CRUSE.—The word occurs frequently in the OT (generally as rendering of Heb. צַ?פּ?ִ?חַ?ח), where it means a ‘small earthen bottle or jar’ in common use among the Hebrews chiefly for holding liquids, such as water (1 Samuel 26:11) or oil (1 Kings 17:12). ‘Cruse’ (marg. ‘flask’) is substituted by Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 for ‘box’ of Authorized Version in Matthew 26:7 (|| Mark 14:3, Luke 7:37) as the designation of the ἀ?λάβαστρος used by the woman who anointed our Lord. See Alabaster and Anointing.
Dugald Clark.