Hebrew word · H4289

מַחְתָּה

machtato

censer

A fire-pan or coal-pan: a shallow pan used to carry live coals (Exod 27:3, among the altar utensils). It also means a snuff-dish for the lampstand (Exod 25:38). With incense laid on the coals it serves as a censer (Lev 10:1; 16:12).

Appears 22 times in 19 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

1) fire-holder, censer, firepan, snuff dish, tray

1a) snuff-dish

1b) fire-pans

1c) censer

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Numbers 16:46

Range of meaning: A fire-pan or coal-pan: a shallow pan used to carry live coals (Exod 27:3, among the altar utensils). It also means a snuff-dish for the lampstand (Exod 25:38). With incense laid on the coals it serves as a censer (Lev 10:1; 16:12).
Against the English: 'Censer' makes modern readers think of a perforated pot swinging on chains, as in later church use. Here it is a handled pan carried by hand.
How it drifted: English 'censer' was shaped by later church and synagogue-free incense practice, with the thurible on chains.
Used elsewhere in the period: Lev 10:1 (Nadab and Abihu's pans with 'unauthorized fire'); Lev 16:12 (the high priest's pan of coals from the altar on the Day of Atonement); Num 16:6, 17–18, 37–39 (the 250 pans, later hammered into plating for the altar). The Septuagint uses pyreion, 'fire-holder'.

From the study of Leviticus 10:1

Range of meaning: A pan or shovel for carrying coals. It was used to clear ashes from the altar (Exod 27:3; 38:3, made of bronze), as a firepan for incense (Lev 16:12; Num 16:6, 17), and as a gold 'snuff-dish' for the lampstand (Exod 25:38; 37:23).
Against the English: 'Censer' (KJV, BSB, ESV, NIV) makes many readers picture a swinging thurible on chains from later church use. 'Firepan' is closer to the object.
How it drifted: 'Censer' took its picture from medieval and later church incense vessels.
Used elsewhere in the period: Num 16 is the closest parallel: 250 laymen each take a maḥtah, put fire and incense in it, offer it, and fire 'from YHWH' consumes them. Afterwards their pans are hammered into a covering for the altar as a warning.

From the study of Leviticus 16:12

Range of meaning: A pan or shovel for carrying or scooping up hot coals and ash. The root ḥ-t-h means to snatch up or scoop fire (Proverbs 6:27; 25:22; Isaiah 30:14, 'to scoop fire from the hearth'). The same object could be a fire-pan for the altar (Exodus 27:3; 38:3), a tray for lampwick trimmings (Exodus 25:38; 37:23), or a pan for burning incense (Leviticus 10:1; Numbers 16).
Against the English: KJV, BSB, WEB and most modern versions say 'censer.' NLT says 'incense burner.' 'Fire-pan' or 'coal-pan' is closer to the object.
How it drifted: 'Censer' came into English through church Latin and Old French and became the usual word for the thurible, a perforated metal bowl swung on chains in liturgical worship. That picture has nothing to do with the Israelite object, which was a hand-held pan or shovel.
Used elsewhere in the period: Numbers 16 is the closest parallel: Korah's 250 men each take a maḥtâ, put fire and incense on it and 'bring it near before YHWH.' They die, and their pans are hammered into plating for the altar. In Numbers 16:46–48 (Hebrew 17:11–13) Aaron takes fire 'from upon the altar' in a maḥtâ to stop a plague. Archaeology has turned up Iron Age bronze shovels near altars, for example in the sacred area at Tel Dan. They fit this kind of tool. The Greek translation (Septuagint) here uses pyreion, 'fire-holder.'

Where it appears

Exodus · 4

Exodus 25:38 וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ and fire-pans its

The wick trimmers and their trays must be of pure gold.
Exodus 27:3 וּמַחְתֹּתָ֑יו and fire-pans its

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 וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ and fire-pans its

He also made its seven lamps, its wick trimmers, and trays of pure gold.
Exodus 38:3 הַמַּחְתֹּ֑ת the fire-pans

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

Leviticus · 2

Leviticus 10:1 מַחְתָּת֗וֹ censer his

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.

Here: A shallow metal pan or shovel for carrying live coals. It was not the swinging censer of later church worship. Each man had his own, which suggests these were their personal equipment.
Leviticus 16:12 הַ֠מַּחְתָּה <the> censer

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.

Here: A flat pan or shovel with a handle, used to carry live coals. The word has the article ('the'), so it means the particular sanctuary pan used for this rite. It was not a swinging censer on chains.

Numbers · 12

Numbers 4:9 מַחְתֹּתֶ֑יהָ fire-pans its

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 הַמַּחְתֹּ֤ת the fire-pans

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 מַחְתּ֔וֹת censers

You, Korah, and all your followers are to do as follows: Take censers,
Numbers 16:17 מַחְתָּת֗וֹ מַחְתָּת֔וֹ מַחְתֹּ֑ת מַחְתָּתֽוֹ׃ censer his, censers

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 מַחְתָּת֗וֹ censer his

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 16:37 הַמַּחְתֹּת֙ the censers

“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the censers from the flames and to scatter the coals far away, because the censers are holy.
Numbers 16:38 מַחְתּוֹת֩ [the] censers of

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.”
Numbers 16:39 מַחְתּ֣וֹת [the] censers of

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,
Numbers 16:46 הַ֠מַּחְתָּה the censer

Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.”

Here: A shallow pan for carrying live coals, not a swinging censer on chains. The definite article ('the') points to a known pan, probably Aaron's own. In this chapter it is a loaded object: 250 men had just died holding pans like this one (16:35).

1 Kings · 1

1 Kings 7:50 וְהַמַּחְתּ֖וֹת and the fire-pans

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 · 1

2 Kings 25:15 הַמַּחְתּוֹת֙ the fire-pans

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

2 Chronicles · 1

2 Chronicles 4:22 וְהַמַּחְתּ֖וֹת and the fire-pans

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 · 1

Jeremiah 52:19 הַמַּחְתּ֨וֹת the fire-pans

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.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.