The Scent Atlas

Scripture Scents

By Mario Andino, Founder and perfumer, Maranatha Parfums · November 5, 2026

Scripture is full of scent. Incense rises with prayer, oil runs down Aaron’s beard, a woman breaks a flask of nard, and Nicodemus carries myrrh and aloes to a tomb. These pages take each aromatic the Bible names and ask three plain questions: where does it appear, what is it most likely to be, and how does it smell and behave in a blend today.

Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.

Exodus 30:23–25 (ESV)

A word on the holy formulas

Exodus 30:22–33 gives the recipe for the holy anointing oil (liquid myrrh, sweet cinnamon, aromatic cane, cassia and olive oil), and Exodus 30:34–38 the recipe for the incense (stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense). Both were set apart for the tabernacle, and making them for personal use was forbidden (30:32–33, 37–38). Maranatha Parfums honors that boundary: we work with the materials Scripture names, but we do not reproduce those formulas, and neither do the study blends in the Scent Atlas.

The materials

• Frankincense

  Hebrew levonah · Greek libanos. Boswellia resin, distilled as an essential oil or extracted as a resinoid.

• Myrrh

  Hebrew mor · Greek smyrna. Commiphora resin — bitter, warm and balsamic.

• Spikenard (Nard)

  Hebrew nerd · Greek nardos. Nardostachys jatamansi root oil from the Himalayas — earthy and musky.

• Cinnamon

  Hebrew qinnamon. Cinnamomum bark or leaf oil. Beautiful, but restricted — use with care.

• Cassia

  Hebrew qiddah / qetsiah. Cinnamomum cassia — hotter than cinnamon, also restricted.

• Calamus (sweet cane)

  Hebrew qaneh bosem. Usually identified as Acorus calamus. Its asarone content means it should not go into anything worn.

• Galbanum

  Hebrew chelbenah. Ferula gum resin — sharply green.

• Aloes

  Hebrew ahalim / ahaloth. In the Old Testament, often identified as agarwood (oud). The aloes of John 19:39 are debated.

• Cedar

  Hebrew erez. Cedar of Lebanon oil is rare; Atlas cedar is its close cousin in the same genus.

• Hyssop

  Hebrew ezov. Many scholars think biblical ezov was a wild oregano-like herb, not today’s hyssop plant.

• Saffron

  Hebrew karkom. Crocus stigmas; in perfumery usually recreated with safranal or Safraleine.

• Labdanum

  Hebrew lot. Often translated “myrrh” in these verses; many scholars identify lot as labdanum, the resin of rockrose.

• Myrtle

  Hebrew hadas. Myrtus communis — fresh, green and gently floral.

• Henna (camphire)

  Hebrew kopher. Lawsonia flowers; henna flower absolute exists but is rare.

• Balm of Gilead

  Hebrew tsori. The original plant is debated. Today “balm of Gilead” in stores is often poplar-bud absolute.

• Stacte and onycha

  Hebrew nataf · shecheleth. Their identities are uncertain — suggestions include myrrh drops or storax for stacte, and a shell or a resin for onycha.

• Olive oil

  Hebrew shemen zayit. The carrier of the anointing oil. For modern oil perfumes, jojoba or fractionated coconut are more neutral and stable.