Objects & worship
Myrrh
An aromatic tree resin used in oil and spices, and named in gifts to Jesus and his burial.
Also called · myrrh resin
What it means
Myrrh is a fragrant resin obtained from trees. Exodus 30 includes it in the holy oil used to consecrate the Tent of Meeting, its furnishings, Aaron, and his sons.
Esther 2 describes women preparing to meet the king with six months of oil of myrrh, followed by six months with other fragrances and preparations.
How it appears in the Bible
In Matthew 2, myrrh is among the gifts that wise men bring to Jesus. In John 19, Nicodemus brings a mixture of myrrh and aloes. He and Joseph of Arimathaea prepare Jesus’ body for burial, wrapping it in linen with the spices.
Translation note
Myrrh and frankincense are different aromatic resins. John’s burial account describes wrapping the body with spices and cloth.