cinnamon Summary and Overview

Heb. kinamon, the Cinnamomum zeylanicum of botanists, a tree of the Laurel family, which grows only in India on the Malabar coast, in Ceylon, and China. There is no trace of it in Egypt, and it was unknown in Syria. The inner rind when dried and rolled into cylinders forms the cinnamon of commerce. The fruit and coarser pieces of bark when boiled yield a fragrant oil. It was one of the principal ingredients in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It is mentioned elsewhere only in Prov. 7:17; Cant. 4:14; Rev. 18:13. The mention of it indicates a very early and extensive commerce carried on between Israel and the East.

a well-known aromatic substance, the rind of the Laurus cinnamomum, called Korunda-gauhah in Ceylon. It is mentioned in #Ex 30:23| as one of the component parts of the holy anointing oil. In #Re 18:13| it is enumerated among the merchandise of the great Babylon.

CIN'NAMON . Song of Solomon 4:14. A well-known aromatic, produced from the Cinnamon. (C. zeylanecum. After Dr. Birdwood) inner bark of a tree which grows chiefly in Ceylon, and being peeled off and cut into strips curls up in the form in which it is usually seen. The cinnamon tree belongs to the laurel family, and attains the height of 30 feet. Cinnamon was one of the ingredients of the holy oil, Ex 30:23, and was probably an article of commerce in ancient Babylon. Rev 18:13.

The aromatic inner rind of the Laurus cinnamomum. A perfume only in Old Testament (Exodus 30:23); a condiment with us. Imported into Judaea by the Phoenicians. It now grows best in S.W. Ceylon. From the coarser pieces oil of cinnamon is obtained, and a finer oil by boiling the ripe fruit. This last gives the delightful odor to incense when burning. Gesenius derives it from qun, qaneh, "cane," the idea being that of standing upright. Cassia lignea is often substituted in the markets for the more delicate flavored cinnamon. Others derive the word from Cinn (Chinese), amomum (nard). It reached Phoenicia overland from China by way of Persia.