with the burial of King Asa of Judah there was an extraordinarily great funeral burning, not a cremation, however, but a burning of spices. (2 Chron. 16:14) Anciently spices were added to wines to increase their “headiness.”—Song of Sol. 8:2.

The garden spice or spice plants referred to in The Song of Solomon (5:1, 13; 6:2) may denote fragrant herbs generally, or, as suggested by some scholars, balsam (Balsamodendron opobalsamum). Although condiments such as cummin, mint, dill and salt are mentioned in the Bible, the various original-language words translated “spice” and “spices” are not applied to food seasonings.

SPIDER

A small, eight-legged, wingless animal that, according to strict biological definition, is not an insect but an arachnid. Most spiders spin webs to catch their prey. They are beneficial to man by keeping the insect population in check. Spiders generally have three pairs of spinnerets or spinning organs located on the rear underside of the abdomen. These are linked with the silk glands inside the creature’s body by means of many minute tubes. To spin its thread, the spider presses its spinning organs against an object and forces out some liquid silk. Moving away from the object, it draws out the liquid, which, in turn, hardens in the air. By keeping its spinnerets together the spider can produce one thick thread. A band of fine threads results when the spinning organs are held apart. Comparatively, the spider’s silken thread has a tensile strength far greater than steel and can be stretched a fifth beyond its normal length before breakage occurs.

The web, differing according to the variety of spider making it, is beautiful in symmetry and complex in design, displaying the complicated principles of logarithms. At equidistant intervals on the silken strands are drops of glue, likewise made by the spider. After having laid a line between two spokes and smeared it with glue, the spider pulls down the thread and then lets it snap back. This results in the equidistant spacing of the tiny glue droplets. The sticky thread serves to trap the spider’s prey.

In its two occurrences in Scripture the spider figures in an illustrative setting. Bildad, in speaking to Job, referred to an apostate as one who trusts in or leans upon a “spider’s house,” or web, something that would be too frail to keep him standing. (Job 8:14, 15) The hurtful and violent works of unfaithful Israelites are likened to the weaving of a spider’s web. However, such unfaithful ones could not cover themselves with their works, any more than a cobweb would be suitable for a garment.—Isa. 59:5, 6.

SPIES

From Israel’s encampment in the wilderness of Paran, in 1512 B.C.E., Moses sent twelve chieftains (representing all the tribes except Levi) to search out the land of Canaan. This was permitted by Jehovah at the request of the Israelites, who said: “Do let us send men ahead of us that they may search out the land for us and bring us back word concerning the way by which we should go up and the cities to which we will come.” (Deut. 1:22, 23) Probably separating, perhaps into twos, they traveled through the land as far N as Hamath and W toward the sea. On returning, though all agreed that the land was indeed “flowing with milk and honey,” ten of the spies gave a faithless report that put fear into the Israelites. Only Joshua and Caleb encouraged them to go on into the land and take it. For Israel’s lack of faith in listening to the bad report, God decreed that all the men who were twenty years of age and above should die in the wilderness during an extended period of forty years’ wandering. Joshua and Caleb were excepted and the tribe of Levi was not included.—Num. 13:1-33; 14:6-38; Deut. 1:24-40.

Joshua sent two spies across the Jordan to spy out Jericho in 1473 B.C.E. Rahab the harlot assisted the spies, and was delivered with her household when Jericho fell. (Josh. 2:1-24; 6:1, 22-25; Heb. 11:31) Other instances of spying are mentioned at Judges 1:22-26; 18:1-10, 14, 17; 1 Samuel 26:4. David’s messengers to King Hanun of Ammon were charged with being spies and mistreated. (2 Sam. 10:1-7) Absalom sent spies throughout Israel, not so much to gain information for his conspiracy against David, as to stir up support for his subversive cause.—2 Sam. 15:10-12.

The apostle Paul wrote about his visit to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus, mentioning that at the time there were “false brothers brought in quietly, who sneaked in to spy upon our freedom which we have in union with Christ Jesus.”—Gal. 2:1-5.

SPIKENARD

A small aromatic plant (Nardostachys jatamansi) found in the Himalaya mountains. The stems and roots of this plant are generally considered to be the source of the nard or spikenard mentioned in Scripture. (Song of Sol. 1:12; 4:13, 14; Mark 14:3) The spikenard plant is distinguished by its clusters of blackish, hairy stems, about two inches (c. 5 centimeters) long, that branch out from the top of the root. The leaves sprout from the upper portion of the plant, which is terminated by heads of pink flowers.

To preserve its fragrance, nard, a light, fragrant, reddish-colored liquid, was sealed in cases of alabaster, a soft, usually whitish, marblelike stone named after Alabastron, Egypt, where vessels of this material were manufactured. The pound of perfumed oil, “genuine nard,” poured by Mary from an alabaster case upon the head and feet of Jesus Christ, ‘in view of his burial,’ was evaluated at 300 denarii ($48.00), the equivalent of about a year’s wages. (Mark 14:3-9; John 12:3-8; Matt. 20:2) The fact that this perfumed oil was so expensive suggests that its source may have been distant India.

SPINNING

The process of drawing out and twisting together into thread or yarn plant or animal fibers (flax, cotton, wool, goat’s hair, and so forth). Spun threads were used for weaving, sewing, embroidering or the making of rope. Among the Hebrews and others the distaff and spindle were employed in this process. It is said concerning the capable wife: “Her hands she has thrust out to the distaff, and her own hands take hold of the spindle.”—Prov. 31:19.

The distaff was a stick on which the cleansed and combed or carded (Isa. 19:9) fibers were loosely wound. Methods varied, but one way was to hold the distaff in the left hand. The fibers were drawn from it to some length and attached to the spindle. This was a shorter stick with a hook at one end to hold the fibers and a whorl (a disc of heavy material such as stone) near the other end. Using the right hand, the spinner twirled the hanging spindle, thus twisting the fibers into thread. This spun thread was next wound around the shank of the spindle and fastened. Then the operation was repeated until all the fibers on the distaff had been made into one long thread.

Both men and women of ancient Egypt spun thread, but among the Hebrews women particularly seem to have done the spinning. Israelite women were privileged to spin and contribute materials when the tabernacle was to be constructed.—Ex. 35:25, 26.

Jesus Christ referred to spinning when he urged his disciples not to be unduly anxious about clothing, but to trust in God to clothe them. Jesus said: “Mark well how the lilies grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, Not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these.”—Luke 12:27, 28; Matt. 6:28-30.

SPIRIT

[Heb., ruʹahh; Gr., pneuʹma].

The English word “spirit” is from the Latin spirare, meaning “to breathe” (noun form spiritus, “a breath,” “breathing”), the words “respiration,” “expiration” and “inspiration”