Shovel

A tool with a broad, curved blade used to remove refuse from the altar.

A priest with a firepan tends the incense altar in the temple
A priest with a firepan tends the incense altar in the temple (Image generated by ChatGPT using OpenAI technology) Small shovel, firepan

About Shovel

The firepan was used to move or turn coals on the altar and to carry them to the altar of incense for other purposes (see Incense altar).

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Key References

Exodus 27:3

Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots for removing ashes, its shovels, its sprinkling bowls, its meat forks, and its firepans.

Numbers 4:14

and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.

2 Kings 25:14

They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service.

All Scripture References (25)

Exodus (4)
Exodus 25:38

The wick trimmers and their trays must be of pure gold.

Exodus 27:3

Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots for removing ashes, its shovels, its sprinkling bowls, its meat forks, and its firepans.

Exodus 37:23

He also made its seven lamps, its wick trimmers, and trays of pure gold.

Exodus 38:3

He made all the altar’s utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and firepans.

Leviticus (2)
Leviticus 10:1

Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

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.

Numbers (9)
Numbers 4:9

They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to supply it.

Numbers 4:14

and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.

Numbers 16:6

You, Korah, and all your followers are to do as follows: Take censers,

Numbers 16:17

Each man is to take his censer, place incense in it, and present it before the LORD—250 censers. You and Aaron are to present your censers as well.”

Numbers 16:18

So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Numbers 17:2

“Speak to the Israelites and take from them twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his staff,

Numbers 17:3

and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.

Numbers 17:4

Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.

Numbers 17:11

So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

1 Kings (3)
1 Kings 7:40

Additionally, Huram made the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished all the work that he had undertaken for King Solomon in the house of the LORD:

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.

1 Kings 7:50

the pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers; and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner temple (that is, the Most Holy Place) as well as for the doors of the main hall of the temple.

2 Kings (2)
2 Kings 25:14

They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service.

2 Kings 25:15

The captain of the guard also took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.

2 Chronicles (3)
2 Chronicles 4:11

Additionally, Huram made the pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished the work that he had undertaken for King Solomon in the house of God:

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.

2 Chronicles 4:22

the wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers of pure gold; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place as well as the doors of the main hall.

Jeremiah (2)
Jeremiah 52:18

They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service.

Jeremiah 52:19

The captain of the guard also took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and drink offering bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.