📖 Biblical Definition
The large square altar of acacia wood overlaid with bronze in the tabernacle's outer court, the principal sacrificial altar of the Mosaic worship system. Exodus 27:1-8 specifies dimensions: five cubits long, five cubits wide (about 7.5 feet square), three cubits high (about 4.5 feet), with horns at the four corners and a grating of bronze halfway up the interior. All burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings were sacrificed here — the altar fire was never to go out (Lev 6:13). The horns of the altar were sprinkled with atonement blood (Lev 4:7), and fugitives could grasp them for asylum (1 Kgs 1:50; 2:28; though the asylum of the altar did not protect intentional murderers, Ex 21:14). Worshippers entering the tabernacle encountered the bronze altar first: there is no approach to God except through sacrifice. Christ as the once-for-all sacrifice fulfills the typology (Heb 9:11-14; 10:11-14); the bronze altar's blood is replaced by the blood of the Lamb.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The main sacrificial altar in the tabernacle court.
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The large square altar of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, with horns at the four corners, standing in the tabernacle court; site of all burnt offerings and the principal sacrificial altar of Israel's worship.
📖 Key Scripture
Exodus 27:1-2 — "And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad... and thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof."
Leviticus 1:5 — "And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar."
Hebrews 13:10 — "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Forgotten as obsolete furniture; missing how Hebrews names the cross as our altar.
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The bronze altar where animal blood was shed daily prefigures the cross where Christ shed His blood once. Hebrews 13:10 declares: 'we have an altar' — but it is no longer of bronze; it is the cross of Christ.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew nechosheth — bronze.
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['Hebrew', 'H5178', 'nechosheth', 'bronze, copper']
['Hebrew', 'H4196', 'mizbeach', 'altar']
Usage
"The bronze altar prefigures the cross."
"We have an altar; the cross is its name."