Calamus also known as the sweet flag is one of the plants that has been mentioned in the bible. According to some, its oil is what is being referred to in some verses in the bible hence it is often included it in the list of oils mentioned in the bible in some texts.
In this this post we aim to stick to what’s really written in the bible about calamus
1. In the market
Calamus is one of the mentioned commodity being sold in the market. In different literature we can read that calamus is valued for its medicinal properties, hence even in ancient times, we can read that it’s one of the plants that’s being sold by traders.
“Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market.” – Ezekiel 27:19
2. In the “garden”
In the Songs of Solomon, the author talks about the ‘garden’ of his spouse. Her ‘garden’ includes calamus.
Looking at the literal meaning of this verse would make us think that calamus is one of the plants in the garden of the spouse. Hence, we would think that calamus must be valuable for the spouse to include it in her garden. Logically, people only plant the plants they want to be in their garden.
“Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices” – Song of Solomon 4:13-14
In KJV we would see that the author talks about his appreciation and adoration for his wife, and described her appearance, smell, and her garden. However, the NLT version would give us a figurative meaning of verses 12, 13, 14, and 15.
“You are my private garden, my treasure, my bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain.
Your thighs shelter a paradise of pomegranates with rare spices— henna with nard,
nard and saffron, fragrant calamus and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense, myrrh, and aloes, and every other lovely spice.
You are a garden fountain, a well of fresh water streaming down from Lebanon’s mountains.” -Song of Songs 4:12-15
In NLT we can see that the groom is talking about his bride’s private garden (verse 12), thighs (verse 13) and mentioned the fragrant calamus (verse 14). The verse mentions about spices and the sweet calamus.
Songs of Solomon is written with deeper meaning. It’s like letters of love. Hence, by looking calamus through the perspective of this book, we can see that calamus can have literal figurative meanings.
3. It is sweet
“Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,” Exodus 30:23
The book of Exodus mentioned sweet calamus hence, we’d know that it is sweet. Easton dictionary stated that it’s called a sweet flag or the Acorus calamus, and a cane with an aromatic smell. Moreover, it stated that it is imported from Arabia Felix, or India. Dioscorides, a Cilician Greek military physician during the Roman Empire period also claimed that Calamus aromaticus grows in India, and is also being used to make the perfume smell sweeter.
Stay sweet 💋❤
References:
- Illustrated Bible Disctionary Matthew George Easton via my Bible app
- TA Osbaldeston, RPA Wood., The Herbal of Dioscorides the Greek (Modern English Version) 2000
- King James Bible Version
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