Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, October 10th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Bible Encyclopedias
Frankincense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Search for…
or
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Prev Entry
Frame
Next Entry
Frankly
Resource Toolbox
Additional Links

fraṇk´in -sens ( לבנה , lebhōnāh , from root meaning "whiteness," referring to the milky color of the fresh juice: Exodus 30:34; Leviticus 2:1 f,15 f; Leviticus 5:11; Leviticus 6:15; Leviticus 24:7; Numbers 5:15; 1 Chronicles 9:29; Nehemiah 13:5 , Nehemiah 13:9; Song of Solomon 3:6; Song of Solomon 4:6 , Song of Solomon 4:14; Isaiah 43:23; Isaiah 60:6; Isaiah 66:3; Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 17:26; Jeremiah 41:5; translated in the last six references "incense" in the King James Version, but correctly in the Revised Version (British and American); λίβανος , lı́banos ̌ : Matthew 2:11; Revelation 18:13 . The English word is derived from old French franc encens , i.e. "pure incense"): The common frankincense of the pharmacopeas is a gum derived from the common fir, but the frankincense of the Jews, as well as of the Greeks and Romans, is a substance now called Olibanum (from the Arabic el lubān ), a product of certain trees of the genus Boswellia (Natural Order, Amyridaceae ), growing on the limestone rocks of south Arabia and Somali-land (Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 6:20 ). The most important species are B. Carteri and B. Frereana . Some of the trees grow to a considerable height and send down their roots to extraordinary depths. The gum is obtained by incising the bark, and is collected in yellowish, semitransparent tears, readily pulverized; it has a nauseous taste. It is used for making incense for burning in churches and in Indian temples, as it was among the Jews (Exodus 30:34 ). See INCENSE . It is often associated with myrrh (Song of Solomon 3:6; Song of Solomon 4:6 ) and with it was made an offering to the infant Saviour (Matthew 2:11 ). A specially "pure" kind, lebhōnāh zakkāh , was presented with the shewbread (Leviticus 24:7 ).

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Frankincense'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​f/frankincense.html. 1915.
 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile