Exodus 25:6

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

Ver. 6. Spices.] As cinnamon; which in Galen’s time was very rare, and hard to be found but in princes’ storehouses. {a}

{a} Antidit. Gal., lib. i.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ordained for the Priests.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 6. Oil for the light] This they must have brought with them from Egypt, for they could not get any in the wilderness where there were no olives; but it is likely that this and some other directions refer more to what was to be done when in their fixed and settled residence, than while wandering in the wilderness.

Spices] To make a confection for sweet incense, abounded in different parts of these countries.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(6) Oil for the light.—It is assumed that the “sanctuary,” which is to be built (Exo_25:8), will need to be lighted. Oil therefore is to be provided for the lighting. Later on (Exo_27:20) it is laid down that the oil must be “pure olive oil beaten.”

Spices for anointing oil.—Rather, for the anointing oil. Here, again, there is an assumption that anointing oil will be needed, and that spices will be a necessary ingredient in such oil. We find afterwards that the Tabernacle itself, all its vessels, and the priests appointed to serve in it, had to be consecrated by anointing (Exo_29:7; Exo_29:36; Exo_30:26-30). The particular spices to be mixed with the “anointing oil” are enumerated in Exo_30:23-24.

And for sweet incense.—Rather, for the sweet incense—the incense, i.e., which would have to be burnt. (See Exo_30:1-8; and for the composition of the incense, Exo_30:34.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. Oil and spices. For the reason of the verse being assigned to P3[199], see pp. 296, 328: cf. pp. 378 f., and xi f.

[199] Secondary strata of P (see p. xii top; pp. 328f., 378).

oil for the light] See on Exo_27:20.

spices for the anointing oil] Exo_30:22 ff.

and for the incense of fragrant powders] Exo_30:34 ff.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Oil for the light,.... For the light of the lamps in the candlestick: this was oil olive, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi, see Exo 27:20,

spices for anointing oil; for the anointing of Aaron and his sons, and the tabernacle and its vessels, such as pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia:

and for sweet incense; as stacte, onycha, and galbanum; from whence they had this oil and these spices, it is not easy to say, unless they brought them out of Egypt with them; which is likely, since the deserts of Arabia could not furnish them with them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Oil for the light; for the lamps or candlesticks, Exo 25:37.

Anointing oil, wherewith the priests, and the tabernacle, and the utensils thereof, were to be anointed. Sweet

incense; Heb. incense of spices, or sweet odours; so called to distinguish it from the incense of the fat of sacrifices, which was burnt upon the altar.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. Oil for the light — This, according to Exo_27:20, was to be pure olive oil and beaten.

Spices — Such as are more fully described in Exo_30:22-25. The various things for which the anointing oil was used are mentioned in Exo_30:26-33.

Sweet incense — See more fully Exo_30:34-38.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Oil for the light. That the sanctuary to be erected would require to be artificially lighted is assumed. Later, a "candlestick" is ordered (vers. 31-37). The people were to provide the oil which was to be burnt in the "candlestick." in Exo_27:20, we are told that the oil was to be "pure oil olive beaten." Spices for anointing oil. Anointing oil would be needed for the sanctification of the Tabernacle, the ark, and all the holy vessels, as also for the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. The spices required are enumerated in Exo_30:23, Exo_30:24. They consisted of pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia. And for sweet incense. The spices needed for the incense were, according to our translators, stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense (ib, 34).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

שמן למאר OIL FOR THE LIGHT — “clear olive-oil … to make the flame ascend continually”).

בשמים לשמן המשחה SPICES FOR THE ANOINTING OIL which was made for the purpose of anointing the vessels of the Tabernacle and the Tabernacle itself in order to sanctify it. For this oil spices were required as is set forth in the section כי תשא (Exodus 30:23 ff.).

ולקטרת הסמים AND FOR INCENSE OF AROMATIC SPICES that were burnt every evening and morning, as is set forth in the section ואתה תצוה (Exodus 30:7). The word קטרת signifies raising vapour (קיטור) and a column of smoke.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

SPICES FOR ANOINTING OIL AND FOR INCENSE OF ‘HASAMIM’ (AROMATICS). Some scholars say that this is an elliptical verse, (spices) and hasamim (aromatics) are two different terms. And since it says further on that for the incense take unto thee ‘samim’ (aromatics) (30:34), the word b’samim cannot refer also to the incense mentioned here. Hence they complete the sentence thus: “spices for anointing oil, and aromatics for incense and aromatics.” the sense being: “spices for anointing oil and aromatics for incense of aromatics.” And other scholars say that the verse is to be understood as if it were inverted: “and for incense of aromatics they shall bring aromatics.” Scripture mentions them with the definite article [hasamim], in order to indicate that it is referring to those aromatics that are good as incense, for there also [i.e., further in the section of the Torah dealing with the incense — 30:34] He did not explain [fully the compound forming the incense]. — the aromatics that are known. See Ramban further 30:34 for full discussion of this subject. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the verse is to be taken in its simple sense, that spices be taken for both — for the anointing oil and for the incense, for included in the compound of the incense were these spices: spikenard and saffron and cinnamon, according to the words of our Rabbis. It was not necessary for Scripture to mention “spices and aromatics for the incense,” because it said the incense of aromatics, just as it did not say “oil for the anointing oil.” This is the correct interpretation.All these opinions are necessary because according to the view of the linguists [samim and b’samim connote two different things]: samim are curative herbs which are not edible, such as frankincense and galbanum, while b’samim are those that are edible, and are called mis’adim (props). because they have a strengthening power by their fragrant odor.However, in the opinion of Rashi samim is identical with b’samim. And such is the meaning of our Rabbis in the Midrash in saying: “Eleven samonin (ingredients) were told to Moses on Mount Sinai” [which form the incense, and among them were spikenard and saffron and cinnamon which are b’samim, thus proving that they are all called by the term samim]. Onkelos also translates in both cases busmin [“busmaya for the anointing oil, and for incense of busmaya”]. This is correct in the understanding of this verse. But because Scripture changed the terms [calling one b’samim and the other samim] we might possibly say that the most important of aromatics and spices are called b’samim, a term which signifies the choicest and most famous of the spices, just as He said, ‘b’samim rosh’ (the chief spices). ‘b’rosh kol bosem’ (with chief of all spieces). We are also correct in saying that the words b’samim and bosem are composite words: bo sem, bo samim (“in it is spice,” “in it are spices”). Proof to the words of the Rabbis [that the term b’samim includes also samim] is the verse, Take thou unto thee ‘b’samim rosh’ (the chief spices) of flowing myrrh, and myrrh, is counted among the samim since it is a curative, not an edible herb. Scripture further says, Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, and the verse there continues: myrrh and aloes, with all the chief ‘b’samim’ (spices). And with reference to all of these Scripture says, Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that ‘b’samov’ (the spices thereof) may flow out., Verse 16. Thus it is clear that the term b’samim (spices) includes also samim (aromatics), since it speaks of all of them as b’samim and lists amongst them myrrh, which is one of the samim. A further proof [to the opinion of the Rabbis that b’samim includes also samim] is the verse, and the princes brought… the ‘bosem’ and the oil for the light and for the annointing oil and the incense of aromatics, but it does not mention that they brought samim, from which we may conclude that they are all included in the bosem.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.