מִזְבֵּחַ

מִזְבֵּחַ401 n.m. Jos 22:10 altar (Arabic مَذْبَحٌ, place of slaughter, trench made by torrent, Sab. מדֿבח DHMEpigr. Denkm. 24); מ׳ abs. 2 K 18:22 + 223 times, הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה Ex 29:13 + 31 times; cstr. מִזְבַּח Ex 20:24 + 76 times, sf. מִזְבְּחִי Ex 20:26 + 7 times, מִזְבַּחֲךָ 1 K 8:31 + 3 times, מִזְבְּחֶ֑ךָ Dt 33:10; מִזְבְּחוֹ Ju 6:31 + 2 times; pl. מִזְבְּחֹת Nu 23:1 + 5 times, מִזְבְּחוֹת 2 K 21:3 + 23 times, sf. מִזְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ ψ 84:4, other sfs. 21 times;— 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 13:18, 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 21:18, 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), אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת 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. D prescribes one central altar Dt 12:5 f., 27; 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. 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: the מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה Ex 30:28; 31:9; 35:16; 38:1; 40:6, 10, 29 Lv 4:7, 10, 25(×2), 30, 34 = מ׳ הַנְּחשֶׁת Ex 38:30; 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; מ׳ מִקְטַר קְטֹרֶת 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 39:38; 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. Solomon made two altars for the temple at Jerusalem: 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., read prob. מִזְבַּח cf. Ges§ 127. 4 a ad fin.; this altar, according to Chr, measured 20 × 20 × 10 cubits 2 Ch 4:1; this מזבח (ה)נחשׁת also 7:7 $ Ez 9:2; = מ׳ העולה 2 Ch 29:18, repaired by Asa 2 Ch 15:8; an altar of cedar, plated with gold, in the temple before the דְּבִיר 1 K 6:20, 22; 7:48; = מ׳ הזהב 2 Ch 4:19; = מ׳ הַקְּטֹרֶת 1 Ch 28:18; 2 Ch 26:16. Ezekiel plans two altars for the new temple: a table of wood 3 × 2 cubits Ez 41:22; an altar for the court, prob. same dimensions as 4 a, with stairs Ez 43:13–17. after the return Jeshua built an altar on the ancient site in the court of the temple Ezr 3:2. besides these altars used in the worship of Yahweh, Ahab built an altar to Baal in Samaria 1 K 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 K 23:12. the ancient and most common term for making altars was בָּנָה Gn 35:7 (E) 8:20 (J) Dt 27:5, 6 Ex 32:5 (JE) +, implying building material; other vbs. are הֵקִים 2 S 24:18 1 K 16:32 2 K 21:3 1 Ch 21:18 2 Ch 33:3; הֵכִין Ezr 3:3 (sq. עַל־מְכוֹנֹתָו֯); שִׂים Je 11:13; וַיַּצֶּב־ Gn 33:20 (but cf. 1); Nu 23:4 (E) has עָרַךְ arrange, prepare; עָשָׂה Gn 35:1, 3 Ex 20:24 (E) Gn 13:4 (J) Jos 22:28 1 K 12:33; 18:26; this becomes usual in P, Ex 27:1; 30:1; 37:25; 38:1, 30, so 2 Ch 4:1, 19; 7:7; 28:24. the dedication of the altar was חֲנֻכַּת המזבח Nu 7:10, 11, 84, 88 2 Ch 7:9; it was anointed with oil מָשַׁח Ex 40:10 Lv 8:11 Nu 7:10 (all P). removal of unlawful altars is expr. by נָתַץ Ex 34:13 (JE) Dt 7:5 Ju 2:2; 6:30, 31, 32 2 K 11:18; 23:12, 15; נִתַּץ (Pi) Dt 12:3 2 Ch 31:1; 34:4, 7; נֻתַּץ Ju 6:28; הָרַס Ju 6:25 1 K 19:10, 14; שִׁבַּר 2 Ch 23:17; הֵסִיר 2 K 18:22 = Is 36:7, 2 Ch 14:2; 30:14; 32:12; 33:15. ministry at the altar was מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַמּ׳ Nu 18:5 Ez 40:46, cf. Nu 3:31 (P), מְשָֽׁרְתֵי מ׳ Jo 1:13; עָמַד עַל is said of officiating priest 1 K 13:1, עָלָה עַל Ex 20:26 1 S 2:28 1 K 12:33 + (cf. יָרַד Lv 9:22); sacrifices were usually offered עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ Gn 22:9 Dt 12:27 +; v. especially the phrases with זָרַק Ex 29:16, 20 + (v. זרק); הִקְטִיר Lv 4:10 (v. קטר Hiph.); הֶעֱלָה Lv 6:3 + (v. עלה Hiph.) לְבַעֵר Ne 10:35; but בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ Gn 8:20 (J) Nu 23:2, 4, 14, 30 (E); one touching the altar is הַנֹּגֵעַ בַּמּ׳ Ex 29:37 (P); לפני המ׳ of placing, or standing before altar Dt 26:4 1 K 8:22; as acc.loc. הַמִּזְבֵּ֫חָה in phrases especially c. הִקְטִיר Ex 29:13 +, and הֶעֱלָה Lv 14:20. 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 לְקַרְנוֹת מִזְבְּחוֹתֵיכֶם Je 17:1; therefore of blood for cleansing it was said †נָתַן על קרנות המ׳ Ex 29:12 Lv 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34; 8:15; 9:9; 16:18 (all P). An ancient custom is referred to, ψ 118:27 אִסְרוּ־חַג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַד־קרנות 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. the יְסוֹד (q.v.) is also referred to in the ritual of the sin-offerings in the phrases יָצַק אל יסוד Lv 8:15; 9:9 $ שָׂפַךְ אל יסוד Ex 29:12 Lv 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34 (all P) יִמָּצֵה אל יסוד Lv 5:9. the altar was קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים Ex 29:37; 40:10 (P); but repeated sin-offerings were necessary to keep it pure and cleanse it from the pollution of the people in whose midst it was situated. This is expressed by חִטֵּא Lv 8:15 (P) Ez 43:22; כִּפֶּר Lv 16:20, 33 (P) Ez 43:26; קִדַּשׂ Ex 29:44; 40:10 Lv 8:15 Nu 7:1 (P); טִהַר 2 Ch 29:18.