The aloe is a plant found mostly in Africa that looks similar to a lily. Some types of aloe provide both medicine and fiber. In the Bible, aloe is mentioned with other fragrant plants like myrrh and balm (see Psalm 45:8; Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 4:14; John 19:39).
Most scholars believe these verses refer to two different plants:
In the Old Testament, aloe likely refers to the eaglewood tree (Aquilaria agallocha). This large tree comes from northern India, Malaya, and Indochina. It can grow up to 36.6 meters (120 feet) tall with a trunk about 3.7 meters (12 feet) around. As its wood decays, it produces a strong fragrance. This makes it valuable for perfume, incense, and fumigation. In ancient times, people would burn fragrant woods to fill spaces with aromatic smoke.
In the New Testament (John 19:39), aloe probably refers to the true aloe (Aloe succotrina). Egyptians used its bitter juice in the embalming process. Embalming is a process that preserves dead bodies. Though true aloe does not smell very pleasant, people sometimes used it as a medicine for horses.