Exodus 30:23
New International Version
“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,

New Living Translation
“Collect choice spices—12 1 / 2 pounds of pure myrrh, 6 1 / 4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1 / 4 pounds of fragrant calamus,

English Standard Version
“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,

Berean Standard Bible
“Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,

King James Bible
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 King James Version
“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,

New American Standard Bible
“Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, 250, and of fragrant cane 250,

NASB 1995
“Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty,

NASB 1977
“Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty,

Legacy Standard Bible
“But as for you, take for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh 500 shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, 250, and of fragrant cane 250,

Amplified Bible
“Take for yourself the best spices: five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much—two hundred and fifty—of sweet-scented cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of fragrant cane,

Christian Standard Bible
“Take for yourself the finest spices: 12 1 /2 pounds of liquid myrrh, half as much (6 1 /4 pounds ) of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1 /4 pounds of fragrant cane,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Take for yourself the finest spices: 12 1/2 pounds of liquid myrrh, half as much (6 1/4 pounds) of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1/4 pounds of fragrant cane,

American Standard Version
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,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And LORD JEHOVAH spoke with Moshe and said to him,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Do thou also take sweet herbs, the flower of choice myrrh five hundred shekels, and the half of this two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling calamus,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Saying: Take spices, of principal and chosen myrrh five hundred sicles, and of cinnamon half so much, that is, two hundred and fifty sicles, of calamus in like manner two hundred and fifty.

English Revised Version
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,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Take the finest spices: 12 1/2 pounds of powdered myrrh; half as much, that is, 61/4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon; 61/4 pounds of fragrant cane;

Good News Translation
"Take the finest spices--12 pounds of liquid myrrh, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cane,

International Standard Version
"You are to take for yourself the finest spices: 500 shekels by weight of liquid myrrh, half as much fragrant cinnamon (250 shekels), 250 shekels of fragrant reeds,

JPS Tanakh 1917
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,

Literal Standard Version
“And you, take [these] principal spices for yourself: five hundred [shekels] of liquid myrrh, and the half of that—two hundred and fifty [shekels]—of spice-cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty [shekels] of spice-cane,

Majority Standard Bible
“Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,

New American Bible
Take the finest spices: five hundred shekels of free-flowing myrrh; half that amount, that is, two hundred and fifty shekels, of fragrant cinnamon; two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant cane;

NET Bible
"Take choice spices: twelve and a half pounds of free-flowing myrrh, half that--about six and a quarter pounds--of sweet-smelling cinnamon, six and a quarter pounds of sweet-smelling cane,

New Revised Standard Version
Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred fifty, and two hundred fifty of aromatic cane,

New Heart English Bible
"Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;

Webster's Bible Translation
Take thou also to thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,

World English Bible
“Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;

Young's Literal Translation
And thou, take to thyself principal spices, wild honey five hundred shekels; and spice-cinnamon, the half of that, two hundred and fifty; and spice-cane two hundred and fifty;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Anointing Oil
22Then the LORD said to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, 24500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil.…

Cross References
Exodus 25:6
olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;

Exodus 30:22
Then the LORD said to Moses,

Exodus 30:24
500 shekels of cassia--all according to the sanctuary shekel--and a hin of olive oil.

Exodus 31:11
in addition to the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them according to all that I have commanded you."

Exodus 35:28
as well as spices and olive oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.

Exodus 37:29
He also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul's head, kissed him, and said, "Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?


Treasury of Scripture

Take you also to you 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,

thee principal

Exodus 37:29
And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

Psalm 45:8
All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

Proverbs 7:17
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

pure myrrh.

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Aromatic Cane Cinnamon Fifty Fine Finest Five Fragrant Half Hundred Liquid Myrrh Principal Pure Shekels Spices Sweet
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Aromatic Cane Cinnamon Fifty Fine Finest Five Fragrant Half Hundred Liquid Myrrh Principal Pure Shekels Spices Sweet
Exodus 30
1. The altar of incense
11. The ransom of souls
17. The bronze basin
22. The holy anointing oil
34. The composition of the incense














(23) Principal spices.--The East is productive of a great variety of spices; but of these some few have always been regarded with especial favour. Herodotus (iii. 107-112) mentions five "principal spices" as furnished by Arabia to other countries, whereof two at least appear to be identical with those here spoken of.

Pure myrrh.--Heb., myrrh of freedom. The shrub which produces myrrh is the balsamodendron myrrha. The spice is obtained from it in two ways. That which is purest and best exudes from it naturally (Theophrast. De Odoribus, ? 29; Plin., H. N., xii. 35), and is here called "myrrh of freedom," or "freely flowing myrrh." The other and inferior form is obtained from incisions made in the bark. Myrrh was very largely used in ancient times. The Egyptians employed it as a main element in their best method of embalming (Herod. ii. 86), and also burnt it in some of their sacrifices (ib. 40). In Persia it was highly esteemed as an odour (Athen., Deipn. 12, p. 514A); the Greeks used it in unguents. And as incense; Roman courtesans scented their hair with it (Hor. Od., iii. 14, 1. 22); the later Jews applied it as an antiseptic to corpses (John 19:39). This is the first mention of myrrh (Heb., mor) in the Bible, the word translated "myrrh" in Genesis 37:25; Genesis 43:11 being lot, which is properly, not myrrh, but ladanum.

Sweet cinnamon.--While myrrh was one of the commonest of spices in the ancient world, cinnamon was one of the rarest. It is the produce of the laurus cinnamomum, or cinnamomum zeylanicum, a tree allied to the laurel, which now grows only in Ceylon, Borneo, Sumatra, China, Cochin China, and in India on the coast of Malabar. According to Herodotus (iii. 111) and Strabo (16, p. 535), it grew anciently in Arabia; but this is doubted, and the Arabians are believed to have imported it from India or Ceylon, and passed it on to the Ph?nicians, who conveyed it to Egypt and Greece. The present passage of Scripture is the first in which it is mentioned, and in the rest of the Old Testament it obtains notice only twice (Proverbs 7:16; Song of Solomon 4:14). The word used, which is kinn?mon, makes it tolerably certain that the true cinnamon is meant. . . .

Verse 23 - Principal spices. The ancients recognised a vast variety of spices. Pliny notices an ointment which was composed of twenty-six ingredients, chiefly spices (H.N. 13:2, § 18). Herodotus mentions five "principal spices" as furnished by Arabia (3:107), of which four seem to be identical with those employed in the holy oil. Pure myrrh. Literally, "myrrh of freedom," or "freely flowing myrrh." The shrub which yields myrrh (Balsamodendron myrrha) produces two kinds - one, which exudes spontaneously, and is regarded as the best (Plin. II. 4:12:35; Theophrast. De Odoribus, § 29); and another, of inferior quality, which flows from incisions made in the bark. It is the former kind which is here intended. Myrrh was among the ancients in high request as a spice. It was used by the Egyptians for embalming (Herod 2:86), in Persia as an odour (Athen. Deipn, 12. p. 514, A); by the Greeks for incense (Soph. Fr. 340) and in unguents (Aristoph Eq 1. 1332); by the later Jews in funerals (John 19:39); and was largely exported from Arabia and Ethiopia into various parts of Asia and Europe. Sweet cinnamon. Cinnamon was a far rarer spice than myrrh. It is only mentioned three times in the Old Testament (cf. Proverbs 7:16; Song of Solomon 4:14). I am not aware of any trace of it in Egypt; but Herodotus says that it was obtained by the Greeks from Arabia in his day (3:111). It is the inner bark or rind of a tree allied to the laurel, and called by some Laurus cinnamomum, by others Cinnamomum zeylanicum. The tree now grows only in India on the Malabar coast, in Ceylon, Borneo, Sumatra, Cochin China, and China. If its habitat has not suffered contraction, we must regard the mention of it here as indicative of a very early commerce of a very extensive character. Sweet calamus. Aromatic reeds, probably of several distinct kind, seem to have been the produce anciently of Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and India. It is impossible to say what exactly was the species here intended. Calamus is mentioned as a spice in Isaiah 43:24; Jeremiah 6:20; Ezekiel 27:17; and Song of Solomon 4:14; but the term used (kaneh, "cane ") is vague; and it is not at all clear that one species only is alluded to.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Take
קַח־ (qaḥ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the finest
רֹאשׁ֒ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

spices:
בְּשָׂמִ֣ים (bə·śā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1314: Fragrance, spicery, the balsam plant

500 shekels
חֲמֵ֣שׁ (ḥă·mêš)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2568: Five

of liquid
דְּרוֹר֙ (də·rō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1865: Freedom, spontaneity of outflow, clear

myrrh,
מָר־ (mār-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4753: Myrrh

half as much
מַחֲצִית֖וֹ (ma·ḥă·ṣî·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4276: A halving, the middle

(250 shekels)
חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים (ḥă·miš·šîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 2572: Fifty

of fragrant
בֶּ֥שֶׂם (be·śem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1314: Fragrance, spicery, the balsam plant

cinnamon,
וְקִנְּמָן־ (wə·qin·nə·mān-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7076: Cinnamon bark

250 shekels
חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים (ḥă·miš·šîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 2572: Fifty

of fragrant
בֹ֖שֶׂם (ḇō·śem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1314: Fragrance, spicery, the balsam plant

cane,
וּקְנֵה־ (ū·qə·nêh-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7070: A reed, a, rod, shaft, tube, stem, the radius, beam


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OT Law: Exodus 30:23 Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 30:22
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