Antonio Mcgowan
Incense has been used in many cultures and religions throughout history, including the ancient Israelites. The use of incense by the Israelites is referenced in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Exodus, which describes a recipe for sacred incense to be burned in the Tabernacle. The offering of incense was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem, and it is believed that the correct blend of spices was a closely guarded secret. The practice of burning incense continued during the Israelites' settlement in the Land of Canaan and in subsequent temples. The New Testament also makes references to incense, including in the Book of Revelation, indicating its continued significance in Christian traditions. Today, the use of incense in religious practices varies, with some considering it a non-Jewish practice, while others use it to create a sacred atmosphere.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use of incense by Israelites | Incense was used by the ancient Israelites |
| Incense in the Old Testament | The Old Testament contains many references to the burning of incense |
| Incense ingredients | The Hebrew Bible lists 11 spices, while the Torah mentions only four: stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense |
| Incense offering | The offering of incense was a carefully guarded secret, fully known only to the compounders |
| Incense in worship | The fragrant fumes from burning incense represented the prayers of godly people |
| Incense in the Temple | Incense was burned in the Temple in Jerusalem, as well as in the Tent of Convocation during the Israelites' journey to the Land of Canaan |
| Incense altars | Small stone incense altars have been found in Palestine for the worship of false gods |
| Incense in homes | The Israelites were forbidden to make and burn incense in their homes |
| Incense in Christian rituals | Incense is still used in liturgical rites in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches |
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What You'll Learn
Incense was burned at the Temple in Jerusalem
Incense was widely used in ancient Oriental religions, including Egyptian and Babylonian-Assyrian worship. King Rameses III, for example, presented 1,933,766 pieces of incense to temples during his reign. Similarly, enormous quantities of incense was burned in Israelite culture.
The Old Testament makes several references to the burning of incense. The offering of incense, however, is not mentioned until a comparatively late date in the Old Testament. The Israelites were likely acquainted with the ingredients of incense, as the caravans that carried the spices of Syria to Egyptian markets went by way of Palestine. Nevertheless, no trace can be found in Hebrew literature of the offering of incense in the time of the early kingdom.
The incense offering in Judaism was related to perfumed offerings on the altar of incense in the time of the Tabernacle and the First and Second Temple periods. The sacred incense prescribed for use in the wilderness Tabernacle was made of costly materials that the congregation contributed. The Book of Exodus describes the recipe:
> Take unto yourself sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And you shall make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [salted], pure and holy: And you shall beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with...
The correct blend of sweet spices and aromatic condiments used in making the incense offering was a carefully guarded secret at the time of its offering, fully known only by the compounders of the incense offering to prevent its replication in the worship of foreign gods. The priests of the House of Avtinas, who were charged with preparing the incense during the Second Temple period, kept the technique and exact proportions secret. The Talmud lists seven additional components from the oral Torah, and Josephus mentions the incense, numbering thirteen ingredients.
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The House of Avtinas prepared the incense
The use of incense was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple of Jerusalem. The offering of incense was widely practised in ancient Oriental religions, including the Israelite Cult. The Bible mentions 4 ingredients for the incense: sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, with pure frankincense. However, the Talmud lists 7 additional components, bringing the total number of ingredients to 11. The correct blend of these spices and aromatics was a carefully guarded secret, fully known only by the compounders to prevent its replication in the worship of foreign gods.
The House of Avtinas, also known as the Eutinos family, was responsible for compounding the qetoret incense during the Second Temple period. The family was appointed by the Sanhedrin to provide the incense and they were exclusively responsible for its production, which took place in a chamber named after them. The House of Avtinas kept the technique and exact proportions of the incense secret, refusing to disclose the formula even when criticised by rabbis and sages. They also refused to allow female members of their family to wear perfume to avoid any suspicion of using Temple resources for personal use.
The secret ingredient that the House of Avtinas used was called Maaleh Ashan, which caused the smoke from the incense to rise straight up in a column. This knowledge was lost following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The House of Avtinas defended their secrecy by explaining that they feared the formula would be used for idol worship if the Temple was destroyed.
The use of incense continued to be significant in later Christian typology, where the smoke of incense in the tabernacle signified offered prayer. Incense is still used in liturgical rites in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches.
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Incense was burned during the time of the Tabernacle
The burning of incense was an integral part of worship in ancient Oriental religions, including Egyptian and Babylonian-Assyrian cults. Similarly, the Israelites used incense in their worship, and it is first mentioned in Exodus chapter 30 as one of the items inside the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. The altar of incense was constructed from acacia wood and overlaid with gold, with four "horns" at each corner. It was two cubits high, with each side of the square top measuring one cubit. The altar was situated before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy, where the Ark of the Testimony resided, symbolising God's presence.
Aaron was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight as a daily offering to the Lord. The fire used for burning incense was always taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary, and the altar of incense itself was never used for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or drink offerings. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would place blood on the altar's horns for cleansing, and coals from the altar were taken into the Holy of Holies, along with incense, to be smoked before the Ark of the Testimony.
The specific blend of spices and aromatic condiments used in the incense offering was a closely guarded secret, known only to the compounders to prevent its use in the worship of foreign gods. The priests of the House of Avtinas were responsible for preparing the incense during the Second Temple period, and they kept the technique and proportions confidential. The exact composition of the incense is still a subject of study and has not been determined conclusively. While the Book of Exodus lists four components, including stacte, the Talmud mentions seven additional ingredients from the oral Torah.
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Incense was used in the cult of Israel
The incense offering was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem. The sacred incense was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation, including sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, with pure frankincense. The correct blend of spices and aromatics was a closely guarded secret, known only to the compounders to prevent its use in the worship of foreign gods. The Book of Exodus provides a recipe for the incense, instructing Moses to take equal weights of the spices and make them into a perfume.
The Talmud lists seven additional components of the incense beyond the four mentioned in the Book of Exodus, bringing the total to eleven. Josephus mentions thirteen ingredients, including animal products and plant growths. The priests of the House of Avtinas were responsible for compounding the incense during the Second Temple period, and they kept the technique and proportions secret, leading to rebukes from the rabbis.
The burning of incense was used to signify prayer, with the fragrant fumes representing the prayers of godly people in covenant with Jehovah. The practice is referenced in the New Testament, with the smoke of incense in the tabernacle signifying offered prayer. Incense continues to be used in liturgical rites in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches.
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Incense was burned at the Tent of Convocation
The use of incense by the ancient Israelites is mentioned in the Bible and other religious texts. Incense was burned at the Tent of Convocation during the late Bronze Age, as the Israelites travelled through the wilderness to the Land of Canaan. The duty of burning incense was performed by the priests, who offered the incense twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening. This practice continued throughout the early years of Israel's settlement in the land, when the Tent was pitched in Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob and Gibeon.
The burning of incense is associated with prayer and worship. In the Bible, David prays, "May my prayer be set before you like incense" (Psalm 141:2). In the New Testament, John describes elders in heaven "holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people" (Revelation 5:8). Incense is also mentioned in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, and some Lutheran churches, where it is still used in liturgical rites.
The specific blend of spices and gums used in the incense offering was a closely guarded secret, known only to the compounders to prevent its replication in the worship of foreign gods. The ingredients were contributed by the congregation and included costly materials such as sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum. The exact formula was considered sacred, and replicating it was forbidden. According to biblical teachings, those who violated this law would be punished severely.
The altar of incense is described in Exodus as having a square top, measuring one cubit per side, and a height of two cubits. It was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and had four "horns" at each corner, similar to the altar of sacrifice. The altar was placed before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Testimony resided, and the presence of God was believed to be (Exodus 25:22).
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Israelites used incense.
The Book of Exodus lists four components of the incense: sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum. The Talmud lists seven additional components, bringing the total number of ingredients to eleven.
The incense was burned on an altar in the Tabernacle and the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem. It was burned during the morning and evening, and played an important role in the priestly liturgy.
The use of incense outside of the Temple is a more complicated issue. While some sources suggest that it was forbidden to make and burn incense in private homes, others indicate that it was permitted to burn incense for non-religious purposes, such as enhancing the ambiance of one's house.
The fragrant fumes of the incense were believed to represent the prayers of godly people, those in a covenant relationship with Jehovah.
