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In biblical literature, the term "odour" often signifies more than just a physical scent; it carries rich symbolic and spiritual connotations. The concept of odour is frequently associated with offerings, worship, and the presence of God, reflecting both the physical and spiritual dimensions of human interaction with the divine.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, odour is primarily linked to the sacrificial system established by God for the Israelites. The Hebrew word often translated as "odour" is "reach," which can mean both a physical smell and a metaphorical sense of acceptance or pleasure. In the sacrificial context, the "pleasing aroma" of offerings is a recurring theme. For instance, inGenesis 8:21 , after Noah's sacrifice following the flood, it is written, "When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, 'Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth.'"

The Levitical laws further elaborate on this concept, where various offerings, such as burnt offerings, grain offerings, and peace offerings, are described as producing a "pleasing aroma" to the LORD (Leviticus 1:9, 2:2, 3:5). This pleasing aroma signifies God's acceptance of the offering and, by extension, the worshipper's devotion and obedience.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of odour takes on a more spiritualized form. The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of fragrance to describe the spread of the Gospel and the life of believers. In2 Corinthians 2:14-15 , Paul writes, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."

This passage highlights the dual nature of the Gospel's "fragrance"—it is a sweet aroma to those who are being saved, but it also serves as a reminder of judgment to those who reject it. The odour here symbolizes the transformative power of the Gospel and the believer's role in manifesting Christ's presence in the world.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

Odour in the Bible often symbolizes the spiritual state of individuals or communities. A "pleasing aroma" is indicative of righteousness, obedience, and divine favor, while a "foul odour" can represent sin, rebellion, and divine displeasure. InIsaiah 3:24 , the prophet contrasts the blessings of obedience with the consequences of disobedience, stating, "Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty."

The spiritual significance of odour is also evident in the anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany. InJohn 12:3 , it is recorded, "Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." This act of devotion not only filled the physical space with fragrance but also symbolized the spiritual act of worship and preparation for Jesus' burial.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of odour serves as a powerful metaphor for the relationship between humanity and the divine. It underscores the importance of worship, sacrifice, and the transformative power of the Gospel, inviting believers to live lives that are a "pleasing aroma" to God.

Greek

3744. osme -- a smell
... a smell, aroma, fragrance. From ozo; fragrance (literally or figuratively) --odour,
savour. see GREEK ozo. (osme) -- 2 Occurrences. (osmen) -- 3 Occurrences....

2368. thumiama -- incense
... incense, odor. From thumiao; an aroma, ie Fragrant powder burnt in religious service;
by implication, the burning itself -- incense,odour. see GREEK thumiao....

Strong's Hebrew

5207. nichoach -- a quieting, soothing, tranquilizing
... sweetodour. Or niychoach {nee-kho'-akh}; from nuwach; properly, restful, ie Pleasant;
abstractly, delight -- sweet (odour). see HEBREW nuwach. 5206, 5207....

1314. bosem -- spice, balsam, the balsam tree
... smell, spice, sweet odor. Or bosem {bo'-sem}; from the same as basam; fragrance;
by implication, spicery; also the balsam plant -- smell, spice, sweet (odour)....

5208. nichoach -- soothing, tranquilizing
... sweet odor, savor. (Aramaic) or (shorter) niychoach (Aramaic) {nee-kho'-akh};
corresponding to nichowach; pleasure -- sweetodour (savour). see HEBREW nichowach...

Library

Concerning Sensation.
... Now, the most generic distinction between vapours is whether they have a good or
an evilodour, or form an intermediate class with neither a good nor an evil...

An Exhortation to Mourning and Confession of Sins for Christ is...
... Ambrose argues that the full forgiveness of every sin is signified by theodour
of the ointment poured by Mary on the feet of Christ; and further, that the...

Beware of False Doctrines.
... Be not ye anointed with the badodour of the doctrine of the prince of this world;
let him not lead you away captive from the life which is set before you....

Epistle xxxv. To Leontius, Ex-Consul.
... And when Paul the Apostle said, We are a goododour of Christ unto God (2 Corinthians
2:15), it is plainly given to be understood that he exhibited himself as...

St. Ambrose Exhorts Parents to Train their Children to virginity.....
... Thy firstodour is above all spices, which were used upon the burying of the Saviour,
[3200] and the fragrance arises from the mortified motions of the body...

The Altar of Incense
... there. No wreaths of ascending smoke come from it. It has to be kindled
before its sweetodour can be set free and ascend. That...

On the Incarnation of Christ.
... For they are said to have "run in theodour of his ointments;" [2162] and that soul
was the vessel which contained that very ointment of whose fragrance all...

How by Holy Complacency we are Made as Little Infants at Our...
... wine of the breasts, and the sacred spouse says that her well-beloved is to her
a cluster of grapes, but of Cyprian grapes, [228] that is, of an excellentodour...

a Canticle of Love
... One day, after Holy Communion, He made me understand these words of the Canticles:
"Draw me: we will run after Thee to theodour of Thy ointments." [130] O my...

The Anointing of Jesus.
... pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and
wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with theodour of the...

Thesaurus

Odour (43 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version ConcordanceOdour (43 Occurrences).... 2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are a
sweetodour of Christ to God, in the saved and in those that perish: (DBY)....

Yearling (48 Occurrences)
... Numbers 28:27 And ye shall present a burnt-offering for a sweetodour to Jehovah:
two young bullocks, one ram, seven yearling lambs; (DBY)....

Oblation (208 Occurrences)
... shalt thou offer between the two evenings; as the oblation in the morning, and as
its drink-offering shalt thou offer with this, for a sweetodour, an offering...

Evenings (15 Occurrences)
... shalt thou offer between the two evenings; as the oblation in the morning, and as
its drink-offering shalt thou offer with this, for a sweetodour, an offering...

Odors (8 Occurrences)

Odours (8 Occurrences)

Ziphron (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Sweetodour, a city on the northern border of Palestine
(Numbers 34:9), south-east of Hamath. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia....

Onycha (1 Occurrence)
... The opercula of these shell-fish when burned emit a strongodour "like castoreum."
This was an ingredient in the sacred incense. Noah Webster's Dictionary....

Lieth (135 Occurrences)
... sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt-offering which lieth on the wood
that is upon the fire: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweetodour....

Garlic (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews shum, from its strongodour), mentioned only
once (Numbers 11:5). The garlic common in Eastern countries is the Allium...

Resources

Bible Concordance •Bible Dictionary •Bible Encyclopedia •Topical Bible •Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Odour (43 Occurrences)

John 12:3
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with theodour of the ointment.
(KJV DBY)

2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ, and makes manifest theodour of his knowledge through us in every place.
(DBY)

2 Corinthians 2:15
For we are a sweetodour of Christ to God, in the saved and in those that perish:
(DBY)

2 Corinthians 2:16
to the one anodour from death unto death, but to the others an odour from life unto life; and who is sufficient for these things?
(DBY)

Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, as also the Christ did love us, and did give himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for anodour of a sweet smell,
(YLT)

Philippians 4:18
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, anodour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
(KJV DBY YLT)

Genesis 8:21
And Jehovah smelled the sweetodour. And Jehovah said in his heart, I will no more henceforth curse the ground on account of Man, for the thought of Man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will no more smite every living thing, as I have done.
(DBY)

Exodus 5:21
And they said to them, Jehovah look upon you and judge, that ye have made ourodour to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his bondmen, putting a sword into their hand to kill us!
(DBY)

Exodus 29:18
and thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering to Jehovah a sweetodour; it is an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Exodus 29:25
And thou shalt receive them of their hand and burn them upon the altar over the burnt-offering, for a sweetodour before Jehovah: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Exodus 29:41
And the second lamb shalt thou offer between the two evenings; as the oblation in the morning, and as its drink-offering shalt thou offer with this, for a sweetodour, an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Leviticus 1:9
but its inwards and its legs shall he wash in water; and the priest shall burn all on the altar, a burnt-offering, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweetodour.
(DBY)

Leviticus 1:17
and he shall split it open at its wings, but shall not divide it asunder; and the priest shall burn it on the altar on the wood that is on the fire: it is a burnt-offering, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweetodour.
(DBY)

Leviticus 2:2
And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial thereof on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweetodour.
(DBY)

Leviticus 2:9
And the priest shall take from the oblation a memorial thereof, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweetodour.
(DBY)

Leviticus 2:12
As to the offering of the first-fruits, ye shall present them to Jehovah; but they shall not be offered upon the altar for a sweetodour.
(DBY)

Leviticus 3:5
and Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt-offering which lieth on the wood that is upon the fire: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweetodour.
(DBY)

Leviticus 3:16
and the priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering by fire for a sweetodour. All the fat shall be Jehovah's.
(DBY)

Leviticus 4:31
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, for a sweetodour to Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
(DBY)

Leviticus 6:15
And he shall take of it his handful of the fine flour of the oblation, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is on the meat-offering, and shall burn it on the altar: it is a sweetodour of the memorial thereof to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Leviticus 6:21
It shall be prepared in the pan with oil: saturated with oil shalt thou bring it: baken pieces of the oblation shalt thou present for a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Leviticus 8:21
and the inwards and the legs he washed in water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar: it was a burnt-offering for a sweetodour, it was an offering by fire to Jehovah; as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
(DBY)

Leviticus 8:28
And Moses took them from off their hands, and burned them on the altar, over the burnt-offering: they were a consecration-offering for a sweetodour: it was an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Leviticus 17:6
And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of Jehovah, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and burn the fat for a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Leviticus 23:13
and the oblation thereof: two tenths of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering by fire to Jehovah for a sweetodour; and the drink-offering thereof, of wine, a fourth part of a hin.
(DBY)

Leviticus 23:18
And ye shall present with the bread seven he-lambs without blemish, yearlings, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering to Jehovah with their oblation, and their drink-offerings, an offering by fire of a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 15:3
and will make an offering by fire to Jehovah, a burnt-offering or a sacrifice for the performance of a vow, or as a voluntary offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweetodour to Jehovah, of the herd or of the flock,
(DBY)

Numbers 15:7
and of wine for a drink-offering shalt thou offer the third part of a hin; for a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 15:10
and of wine shalt thou present half a hin, for a drink-offering, as an offering by fire, of a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 15:13
And all that are born in the land shall do these things thus, in presenting an offering by fire of a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 15:14
And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whoever be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering by fire of a sweetodour to Jehovah, as ye do, so shall he do.
(DBY)

Numbers 15:24
then it shall be, if ought be committed by inadvertence hid from the eyes of the assembly, that the whole assembly shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweetodour to Jehovah, and its oblation and its drink-offering according to the ordinance, and one buck of the goats for a sin-offering.
(DBY)

Numbers 18:17
But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, thou shalt not ransom: they are holy. Thou shalt sprinkle their blood on the altar, and their fat shalt thou burn as an offering by fire for a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 28:2
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, my bread for my offerings by fire of sweetodour to me, shall ye take heed to present to me at their set time.
(DBY)

Numbers 28:6
it is the continual burnt-offering which was ordained on mount Sinai for a sweetodour, an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 28:8
And the second lamb thou shalt offer between the two evenings; with the like oblation as that of the morning, and the like drink-offering, shalt thou offer it as an offering by fire of a sweetodour to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 28:13
and a tenth part of fine flour mingled with oil as an oblation for each lamb: it is a burnt-offering of a sweetodour, an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 28:27
And ye shall present a burnt-offering for a sweetodour to Jehovah: two young bullocks, one ram, seven yearling lambs;
(DBY)

Numbers 29:2
And ye shall offer a burnt-offering for a sweetodour to Jehovah: one young bullock, one ram, seven yearling lambs without blemish;
(DBY)

Numbers 29:6
besides the monthly burnt-offering And its oblation, And the continual burnt-offering And its oblation, And their drink-offerings, according to their ordinance, for a sweetodour, an offering by fire to Jehovah.
(DBY)

Numbers 29:8
And ye shall present a burnt-offering to Jehovah for a sweetodour: one young bullock, one ram, seven yearling lambs (without blemish shall they be unto you);
(DBY)

Numbers 29:13
and ye shall present a burnt-offering, an offering by fire for a sweetodour to Jehovah: thirteen young bullocks, two rams, fourteen yearling lambs (they shall be without blemish);
(DBY)

Amos 5:21
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell a sweetodour in your solemn assemblies.
(DBY)

Subtopics

Odour

Related Terms

Beasts (241 Occurrences)

Of (369523 Occurrences)

Odour (43 Occurrences)

Vials (5 Occurrences)

Ointments (9 Occurrences)

Maid's (2 Occurrences)

Purifications (3 Occurrences)

Purifying (17 Occurrences)