Used in the preparation of the holy ointment (Ex. 30: 23); in the purification of women (Esth. 2: 12); as a perfume (Ps. 45: 8; Song. 1; 3; 4; 5); and for embalming (John 19: 39). It was obtained from various thorny shrubs of the dry districts of Arabia and eastern Africa. In Gen. 37: 25; Gen. 43: 11, myrrh is the gum of the rock rose.