Luke 7 · Verse 46

Luke 7:46

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Luke 7:46, King James Version

Luke 7:46 in other translations

BSBYou did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.
WEBYou didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
ASVMy head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment.
YLTwith oil my head thou didst not anoint, but this woman with ointment did anoint my feet;
DARBYMy head with oil thou didst not anoint, but she has anointed my feet with myrrh.
BBEYou put no oil on my head: but she has put perfume on my feet.
WebsterMy head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

What does Luke 7:46 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 7:44-47

44-47. I entered ... no water--a compliment to guests. Was this "much love?" Was it any?

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 46. My head with oil. The custom of pouring oil upon the head was universal among the Jews. The oil used was sweet oil or oil of olives, prepared in such a way as to give an agreeable smell. It was also used to render the hair more smooth and elegant. Ruth 3:3; 2Sam 12:20, 2Sam 14:2, Ps 23:5.

With ointment. This ointment was a mixture of various aromatics, and was therefore far more costly and precious than the oil commonly used for anointing the head. Her conduct, compared with that of Simon, was therefore more striking. He did not give even the common oil for his head used on such occasions. She had applied to his feet a far more precious and valuable unguent. He, therefore, showed comparatively little love. She showed much.

(g) "My head" Ps 23:5.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint - Anointing the head with oil was as common among the Jews as washing the face with water is among us. See Rut 3:3; 2Sam 12:20; 2Sam 14:2; 2Kgs 4:2; and Psa 23:5, where the author alludes to the Jewish manner of receiving and entertaining a guest. Thou preparest a table for me; anointest my head with oil; givest me an overflowing cup. See Mat 5:17.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 7:36-50

None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to her former…

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Luke 7:46 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐλαίῳelaiōWith oilG1637
τὴνtēntheG3588
κεφαλήνkephalēnheadG2776
μουmouof MineG3165
οὐκouknotG3756
ἤλειψας·ēleipsasyou did anoint;G218
αὕτηhautēshe herselfG3778
δὲdehoweverG1161
μύρῳmurōwith fragrant oilG3464
ἤλειψενēleipsenanointedG218
τοὺςtoustheG3588
πόδαςpodasfeetG4228
μου.mouof Mine.G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 7:46

  • Psalms 23:5

    Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:8

    Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

  • Matthew 6:17

    But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

  • Ruth 3:3

    Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

  • 2 Samuel 14:2

    And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

  • Daniel 10:3

    I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

  • Psalms 104:15

    And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

  • Micah 6:15

    Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

  • Amos 6:6

    That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ru 3:3; 2Sa 14:2; Ps 23:5; 104:15; Ec 9:8; Da 10:3; Am 6:6; Mic 6:15
Mt 6:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 7:45

    Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

  • Luke 7:46

    My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

  • Luke 7:47

    Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Read all of Luke 7

Luke 7:46 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No ungiste mi cabeza con óleo; mas ésta ha ungido con ungüento mis pies.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu n’as pas oint ma tête d’huile, mais elle a oint mes pieds avec un parfum.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Du hast mein Haupt nicht mit Öl gesalbt; diese aber hat mit Salbe meine Füße gesalbt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Oleo caput meum non unxisti: hæc autem unguento unxit pedes meos.