frankincense

Everyday

1. A sweet-smelling gum (resin) from certain trees in Arabia and Africa, burned to make perfumed smoke. tree →
2. (Bible) One of the three gifts the wise men gave the baby Jesus, with gold and myrrh; Christians see it as a sign that Jesus is God, since it was burned in worship. tree →

In the lessons

In religion lessons and nativity plays frankincense is one of the Magi's gifts. In church life some churches burn incense in worship. In science, it is an example of a resin from tree sap. Phrases: «gold, frankincense and myrrh».

Examples

• The wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. tree →
• Frankincense smells sweet when it burns. tree →
• In the nativity play I carried the frankincense. tree →
• Frankincense comes from the sap of a tree. tree →
• The church filled with the smell of frankincense. tree →
• People have traded frankincense for thousands of years. tree →
• So she put a bit of frankincense before him and asked him to tell what it was. tree →

Note

Uncountable: not «a frankincense». Pronounced FRANK-in-sense. «Incense» is the general word for anything burned to smell nice. Often listed with gold and myrrh.

In Jewish tradition

A sweet gum burned as incense; it was put on the meal-offering and on the showbread in the sanctuary.

Interpretation. Tradition says it was one of the spices of the holy incense, and its smoke carried the "memorial part" of the offering up to God.

Examples

• And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon; it is a meal-offering. (Torah LEV.2.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• And when any one bringeth a meal-offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon. (Torah LEV.2.1, JPS 1917) tree →
• And thou shalt put pure frankincense with each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial-part, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. (Torah LEV.24.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering, nor wearied thee with frankincense. (Prophets ISA.43.23, JPS 1917) tree →
• Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices. (Writings SNG.4.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• To what purpose is to Me the frankincense that cometh from Sheba, and the sweet cane, from a far country? (Prophets JER.6.20, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Uncountable: not «a frankincense». Pronounced FRANK-in-sense. «Incense» is the general word for anything burned to smell nice. Often listed with gold and myrrh.