Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ODOR

The scent of a sacrifice, in ancient Near Eastern mythology held to be pleasing to the gods and thus attracting their attention (e.g., Atrahasis III.5.30-35). This is reflected in the account of Noah’s post-Flood offering (Gen. 8:20-21).

Heb. rēaḥ is well attested as the common word for odor or scent (e.g., Cant. 4:10), but the phrase rēaḥ nîḥ nîḥōaḥ, “pleasing odor,” occurs only in cultic contexts, particularly as a technical term designating an offering by fire. Sacrifices which did not include frankincense or incense were also described with this term, so it must have been the nature of the sacrifice, not the often unpleasant smell of burning meat, which was envisioned as pleasing. The only burnt offering to which this term is never applied is the reparations (guilt) offering (Lev. 5:14–6:7[MT 5:26]). It appears only once in connection with the purification (sin) offering (Lev. 4:31), and many scholars regard this attestation as a later addition to the text. All of the attestations of “pleasing odor” in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers may be the work of the Holiness school.

Ezek. 6:13; 16:41; 20:28 refer to pagan cults. Ezek. 20:41 is a metaphorical reference to the people of Israel as a whole.

Bibliography. W. R. Scott, The Booths of Ancient Israel’s Autumn Festival (diss., Johns Hopkins, 1993).

William R. Scott

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ODOR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)