The "Fragrant Cane" of Ex 30:23-24 and Through out.

[Nipahc]

I am interested in translation information.

I am clergy and I work with many who ask me about YHWH's views of cannabis.

I am aware one instance that was also mentioned in Wikipedia - For the Exact Verse Exodus 30:23-24 mention it.

"The Septuagint translates kaneh-bosm as calamus, and this translation has been propagated unchanged to most later translations of the old testament. However, Polish anthropologist Sula Benet published etymological arguments that the Aramaic word for hemp can be read as kannabos and appears to be a cognate to the modern word 'cannabis',[13] with the root kan meaning reed or hemp and bosm meaning fragrant. Both cannabis and calamus are fragrant, reedlike plants containing psychotropic compounds." - Wikipedia

I take it very lightly though. Many take it to mean what I consider blasphemy such as the "Fire Baptism".

Does it say "Kannabos" or something similar? The translation on the site says "Fragrant Cane" as well. Do we know what plant this is referring to?

Thanks!
YHWH Bless!

[Christina]

Er, now that's an interesting question <!-- s:eh: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/eh.gif" alt=":eh:" title="Eh" /><!-- s:eh: --> Back when I was in high school I remember sitting amongst a some cannabis smokers at a party, and they said that there was some Bible verse about "smoking the herb" <!-- s:rockedover: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/rockdover.gif" alt=":rockedover:" title="Rocked Over" /><!-- s:rockedover: --> I asked them where is this Bible verse but they just told me they didn't remember (yip they were stoned) and that I must look it up <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gif" alt="" title="Huh" /><!-- s -->

Anyway let me quote the verse you referred to:

From the Hebrew:

23 Next take choice spices: five hundred weight of solidified myrrh, half as much -- two hundred and fifty -- of fragrant cinnamon, two hundred and fifty of aromatic cane, 24 five hundred -- by the sanctuary weight -- of cassia, and a hin of olive oil. (Exodus 30:23-24, JPS)

From the LXX:

23 Also take for yourself sweet herbs, the flower of choice myrrh five hundred shekels, and the half of this two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling calamus, 24 and of cassia five hundred shekels of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. (Exodus 30:23-24, CAB)

From the Peshitta:

23 Take the choicest spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels and of sweet cinnamon half so much, that is, two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, by the weight of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin: (Exodus 30:23-24, LAMSA)

From the Targums:

And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying, Take thou also to thee choice (first or principal) aromatics: pure myrrh, five hundred (shekels' weight); and sweet cinnamon, one half (as much), two hundred and fifty (shekels???) weight; of sweet calamus, two hundred and fifty (shekels') weight; and cassia, five hundred (shekels???) weight, of the shekels of the sanctuary; and olive oil, a hina full; and make it a holy anointing oil, most fragrant, the work of the perfumer; it shall be the holy oil for anointing. (Targum Onkelos, Etheridge)

And the Lord spake to Mosheh, saying, And thou also take to thee the first aromatics, choice myrrh, in weight five hundred minas, and sweet cinnamon of half the weight, two hundred and fifty minas, and sweet calamus in weight two hundred and fifty minas and cassia in weight five hundred minas of shekels, in the shekel of the sanctuary, and olive oil a vase full, in weight twelve logas, a loga for each tribe of the twelve tribes. [JERUSALEM. And thou take to thee the chief goodly spices, choice myrrh, in weight five hundred minas of shekels.] (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Etheridge)

"Calamus" according to Easton's Bible Dictionary:

Calamus

The Latin for cane, Hebrew Kaneh , Mentioned (Exodus 30:23) as one of the ingredients in the holy anointing oil, one of the sweet scents (Cant 4:14), and among the articles sold in the markets of Tyre (Ezekiel 27:19). The word designates an Oriental plant called the "sweet flag," the Acorus calamus of Linnaeus. It is elsewhere called "sweet cane" (Isaiah 43:24; Jeremiah 6:20). It has an aromatic smell, and when its knotted stalk is cut and dried and reduced to powder, it forms an ingredient in the most precious perfumes. It was not a native of Palestine, but was imported from Arabia Felix or from India. It was probably that which is now known in India by the name of "lemon grass" or "ginger grass," the Andropogon schoenanthus. (See CANE .)

As for the Aramaic word in 30:23, according to the Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon:

qnh, qny?? (qn??, qany??) n.m./f. reed

1 reed Com. --(a) stalk Syr. --(b) specific reed-like plants . (b.1) ?????????????? : sweet calamus PTA, Syr. (b.2) ???????????????? : plant name Syr. (b.3) ???????????????? : plant name Syr. --© pen Syr.

I don't see any connection to cannabis.

[sean]

In revelation 21:7-8, "He that overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murders, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, .....shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone '.
Most people do not know that a sorcerer is anyone that takes drugs or sell drugs, this is from the greek anyway, pharmakeus, and from this word we get the word pharmacist, which means a soul destroyer. On the cross they offered Jesus gall, which is a drug but he would not touch it and imagine how painful crucifixion would be. This is strong teaching but it is the word of God. When we take drugs, we can open ourselves to other spirits that are not of God.

[Andrew Gabriel Roth]

Shlama all---

I guess I have to be the one to point out that if the original aroma recipe included 250 shekels worth of "cannabis" that the entire nation of Israel would be getting high at every assembly in Jerusalem!

I suppose it's a good thing they were slaughtering those animals and "barbe-cuing" those burnt offerings eh? The cohenim must have gotten really, really hungry. <!-- s:rockedover: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/rockdover.gif" alt=":rockedover:" title="Rocked Over" /><!-- s:rockedover: -->

Kind of also gives a new spin to---

Isa 4:5 -
Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy.

And what about the antidote for that sweet reed smell, namely burning incense??? Do we really want to go there?

Seriously, I don't really want to suggest that all people who are in medicine are sorcerers, but on the other hand I should point this out:

19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from Elohim? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor Elohim with your body.

1 Cor 6:19-20

So I think that covers drug abuse pretty well....

[Nipahc]

Nice. Thanks for the info!

Here's the source I had from somewhere else too. "The Living Torah" they called it.


Interested me too since it is and incense and does put out an odor distinctly, though we stopped burning all kinds of incense far as I know. Our smell works well to bring things to mind. I don't see why any incense is unknown to me in modern times.

Thanks for the scripture sean. I am aware of this information as well... its actually of big concern with the pharmakeus, big pharmaceutical business going on now. Sure can tell thats worldly. It really worries me. The biggest concern us priding ourselves in our 'great pharmaceutical endeavors'... we don't do it. YHWH Created what man forms into drugs, and we take claim.

What about the all plants being good and for mankind in Genesis? The whole probation as a whole actually to me is a concern. About the time the church wanted the bible not to be read by mankind they also jumped on anyone who used cannabis in any form as a witch. This also stopping the use of hemp as paper.

--- Sorry this message sat for a minute so I just see Andrews' post.

That does put another spin on it, there's quite a few that think that especially want to clear that version of it. Quite a few suscribe to the "fire baptism" that it was in the original formula and water baptism was to wash it off. That's highly insulting in my view.

I hear and understand the body as temple, but theirs an exaggerated impression in this subject. In studies I've seen it as the harm is little compared to tobacco smoke and that tobacco smoke harm comes from the chemicals the world system is placed in them for their money making goals. The harm that is left of both comes from the combustion of carcinogens, is gone when its placed on heat in the air, vaporized and sometimes in incense uses. Why the making of men glad like wine but less harm

--
Thanks for the good nature to my questions and discussion. I mean not to deny but clarify so I can share the truths with others. Other places have just told me to get out.

Personally when people ask about it I remind them to give thanks to YHWH when they do use it medically or recreationally. I help and remind them as well just like wine or any other worldly item, to not put it over the lord or the works we do for him.

[Christina]

Shlama all---

I guess I have to be the one to point out that if the original aroma recipe included 250 shekels worth of "cannabis" that the entire nation of Israel would be getting high at every assembly in Jerusalem!

I suppose it's a good thing they were slaughtering those animals and "barbe-cuing" those burnt offerings eh? The cohenim must have gotten really, really hungry. <!-- s:rockedover: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/rockdover.gif" alt=":rockedover:" title="Rocked Over" /><!-- s:rockedover: -->

Kind of also gives a new spin to---

Isa 4:5 -
Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy.

<!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: --> <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: --> <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: --> <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: --> <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: -->

Oh and Nipahc, I found "The Living Torah" online, so Kaplan's note concerning this "aromatic cane" reads:

fragrant cane

Keneh bosem in Hebrew. Ancient sources identify this with the sweet calmus (Septuagint; Rambam on Kerithoth 1:1; Saadia; Ibn Janach). This is the sweetflag or flag-root, Acoras calamus which grows in Europe. It appears that a similar species grew in the Holy Land, in the Hula region in ancient times (Theophrastus, History of Plants 9:7). Other sources apparently indicate that it was the Indian plant, Cympopogan martini, which has the form of red straw (Yad, Kley HaMikdash 1:3). On the basis of cognate pronunciation and Septuagint readings, some identify Keneh bosem with the English and Greek cannabis, the hemp plant.

There are, however, some authorities who identify the 'sweet cane' with cinnamon bark (Radak, Sherashim). Some say that kinman is the wood, and keneh bosem is the bark (Abarbanel).

This "keneh bosem" is highly unlikly to be cannabis, the association seems to be based exclusively on the cognate pronunciation in the LXX which is hardly sufficient grounds to conclude such. Not to mention that akhan Andrew has pointed out the impracticalities of this conclusion - so then all the Israelites and priests are getting stoned when they assemble in Jerusalem for burnt offerings??? <!-- s:eh: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/eh.gif" alt=":eh:" title="Eh" /><!-- s:eh: --> Also I wouldn't describe the smell of cannabis as "sweet" to be honest, <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/laugh.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laugh" /><!-- s:lol: --> .

[Nipahc]

Thanks.

I do agree I see it really impractical, and yea, Cannabis isn't sweet smelling unless you smoke it.

And yea I saw the "Kanah-Bosm as a just possible mention by the "cognate pronunciation in the LXX", I am terrible with language and the Septuagint no clue... along with odd mention of it being cinnamon bark possibly. Confusing to me with all these translations.

Also made me wonder in Enoch they talk of hills of trees in heaven specifically 'drugs' including frankincense he uses as and example. I didn't know frankincense was a drug, so I was confused, but he mentioned it to be sweet smelling as well. Which that would explain use as incense. I don't take Enoch far with Gnostic taking it on and people who I not real trusting of such as mormons and Clare-Prophet.