Exodus 30:25
in Exodus 30Prepare from these a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be a sacred anointing oil.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
KJV
And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
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This verse in Exodus 30
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAfter the art of the apothecary - The original, רקח rokeach, signifies a compounder or confectioner; any person who compounds drugs, aromatics, etc.
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 Awakening3 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
); the spices, which were in all nearly half a hundred weight, were to be infused in the oil, which was to be about five or six quarts, and then strained out, leaving an admirable sweet smell in the oil. With this oil God's tent and all the furniture of it were to be anointed; it was to be used also in the consecration of the priests,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ | veasita | and you will make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֹת֗וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֶׁ֚מֶן | shemen | oil of | H8081 → | 193 times |
| מִשְׁחַת־ | mishchat- | anointing of | H4888 → | 26 times |
| קֹ֔דֶשׁ | kodesh | holiness | H6944 → | 469 times |
| רֹ֥קַח | rokach | perfume of | H7545 → | |
| מִרְקַ֖חַת | mirkachat | an ointment-pot | H4842 → | |
| מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה | maaseh | [the] work of | H4639 → | 236 times |
| רֹקֵ֑חַ | rokeach | a perfumer | H7543 → | 8 times |
| שֶׁ֥מֶן | shemen | oil of | H8081 → | 193 times |
| מִשְׁחַת־ | mishchat- | anointing of | H4888 → | 26 times |
| קֹ֖דֶשׁ | kodesh | holiness | H6944 → | 469 times |
| יִהְיֶֽה׃ | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
וְעָשִׂ֣יתָand you will make
veasitaH6213 →2628 times
אֹת֗וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
שֶׁ֚מֶןoil of
shemenH8081 →193 times
מִשְׁחַת־anointing of
mishchat-H4888 →26 times
קֹ֔דֶשׁholiness
kodeshH6944 →469 times
רֹ֥קַחperfume of
rokachH7545 →
מִרְקַ֖חַתan ointment-pot
mirkachatH4842 →
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה[the] work of
maasehH4639 →236 times
רֹקֵ֑חַa perfumer
rokeachH7543 →8 times
שֶׁ֥מֶןoil of
shemenH8081 →193 times
מִשְׁחַת־anointing of
mishchat-H4888 →26 times
קֹ֖דֶשׁholiness
kodeshH6944 →469 times
יִהְיֶֽה׃it will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 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
Psalms 133:2It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard over the collar of his robes.
it leads to
- Leviticus 8:12
He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.
- Exodus 30:25–30
Prepare from these a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be a sacred anointing oil.
- Exodus 29:7
Then take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.
- Proverbs 27:9
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- Leviticus 8:12
Through
Psalms 89:20I have found My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 16:12–13
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
- Isaiah 61:1–3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty…
- 1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending…
- John 3:34
For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
- 1 Samuel 16:12–13
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.