Exodus 30:34
New International Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts,

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather fragrant spices—resin droplets, mollusk shell, and galbanum—and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense, weighed out in equal amounts.

English Standard Version
The LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part),

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures,

King James Bible
And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:

New King James Version
And the LORD said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each.

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices—stacte, onycha, and galbanum, spices and pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each.

NASB 1995
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each.

NASB 1977
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Take for yourself fragrances, stacte and onycha and galbanum, fragrances with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each.

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet and fragrant spices—stacte, onycha, and galbanum, sweet and fragrant spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal amount of each—

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD said to Moses: “Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight;

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "Take one part fragrant spices (two kinds of gum resin and aromatic mollusk shells), and mix them with one part pure frankincense.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Moses, "Take an equal part of each of the following sweet spices--stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.

International Standard Version
The LORD told Moses, "Take for yourself spices: stacte, onycha, galbanum, and spices with pure frankincense, all in equal amounts.

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD also said to Moses, ?Take fragrant spices?gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense?in equal measures,

NET Bible
The LORD said to Moses: "Take spices, gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense of equal amounts

New Heart English Bible
The LORD said to Moses, "Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be an equal weight;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Take to thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, “Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, onycha, and galbanum: sweet spices with pure frankincense. There shall be an equal weight of each.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Moses, “Take to yourself spices—stacte, and onycha, and galbanum—spices and pure frankincense; they are part for part;

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Take to thee spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, spices and pure frankincense; they are part for part;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Take to thee aromatics, resin, and onycha, and galbanum; aromatics and pure frankincense: it shall be part for part.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Moses: Take unto thee spices, stacte, and onycha, galbanum of sweet savour, and the clearest frankincense, all shall be of equal weight.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord said to Moses: “Take to yourself aromatics: stacte, and onycha, galbanum of sweet odor, and the clearest frankincense, all these shall be of equal weight.

New American Bible
The LORD told Moses: Take these aromatic substances: storax and onycha and galbanum, these and pure frankincense in equal parts;

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD said to Moses: Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (an equal part of each),
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD said to Moses, Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum; sweet spices, with pure frankincense; of each shall there be equal weight;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a man who will make fragrance like it and he who will give of it to a foreigner will be destroyed from his people.’”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense; of each shall there be a like weight.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to Moses, Take for thyself sweet herbs, stacte, onycha, sweet galbanum, and transparent frankincense; there shall be and equal weight of each.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Incense
34The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices— gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense— in equal measures, 35and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.…

Cross References
Revelation 8:3-4
Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. / And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.

Psalm 141:2
May my prayer be set before You like incense; my uplifted hands, like the evening offering.

Leviticus 16:12-13
Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil. / He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony, so that he will not die.

Numbers 16:46-47
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” / So Aaron took the censer as Moses had ordered and ran into the midst of the assembly. And seeing that the plague had begun among the people, he offered the incense and made atonement for the people.

2 Chronicles 2:4
Behold, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God to dedicate to Him for burning fragrant incense before Him, for displaying the showbread continuously, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening as well as on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is ordained for Israel forever.

Malachi 1:11
For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Luke 1:9-11
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. / And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside. / Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Isaiah 6:6-7
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. / And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”

1 Kings 9:25
Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built for the LORD, burning incense with them before the LORD. So he completed the temple.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. / For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. / To the one we are an odor that brings death, to the other a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?

Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Ezekiel 8:11
Before them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising.

1 Samuel 2:28
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites.

Acts 10:4
Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD said to Moses, Take to you sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:

unto thee

Exodus 30:23
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,

Exodus 25:6
Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

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

stacte.

Leviticus 2:1,15
And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon: …

Leviticus 5:11
But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.

Leviticus 24:7
And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

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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














Then the LORD said to Moses
This phrase underscores the direct communication between God and Moses, a central theme in the book of Exodus. The Hebrew word for "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. This divine instruction highlights the importance of obedience and reverence in worship, as God Himself provides the details for the sacred incense.

Take
The Hebrew verb "laqach" implies an active and deliberate action. Moses is instructed to gather specific items, indicating the intentionality and precision required in worship. This reflects the broader biblical principle that worship is not haphazard but is to be conducted according to God's specific instructions.

fragrant spices
The Hebrew term "besamim" refers to aromatic substances used in sacred rituals. These spices were not only valuable but also symbolized the prayers of the people ascending to God. The use of fragrance in worship is a reminder of the beauty and holiness that should characterize our approach to God.

gum resin
The Hebrew word "nataf" is often translated as "stacte," a type of resin. This substance was likely derived from the myrrh tree and was prized for its aromatic properties. In the ancient Near East, such resins were used in both religious and medicinal contexts, symbolizing healing and sanctification.

onycha
The Hebrew "shecheleth" is a somewhat mysterious term, traditionally understood as a shellfish-derived spice. Its inclusion in the incense mixture suggests the diversity and richness of creation being offered back to God. Onycha's rarity and value underscore the preciousness of what is dedicated to the Lord.

galbanum
The Hebrew "chelbenah" refers to a gum resin with a strong, earthy scent. Historically, galbanum was used in both sacred and secular contexts for its preservative and aromatic qualities. Its presence in the incense mixture may symbolize the enduring nature of God's covenant with His people.

and pure frankincense
The Hebrew "lebonah" is a well-known aromatic resin, often associated with purity and holiness. Frankincense was a key component in ancient worship practices, symbolizing the divine presence and the prayers of the faithful. Its purity signifies the unblemished nature of offerings acceptable to God.

in equal measures
The phrase "bad b'bad" in Hebrew indicates a precise balance. This instruction for equal measures of each spice highlights the importance of harmony and balance in worship. It serves as a metaphor for the unity and equality that should characterize the community of believers as they come before God.

THE COMPOSITION OF THE HOLY INCENSE.

(34) Take unto thee sweet spices.--Rather, Take unto thee spices. The word translated "spices" has no epithet. Incense, as commonly used in the ancient world, was not a composition, but some single spice, most frequently frankincense. That, however, employed by the Hebrews was always a compound. According to Josephus (Bell. Jud., v. 5, ? 5), the incense burnt in the later temple contained thirteen ingredients.

Stacte is probably the gum storax, which is the produce of the styrax officinalis, a tree common in Syria and Palestine. It burns readily, and emits much smoke (Herod. iii. 107).

Onycha is thought to be the "claw" or operculum of the unguis odoratus, or blatta Byzantina, a sort of shell-fish common in the Red Sea. This "claw" produces, when burnt, a strong odour.

Galbanum is a gum well known to modern chemists. It may be procured from various plants, as the opoidia galbanifera, the galbanum Persicum, and others. When burnt, this gum has a strong pungent odour, which is said to be disagreeable in itself, but to bring out and prolong the scent of other spices (Plin. H. N., xii. 54).

Frankincense was probably the main element of the "holy incense," as it is of such incense as is burnt in modern times. It is a gum or resin obtained from incisions in the bark of the arbor thuris, or frankincense-tree, which grows abundantly in India, and in the islands of the Indian archipelago. Anciently, the tree appears to have grown also in Arabia, whence the Egyptians (Records of the Past, vol. x., pp. 14-17), the Ph?nicians, the Hebrews (Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 6:20), and the Greeks obtained it in large quantities. The odour is very peculiar, and to most persons very agreeable. In England it is best known as the scent given out by the pastilles which are burnt in sick rooms.

Verses 34-38. - THE HOLY INCENSE. It remained to give directions concerning the composition of the incense, which, according to verse 7, was to be burnt upon the altar of gold. That it was to be of one and one only peculiar kind had been already implied in the prohibition to burn "strange incense" (ver. 9). Moses is now told exactly how it was to be composed. As the oil was to contain four spices, so was the incense to be made of a like number - stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense - of each the same quantity (ver. 34). The art of the apothecary was to be called in for making it up (ver. 35). A portion of it was to be "beaten very small," and placed in front of the ark of the covenant, probably on the golden altar outside the vail (ver. 36). A prohibition is added, similar to that given with respect to the holy oil: no one is to make any like it for private use, under pain of being "cut off from his people" (vers. 37, 38). Verse 34. - Take unto thee sweet spices. Rather, "Take unto thee spices," or "perfumes." The word has no epithet. Stacte. The Hebrew word used means simply "a drop" (Job 32:27), and might be applied to any gum or resin which exuded from a tree. We have no clue to the gum here intended but that which is furnished by the rendering of the LXX., στακτή, which our translators have followed. Now the Greeks seem to have called two gums by this name - one, the natural exudation from the myrrh tree, called above (ver. 23) "pure myrrh," or "the myrrh that flows freely;" and the other gum storax. As it is not likely that the same substance has been given two names within the space of ten verses, we must suppose the latter to be meant. Gum storax is the produce of a tree allied to the poplar, and known as Styrax officinalis, which grows abundantly in Syria and Palestine. It was frequently used as a perfume by the ancients (Herod. 3:107; Plin. H. N. 12:17, §40). Onycha. The Hebrew word, she-kheleth, seems to mean a "shell" of some kind or other. The Greek ὄνυξ, Lat. onycha, was applied to the operculum - the "nail" or "claw" - of certain shell-fish of the genus Strombidae, which were common in the lied Sea, and elsewhere. The particular strombus which furnishes the onycha of the ancients is thought to have been the Unguis odoratus or Blatta Byzantina. The opercula of these shell-fish have, when burnt, a strong odour, "something like castoreum." The onycha is, again coupled with galbanum and gum storax in Ecclesiates 24:15. Galbanum. The Hebrew word khelb'nah, is so near the Greek χαλβάιη and the Latin galbanum that it has with good reason been assumed to designate the same substance. Galbanum is a gum well known both to ancients and moderns. It is admitted into the pharmacopeia. Several plants seem to produce it, as the Opoidia galbanifera, the Galbanum Persicum, and a plant which grows in Northern Persia, very like the Ferula erubeseens. When burnt, galbanum has a strong pungent odour, which is said to be disagreeable by itself, but to improve and preserve other odours (Plin. H. N. 12:54). Frankincense. On the wide use of frankincense, see the comment on ver. 1. It was the produce of a tree which anciently flourished in Arabia, but which appears to have degenerated, and now produces only an inferior quality. The best frankincense comes now from the high lands of India. It exudes from a tree called salai (the Boswellia setrata or thurifera of botanists). Some think that the frankincense exported largely from Arabia to the neighbouring nations was in part the produce of this tree imported by the Arab merchants from Hindustan.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֨ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֜ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

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

fragrant spices—
סַמִּ֗ים (sam·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5561: Spice (used in incense)

gum resin,
נָטָ֤ף ׀ (nā·ṭāp̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5198: A drop, an aromatic gum

onycha,
וּשְׁחֵ֙לֶת֙ (ū·šə·ḥê·leṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7827: (an ingredient of the holy incense) perhaps onycha

galbanum,
וְחֶלְבְּנָ֔ה (wə·ḥel·bə·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2464: Gum (a type used in incense)

and pure
זַכָּ֑ה (zak·kāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2134: Pure, clean

frankincense—
וּלְבֹנָ֣ה (ū·lə·ḇō·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3828: Frankincense

in equal measures,
בַּ֥ד (baḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of


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