סַם16 H5561
Spices, aromatic substances — fragrant ingredients used in sacred incense and anointing oil
This masculine plural noun refers to aromatic spices or fragrant substances used exclusively in the sacred worship context of Israel's tabernacle and temple. The word appears only in Priestly and Chronistic texts, always in connection with the preparation of holy incense (qeṭōret hassammîm, Exod 25:6; 30:7, 34; 31:11; 35:8, 28; 37:29; Lev 4:7; 16:12; Num 4:16) or the anointing oil. The spices included stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense (Exod 30:34). Their restriction to cultic use highlights the sacred boundary between common and holy in Israelite worship.
Senses
1. spices, aromatic substances — Fragrant aromatic substances designated for sacred cultic purposes, specifically the compounding of tabernacle incense and anointing oil. The term appears only in Priestly legislation and Chronicles, always in the construct chain qeṭōret hassammîm ('incense of spices') or in lists of tabernacle materials (Exod 25:6; 30:34; 2 Chr 2:3; 13:11). French aromates and Spanish especias capture the general sense, while the Hebrew restricts these spices to ritually consecrated formulations. The four named ingredients — stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense (Exod 30:34) — were blended in equal parts. 16×
AR["-الأَطْيَابِ", "أَطيابٍ", "أَطْيَابٍ", "أَعْطَارٍ", "الأطيابِ", "العَطورِ", "العِطرِ", "العِطْرِ", "عَطوراً", "عَطِرٍ", "عِطْرٍ"]·ben["সুগন্ধদ্রব্যের", "সুগন্ধি", "সুগন্ধি-দ্রব্য", "সুগন্ধিদ্রব্য", "সুগন্ধির", "সুগন্ধের", "সেই-সুগন্ধি"]·DE["Gewuerze", "[סמים]", "der-Gewuerze", "der-fragrant-Gewuerze", "der-spices", "spices"]·EN["spices", "the-fragrant-spices", "the-spices"]·FR["[סמים]", "aromates", "le-aromates", "le-parfumé-aromates", "le-spices", "spices"]·heb["ה-סמים", "סמים"]·HI["सुगंधित", "सुगंधित-का", "सुगंधित-के", "सुगंधित-द्रव्यों", "सुगंधित-सामग्री", "सुगंधों-का", "सुगन्धित", "सुगन्धित-द्रव्य"]·ID["harum", "rempah-rempah", "rempah-rempah-harum", "wangi", "wangi-wangian"]·IT["il-fragrant-spezie", "il-spezie", "il-spices", "spezie", "spices"]·jav["arum", "wangi", "wangi,", "wangi-punika", "wangi-punika.", "wangi.", "wangi;", "wewangen"]·KO["그-향기로운-것들-의", "그-향료들", "그-향료의", "그-향품들의", "그-향품의", "향기로운", "향들-의", "향료", "향료들", "향품들과", "향품들을", "향품들의"]·PT["as-especiarias", "especiarias"]·RU["ароматное", "ароматные", "ароматных", "ароматов", "благовоний", "благовония", "благовонного", "благовонное", "душистое"]·ES["especias", "las-especias"]·SW["harufu-nzuri", "manukato", "viungo", "wa-manukato", "wenye-harufu-nzuri", "wenye-manukato"]·TR["-güzel-kokular", "-güzel-kokulu", "baharatlar", "baharatlı", "güzel-kokulu", "güzel-kokulu-baharatların-", "hoş-kokular", "hoş-kokulu", "tatlı-baharat", "tatlı-baharatların"]·urd["-خوشبودار-کے", "بخور-کی", "خوشبو", "خوشبو-کی", "خوشبو-کے", "خوشبودار", "سامان-کا", "مسالے-کی", "مصالحے"]
Exod 25:6, Exod 30:7, Exod 30:34, Exod 30:34, Exod 31:11, Exod 35:8, Exod 35:15, Exod 35:28, Exod 37:29, Exod 39:38, Exod 40:27, Lev 4:7 (+4 more)
Related Senses
H8081 1. oil (substance) (180×)H3196 1. wine (fermented grape juice) (141×)H1706 1. honey (54×)H4682 1. unleavened bread/cakes (53×)H2461 1. milk (42×)H8492 1. new wine / must (38×)H0400 1. food, nourishment (36×)G3631 1. wine (34×)H3978 1. food, nourishment (30×)H1314 1. spice / perfume / balsam (29×)H7416 1. pomegranate (fruit/ornament) (28×)H3323 1. fresh oil, olive oil (23×)H2964 1. prey, torn flesh (19×)H3899 2. food, sustenance (19×)G1033 1. food (17×)G5160 1. food (16×)H0402 1. food, nourishment (14×)G2219 1. leaven (13×)H4478a 1. manna (13×)G1637 1. olive oil (11×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
[סַם16] n.m. spice, used in incense;—only pl. abs. סַמִּים, and only P Ch; Ex 30:34(×2) elsewhere קְטֹרֶת (הַ)סַּמִּים incense of spices 25:6 + 8 times Ex, Lv 4:7; 16:12; Nu 4:16; 2 Ch 2:3; 13:11.