Spices

Answers about
Spices in the Bible

This word refers to various aromatic substances, several of which are named by Yahweh in reference to the Holy Tabernacle (Exodus 30).

Holy anointing oil made of olive oil, mixed with…

Sacred incense for the Holy Tabernacle, made of equal parts of…

Spices were used for various purposes, including in incense, in foods, sacred anointing oil (Exodus 25:6; 35:8; 1 Chronicles 9:29), and in embalming the dead (2 Chronicles 16:14; Luke 23:56; 24:1; John 19:39-40).

Upon King Asa’s death,

“…they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art…” 2 Chronicles 16:14 KJV

Upon Jesus Christ’s death, they took

“…the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.” John 19:40 KJV

The queen of Sheba “came to Jerusalem with a very great train [caravan], with camels that bare spices… spices very great store…” (1 Kings 10:2, 10) as a gift to King Solomon.

Spices were stored by King Hezekiah in his treasure-house (2 Kings 20:13; Isaiah 39:2).

List of spices in the Bible

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Article Version: June 12, 2025