Moreover, the LORD said to Moses is literally “And Yahweh spoke to Moses saying.” (See the comment above and at 25.1.)
Take the finest spices: the word translated spices at times refers specifically to the balsam tree or to the fragrant oily substance it secretes. But here it refers in general to similar substances from other trees or shrubs as well. The use of the colon in Revised Standard Version and the dash in Today’s English Version are attempts to show that the four substances mentioned are all spices. Since the colon and the dash are only punctuation marks and are not read aloud, it may be better to say “Take the finest spices as follows:….” These spices were not edible but were used mainly for perfumes and cosmetics. (See the comment at 25.6.)
Of liquid myrrh is literally “myrrh of flowing.” This substance came from a plant in southern Arabia and may have been available in liquid form. The “free-flowing myrrh” (New American Bible) would have been “fresh myrrh” (New Jerusalem Bible), and probably the best quality. However, it may have been marketed in the form of “sticks” (Revised English Bible), or even ground into powder (Durham), since this substance hardens slowly when exposed to the air. In cultures where myrrh is unknown, one may say, for example, “a sweet-smelling plant resin [or, sap] named ‘myrrh.’ ” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “solidified myrrh.” Five hundred shekels is literally just “five hundred”; shekels is implied from verse 24. It was evidently to be measured by weight rather than by volume. This would be about “12 pounds” (Today’s English Version), or “six kilograms.” (See the comment on shekels at 21.32.)
And of sweet-smelling cinnamon is literally “and cinnamon [of] balsam,” using the same word for sweet-smelling (besem) that is earlier used for spices. Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of a tree found mainly in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and has a pleasing taste as well as a pleasing odor. It is often dried or ground into a powder to be used as a spice. Sweet-smelling makes it more specific, since some kinds of cinnamon are not so fragrant. In cultures where cinnamon is unknown, one may say, for example, “a sweet-smelling powder named ‘cinnamon.’ ” Half as much is literally “its half,” meaning half of the five hundred shekels. That is, two hundred and fifty is literally “fifty and two hundred.” That is has been added. This was about “six pounds” (Today’s English Version), or “three kilograms.”
And of aromatic cane is literally “and reeds of balsam.” The same word has been translated earlier as spices and sweet-smelling. This is generally understood to refer to a fragrant kind of reed that came from India, although its exact identity is not known. King James Version and American Standard Version call it “sweet calamus,” but this is now doubtful. New Jerusalem Bible has “scented reed,” and Durham has “cane spice.” One may also express it as “a sweet-smelling reed [or, cane] named ‘balsam,’ ” or more simply, “a sweet-smelling reed [or, cane],” as the name is not certain. Two hundred and fifty is the same as for the cinnamon.
And of cassia probably refers to the coarse bark of a tree similar to cinnamon, native to India and Sri Lanka. It is similar to cinnamon but inferior in quality. One may also translate as “a sweet-smelling substance named ‘cassia.’ ” Five hundred is the same measure as for the liquid myrrh. According to the shekel of the sanctuary is identical with verse 13. (See the comment there.) This reference to the shekel evidently applies to the measurement of all four spices.
And of olive oil a hin is literally “and oil of olive a hiyn.” The Hebrew word is usually transliterated. It was a unit of liquid measure, approximately equal to “one gallon” (Today’s English Version), or “four liters.” It will be possible in some languages to place this sentence at the beginning of the verse, using the idea of blended from the following verse, and translate
• Mix a gallon of olive oil with the following sweet-smelling substances: twelve pounds of myrrh, six pounds of cinnamon, six pounds of cane, and twelve pounds of cassia. Measure these according to the official [or, correct] standard.
Such a restructuring also frees the translator from repeating the words “sweet-smelling” before each of the listed items.
Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .