The Meaning of Exodus 30:23 Explained

Exodus 30:23

KJV: Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,

YLT: And thou, take to thyself principal spices, wild honey five hundred shekels; and spice-cinnamon, the half of that, two hundred and fifty; and spice-cane two hundred and fifty;

Darby: And thou, take best spices of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon the half two hundred and fifty, and of sweet myrtle two hundred and fifty,

ASV: Take thou also unto thee the chief spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred'shekels , and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Take  thou also unto thee principal  spices,  of pure  myrrh  five  hundred  [shekels], and of sweet  cinnamon  half  so much,  [even] two hundred  and fifty  [shekels], and of sweet  calamus  two hundred  and fifty  [shekels], 

What does Exodus 30:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 30:22-38 - The Anointing Oil And The Incense
The anointing oil was extremely rich and costly. Pure myrrh; sweet cinnamon, imported probably from Sumatra or China; sweet calamus, the product of India or Mesopotamia; cassia, from Java, were the principal ingredients. Such a combination must have produced a delightful fragrance! The use of this oil was restricted to the holy service of the Tabernacle, and reminds us of "the unction of the Holy One"-i.e., the anointing by the Holy Spirit. See Leviticus 8:10-12 and 1 John 2:20.
Christ is the Anointed, and He sheds the oil of joy on our heads, as one by one we yield ourselves to His service. See Acts 2:33. The oil was not to be poured on "the flesh of man." We must deny the flesh, with its affections and lusts, that we may be filled with the Spirit. Calvary before Pentecost!
The incense also was carefully prepared, and thus we are taught that prayers should not be uttered rashly or lightly; but with reverence, deliberation and forethought. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 30

1  The altar of incense
11  The ransom of souls
17  The bronze basin
22  The holy anointing oil
34  The composition of the incense

What do the individual words in Exodus 30:23 mean?

and you take for yourself spices quality myrrh liquid five hundred [shekels] and cinnamon sweet-smelling half as much fifty and two hundred [shekels] and cane sweet-smelling and two hundred [shekels]
וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־ לְךָ֮ בְּשָׂמִ֣ים : רֹאשׁ֒ מָר־ דְּרוֹר֙ חֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וְקִנְּמָן־ בֶּ֥שֶׂם --מַחֲצִית֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּקְנֵה־ בֹ֖שֶׂם וּמָאתָֽיִם

וְאַתָּ֣ה  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
קַח־  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לְךָ֮  for  yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
בְּשָׂמִ֣ים  spices 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֹּשֶׂם  
Sense: spice, balsam, balsam tree, perfume.
: רֹאשׁ֒  quality 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
מָר־  myrrh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֹר  
Sense: myrrh.
דְּרוֹר֙  liquid 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּרֹור 
Sense: a flowing, free run, liberty.
חֲמֵ֣שׁ  five 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
מֵא֔וֹת  hundred  [shekels] 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וְקִנְּמָן־  and  cinnamon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קִנָּמֹון  
Sense: cinnamon.
בֶּ֥שֶׂם  sweet-smelling 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּשֶׂם  
Sense: spice, balsam, balsam tree, perfume.
--מַחֲצִית֖וֹ  half  as  much 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַחֲצִית  
Sense: half, middle.
חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים  fifty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
וּמָאתָ֑יִם  and  two  hundred  [shekels] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וּקְנֵה־  and  cane 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָנֶה  
Sense: reed, stalk, bone, balances.
בֹ֖שֶׂם  sweet-smelling 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּשֶׂם  
Sense: spice, balsam, balsam tree, perfume.
וּמָאתָֽיִם  and  two  hundred  [shekels] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.