Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Anoint. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ANOINTING a-noint'-ing: A distinction was made by the ancient Hebrews between anointing with oil in private use, as in making one's toilet (cukh), and anointing as a religious rite (mashach). 1. Ordinary Use: (1) As regards its secular or ordinary use, the native olive oil, alone or mixed with perfumes, was commonly used for toilet purposes, the very poor naturally reserving it for special occasions only (Ruth 3:3). The fierce protracted heat and biting lime dust of Palestine made the oil very soothing to the skin, and it was applied freely to exposed parts of the body, especially to the face (Psalm 104:15). (2) The practice was in vogue before David's time, and traces of it may be found throughout the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 28:40 Ruth 3:3 2 Samuel 12:20; 2 Samuel 14:2; 2 Samuel 2 Chron 28:15; Ezekiel 16:9 Micah 6:15 Daniel 10:3) and in the New Testament (Matthew 6:17, etc.). Indeed it seems to have been a part of the daily toilet throughout the East. (3) To abstain from it was one token of mourning (2 Samuel 14:2; compare Matthew 6:17), and to resume it a sign that the mourning was ended (2 Samuel 12:20; 2 Samuel 14:2 Daniel 10:3; Judith 10:3). It often accompanied the bath (Ruth 3:3 2 Samuel 12:20 Ezekiel 16:9; Susanna 17), and was a customary part of the preparation for a feast (Ecclesiastes 9:8 Psalm 23:5). One way of showing honor to a guest was to anoint his head with oil (Psalm 23:5 Luke 7:46); a rarer and more striking way was to anoint his feet (Luke 7:38). In James 5:14, we have an instance of anointing with oil for medicinal purposes, for which see OIL. 2. Religious Use: Anointing as a religious rite was practiced throughout the ancient East in application both to persons and to things. (1) It was observed in Canaan long before the Hebrew conquest, and, accordingly, Weinel (Stade's Zeutschrift, XVIII, 50) holds that, as the use of oil for general purposes in Israel was an agricultural custom borrowed from the Canaanites, so the anointing with sacred oil was an outgrowth from its regular use for toilet purposes. It seems more in accordance with the known facts of the case and the terms used in description to accept the view set forth by Robertson Smith (Religion of the Semites, 2nd ed., 233, 383; compare Wellhausen, Reste des arabischen Heidenthums, 2nd ed., 125) and to believe that the cukh or use of oil for toilet purposes, was of agricultural and secular origin, and that the use of oil for sacred purposes, mashach, was in origin nomadic and sacrificial. Robertson Smith finds the origin of the sacred anointing in the very ancient custom of smearing the sacred fat on the altar (matstsebhah), and claims, rightly it would seem, that from the first there was a distinct and consistent usage, distinguishing the two terms as above. (2) The primary meaning of mashach in Hebrew, which is borne out by the Arabic, seems to have been "to daub" or "smear." It is used of painting a ceiling in Jeremiah 22:14, of anointing a shield in Isaiah 21:5, and is, accordingly, consistently applied to sacred furniture, like the altar, in Exodus 29:36 and Daniel 9:24, and to the sacred pillar in Genesis 31:13: "where thou anointedst a pillar." (3) The most significant uses of mashach, however, are found in its application, not to sacred things, but to certain sacred persons. The oldest and most sacred of these, it would seem, was the anointing of the king, by pouring oil upon his head at his coronation, a ceremony regarded as sacred from the earliest times, and observed religiously not in Israel only, but in Egypt and elsewhere (see Judges 9:8, 15 1 Samuel 9:16; 1 Samuel 10:1; 2 Samuel 19:10 1 Kings 1:39, 45; 2 Kings 9:3, 6; 2 Kings 11:12). Indeed such anointing appears to have been reserved exclusively for the king in the earliest times, which accounts for the fact that "the Lord's anointed" became a synonym for "king" (see 1 Samuel 12:3, 5; 1 Samuel 26:11 2 Samuel 1:14; Psalm 20:6). It is thought by some that the practice originated in Egypt, and it is known to have been observed as a rite in Canaan at a very early day. Tell el-Amarna Letters 37 records the anointing of a king. (4) Among the Hebrews it was believed not only that it effected a transference to the anointed one of something of the holiness and virtue of the deity in whose name and by whose representative the rite was performed, but also that it imparted a special endowment of the spirit of Yahweh (compare 1 Samuel 16:13 Isaiah 61:1). Hence the profound reverence for the king as a sacred personage, "the anointed" (Hebrew, meshiach YHWH), which passed over into our language through the Greek Christos, and appears as "Christ". (5) In what is known today as the Priestly Code, the high priest is spoken of as "anointed" (Exodus 29:7 Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 8:12), and, in passages regarded by some as later additions to the Priestly Code, other priests also are thus spoken of (Exodus 30:30; Exodus 40:13-15). Elijah was told to anoint Elisha as a prophet (1 Kings 19:16), but seems never to have done so. 1 Kings 19:16 gives us the only recorded instance of such a thing as the anointing of a prophet. Isaiah 61:1 is purely metaphorical (compare Dillmann on Leviticus 8:12-14 with ICC on Numbers 3:3; see also Nowack, Lehrbuch der hebraischen Archaologie, II, 124). LITERATURE. Jewish Encyclopedia, article "Anointing"; BJ, IV, ix, 10, DB, article "Anointing," etc. George B. Eager OIL, ANOINTING (shemen hamishchah): This holy oil, the composition of which is described in Exodus 30:22-33, was designed for use in the anointing of the tabernacle, its furniture and vessels, the altar and laver, and the priest, that being thus consecrated, they might be "most holy." It was to be "a holy anointing oil" unto Yahweh throughout all generations (30:31). On its uses, compare Exodus 37:29 Leviticus 8:12; Leviticus 10:7; Leviticus 21:10. The care of this holy oil was subsequently entrusted to Eleazar (Numbers 4:16); in later times it seems to have been prepared by the sons of the priests (1 Chronicles 9:30). There is a figurative allusion to the oil on Aaron's head in Psalm 133:2. See OIL; ANOINTING. James Orr

Multi-Version Concordance Anointing (39 Occurrences) Mark 6:13 and many demons they were casting out, and they were anointing with oil many infirm, and they were healing 'them'. (YLT NAS) Luke 7:38 and having stood behind, beside his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with the tears, and with the hairs of her head she was wiping, and was kissing his feet, and was anointing with the ointment. (YLT NAS) Hebrews 1:9 thou didst love righteousness, and didst hate lawlessness; because of this did He anoint thee -- God, thy God -- with oil of gladness above thy partners;' (See NIV) James 5:14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV) 1 John 2:20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. (WEB WEY ASV YLT NAS NIV) 1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. (WEB KJV WEY ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 25:6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 29:7 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 29:21 You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 30:25 You shall make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 30:31 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying,'This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 31:11 the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 35:8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 35:15 and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 35:28 and the spice, and the oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 37:29 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 39:38 the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door of the Tent, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 40:9 "You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its furniture: and it will be holy. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 40:15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest's office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 7:35 This is the anointing portion of Aaron, and the anointing portion of his sons, out of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister to Yahweh in the priest's office; (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT) Leviticus 7:36 which Jehovah hath commanded to give to them in the day of His anointing them, from the sons of Israel -- a statute age-during to their generations. (YLT) Leviticus 8:2 "Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 8:10 Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 8:11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the laver and its base, to sanctify them. (See NIV) Leviticus 8:12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 8:30 Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons' garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 10:7 You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you." They did according to the word of Moses. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 21:10 "'He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor tear his clothes; (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 21:12 neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am Yahweh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 4:16 "The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 18:8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron, "I, behold, I have given you the command of my wave offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel; to you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT) Judges 9:15 And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.' (DBY YLT NAS RSV) 1 Chronicles 29:22 and did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be prince, and Zadok to be priest. (See NIV) Ezra 6:9 That which they have need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail; (See NAS) Esther 2:12 Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women twelve months ( for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women ), (See JPS) Psalms 45:7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (See NIV) Song of Songs 1:3 Sweet is the smell of your perfumes; your name is as perfume running out; so the young girls give you their love. (See RSV) Isaiah 10:27 It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil. (WEB KJV DBY WBS) Hosea 8:10 But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones. (See RSV)