Incense

Incense - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

A fragrant composition prepared by the "art of the apothecary." It consisted of four ingredients "beaten small" (Ex. 30:34-36). That which was not thus prepared was called "strange incense" (30:9). It was offered along with every meat-offering; and besides was daily offered on the golden altar in the holy place, and on the great day of atonement was burnt by the high priest in the holy of holies (30:7, 8). It was the symbol of prayer (Ps. 141:1, 2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4).

Incense - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

IN'CENSE, n. in'cens. [L. incensum, burnt, from incendo, to burn.]

1. Perfume exhaled by fire; the odors of spices and gums, burnt in religious rites, or as an offering to some deity.

A thick cloud of incense went up. Ezek 8.

2. The materials burnt for making perfumes. The incense used in the Jewish offerings was a mixture of sweet spices, stacte, onycha, galbanum, and the gum of the frankincense tree.

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein and put incense thereon. Lex.10.

3. Acceptable prayers and praises. Mal.l.

4. In the Materia Medica, a dry resinous substance known by the name of thus and olibanum.

IN'CENSE, v.t. in'cens. To perfume with incense. In the Romish church, it is the deacon's office to incense the officiating priest or prelate, and the choir.

INCENSE, v.t. incens.' To enkindle or inflame to violent anger; to excite angry passions; to provoke; to irritate; to exasperate; to heat; to fire. It expresses less than enrage.

How could my pious son thy power incense?

in'-sens (qeTorah; in Jer 44:21, qiTTer; in Mal 1:11, qaTar, "In every place incense shall be offered unto my name"; the word lebhonah, translated "incense" in several passages in Isa and Jer in the King James Version, is properly "frankincense," and is so rendered in the Revised Version (British and American)): The offering of incense, or burning of aromatic substances, is common in the religious ceremonies of nearly all nations (Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, etc.), and it is natural to find it holding a prominent place in the tabernacle and temple-worship of Israel. The newer critical theory that incense was a late importation into the religion of Israel, and that the altar of incense described in Ex 30:1 ff is a post-exilian invention, rests on presuppositions which are not here admitted, and is in contradiction to the express notices of the altar of incense in 1Ki 6:20,22; 7:48; 9:25; compare 2Ch 4:19 (see discussion of the subject by Delitzsch in Luthardt's Zeitschrift, 1880, 113 ff). In the denunciation of Eli in 1Sa 2:27 ff, the burning of incense is mentioned as one of the functions of the priesthood (2:28). The "smoke" that filled the temple in Isaiah's vision (Isa 6:4) may be presumed to be the smoke of incense. The word keTorah itself properly denotes. "smoke." For the altar of incense see the article on that subject, and TABERNACLE and TEMPLE. The incense used in the tabernacle service--called "sweet incense" (keToreth ha-cammim, Ex 25:6, etc.)--was compounded according to a definite prescription of the perfumes, stacte, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense (Ex 30:34 f), and incense not so compounded was rejected as "strange incense" (keTorah zarah, Ex 30:9). In the offering of incense, burning coals from the altar of burnt offering were borne in a censer and put upon the altar of incense (the "golden altar" before the oracle), then the fragrant incense was sprinkled on the fire (compare Lu 1:9 f). Ample details of the rabbinical rules about incense may be seen in the article "Incense," in DB.

See CENSER.

Figuratively, incense was symbolical of ascending prayer. The multitude were praying while Zacharias offered incense (Lu 1:10, thumiama), and in Re 5:8; 8:3 f, the incense in the heavenly temple is connected and even identified (5:8) with "the prayers of the saints."

James Orr

Definition

The term “incense” refers to a mixture of fragrant spices that is burned to produce smoke that has a pleasant smell.

• God told the Israelites to burn incense as an offering to him.
• The incense had to be made by mixing equal amounts of five specific spices exactly as God directed. This was a sacred incense, so they were not allowed to use it for any other purpose.
• The “altar of incense” was a special altar that was only used for burning incense.
• The incense was offered at least four times a day, at each hour of prayer. It was also offered every time a burnt offering was made.
• The burning of incense represents prayer and worship rising up to God from his people.
• Other ways to translate “incense” could include “fragrant spices” or “good-smelling plants.”

(See also: altar of incense, burnt offering, frankincense)

Bible References

• 1 Kings 3:1-3
• 2 Chronicles 13:10-11
• 2 Kings 14:4
• Exodus 25:3-7
• Luke 1:10

Word Data

• Strong’s: H2553, H3828, H4196, H4289, H5208, H6988, H6999, H7002, H7004, H7381, G23680, G23690, G23700, G23790, G30310