Bbaibbele lyaamba kuti maalo akali kubelesyegwa kununkilizya zisani alimwi aabulo. (Intembauzyo 45:8; Tusimpi 7:17; Lwiimbo Lwa-Solomoni 4:14) Ciboneka kuti maalo aambwa mu Bbaibbele akali kuzwa kuzisamu zitegwa Agarwood (camusyobo wa Aquilaria). Ciindi zisamu eezi nozyabola, zigwisya mafwuta aanunkilila alimwi abulimbo. Zisamu eezi zyakali kuziigwa kuba mbuli busu, mpoonya akusambalwa kaali “maalo.”

Bbaibbele lyeezyanisya matente aaku Israyeli ‘amaalo ngaakabyala Jehova.’ (Myeelwe 24:5, 6) Eeci ambweni caamba bupati bwacisamu ca Agarwood, calo icikonzya kulampa mamita aali 30 alimwi akuba amitabi iitandabede. Nokuba kuti cisamu eeci tacijaniki mu Israyeli mazuba aano, bbuku litegwa A Dictionary of the Bible ilipandulula mabala aamu Bbaibbele lyaamba kuti: “Taakwe ceelede kutukasya ikwaamba kuti cisamu eeci alimwi azisamu zimwi zitazyibidwe [mu Israyeli mazuba aano] kuti tiizyakaliko mu Kkuti lya Jordano lyakavwubide alimwi lyakaziybidwe kapati.”

Mulawo wa Leza wakaamba kuti zipaizyo zyoonse izyakali kutuulwa kutempele, zyakeelede kuba zibotu kapati. Leza tanaakali kutambula zipaizyo zilemene. (Kulonga 23:19; Levitiko 22:21-24) Kweelana anzyaakaamba sikulemba mu Juda wamumwanda wamyaka wakusanguna wazina lya Philo, aciindi eeco bapaizi bakali kubalanga-langa banyama “kutalikila kumutwe kusikila kuzituta” kutegwa basinizye kuti bali kabotu alimwi akuti ‘tabakwe kampenda nokaba komwe.’

Sikwiiya Bbaibbele E.  P.  Sanders awalo waamba kuti kuboneka kuti bapati-pati bakutempele “bakali kuzumizya basikusambala banyama basyomeka kuti kabasambala buyo banyama alimwi abayuni ibakalangwa-langwa kale abapaizi. Aboobo sikusambala umwi aumwi wakali kupa sikuula kalisiiti ikatondezya kuti munyama taakalemene.”

Mumwaka wa 2011, basikuvwukkula zintu zyakaindi bakajana kalisiiti naa kakkoini, mubusena ikwakali tempele—kakkoini kabulongo aaka nkamumwaanda wamyaka wakusaanguna B.C.E. kusika ku 70 C.E. Mabala obilo aaci Aramaic aalembedwe akakkoini aaka asanduludwe kuti “Cileelela Kupegwa Kuli Leza” (“Pure for God”). Alimwi kuyeeyelwa kuti bapati-pati bakutempele bakali kubikka tukkoini ootu kuzintu zyakali kusambalwa kaili mizimo naa kubanyama bakali kuyanda kutuulwa.