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Perfume

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: P

By: George A. Morrish

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 1min

• 1 min. read • grade level: 8

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A special perfume was made to burn as incense in the tabernacle. It was compounded of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, an equal weight of each: it was most holy. No one was allowed to compound the same for themselves, or they would be cut off from God’s people. It was typical of the excellencies of Christ which were as sweet incense to God (Ex. 30:34, 38³⁴And 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: (Exodus 30:34)
³⁸Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people. (Exodus 30:38)). Perfumes are supposed to be more needful in hot countries (Song of Sol. 3:6⁶Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? (Song of Solomon 3:6)). In Proverbs 27:9⁹Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. (Proverbs 27:9) it is said, “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart”; but it may also be employed as a mere matter of luxury or of sin when the heart is away from God (Prov. 7:17¹⁷I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. (Proverbs 7:17); Isa. 57:9⁹And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. (Isaiah 57:9)).

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Concise Bible Dictionary: P

• Perazim, Mount

• Perez-uazah, Perez-uzza

• Perfume

• Perilous Times

• Persia, Persians

• Peter, First Epistle of

• Peter, Second Epistle of

• Phalti, Phaltiel

• Phares, Pharez