◄ 1313. basam ►
Lexical Summary
basam: Spice, balsam, perfume

Original Word: בָּשָׂם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: basam
Pronunciation: baw-sawm'
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-sawm')
KJV: spice
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to be fragrant]

1. the balsam plant

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
spice

From an unused root meaning to be fragrant; (compare cam) the balsam plant -- spice.

see HEBREW cam

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
the same as bosem, q.v.

Topical Lexicon
בָּשָׂם (Basam)

Etymology and Conceptual Range

Basam denotes the class of costly, aromatic substances that yield a sweet, healing fragrance when crushed or distilled. Although this precise spelling is unattested in the canonical text, its cognate forms appear in expressions for “spice,” “balsam,” and “perfume.” The semantic field embraces exotic plant resins, woods, and oils prized for worship, medicine, and royal luxury.

Physical Characteristics

Ancient writers describe basam‐type aromatics as sticky resins or oils exuding from shrubs such as Commiphora or Pistacia species. When hardened, the granules could be pulverized into powder for incense or dissolved into olive oil for anointing. Their fragrance is both sweet and penetrating, symbolizing delight and well-being.

Geographic Sources

Scripture links the trade of these spices with Arabia (1 Kings 10:2), Sheba (Isaiah 60:6), and especially Gilead, whose rocky slopes nurtured the famed “balm of Gilead” (Jeremiah 8:22). Caravans crossing the King’s Highway carried such cargo to Egypt and onward to the Mediterranean markets (Genesis 37:25).

Cultic and Liturgical Use

The Lord commanded Israel to procure “spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense” (Exodus 25:6). The sacred anointing oil (Exodus 30:23-25) combined select aromatics in precise ratios, setting priests, tabernacle furnishings, and later kings apart for holy service. The smoke of the incense symbolized prayers ascending to God (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3-4), and its sweetness shielded the worshiper from the stench of sacrifice while prefiguring the pleasing sacrifice of Christ (Ephesians 5:2).

Royal and Commercial Significance

Spices functioned as portable wealth. Queen of Sheba’s visit included “a great quantity of spices, gold, and precious stones” (1 Kings 10:10). Tribute shipments to Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:9) and Hezekiah’s treasuries (2 Kings 20:13) recorded spices alongside silver and gold. Their rarity and expense made them fitting gifts for dignitaries and an emblem of prosperity promised in messianic prophecy (Isaiah 60:6).

Poetic and Marital Imagery

The Song of Solomon celebrates marital delight with gardens “of myrrh and spice” (Song of Solomon 4:14) and beds “of spices” (Song of Solomon 6:2). Aromatics evoke intimacy, delight, and the refreshing presence of the beloved—imagery the prophets later employ for covenant restoration (Isaiah 35:1-2).

Medicinal and Healing Associations

Balsam was renowned for soothing wounds. Jeremiah’s rhetorical cry, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (Jeremiah 8:22), mourns spiritual sickness while hinting at the ultimate healing in the coming Savior (Psalm 103:3; 1 Peter 2:24).

Figurative and Prophetic Dimensions

The crushing of fragrant material releases its aroma, a picture of redemptive suffering. The servant of the Lord is bruised yet brings healing (Isaiah 53:5), prefiguring Jesus whose broken body released the fragrance of salvation. Believers, united to Him, become “the sweet aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15), spreading knowledge of Him in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).

New Testament Echoes

Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus’ feet with “a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard” (John 12:3). The house was “filled with the fragrance,” portraying worship that spares no expense. The Magi’s gift of myrrh (Matthew 2:11) heralded both royalty and sacrificial death. Nicodemus wrapped Jesus’ body “in a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds” (John 19:39), linking burial to priestly ritual and anticipating resurrection.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Worship: Thoughtful use of symbols—music, prayer, even literal scents—can remind congregations of Christ’s worth.
2. Missions: As aroma diffuses naturally, so believers are called to permeate society with the gospel.
3. Counseling: Jeremiah’s question points to Christ as the only true balm for sin-wounded souls.
4. Stewardship: Extravagant devotion, like Mary’s, challenges materialistic restraint when honoring the Lord.

Conclusion

Though the specific form basam (Strong’s 1313) is textually unrecorded, its family of terms permeates Scripture’s narrative, law, poetry, and prophecy. From tabernacle worship to messianic hope, the fragrance of basam points to the surpassing sweetness of Christ and the calling of His people to diffuse that aroma until the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth.

Links
Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts
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