Directions are here given for the composition of the holy anointing oil and the incense that were to be used in the service of the tabernacle; with these God was to be honoured, and therefore he would appoint the making of them; for nothing comes to God but what comes from him. 1. The holy anointing oil is here ordered to be made up the ingredients, and their quantities, are prescribed, Exo 30:23-25. Interpreters are not agreed concerning them; we are sure, in general, they were the best and fittest for the purpose; they must needs be so when the divine wisdom appointed them for the divine honour. It was to be compounded secundum artem - after the art of the apothecary (Exo 30:25); the spices, which were in all nearly half a hundred weight, were to be infused in the oil, which was to be about five or six quarts, and then strained out, leaving an admirable sweet smell in the oil. With this oil God's tent and all the furniture of it were to be anointed; it was to be used also in the consecration of the priests, Exo 30:26-30. It was to be continued throughout their generations, Exo 30:31. The tradition of the Jews is that this very oil which was prepared by Moses himself lasted till near the captivity. But bishop Patrick shows the great improbability of the tradition, and supposes that it was repeated according to the prescription here, for Solomon was anointed with it (Kg1 1:39), and some other of the kings; and all the high priests with such a quantity of it that it ran down to the skirts of the garments; and we read of the making up of this ointment (Ch1 9:30): yet all agree that in the second temple there was none of this holy oil, which he supposes was owing to a notion they had that it was not lawful to make it up, Providence overruling that want as a presage of the better unction of the Holy Ghost in gospel times, the variety of whose gifts was typified by these several sweet ingredients. To show the excellency of holiness, there was that in the tabernacle which was in the highest degree grateful both to the sight and to the smell. Christ's name is said to be as ointment poured forth (Sol 1:3), and the good name of Christians better than precious ointment, Ecc 7:1. 2. The incense which was burned upon the golden altar was prepared of sweet spices likewise, though not so rare and rich as those of which the anointing oil was compounded, Exo 30:34, Exo 30:35. This was prepared once a year (the Jews say), a pound for each day of the year, and three pounds over for the day of atonement. When it was used, it was to be beaten very small: thus it pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer when he offered himself for a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour. 3. Concerning both these preparations the same law is here given (Exo 30:32, Exo 30:33, Exo 30:37, Exo 30:38), that the like should not be made for any common use. Thus God would preserve in the people's minds a reverence for his own institutions, and teach us not to profane nor abuse any thing whereby God makes himself known, as those did who invented to themselves (for their common entertainments) instruments of music like David, Amo 6:5. It is a great affront to God to jest with sacred things, particularly to make sport with the word and ordinances of God, or to treat them with lightness, Mat 22:5. That which is God's peculiar must not be used as a common thing.

Take - unto thee principal spices - From this and the following verse we learn that the holy anointing oil was compounded of the following ingredients: -

Pure myrrh, מר דרור mar deror, 500 shekels

Sweet cinnamon, קנמן בשם kinnemon besem, 250 shekels. (probably from Arabia)

Sweet calamus, קנה בשם keneh bosem, or sweet 250 shekels. cane, Jer 6:20 - Calamus aromaticus.

Cassia, קדה kiddah, (cassia lignea), brought 500 shekels. Also from Arabia.

Olive oil, שמן זית shemen sayith, one hin, about 5 quarts.

Myrrh is the produce of an oriental tree not well known, and is collected by making an incision in the tree. What is now called by this name is precisely the same with that of the ancients.

500 shekels of the first and last, make 48 lbs. 4 oz. 12 dwts. 21 21/31 grs.

250 of the cinnamon and calamus. 24 lbs. 2 oz. 6 dwts.10 26/31 grs.

Olive oil is supposed to be the best preservative of odours.

As the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit are termed the anointing of the Holy Ghost, therefore this holy ointment appears to have been designed as emblematical of those gifts and graces. See Act 1:5; Act 10:38; Co2 1:21; Jo1 2:20, Jo1 2:27.

And of cassia five hundred shekels,.... Or two hundred and fifty ounces:

after the shekel of the sanctuary; according to the standard weight kept there. This "cassia" was not the "cassia solutiva", which is of a purgative nature, and now in use in physic, but the "cassia odorata", or the sweet smelling "cassia": which, Pancirollus (s) says, some take to be the nard, out of which a most sweet oil is pressed; and Servius (t) says, that cassia is an herb of a most sweet smell. Pliny (u) speaks of it along with cinnamon; and Galen says, when cinnamon was wanting, it was usual to put in its stead a double quantity of cassia (w); Leo Africanus speaks of trees in Africa bearing cassia, and which chiefly grew in Egypt (x):

and of oil olive an hin; containing twelve logs: according to Godwin (y), it was of our measure three quarts; but, as Bishop Cumberland has more exactly calculated it, it held a wine gallon, a quart, and a little more: this was the purest and best of oil, and most fit and proper to be a part of this holy anointing oil.

(s) Ut supra, (Rer. Memorab. sive Deperd. par. 1.) tit. 11. p. 30. (t) In Virgil. Bucol. Eclog. 2. (u) Ut supra, (Nat. Hist. l. 12.) c. 19. (w) Apud Dalechamp in Plin. ib. (x) Descriptio Africae, l. 9. p. 752. (y) Moses & Aaron, l. 6. c. 9.

cassia--from the same species of tree as the cinnamon--some think the outer bark of that tree. All these together would amount to one hundred twenty pounds, troy weight.

hin--a word of Egyptian origin, equal to ten pints. Being mixed with the olive oil--no doubt of the purest kind--this composition probably remained always in a liquid state, and the strictest prohibition issued against using it for any other purpose than anointing the tabernacle and its furniture.