Exodus 30 includes instructions essential to priestly service in the tabernacle: making the gold incense altar for the tent of meeting (vv. 1–10); collecting the tabernacle census tax (vv. 11–16); making the bronze basin for the courtyard (vv. 17–21); the anointing oil ingredients (vv. 18–33); and the incense recipe (vv. 34–38).

30:11–16 The Lord instituted a tabernacle census tax for two purposes. First, it was to be yet another reminder that God, as Creator, was the source of their individual lives. Their lives, purchased out of slavery, belonged to God. They were to recognize this reality each time a census was taken. At the time of a census, the community would be tempted to take pride in the power of its fighting force (as in Num. 1:2–3; 2 Sam. 24:1–2; 1 Chr. 21:1–5; see also 2 Chr. 2:…