Song of Songs 8:5-7

Young Women of Jerusalem

5 Who is this[a] coming up from the wilderness, leaning on the one she loves? I awakened you under the apricot tree.[b] There your mother conceived you; there she conceived and gave you birth.

Woman

6 Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm.[c] For love is as strong as death;[d] ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love's flames are fiery flames[e]- the fiercest of all.[f]
7 Mighty waters cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all his wealth[g] for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Song of Songs 8:5-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 8

This chapter begins with an ardent wish of the church for a free and intimate converse with Christ; declaring what she would do to him, and for him, should she have such an interview with him, So 8:1,2; what familiarity should be between them, So 8:3; charging the daughters of Jerusalem not to give him any disturbance, So 8:4. Upon which they inquire who she was that was in such a posture they saw her in, So 8:5; when the church, instead of giving them an answer, says some things concerning her beloved, on whom they saw her leaning; and makes some requests to him for more nearness to him, and manifestations of his love to her; urged from the strength her love and affections to him, which was invincible, So 8:6,7. Next follows a speech of the church about her little sister; expressing a concern for her, and what she would do to her and with her, So 8:8,9; and the answer of the little sister, declaring what she, was, and what she enjoyed, So 8:10; then the words of the church again, concerning her husband's vineyard; the place, keepers, and profit of it, So 8:11,12. And the chapter, and with it the Song, is concluded with a request of Christ to the church, that he might hear her voice, So 8:13; and with a petition of hers to him, that he would come quickly to her, So 8:14.

Footnotes 7

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