Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
golden censer—The Greek, must not be translated "altar of incense," for it was not in "the holiest" place "after the second veil," but in "the holy place"; but as in II Chronicles 26:19, and Ezekiel 8:11, "censer": so Vulgate and Syriac. This GOLDEN censer was only used on the day of atonement (other kinds of censers on other days), and is therefore associated with the holiest place, as being taken into it on that anniversary by the high priest. The expression "which had," does not mean that the golden censer was deposited there, for in that case the high priest would have had to go in and bring it out before burning incense in it; but that the golden censer was one of the articles belonging to, and used for, the yearly service in the holiest place. He virtually supposes (without specifying) the existence of the "altar of incense" in the anterior holy place, by mentioning the golden censer filled with incense from it: the incense answers to the prayers of the saints; and the altar though outside the holiest place, is connected with it (standing close by the second veil, directly before the ark of the covenant), even as we find an antitypical altar in heaven. The rending of the veil by Christ has brought the antitypes to the altar, candlestick, and showbread of the anterior holy place into the holiest place, heaven. In I Kings 6:22, Hebrew, "the altar" is said to belong to the oracle, or holiest place (compare Exodus 30:6).
ark—of shittim wood, that is, acacia. Not in the second temple, but in its stead was a stone basement (called "the stone of foundation"), three fingers high.
pot—"golden," added in the Septuagint, and sanctioned by Paul.
manna—an omer, each man's daily portion. In I Kings 8:9; II Chronicles 5:10, it is said there was nothing in the ark of Solomon's temple save the two stone tables of the law put in by Moses. But the expression that there was nothing THEN therein save the two tables, leaves the inference to be drawn that formerly there were the other things mentioned by the Rabbis and by Paul here, the pot of manna (the memorial of God's providential care of Israel) and the rod of Aaron, the memorial of the lawful priesthood (Numbers 17:3, Numbers 17:5, Numbers 17:7, Numbers 17:10). The expressions "before the Lord" (Exodus 16:32), and "before the testimony" (Numbers 17:10) thus mean, "IN the ark." "In," however, may be used here (as the corresponding Hebrew word) as to things attached to the ark as appendages, as the book of the law was put "in the side of the ark," and so the golden jewels offered by the Philistines (I Samuel 6:8).
tables of the covenant— (Deuteronomy 9:9; Deuteronomy 10:2).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Hebrews 9:4:
Exodus 16:32-36
Numbers 17:2-5
Numbers 17:6
Deuteronomy 31:26
1 Kings 8:9
1 Corinthians 11:26
Hebrews 9:1
Hebrews 9:5
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