God’s Word Translation
Exodus 30:23
23“Take the finest spices: 12½ pounds of powdered myrrh; half as much, that is, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon; 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane;
Exodus 30:23 in other versions
- King James Version (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,
- New International Version (NIV)“Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus,
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Also take for yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane,
Context of Exodus 30:23
21they will wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This will be a permanent law for him and his descendants for generations to come.” 22The Lord said to Moses, “Take the finest spices: 12½ pounds of powdered myrrh; half as much, that is, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon; 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane; 2412½ pounds of cassia—all weighed using the standard weight of the holy place—and 4 quarts of olive oil. 25Have a perfumer make these into a holy oil, a fragrant mixture, used only for anointing. This will be the holy oil used for anointing.
Read all of Exodus 30Exodus 30:23 word by word
וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֮ בְּשָׂמִ֣ים רֹאשׁ֒ מָר־דְּרוֹר֙ חֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וְקִנְּמָן־בֶּ֥שֶׂם מַחֲצִית֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּקְנֵה־בֹ֖שֶׂם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמָאתָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- thou also unto thee principalרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- spicesבֶּ֫שֶׂםbeώem bôώem · spiceH1314
- of pureדְּרוֹרderôr · libertyH1865
- myrrhמֹרmôr môr · myrrhH4753
- fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
- hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- cinnamonקִנָּמוֹןqinnâmôn · cinnamonH7076
- halfמַחֲצִיתmachătsîyth · halfH4276
- and fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- calamusקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
Cross-references for Exodus 30:23
- Exodus 37:29He also had a perfumer make the holy oil to be used for anointing and for the pure, sweet-smelling incense.
- Psalms 45:8All your robes are ⌞fragrant⌟ with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. From ivory palaces the music of stringed instruments delights you.
- Proverbs 7:17I’ve sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
- Jeremiah 6:20Incense that comes from Sheba is no good to me. Sugar cane that comes from a distant land is no good to me. I won’t accept your burnt offerings. I’m not pleased with your sacrifices.
- Ezekiel 27:19“ ‘Danites and Greeks from Uzal traded for your merchandise. They exchanged wrought iron, cassia, and sugar cane for your goods.
Commentaries on Exodus 30:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Take - 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, דרור מר mar deror, 500 shekels Sweet cinnamon, בשם קנמן kinnemon besem, 250 shekels. (probably from Arabia) Sweet calamus, בשם קנה keneh bosem, or sweet 250 shekels. cane, Jeremiah 6:20; - Calamus aromaticus. Cassia, קדה kiddah, (cassia lignea), brought 500 shekels. Also from Arabia. Olive…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-33Verses 22-33 Compare Exodus 37:29. Exodus 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-38Verses 22-38 Directions are here given for making the holy anointing oil, and the incense to be used in the service of the tabernacle. To show the excellency of holiness, there was this spiced oil in the tabernacle, which was grateful to the sight and to the smell. Christ's name is as ointment poured forth, So 1:3, and the good name of Christians is like precious ointment, Ec 7:1. The incense burned upon the golden altar was prepared of sweet spices. When…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-38Because God is absolutely unique (holy), what is used for his service cannot be used for any other purpose. This was the point made to Moses at the burning bush (see study note on 3:5). It was so important for the people to understand this that disobedience in this matter involved a severe punishment (30:33).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-3323-33. 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. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture of the tabernacle. myrrh--a fragrant and medicinal gum from a…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 30:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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