What is…
cassia in the Bible

Two Hebrew words have been translated as cassia in English Bibles.

1. Hebrew: קִדָּה —transliteration: qiddah or kiddah' —meaning: cassia

   This word is used once in the books of Exodus and Ezekiel.

   It refers to a product of the Cinnamomum cassia tree.

   This was one of the principal spices of the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:24), and an article of commerce (Ezek. 27:19).

   It is the inner bark of a tree resembling the cinnamon, the Cinnamomum cassia, and was probably imported from India.

   The bark of this tree is aromatic, and the buds are used as a spice.

2. Hebrew: קִצְיעָה —transliteration: qetsiah or ketzi’oth —meaning: cassia

   appears only in Psalm 45:8

   mentioned in connection with myrrh and aloes as being used to scent garments

   It was probably prepared from the peeled bark of some kind of cinnamon, as the Hebrew word suggests.