Exodus 30:23-25 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Take thou also unto thee principal spices, &c.— We have here an account of the ingredients, and of the quantity of that oil, which is called holy, not only on account of its composition being enjoined of God, but because the holy things and persons were anointed with it. It was to be compounded of myrrh; such, it is supposed, as Pliny calls stacte, and affirms to be the best (the Hebrew word rendered pure, Houbigant says, comes from an Arabic root, signifying to drop or distil; and therefore it should be rendered distilling:); Cinnamon, which they had, probably, from Arabia; if it was not somewhat different from that which now goes by the name: sweet calamus or cane, (Jeremiah 6:20.) a spicy root, belonging to a peculiar kind of rush or flag, which Bochart proves to have been the growth of Arabia: and cassia, which is generally thought to have been that aromatic plant called costus, the best whereof was the growth of Arabia. Five hundred shekels weight of the first and the last, that is, about 20lb. 10oz. and half the quantity of the other two, were to be infused in a hin, i.e. about five quarts, of oil-olive; which, as Pliny has observed, is the best preservative of odours. And thus the holy ointment was to be made; which may be considered as emblematical of the gifts and endowments of the HOLY GHOST, bestowed on the church under the Messiah, which are therefore called the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:5; Acts 10:38. 2 Corinthians 1:21. 1 John 2:20; 1 John 2:27. The word rendered apothecary, signifies properly "a compounder of aromatics or perfumes."