The Anointing Oil

The LORD gives Moses the measured ingredients for a perfumer's blend of sacred anointing oil, made from fine spices and olive oil.

T²²hen the LORD said to Moses, ²³“Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, ²⁴500 shekels of cassia — all according to the sanctuary shekel — and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵Prepare from these a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be a sacred anointing oil.

The oil is to anoint the Tent of Meeting, its furnishings, and the altar and basin, making them most holy. Aaron and his sons are also anointed and consecrated for priestly service.

²⁶Use this oil to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony, ²⁷the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, ²⁸the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹You are to consecrate them so that they will be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy. ³⁰Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve Me as priests.

The oil remains sacred through the generations and must never be copied or used on ordinary people. Anyone who imitates it or puts it on an outsider is cut off.

³¹And you are to tell the Israelites, ‘This will be My sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. ³²It must not be used to anoint an ordinary man, and you must not make anything like it with the same formula. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. ³³Anyone who mixes perfume like it or puts it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”