H7076 H7076
cinnamon, aromatic spice from bark used in worship and perfumery
Cinnamon was a precious imported spice, likely originating from distant eastern lands, valued for its sweet fragrance. It appears in the sacred anointing oil formula of Exodus 30, mixed with other aromatics for consecrating the tabernacle and priests. The word is probably a foreign loanword that entered Hebrew along with the exotic commodity itself, related to Greek κιννάμων. Proverbs and Song of Songs also mention it as a luxury perfume, suggesting both sacred and sensual associations.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The term identifies the fragrant inner bark used as a high-value spice in ancient Israel. In Exodus 30:23, it's specified as one of four aromatic ingredients (along with myrrh, calamus, and cassia) for making holy anointing oil—specifically 'cinnamon of sweet odor,' emphasizing its aromatic quality. The poetic books use it metaphorically: Proverbs 7:17 describes a seductress perfuming her bed with cinnamon, while Song of Songs 4:14 lists it among the beloved's fragrant plants. The consistent recognition across languages (Spanish canela, French cinnamome, German Zimt) reflects its continued importance as a spice. 3×
AR["وَ-قِرفَةً-", "وَ-قِرْفَةٍ", "وِ-قِنَّمُون"]·ben["এবং-দারুচিনি"]·DE["[וקנמון]", "und-Zimt-von"]·EN["and-cinnamon", "and-cinnamon-of"]·FR["et-cinnamome", "et-cinnamome,", "et-cinnamon-de"]·heb["ו-קינמון"]·HI["और-दालचीनी", "और-दालचीनी-"]·ID["dan-kayu-manis"]·IT["e-cinnamomo-di", "e-e-cinnamon"]·jav["lan-kayu-manis", "lan-kayu-manis-"]·KO["그리고-계피", "그리고-계피-로", "그리고-계피를"]·PT["e-canela"]·RU["и-корица", "и-корицей.", "и-корицы-"]·ES["y-canela", "y-canela-de-"]·SW["na-mdalasini", "na-mdalasini-"]·TR["ve-tarcin", "ve-tarçın"]·urd["اور-دار-چینی-", "اور-دارچینی", "اور-دارچینی-سے"]
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×)H5561 1. spices, aromatic substances (16×)H0402 1. food, nourishment (14×)G2219 1. leaven (13×)H4478a 1. manna (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† קִנָּמוֹן n.m. cinnamon (prob. foreign wd., coming with the thing from remote E., cf. MʾLean-ThDyerEncy. Bib. s.v.; cp. with Malay kainamanis by RödThesAdd. 111, kāyü mānĭs LewyFremdw. 37, but only Kāyu, wood, given by ScottMal. Words in Eng. JAOS xvii, xviii (1896, 1897); Gk. κιννάμων from Heb. (against LagBN 199));—fragrant bark used as spice: abs. ק׳ Pr 7:17; Ct 4:14; cstr. קִנְּמָן־בֶּשֶׂם Ex 30:23 (P) cinnamon of sweet odour.—Vid. also Houghton-TrSmith DB s.v. PostHastings DB s.v..