַנּ׳
(
cstr.
form
c.
art.) is erron.,
D Deuteronomist in Dt., in other books Deuteronomic author or redactor.