Reference: Ointment
Easton
Various fragrant preparations, also compounds for medical purposes, are so called (Ex 30:25; Ps 133:2; Isa 1:6; Am 6:6; Joh 12:3; Re 18:13).
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And make it an oil a holy anointing, a perfumed unguent the work of the perfumer: it shall be an oil a holy anointing.
As good oil upon the head, going down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron: coming down upon the mouth of his garments:
From the sole of the foot and even to the head, no wholeness in it; a wound and bruise, and a fresh blow: they were not pressed out, and they were not bound up, and they were not softened with oil.
Drinking wine in vases, and they will anoint with the chief of ointments: and they were not grieved for the breaking of Joseph.
Then Mary having taken a pound of perfumed oil of spikenard, very precious, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hairs: and the house was filled with the smell of the perfumed oil.
And cinnamon, and perfumes, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and the finest wheat flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies, and of souls of men,
Fausets
See ANOINT.)
Hastings
With two exceptions, 'ointment' in our English Version is the rendering, in OT, of the ordinary word for 'oil,' and in some passages the ointment may have consisted of oil only. In most of the references, however, perfumed oil is undoubtedly meant. The two are distinguished in Lu 7:46 'My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she hath anointed my feet with ointment (myron).' The extensive use of myron in NT in the sense of 'ointment' shows that myrrh was then the favourite perfume. The dead body, as well as the living subject, was anointed with this ointment (Lu 23:56). Another 'very costly' unguent is described as 'ointment of spikenard' (Mr 14:3; Joh 12:3), for which see Spikenard. These much-prized unguents were kept in pots of alabaster, as in Egypt, where they are said to retain their fragrance for 'several hundred years' (Wilkinson, Anc. Egyp. i. 426, with illust.).
In the Priests' Code there is repeated reference to a specially rich unguent, 'the holy anointing oil,' the composition of which is minutely laid down in Ex 30:23-25. The ingredients, in addition to a basis of olive oil, are rendered in RV as 'flowing myrrh,' sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia. The penalty for the unauthorized manufacture and sacrilegious use of this sacred chrism was excommunication.
A. R. S. Kennedy.
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Take thou to thee spices of head of flowing myrrh, five hundred: and fragrant cinnamon of its half, fifty and two hundred; and fragrant reed, fifty and two hundred. And cassia, five hundred by the holy shekel, and the oil of olive, a hin: read more. And make it an oil a holy anointing, a perfumed unguent the work of the perfumer: it shall be an oil a holy anointing.
And he being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leprous, he reclining at table, a woman came having an alabaster box of perfumed oil of persuasive, costly, spikenard;. and having broken the alabaster box, she poured upon his head.
Thou anointedst not my head with oil: and she anointed my feet with perfumed oil.
And having returned, they prepared spices and perfumed oils; and truly the sabbath were they at rest according to the command.
Then Mary having taken a pound of perfumed oil of spikenard, very precious, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hairs: and the house was filled with the smell of the perfumed oil.
Morish
Except in Ex 30:25 (where the Hebrew words are mishchah and roqach, and may be translated "an oil of holy ointment, a perfume"), and in 1Ch 9:30; Job 41:31 (where the words are derived from roqach), the Hebrew word is shemen, which is constantly translated 'oil.' It is used for 'fatness, oil, spiced oil,' and hence 'ointment,' with which on joyful occasions the head was anointed, Ps 133:2, and is elsewhere called the 'oil of gladness.' Ps 45:7: cf. Pr 27:9,16; Ec 7:1; 9:8; Am 6:6. As an emollient it was applied to wounds or bruises. Isa 1:6. In the N.T. the word is ?????, 'oil mingled with fragrant spices:' with such Mary anointed the Lord, and its perfume filled the house, Joh 12:3,5; it was also used by a woman 'which was a sinner.' Lu 7:37-38. The ointment would be more or less costly according to the ingredients.
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And make it an oil a holy anointing, a perfumed unguent the work of the perfumer: it shall be an oil a holy anointing.
And from the sons of the priests seasoning the ointment to the spices.
He will cause the deep to boil as a pot: he will set the sea as ointment
Thou lovedst justice, and thou wilt hate injustice: for this, God thy God anointed thee with the oil of joy above thy companions.
As good oil upon the head, going down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron: coming down upon the mouth of his garments:
Oil and incense will rejoice the heart: and the sweetness from his friend from the counsel of the soul.
He hiding her, hid the wind, and he shall call the oil of his right hand.
A good name is above good oil, and the day of death above the day of birth.
In all time thy garments shall be white; and ointment shall not be wanting upon thy head.
From the sole of the foot and even to the head, no wholeness in it; a wound and bruise, and a fresh blow: they were not pressed out, and they were not bound up, and they were not softened with oil.
Drinking wine in vases, and they will anoint with the chief of ointments: and they were not grieved for the breaking of Joseph.
And, behold, a woman in the city, who was sinful, knowing that he is reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, having brought an alabaster box of perfumed oil, And stood at his feet behind, weeping, been to wet his feet with tears, and wiped with the hairs of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed with the perfumed oil.
Then Mary having taken a pound of perfumed oil of spikenard, very precious, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hairs: and the house was filled with the smell of the perfumed oil.
Wherefore was not this perfumed oil sold for three hundred drachmas, and given to the poor?
Smith
Ointment.
(An oily or unctuous substance, usually compounded of oil with various spices and resins and aromatics, and preserved in small alabaster boxes or cruses, in which the delicious aroma was best preserved. Some of the ointments have been known to retain their: fragrance for several hundred years. They were a much-coveted luxury, and often very expensive. --ED.)
1. Cosmetic. --The Greek and Roman practice of anointing the head and clothes on festive occasions prevailed also among the Egyptians, and appears to have had place among the Jews.
2. Funereal. --Ointments as well as oil were used to anoint dead bodies and the clothes in which they were wrapped.
3. Medicinal. --Ointment formed an important feature in ancient medical treatment.
Isa 1:6; Jer 8:22; Joh 9:6; Re 3:18
etc.
4. Ritual.--Besides the oil used in many ceremonial observances, a special ointment was appointed to be used in consecration.
Ex 30:23,33; 29:7; 37:29; 40:9,15
A person whose business it was to compound ointments in general was called an "apothecary."
The work was sometimes carried on by woman "confectionaries."
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And take the oil of anointing, and thou shalt pour upon his head and anoint him.
Take thou to thee spices of head of flowing myrrh, five hundred: and fragrant cinnamon of its half, fifty and two hundred; and fragrant reed, fifty and two hundred.
A man who shall perfume like it, and shall give to the stranger, and he shall be cut off from his people.
And he will make the holy oil of anointing and the pure incense of aromatics, the work of the perfumer.
And take the oil of anointing, and anoint the dwelling and all that is in it, and consecrate it, and all its vessels: and it was holy.
And anoint them as thou didst anoint their father, and they were priests to me; and it was to be to them an anointing for the priesthood forever for their generations.
And your daughters he will take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers.
Upon his hand held fast Uzziel son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths. And upon his hand held fast Hananiah son of the perfumers; and they will leave Jerusalem even to the broad wall.
From the sole of the foot and even to the head, no wholeness in it; a wound and bruise, and a fresh blow: they were not pressed out, and they were not bound up, and they were not softened with oil.
Is there no balsam in Gilead, or healing there? for wherefore did not the health of the daughter of my people go up?
For she, casting this perfumed oil upon my body, did to prepare me for interment,
Having said these, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and rubbed the clay upon the eyes of the blind,
I counsel thee to buy gold of me refined by fire, that thou mightest be rich; and white garments, that thou mightest be surrounded, and that the shame of thy nakedness might not be made manifest; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mightest see.