In the Bible, the concept of fragrance is often associated with offerings, worship, and the presence of God. Fragrance, in its various forms, symbolizes the pleasing aroma of sacrifices and the beauty of holiness. It is used both literally and metaphorically throughout the Scriptures.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, fragrant offerings were a significant part of the sacrificial system. The book of Exodus details the use of incense in worship, which was to be made from specific spices and burned as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Exodus 30:34-35 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.'"

The burnt offerings, grain offerings, and peace offerings were also described as having a "pleasing aroma" to the Lord (Leviticus 1:9, 2:2, 3:5). This phrase indicates God's acceptance and satisfaction with the offerings when they were made with a sincere heart and in accordance with His commandments.

The Song of Solomon frequently uses the imagery of fragrance to describe love and beauty. In Song of Solomon 1:3 , the beloved's name is compared to "perfume poured out," suggesting the attractiveness and desirability of the beloved.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the concept of fragrance is expanded to include the spiritual sacrifices of believers. The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of fragrance to describe the life and ministry of Christians. In 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 , Paul writes, "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."

This passage highlights the idea that the lives of believers, when lived in obedience to Christ, become a pleasing aroma to God and a testimony to the world. The fragrance of Christ is spread through the witness and actions of His followers.

Additionally, in Ephesians 5:2 , Paul exhorts believers to "walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God." Here, Christ's sacrificial love is described as a fragrant offering, emphasizing the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus as pleasing to God and the model for Christian love and sacrifice.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

Fragrance in the Bible often symbolizes the presence and favor of God. It represents the beauty and purity of worship that is acceptable to Him. The use of fragrant incense and offerings in the tabernacle and temple worship underscores the importance of approaching God with reverence and holiness.

Moreover, the metaphorical use of fragrance in the New Testament illustrates the transformative power of the Gospel. As believers embody the teachings of Christ, their lives emit a spiritual fragrance that draws others to the knowledge of God.

In summary, the biblical concept of fragrance encompasses both the literal use of aromatic substances in worship and the metaphorical representation of a life pleasing to God. It serves as a reminder of the importance of purity, sacrifice, and the spread of the Gospel through the lives of believers.(a.) Affecting the olfactory nerves agreeably; sweet of smell; odorous; having or emitting an agreeable perfume.299a. amomon -- amomum (a fragrant plant of India)
... 299, 299a. amomon. 299b . amomum (a fragrant plant of India). Transliteration:
amomon Short Definition: spice. Word Origin of Indian ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/299a.htm - 5k

299. amomos -- amomum (a fragrant plant of India)
... amomum (a fragrant plant of India). Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: amomos
Phonetic Spelling: (am'-o-mos) Short Definition: blameless Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/299.htm - 7k

250. aloe -- aloe
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: aloe Phonetic Spelling: (al-o-ay')
Short Definition: aloes Definition: aloes, the powdered fragrant aloe wood. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/250.htm - 6k

3487. nardos -- nard, ointment of nard
... 3487 -- nard (spikenard); an Indian plant, "used for the preparation of a fragrant
ointment; Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3" (). When refined, nard is a "perfume, made ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3487.htm - 6k

2367. thuinos -- thyine, citron
... from the citron tree, thyine. From a derivative of thuo (in the sense of blowing;
denoting a certain fragrant tree); made of citron-wood -- thyine. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2367.htm - 6k

2175. euodia -- fragrance
... smell, fragrance. Word Origin from eu and ozo Definition fragrance NASB Word
Usage fragrance (1), fragrant (2). sweet smelling. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2175.htm - 6k

2368. thumiama -- incense
... incense, odor. From thumiao; an aroma, ie Fragrant powder burnt in religious service;
by implication, the burning itself -- incense, odour. see GREEK thumiao. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2368.htm - 6k

5561. sam -- spice (used in incense)
... 5560, 5561. sam. 5562 . spice (used in incense). Transliteration: sam
Phonetic Spelling: (sam) Short Definition: fragrant. Word ...
/hebrew/5561.htm - 6k

4017. Mibsam -- a son of Ishmael, also a Simeonite
... Mibsam. From the same as besem; fragrant; Mibsam, the name of an Ishmaelite and
of an Israelite -- Mibsam. see HEBREW besem. 4016, 4017. Mibsam. 4018 . ...
/hebrew/4017.htm - 6k

3005. Yibsam -- a descendant of Issachar
... of Issachar NASB Word Usage Ibsam (1). Jibsam. From the same as besem; fragrant;
Jibsam, an Israelite -- Jibsam. see HEBREW besem. 3004, 3005. Yibsam. 3006 > ...
/hebrew/3005.htm - 6k

1313. basam -- spice
... Word Origin the same as bosem, qv. spice From an unused root meaning to be fragrant;
(compare cam) the balsam plant -- spice. see HEBREW cam. 1312, 1313. ...
/hebrew/1313.htm - 5k

1314. bosem -- spice, balsam, the balsam tree
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition spice, balsam, the balsam tree NASB Word
Usage balsam (3), fragrant (2), spice (2), spices (22), sweet perfume (1). ...
/hebrew/1314.htm - 6k

916. bedolach -- probably bdellium
... bdellium. Probably from badal; something in pieces, ie Bdellium, a (fragrant) gum
(perhaps amber); others a pearl -- bdellium. see HEBREW badal. 915, 916. ...
/hebrew/916.htm - 6k

5208. nichoach -- soothing, tranquilizing
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to nichoach Definition soothing, tranquilizing
NASB Word Usage acceptable sacrifices (1), fragrant incense (1). ...
/hebrew/5208.htm - 6k

3405. Yericho -- a city in the Jordan Valley captured by Joshua
... Or Yrechow {yer-ay-kho'}; or variation (1 Kings 16:34) Yriychoh {yer-ee-kho'}; perhaps
from yareach; its month; or else from ruwach; fragrant; Jericho or ...
/hebrew/3405.htm - 6k

2153. Zilpah -- one of Jacob's wives
... Zilpah. : from an unused root apparently meaning to trickle, as myrrh; fragrant
dropping; Zilpah, Leah's maid -- Zilpah. 2152, 2153. Zilpah. 2154 . ...
/hebrew/2153.htm - 6k

2202. Ziphron -- a place on N. boundary of the promised land
... Ziphron. From an unused root (meaning to be fragrant); Ziphron, a place in Palestine --
Ziphron. 2201, 2202. Ziphron. 2203 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2202.htm - 6k

Fragrant Graces
... Fragrant Graces. A Sermon (No.3480). Published on Thursday, October 7th, 1915.
Delivered by. CH SPURGEON,. At the [12]Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/fragrant graces.htm

Fragrant Spices from the Mountains of Myrrh. "Thou Art all Fair ...
... FRAGRANT SPICES FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF MYRRH."Thou art all fair, My love;
there is no spot in thee.""Song of Solomon iv. 7. FRAGRANT ...
/.../spurgeon/till he come/fragrant spices from the mountains.htm

For Thy Breasts are Better than Wine, and More Fragrant than the ...
... COMMENTARY. CHAPTER I. 1, 2. For thy breasts are better than wine, and
more fragrant than the choicest ointments. Thy breasts, O ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/1 2 for thy breasts.htm

A Farther Quotation from virgilius Maro Respecting Christ, with ...
... And fragrant herbs, to greet her infant king. ... For the power of the Divine Spirit
presents the very cradle of God, like fragrant flowers, to the new-born race. ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter xx a farther quotation from.htm

Hymn for the Lighting of the Lamps
... From lamps that brim with rich and fragrant oil, Or torches dry this heaven-sent
fire we feed; Or make us rushlights from the flowering reed And wax, whereon ...
/.../prudentius/the hymns of prudentius/v hymn for the lighting.htm

Death to Sin is the Way Out into a Life of Holiness.
... It is when the death of winter has done its work that the sun can draw out in each
plant its own individuality, and make its existence full and fragrant. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/trotter/parables of the cross/death to sin is the.htm

Concerning Things Performed in the Muron, and Concerning Things ...
... orders of the imperfect are dismissed, that is, after the hierarchical procession
has made the whole circuit of the temple, attended with fragrant incense; and ...
/.../dionysius/ecclesiastical hierarchy/caput iv i concerning things.htm

The Joy of Unbroken Communion
... The car of state in which they sit is built of fragrant cedar from Lebanon, and
the finest of the gold and silver have been lavished in its construction. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/union and communion/section iii the joy of.htm

Religion Pleasant to the Religious.
... As wine enlivens, and bread strengthens, and oil is rich, and honey is sweet, and
flowers are fragrant, and dew is refreshing, and foliage is beautiful; so ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon xiv religion pleasant to.htm

The Treasure House
... cold and indifferent. It is always a personal refreshment when Fragrant
Clouds or Pearl Drops comes to see me. A warm friendship ...
/.../the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xxiv the treasure house.htm

Fragrant (30 Occurrences)
...Fragrant (30 Occurrences). ... Exodus 25:6 oil for the light; spices for the anointing
oil, and for the incense of fragrant drugs; (DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/f/fragrant.htm - 16k

Drugs (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Drugs (8 Occurrences). Exodus 25:6 oil for the light;
spices for the anointing oil, and for the incense of fragrant drugs; (DBY). ...
/d/drugs.htm - 8k

Cinnamon (4 Occurrences)
... The inner rind when dried and rolled into cylinders forms the cinnamon of commerce.
The fruit and coarser pieces of bark when boiled yield a fragrant oil. ...
/c/cinnamon.htm - 10k

Odor (46 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive;
scent; perfume. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ODOR. o ...
/o/odor.htm - 22k

Incense (167 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A fragrant composition prepared by the "art of the
apothecary." It consisted of four ingredients "beaten small" (Exodus 30:34-36). ...
/i/incense.htm - 44k

Spices (64 Occurrences)
... Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with
pure frankincense." It is a general term for fragrant substances finely ...
/s/spices.htm - 32k

Myrrh (22 Occurrences)
... (2) (loT, stakte; translated "myrrh" in Genesis 37:25, margin "ladanum"; 43:11):
The fragrant resin obtained from some species of cistus and called in Arabic ...
/m/myrrh.htm - 18k

500 (4 Occurrences)
... Exodus 30:23 "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...
/num/500.htm - 7k

250 (5 Occurrences)
... Exodus 30:23 "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...
/num/250.htm - 7k

Liquid (15 Occurrences)
... Exodus 30:23 "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...
/l/liquid.htm - 11k

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