the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Bible Encyclopedias
Cassia
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or Our translators have rendered two distinct Hebrew words by this term. One of these (Ketzioth) is mentioned in three places (; ; and in ), in conjunction with myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, and ahalim, or eagle-wood. All these are aromatic substances, and, with the exception of myrrh, which is obtained from Africa, are products of India and its islands. It is probable, therefore, that ketziothis of a similar nature, and obtained from the same countries. It is supposed, however, that the substance referred to is not cassia; but it will be preferable to treat of the whole subject in connection with cinnamon [CINNAMON].
The other word rendered cassia in our Authorized Version is kiddah. It occurs first in , where cassia (kiddah) is mentioned in connection with olive oil, pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, and sweet calamus; secondly, in , where Dan and Javan are described as bringing bright iron, cassia (kiddah), and calamus to the markets of Tyre. There is no reason why the substance now called cassia might not have been imported from the shores of India into Egypt and Palestine. The Arabian Koost (Aucklandia Costus), known in Calcutta by the name of Puchuk, an aromatic substance exported in large quantities from Cashmere into the Punjab, whence it finds its way to Bombay and Calcutta, for export to China, where it is highly valued as one of the ingredients in the incense which the Chinese burn in their temples and private houses.
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Cassia'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/c/cassia.html.
