0 Is it OK to use perfume?

Is it OK to use perfume?


Yes

Perfume rejoices the heart.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart. Proverbs 27:9
Esther used it to impress the king. (And she was one of God's favorite women.)
Esther was brought also unto the king's house ... Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours). Esther 2:8-12
The author of the Song of Solomon was a big fan of perfume.
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? Song of Solomon 3:6

How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Song of Solomon 4:10

I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. Song of Solomon 5:5

And perfume was poured on Jesus's feet.
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:3 (NIV)
(See also Luke 7:37-38 and Mark 14:3-7.)

No

Perfume is for God, not you.
As for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves ... it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. Exodus 30:37
Only whores use perfume. (See Provebs 5-27 for the details.)
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Proverbs 7:17
The daughters of Zion used perfume. (So God discovered their secret parts.)
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty ... the LORD will discover their secret parts ... And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink. Isaiah 3:16-24

And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes ... and didst debase thyself even unto hell. Isaiah 57:9


From the 1966 Movie "Hawaii".

Jerusha Hale (Abner's wife): I felt so good after my bath, that I washed my skin with oil of lilac."

Abner Hale: I smell it. Moses forbad the use of perfume.

Jerusha: Proverbs say that ointment and perfume rejoice the heart.

Abner: Isaiah cursed the woman who used perfume and debased herself unto hell.

Jerusha: Esther perfumed herself for a whole year.

Abner: She was under compulsion.

Jerusha: Oh, I think you just the smell of perfume on my skin.

But Jerusha forgot about John 12:3, in which Jesus had his feet washed with expensive perfume. If perfume is good enough for Jesus' feet, it's good enough for anybody's anything.

[Thanks to Daryl for reminding me about John 12:3 and to teavee for finding Abner's Isaiah verse (57:9).]

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