Exodus 27:2
New International Version
Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze.

New Living Translation
Make horns for each of its four corners so that the horns and altar are all one piece. Overlay the altar with bronze.

English Standard Version
And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

Berean Standard Bible
Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze.

King James Bible
And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

New King James Version
You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.

New American Standard Bible
You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

NASB 1995
“You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

NASB 1977
“And you shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of the same piece, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

Amplified Bible
Make horns (horn-shaped projections) for it on its four corners; the horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

Christian Standard Bible
Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece. Overlay it with bronze.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece. Overlay it with bronze.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof; the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

Contemporary English Version
and make each of the four top corners stick up like the horn of a bull. Then cover the whole altar with bronze, including the four horns.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Make a horn at each of its four corners. The four horns and the altar must be made out of one piece [of wood] covered with bronze.

Good News Translation
Make projections at the top of the four corners. They are to form one piece with the altar, and the whole is to be covered with bronze.

International Standard Version
You are to make horns on its four corners. Its corners are to be of one piece with it, and you are to overlay it with bronze.

Majority Standard Bible
Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze.

NET Bible
You are to make its four horns on its four corners; its horns will be part of it, and you are to overlay it with bronze.

New Heart English Bible
You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it; and you shall overlay it with bronze.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: its horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

World English Bible
You shall make its horns on its four corners. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with bronze.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have made its horns on its four corners, its horns are of the same, and you have overlaid it [with] bronze.

Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast made its horns on its four corners, its horns are of the same, and thou hast overlaid it with brass.

Smith's Literal Translation
And make horns upon its four faces: its horns shall be from it: and spread over it brass.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there shall be horns at the four corners of the same: and thou shalt cover it with brass.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now there shall be horns at the four corners of it, and you shall cover it with brass.

New American Bible
At the four corners make horns that are of one piece with the altar. You shall then plate it with bronze.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall make the horns of it on the four corners thereof; its horns shall be of the same; and you shall overlay it with brass.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And make its horns; its horns will be on the four corners of it, and overlay it with brass.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof; the horns thereof shall be of one piece with it; and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt make the horns on the four corners; the horns shall be of the same piece, and thou shalt overlay them with brass.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Bronze Altar
1“You are to build an altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high. 2Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze. 3Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots for removing ashes, its shovels, its sprinkling bowls, its meat forks, and its firepans.…

Cross References
Exodus 30:3
Overlay with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns, and make a molding of gold around it.

Exodus 38:2
He made a horn at each of its four corners, so that the horns and altar were of one piece, and he overlaid the altar with bronze.

1 Kings 7:45
and the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. All the articles that Huram made for King Solomon in the house of the LORD were made of burnished bronze.

2 Chronicles 4:16
and the pots, shovels, meat forks, and all the other articles. All these objects that Huram-abi made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD were of polished bronze.

Numbers 16:38-39
As for the censers of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, hammer them into sheets to overlay the altar, for these were presented before the LORD, and so have become holy. They will serve as a sign to the Israelites.” / So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar,

Leviticus 16:12
Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil.

2 Kings 16:14
He also took the bronze altar that stood before the LORD from the front of the temple (between the new altar and the house of the LORD) and he put it on the north side of the new altar.

Ezekiel 43:13-17
These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits (a cubit and a handbreadth): Its gutter shall be a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. And this is the height of the altar: / The space from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. The space from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits, and the ledge one cubit wide. / The altar hearth shall be four cubits high, and four horns shall project upward from the hearth. ...

Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Revelation 8:3-5
Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. / And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel. / Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

Revelation 9:13
Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God

Revelation 11:1
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.

Revelation 14:18
Still another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the altar and called out in a loud voice to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.”

Revelation 16:7
And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments.”

Isaiah 6:6
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall make the horns of it on the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and you shall overlay it with brass.

Exodus 29:12
And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

Leviticus 4:7,18,25
And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation…

Leviticus 8:15
And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.

overlay it was brass

Numbers 16:38,39
The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel…

1 Kings 8:64
The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.

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Altar Angles Brass Bronze Copper Corners Four Horn Horns Itself Overlay Piece Plating Thereof
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Exodus 27
1. The altar of burnt offering, with the vessels thereof
9. The court of the tabernacle enclosed with hangings and pillars
18. The measure of the court, and the furniture of brass
20. The oil for the lamp














And make a horn
The Hebrew word for "horn" is "קֶרֶן" (qeren), which often symbolizes strength and power in biblical literature. In the context of the altar, the horns represent the power and authority of God. They were not merely decorative but served a functional purpose in sacrificial rituals, symbolizing the atonement and mercy available through the sacrifices offered upon the altar. The horns of the altar were also places of refuge, as seen in other biblical narratives, where individuals sought asylum by grasping them.

at each of the four corners
The number four in biblical terms often signifies completeness or universality. The four corners of the altar suggest the all-encompassing reach of God's provision and mercy. This design indicates that the altar's influence and the sacrificial system it represents are meant to extend to all directions, symbolizing the universal scope of God's covenant with Israel and, by extension, His plan for redemption.

so that the horns are of one piece with the altar
This phrase emphasizes the unity and integrity of the altar's construction. The horns being of one piece with the altar signifies that God's power and mercy are inseparable from His justice and holiness, as represented by the altar. This unity reflects the holistic nature of God's character and His covenant with His people, where mercy and justice are perfectly balanced.

and overlay it with bronze
Bronze, or "נְחֹשֶׁת" (nechosheth) in Hebrew, is a metal associated with judgment and endurance in the Bible. The use of bronze for the altar's overlay signifies the enduring nature of God's judgment and the strength required to bear the sins of the people. Bronze's durability and resistance to corrosion symbolize the lasting nature of the covenant and the perpetual need for atonement through sacrifice. The bronze overlay also points to the necessity of purification and the refining process, as bronze is refined by fire, much like the spiritual purification required of God's people.

(2) The horns of it.--It is not true to say, as Kalisch does, that "the altars of almost all ancient nations were frequently provided with horns." On the contrary, horns were, so far as is known, peculiar to Israelite altars. Originally, they would seem to have been mere ornaments at the four upper corners, but ultimately they came to be regarded as essential to an altar, and the virtue of the altar was thought to lie especially in them. The victims were bound to them (Psalm 118:27); criminals clung to them (1Kings 1:50; 1Kings 2:28); and the blood of sin offerings was smeared upon them for purposes of expiation (Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 8:15; Leviticus 9:9, &c.). . . . Verse 2. - The horns of it. Literally, "its horns." Horns were not usual adjuncts of altars; indeed they seem to have been peculiar to those of the Israelites. They were projections at the four top comers, probably not unlike the horns of bulls, whence their name. Criminals clung to them when they took sanctuary (1 Kings 1:50; 1 Kings 2:28); and the blood of sin-offerings was smeared upon them (Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 8:15; Leviticus 9:9; Leviticus 16:18, etc.). Victims also were sometimes, when about to be sacrificed, bound to them (Psalm 118:27). According to Kalisch, "The horns were symbolical of power, of protection and help; and at the same time of glory and salvation." His horns shall be of the same. Part and parcel of the altar, that is, not extraneous additions. Thou shalt overlay it with brass. A solid plating of bronze is no doubt intended, such as would protect the shittim wood and prevent it from being burnt.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Make
וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ (wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

a horn
קַרְנֹתָ֗יו (qar·nō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7161: A horn, a flask, cornet, an elephant's tooth, a corner, a peak, a ray, power

on each of
עַ֚ל (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

its four
אַרְבַּ֣ע (’ar·ba‘)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 702: Four

corners,
פִּנֹּתָ֔יו (pin·nō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6438: An angle, a pinnacle, a chieftain

so that the horns
קַרְנֹתָ֑יו (qar·nō·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7161: A horn, a flask, cornet, an elephant's tooth, a corner, a peak, a ray, power

are
תִּהְיֶ֣יןָ (tih·ye·nā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

of one piece,
מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (mim·men·nū)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

and overlay
וְצִפִּיתָ֥ (wə·ṣip·pî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6823: To lay out, lay over

it with bronze.
נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (nə·ḥō·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5178: Copper, something made of that metal, coin, a fetter, base


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OT Law: Exodus 27:2 You shall make its horns on its (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 27:1
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