Aloes - (Heb. 'ahalim), a fragrant wood (Num. 24:6; Ps. 45:8; Prov.\n7:17; Cant. 4:14), the Aquilaria agallochum of botanists, or, as\nsome suppose, the costly gum or perfume extracted from the wood.\nIt is found in China, Siam, and Northern India, and grows to the\nheight sometimes of 120 feet. This species is of great rarity\neven in India. There is another and more common species, called\nby Indians aghil, whence Europeans have given it the name of\nLignum aquile, or eagle-wood. Aloewood was used by the Egyptians\nfor embalming dead bodies. Nicodemus brought it (pounded\naloe-wood) to embalm the body of Christ (John 19:39); but\nwhether this was the same as that mentioned elsewhere is\nuncertain. The bitter aloes of the apothecary is the dried juice of the\nleaves Aloe vulgaris. From Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
