Matthew 26:7

Verse 7. There came unto him a woman. This woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, Joh 12:3. Having an alabaster box. The alabaster is a species of marble, distinguished for being light, and of a beautiful white colour, almost transparent. It was much used by the ancients for the purpose of preserving various kinds of ointment in. Of very precious ointment. That is, of ointment of much value; that was rare, and difficult to be obtained. Mark (Mr 14:3) and John (Joh 12:3) say, that it was ointment of spikenard. In the original it is nard. It was procured from an herb growing in the Indies, chiefly obtained from the root--though sometimes also from the bark.