In biblical times, the term "confection" refers to a mixture or preparation, often of sweet substances, used for various purposes, including religious and medicinal. The concept of confection is primarily associated with the preparation of incense and anointing oils, as described in the Old Testament.

Biblical References:

1. Exodus 30:34-38 · The LORD instructs Moses on the preparation of sacred incense, a holy confection made from specific spices. The passage states: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal measures, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.'" . This sacred incense was to be used exclusively for worship in the Tabernacle, highlighting its sanctity and the skill required in its preparation.

2. Exodus 30:22-25 · The LORD provides Moses with a recipe for the holy anointing oil, another form of confection. The passage reads: "Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be a holy anointing oil." . This oil was used to consecrate the Tabernacle and its furnishings, as well as the priests, signifying their dedication to God.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

In ancient Israel, the art of creating confections, particularly those used in religious contexts, was a highly respected skill. The perfumer, or apothecary, was responsible for blending these substances according to divine instructions, ensuring their purity and effectiveness. The use of confections in worship underscores the importance of sensory experience in the religious life of Israel, where fragrance played a role in symbolizing prayer and divine presence.

The specific ingredients and their proportions were divinely ordained, emphasizing the holiness and exclusivity of these preparations. Unauthorized replication or use of these sacred confections was strictly prohibited, as seen in Exodus 30:37-38: "You must not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; you are to regard it as holy to the LORD. Anyone who makes something like it to enjoy its fragrance shall be cut off from his people." . This prohibition highlights the sacredness of the confections and their role in maintaining the sanctity of worship.

Symbolism and Typology:

The confections used in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple worship can be seen as typological foreshadowings of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. The anointing oil, for instance, symbolizes the Holy Spirit's anointing and empowerment of believers, as seen in the New Testament. The fragrant incense represents the prayers of the saints, rising to God as a pleasing aroma, as depicted in Revelation 5:8: "And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." .

In summary, the biblical concept of confection encompasses the preparation of sacred mixtures for worship, highlighting the importance of purity, obedience, and the sensory elements of faith. These confections served as tangible expressions of devotion and were integral to the worship practices of ancient Israel.(Exodus 30:35, "ointment" in ver. 25; R.V., "perfume"). The Hebrew word so rendered is derived from a root meaning to compound oil and perfume. 1. (n.) A composition of different materials.

2. (n.) A preparation of fruits or roots, etc., with sugar; a sweetmeat.

3. (n.) A composition of drugs.

4. (n.) A soft solid made by incorporating a medicinal substance or substances with sugar, syrup, or honey.

CONFECTION; CONFECTIONARY

kon-fek'-shun, kon-fek'-shun-a-ri (roqach "perfume," "spice," raqqahah, feminine "perfumer"):

(1) "Confection" is found in the King James Version only and but once "a confection after the art of the apothecary" (Exodus 30:35; the Revised Version (British and American) "perfume"); but the Revised Version (British and American) renders 1 Chronicles 9:30, "the confection (the King James Version "ointment") of the spices." It stands for something "made up," a mixture of perfumes or medicines, but never sweetmeats, as confection means with us.

(2) Likewise a "confectionary" is a perfumer. This word, too, is found but once (1 Samuel 8:13), "He will take your daughters to be perfumers (the King James Version "confectionaries"), and to be cooks, and to be bakers."

See PERFUME.

George B. Eager

7545. roqach -- spice mixture, perfume
... Word Origin from raqach Definition spice mixture, perfume NASB Word Usage perfume
(2). confection, ointment. From Raqqown; an aromatic -- confection, ointment. ...
/hebrew/7545.htm - 6k

Temples Built by Constantine the Great; the City Called by his ...
... While he was lying there, a Divine Power appeared to him by night, and commanded
him to dip his foot in a confection made of honey, wine, and pepper. ...
/.../chapter iii temples built by constantine.htm

Arise, and Go into the City
... Within a block of the Parish House of Christ Church was a flourishing candy store,
so-called, but the chief "confection" was a crap game run for the boys of ...
/.../herrick/frank h nelson of cincinnati/arise and go into the.htm

Knox in the English Puritan Troubles at Frankfort: 1554-1555
... A kind of truce was now proclaimed, to last till May 1, 1555; Knox aiding in the
confection of a service without responses, "some part taken out of the English ...
/.../lang/john knox and the reformation/chapter vi knox in the.htm

The Fortress of the Faithful
... It is no longer some coarse, palate-biting, common vegetable, but a sweet confection,
made by God's own hands, and put into the gourd, which has been hollowed ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the fortress of the faithful.htm

Spiritual Appetite
... Even thus my Lord is all excellences compounded and commingled in divine harmony,
a rare confection of all perfections to make one perfection, the meeting of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/spiritual appetite.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... sight, and weary of waiting, not without some fear that- -as the would have
put it"'If I tap da wan momant ma, I catch da confection,' while, of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

Confection (2 Occurrences)
... substances with sugar, syrup, or honey. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
CONFECTION; CONFECTIONARY. kon-fek'-shun, kon-fek'-shun-a ...
/c/confection.htm - 8k

Confectionary
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A confectioner. 2. (a.) Prepared as a confection.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CONFECTION; CONFECTIONARY. ...
/c/confectionary.htm - 7k

Pannag (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Ezek. 27:17; marg. RV, "perhaps a kind of confection")
the Jews explain as the name of a kind of sweet pastry. ...
/p/pannag.htm - 7k

Tablet (7 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) A solid kind of electuary or confection, commonly made of dry ingredients
with sugar, and usually formed into little flat squares; -- called also ...
/t/tablet.htm - 15k

Tempered (7 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Exodus 30:35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the
art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: (KJV WBS). ...
/t/tempered.htm - 8k

Drag (19 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A confection; a comfit; a drug. 2. (vt)
To draw slowly or heavily onward; to pull along the ground ...
/d/drag.htm - 14k

Parched (37 Occurrences)
... or "parch"). Parched pulse is eaten not only plain, but is often made
into confection by coating the seeds with sugar. In Bible ...
/p/parched.htm - 20k

Paste (10 Occurrences)
... gems. See Strass. 5. (n.) A soft confection made of the inspissated juice
of fruit, licorice, or the like, with sugar, etc. 6. (n ...
/p/paste.htm - 10k

Confectionaries (1 Occurrence)

/c/confectionaries.htm - 6k

Coneys (1 Occurrence)

/c/coneys.htm - 6k

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