Galbanum

Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin and the product of certain species of Persian plants of the genus Ferula. Plants yielding galbanum grow abundantly on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran. It usually occurs in hard or soft, irregular, more or less separate bundles of light brown, yellowish or greenish-yellow colour. It has an unpleasant, bitter taste, a strange, somewhat musky smell, which turns into an intense green smell.

What is Galbanum in the Bible? In the book of Exodus 30:34 it is mentioned that Ketoret is used when referring to the consecrated incense described in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud. It was offered on a specialized altar of incense at the time the Tabernacle was located in the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Ketoret was an important part of the temple service in Jerusalem. Rashi (1040-1105; Troyes, France) comments on this passage that galbanum is bitter and was included in incense as a reminder of repeated and unrepentant sinners. The incense formula was apparently crushed into small pieces or into a powder. This would be possible because galbanum, which is a sticky tar-like resin, can be turned into a powder by drying, low boiling, or adding a diluent.