Jeremiah (6:20) points out that kaneh ha-tov was brought "from a far country." This appears in Akkadian as "qan? tabu," where it means an aromatic cane, and tib has the same meaning in Arabic. ("Goodly oil" too is used for aromatic oil.) The Septuagint distinguished between "goodly cane," which it identified with cinnamon, and "cane" or "scented cane," identified with sweet 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 ...

August 10, 2023 - By looking at the etymology of קנה בשם we are able to determine why calamus is arrant translation and what this term actually means. The two parts of this word both carry their own meaning and combined they form a decent description of the plant in question: קנה kaneh meaning “reed” or “stalk” (see Strong’ Concordance entry #7070) with בשם bosem meaning “spice” and the BSM root carrying the general meaning of something being fragrant (see Strong’s Concordance entry #7069).

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 (Song of Solomon 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.

October 15, 2015 - The only advice in the Bible that I am aware of regarding things of this nature is “…..be not drunk with wine”. In other words, do not overindulge to the point of not being in control of your faculties …… it’s good for your stomach in moderation, and gives a merry heart etc. Since nothing is said about Calamus/Cannabis/Kaneh-bos (the “n” makes it plural) I would assume that it is good when used for purposes to better the body rather than to get high and not be in control of our senses, values, morals and obligations.

August 1, 2025 - Traditional biblical translations, such as the Greek Septuagint, rendered “Kaneh Bosm” as “calamus,” a common marsh plant.

1 week ago - The Aramaic Targum Onkelos renders the Hebrew kaneh bosem in Aramaic as q'nei busma. Ancient translations and sources identify this with the plant variously referred to as sweet cane, or sweet flag (the Septuagint, the Rambam on Kerithoth 1:1, Saadia Gaon and Jonah ibn Janah). This plant is known to botanists as Acorus calamus...

March 18, 2026 - Translated in most modern Bibles as “calamus” or sometimes “sweet cane,” the term has traditionally been considered a simple aromatic reed included in the recipe for the holy anointing oil.

The traditional and most common translation of qaneh bosem in most Bibles (including the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament) is "calamus" or "sweet cane" (Acorus calamus). Calamus is an aromatic reed used historically for medicinal and perfumery purposes. Most biblical scholars and religious traditions uphold the calamus translation. In conclusion, while the traditional understanding identifies the ingredient as calamus, the theory that it was cannabis (as kaneh bosem) is a prominent, though controversial, subject of academic discussion based on linguistic, etymological, and, more recently, archaeological grounds.

The Latin for cane, Hebrew Kaneh, mentioned (Ex. 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 (Ezek. 27:19). The word designates an Oriental plant called the “sweet flag,” the Acorus calamus ...

October 16, 2016 - “In the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament there are references to hemp, both as incense, which was an integral part of religious celebration, and as an intoxicant.” Benet demonstrated that the word for cannabis is “kaneh-bosm”, and in traditional Hebrew “kaneh” or “kannabus.” The root “kan” here means “reed” or “hemp”, while “bosm” means “aromatic.” This word appears five times in the Old Testament (Exodus, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and has been mistranslated as “calamus”, a common marsh plant with little monetary value that does not have the qualities or value ascribed to “kaneh-bosm.” The error occurred in the oldest Greek translation of the Hebrew bible, the Septuagint in the 3rd century BC, and was repeated in translations that followed.

October 1, 2020 - The Translation of Calamus in Exodus 30:23 is a Lie. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL USES OF CANNABIS. Religious Use of Marijuana. Kaneh Bosem in Prophesy.

Among the ingredients used in preparing the holy anointing oil was “sweet calamus,” the sweetness referring to its odor, not its taste. (Ex 30:22-25) The Song of Solomon (4:14) includes “cane” among other odoriferous spices.

The claim is that the, "...anointing oil used by Jesus and his disciples contained an ingredient called kaneh-bosem which has since been identified as cannabis extract." The connection between cannabis and Jesus is tenuous at best. It stems from the ingredients listed in Exodus 30:23 for Anointing ...

December 15, 2017 - The Concordance: the Hebrew is Bosem #1314, fragrance, by impl. spicery; also the balsam plant:—-smell, spice, sweet (odour). - If you actually buy the Calamus translation for the Holy Oil, then you assume that God specified in Exodus 30:23 a drug commonly known as herbal Ecstasy.

Discover the meaning of Qaneh-bosem in the Hebrew Bible. Explore its translation, historical use in anointing oil, and links to ancient aromatic plants.

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 (Song of Solomon 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.

August 24, 2022 - One other note: the literal ... The influential Hebrew Bible scholar Maimonides believed “kaneh bosem” referred to ginger grass, which was native to the region....