What Does Matthew 26:7 Mean in the King James?

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

Matthew 26:7 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The ointment’s value becomes visible when it leaves the box and becomes honor poured onto a person.

THE MEANING

This verse shows honor taking a tangible, costly form: precious ointment leaves its container and rests on his head as he sits at the table. Value, touch, and presence meet in one act, making devotion visible rather than abstract.

THE ROOT

κατέχεεν

katécheen

GROWS FROM

χέω

cheō

to pour or pour out

The verb translated “poured” carries the root ⁨χέω⁩, which also appears in the verb for blood being “shed” in Matthew 26:28. The same action-word joins fragrance poured onto a head with blood poured out for many.

ALSO GROWS

chysis: a pouring or effusion

χύσις

This noun preserves the root’s sense of a substance being poured out, giving the act here a shape beyond simply opening a container.

ekcheō: to pour out

ἐκχέω

The same root appears in Matthew 26:28, where Jesus’ blood is described as poured out; that link lets this act of anointing echo a larger giving.

πολυτίμου

polytímou

GROWS FROM

τιμή

timē

value, price, honor

“very precious” in this verse is polytímou. The word combines polys, “much,” with timē, “value” or “honor.” The ointment’s high price and the honor it expresses occupy the same word-family, so its cost is also part of the meaning of the gesture.

ALSO GROWS

timios: precious, honored, valued

τίμιος

This branch holds value and honor together, as the costly ointment becomes a visible act of honoring.

timaō: to honor or value

τιμάω

This verb turns the root’s sense of value into an action, much as the ointment turns honor into a physical gesture.

THE PATTERN

Anointing makes honor tangible, and the oil’s touch extends beyond the head into a wider presence.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:13 · KJVOil poured onto David marks an act of anointing whose significance reaches beyond the touch itself.

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;

Psalm 133:2 · KJVThe oil moves from the head down the body, making the honor it signifies visible as an overflowing presence.

Then 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.

John 12:3 · KJVCostly ointment touches Jesus and its fragrance fills the whole house, carrying the act beyond the person who pours it.

THE THREAD

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Matthew 26:28 · KJV

The Greek verb behind “shed” shares the ⁨χέω⁩ (cheō), “to pour,” root with the ointment poured onto his head here. Fragrance poured over him and blood poured out for many meet in the same action-word.

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