Spikenard: (Heb. nerd), a much-valued perfume
(The Song of Solomon 1:12; 4:13,14) It was "very
precious", i.e., very costly
(Mark 14:3; John 12:3,5) It is the root of an
Indian plant, the Nardostachys jatamansi, of the family of
Valeriance, growing on the Himalaya mountains. It is distinguished by
its having many hairy spikes shooting out from one root. It is called
by the Arabs sunbul Hindi, "the Indian spike." In the New Testament
this word is the rendering of the Greek nardos pistike. The margin of
the Revised Version in these passages has "pistic nard," pistic being
perhaps a local name. Some take it to mean genuine, and others
liquid. The most probable opinion is that the word pistike designates
the nard as genuine or faithfully prepared.
