It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Parallel translations
- WEB It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that came down on the edge of his robes;
- BSB It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard over the collar of his robes.
- NKJV It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
- NASB It is like the precious oil on the head, Running down upon the beard, As on Aaron’s beard, The oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes.
- NLT For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Such unity is like the precious oil running down Aaron's beard and robes. It pictures unity as a consecrating, overflowing blessing.
Overview
David compares unity to the anointing oil poured on Aaron's head, flowing down his beard onto his garments, an image of consecration and abundance. Unity, like that oil, sanctifies and richly blesses the whole body. It anticipates the Spirit poured out through Christ, the anointed One, uniting His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Lev 8:12And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.
- Exod 30:25–30And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
- Exod 29:7Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
- Prov 27:9Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
- Exod 39:24And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
- John 12:3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
- Song 1:3Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
- Ps 141:5Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
- Exod 28:33And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 133:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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