Exodus 30:23
in Exodus 30“Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Take thou also unto thee the chief spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty,
KJV
Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
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This verse in Exodus 30
Commentary
7 notes on this verseTake thou also unto thee principal spices,.... To make the anointing oil with, and are as follow: of pure myrrh five hundred shekels; it is strange that Saadiah, and so Maimonides (f), should take this for musk, which comes from a beast, and is confuted by Aben Ezra from Son 5:1 from whence it plainly appears to be what comes from a tree; and the word "mor", here used, gives the tree the name of myrrh almost in all languages.
This site's exposition
Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses
on Exodus 30:22-25
The fourth speech opens with a different formula, Moreover the Lord spake, which is why the set in chapters 25 to 31 counts as seven speeches rather than seven occurrences of one phrase. The weights are reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary named at verse 13, so the standard set for the ransom money governs the apothecary as well. Every spice in the recipe reaches the wilderness by trade, and Exodus 35:28 says the people brought the spice for the anointing oil out of their own hands.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Interpreters are not agreed concerning them; we are sure, in general, they were the best and fittest for the purpose; they must needs be so when the divine wisdom appointed them for the divine honour. It was to be compounded secundum artem--after the art of the apothecary (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Yet all agree that in the second temple there was none of this holy oil, which was probably owing to a notion they had, that it was not lawful to make it up; Providence over-ruling that want as a presage of the better unction of the Holy Ghost in gospel-times, the variety of whose gifts was typified by these sweet ingredients.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Take - unto thee principal spices - From this and the following verse we learn that the holy anointing oil was compounded of the following ingredients: - Pure myrrh, מר דרור mar deror, 500 shekels Sweet cinnamon, קנמן בשם kinnemon besem, 250 shekels. (probably from Arabia) Sweet calamus, קנה בשם keneh bosem, or sweet 250 shekels. cane, Jer 6:20 - Calamus aromaticus. Cassia, קדה kiddah, (cassia lignea), brought 500 shekels. Also from Arabia. Olive oil, שמן זית shemen sayith, one hin, about 5 quarts.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Compare Exo 37:29. Exo 30:23 Principal spices - i. e. the best spices. Pure myrrh - Is a gum which comes from the stem of a low, thorny, ragged tree, that grows in Arabia Felix and Eastern Africa, called by botanists Balsamodendron myrrha. The word here rendered pure, is literally, “freely flowing”, an epithet which is explained by the fact that the best myrrh is said to exude spontaneously from the bark, while that of inferior quality oozes out in greater quantity from incisions made in the bark. Five hundred shekels - Probably rather more than 15 1/4 lbs.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Take thou also . . . principal spices, &c.--Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| קַח־ | kach- | take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| לְךָ֮ | lekha | for <the> yourself | ||
| בְּשָׂמִ֣ים | besamim | spices | H1314 → | 29 times |
| רֹאשׁ֒ | rosh | [the] best | H7218 → | 599 times |
| מָר־ | mor- | myrrh of | H4753 → | |
| דְּרוֹר֙ | deror | flowing | H1865 → | |
| חֲמֵ֣שׁ | chamesh | five | H2568 → | 343 times |
| מֵא֔וֹת | meot | hundred<s> | H3967 → | 581 times |
| וְקִנְּמָן־ | vekinemon- | and cinnamon of | H7076 → | |
| בֶּ֥שֶׂם | besem | spice | H1314 → | 29 times |
| מַחֲצִית֖וֹ | machatzito | half its | H4276 → | 16 times |
| חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים | chamishim | fifty | H2572 → | 163 times |
| וּמָאתָ֑יִם | umatayim | and two hundred | H3967 → | 581 times |
| וּקְנֵה־ | ukeneh- | and cane of | H7070 → | 62 times |
| בֹ֖שֶׂם | vosem | spice | H1314 → | 29 times |
| חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים | chamishim | fifty | H2572 → | 163 times |
| וּמָאתָֽיִם׃ | umatayim | and two hundred | H3967 → | 581 times |
וְאַתָּ֣הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
קַח־take
kach-H3947 →966 times
לְךָ֮for <the> yourself
lekha
בְּשָׂמִ֣יםspices
besamimH1314 →29 times
רֹאשׁ֒[the] best
roshH7218 →599 times
מָר־myrrh of
mor-H4753 →
דְּרוֹר֙flowing
derorH1865 →
חֲמֵ֣שׁfive
chameshH2568 →343 times
מֵא֔וֹתhundred<s>
meotH3967 →581 times
וְקִנְּמָן־and cinnamon of
vekinemon-H7076 →
בֶּ֥שֶׂםspice
besemH1314 →29 times
מַחֲצִית֖וֹhalf its
machatzitoH4276 →16 times
חֲמִשִּׁ֣יםfifty
chamishimH2572 →163 times
וּמָאתָ֑יִםand two hundred
umatayimH3967 →581 times
וּקְנֵה־and cane of
ukeneh-H7070 →62 times
בֹ֖שֶׂםspice
vosemH1314 →29 times
חֲמִשִּׁ֥יםfifty
chamishimH2572 →163 times
וּמָאתָֽיִם׃and two hundred
umatayimH3967 →581 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 7:17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
it leads to
- Psalms 45:8
All your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 45:8
Through
Jeremiah 6:20What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:11
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood…
- Amos 5:21–22
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.
- Micah 6:6–8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
- Isaiah 1:11
Through
Song of Solomon 4:14with nard and saffron, with calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of frankincense tree, with myrrh and aloes, with all the finest spices.
it leads to
- Song of Solomon 3:6
Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Song of Solomon 4:6
Before the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will make my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
- Song of Solomon 3:6
Through
Ezekiel 27:22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.
it leads to
- Genesis 10:7
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
- Genesis 10:7
Through
Ezekiel 27:19and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were exchanged for your merchandise.
it leads to
- Song of Solomon 4:13–14
Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Song of Solomon 4:13–14
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
