Frankincense is a vegetable resin. It is brittle and glittery with a bitter taste. When burned it has a fresh, fervent odor. It was used for sacrificial fumigation and as a perfume. The flame from it is long burning and steady. Incisions in the tree Arbor thuris cause the product to ooze out of the bark. The purest of the resin seeps out first and is all white. It becomes spotty yellow and all yellow as it becomes old.
The Hebrews imported frankincense, Isa. 60: 6, Jer. 6: 20. The finest frankincense comes from the islands of the Indian Archipelago. It has been identified as Boswellia serrata and Boswellia thurifera and grows to 40 feet in height.
"A tree of great beauty, it has clear green leaves like the mountain ash and bears flowers that are star-shaped. The flowers are pink with yellow centers. Frankincense is the finest incense in the world and the name means "free lighting." Libanum is the frankincense of the ancients. Luban signified 'Milk of the Arabs.'"(Walker)
Exodus 30:34 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
Leviticus 2:1 (KJV) And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
Leviticus 2:2 (KJV) And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
Leviticus 2:15 (KJV) And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
Leviticus 2:16 (KJV) And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Leviticus 5:11 (KJV) But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
Leviticus 6:15 (KJV) And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.
Leviticus 24:7 (KJV) And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Numbers 5:15 (KJV) Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
1 Chronicles 9:29 (KJV) Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.
Nehemiah 13:5 (KJV) And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
Nehemiah 13:9 (KJV) Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
Song of Songs 3:6 (KJV) Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
Song of Songs 4:6 (KJV) Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
Song of Songs 4:14 (KJV) Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
Matthew 2:11 (KJV) And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Revelation 18:13 (KJV) And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
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