The holy anointing oil ( Hebrew : שמן המשחה shemen ha-mishchah , "oil of anointing") formed an integral part of the ordination of the priesthood and the High Priest as well as in the consecration of the articles of the Tabernacle ( Exodus 30:26 ) and subsequent temples in Jerusalem . The primary purpose of anointing with the holy anointing oil was to sanctify, to set the anointed person or object apart as qodesh , or "holy" ( Exodus 30:29 ). Originally, the oil was used exclusively for the priests and the Tabernacle articles, but its use was later extended to include kings ( I Samuel 10:1 ). It was forbidden to be used on an outsider ( Exodus 30:33 ) or to be used on the body of any common person ( Ex. 30:32a ) and the Israelites were forbidden to duplicate any like it for themselves ( Ex. 30:32b ). Christianity has continued the practice of using holy anointing oil as a devotional practice, as well as in various liturgies. [1] Hebrew Bibl