What was calamus in the Bible?

Calamus.The calamus odoratus is a reed that grows in India, Arabia and Lebanon. The reeds are gathered, dried and pounded to form a valuable ingredient for rich perfumes.

The word is qaneh, and is often translated 'reed.' It was one of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil. Ex. 30:23. It is mentioned among a list of spices and was brought to the market of Tyre. Cant. 4:14; Ezek. 27:19. It is the calamus odoratus, a reed growing in India and Arabia, and which is said to have been found in the valley of Lebanon. It has a fragrant smell, and when dried and pounded forms a valuable ingredient for rich perfumes.

Sweet Calamus. — There is no question as to the derivation of the word here, as it is one of frequent occurrence and varied application in Scripture. But for this reason we have little to indicate what was Its specific character. The root-word means "to stand upright;" hence a cane, or reed. The "sweet," as in the case of the cinnamon, tells of its fragrance, and this would seem to give us the clue to the article intended. A "sweet cane" is said to be found in Lebanon, also in India and Arabia. It usually grows in miry soil, from which it sends up the shoots from which its name is derived. The fragrant cane of India is supposed to have been the "spikenard" of Scripture.

The fragrance was obtained by crushing the plant. Various meanings of the word "cane" are suggestive. It was applied to a "stalk" of grain (Gen. 41:5); to the "branches" of the golden candlestick (Ex. 25:31); to a "reed" shaken in the water (1 Kings 14:15); used also for measuring (Ezek. 40:3); to the balancing rod of a scale (Isa. 40:12); to a staff (Isa. 36:6). Its place of growth, the mire, is alluded to (Isa.19:6). Its fragility is used to illustrate the grace of Him who will not break a bruised reed (Isa. 42:3). Most of these would have special application to our Lord: His absolute righteousness, uprightness, which also makes Him the balance and the measuring reed to weigh and measure men — to find them wanting, and yet to patiently wait on them, yea, to visit them in grace.

(3) Sweet Calamus. Calamus, or sweet cane, is an aromatic, growing in the mire, sending up a shoot or cane in the air. The Gospel of Luke shows us the perfect Man growing amidst the most contrary surroundings; out of the mire of this world He extracts nothing but that which is fragrant for God. His own life is purity,while surrounded by uncleanness without. There is, moreover, in the Gospel of Luke, a pungency in dealing with men which may well remind us of the calamus.

One of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil. The Hebrew word qaneh, and is and is three times translated 'calamus.' God lamented that Israel did not buy any sweet cane for Him, Isa. 43:24; and when they did bring it from afar, it was no longer sweet to Him because of their waywardness and sin. Jer. 6:20.

Cal’a mus - Sweet stalk: reed

"Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, and of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: and thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt-offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto Me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured; neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

In the ointment there were myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus and cassia. The first and the last were in quantity double the other two.

Cinnamon is the second ingredient in the holy anointing oil. It is also mentioned in the negative way referred to with myrrh (see above in Prov. 7:17); and as one of the products, along with calamus, of the Bride’s garden in Song of Solomon 4:14. The one reference in the New Testament is in Revelation 18:11-13 where it is one of the items of merchandise that no one will buy after the judgment of Babylon.

Calamus is the third ingredient of the holy anointing oil. It is mentioned in Ezekiel 27:19 as a product in the market before Tyre’s beauty was removed.

This was compounded of pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia and olive oil. With it was anointed the whole tabernacle with all its vessels. Aaron and his sons also were anointed and consecrated to the priest's office. No one was allowed to make or to use such an ointment. After speaking of Aaron arid his sons, this remarkable injunction is given: "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured:" that is, not upon man as man, only upon Aaron and his sons as priests. Ex. 30:22-33. It is typical of the Holy Spirit, with whom only the Lord Jesus and believers are anointed. Acts 10:38; 1 John 2:20, 27; cf. Lev. 8:24, 30.