Altar

Used for sacrifices and offerings and for sacred ordinances of the gospel. Altars are first mentioned in Gen. 8:20; animal sacrifice was offered on altars (Gen. 12:7–8; 13:4, 18; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20; 35:7; Num. 23:1, 29; 1 Sam. 14:35; 1 Kgs. 18:30–32). At the four corners were four horns; on these, the loftiest points of the altar, the blood of the sin offerings was put, that the atonement be brought nearer to God. At times these horns were also a place of refuge for fugitives (1 Kgs. 1:50; 2:28). The materials of an altar were either of raised earth (Ex. 20:24; 2 Kgs. 5:17) or unhewn stones (Ex. 20:25; Deut. 27:5; Josh. 8:31). The Israelites often enclosed the earth or stones in a wooden case to preserve the proper shape (Ex. 27:1). The wood again might be overlaid with brass or gold (Ex. 39:39; 40:26). In the tabernacle the Altar of Burnt Offering stood in a court outside the tent; its outer frame was acacia wood overlaid with brass (Ex. 27:1–2; 39:39). Around it, halfway up, was a ledge (Ex. 27:5), with rings and staves by which it was carried. In the Holy Place, before the veil and the mercy seat (Ex. 30:6) was the Altar of Incense, similar in construction to the Altar of Burnt Offering, but smaller and overlaid with gold. On it incense was burned morning and evening (no animal sacrifices); and on its horns once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the blood of the sin offering was put (Ex. 30:10). In the Holy of Holies stood the Ark of the Covenant, and over it the mercy seat. These also served as a type of sin offering on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:14–15). The furniture of Solomon’s Temple was similar to that of the tabernacle. The Altar of Incense was of cedarwood overlaid with gold. In the outer court stood the brazen altar made after the former pattern, but much larger (2 Chr. 4:1). Ahaz replaced it by an altar apparently of a Damascus pattern (2 Kgs. 16:11–16). Under the Law (Deut. 12:5, 11–14) the people were forbidden to build an altar except in the place where God should choose to put His Name—the temple at Jerusalem; but until the days of Hezekiah sacrifices apparently were offered in other places as well. Altars are also mentioned in Matt. 5:23; Acts 17:23; Heb. 13:10; Rev. 6:9; 8:3; 9:13; 11:1; 1 Ne. 2:7; Alma 15:17; D&C 135:7; Abr. 1:8–13.