Song of Solomon 8:1-7

Longing for Her Beloved

1 Oh that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me.

2 I would lead you and ¹bring you into the house of my mother—she who used to teach me. I would give you ²spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranate.

3 ³His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!

4 I ⁴adjure you, O ⁵daughters of Jerusalem, ⁶that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

5 ⁷Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as ⁸a seal upon your arm, for ⁹love is strong as death, ¹⁰jealousy^[a] is fierce as the grave. ^[b] Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very ¹¹flame of the Lord.

7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his ¹²house, he^[c] would be utterly despised.

Song of Solomon 8:1-7 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.

Cross References

• 1. 8:2 ch. 3:4
• 2. 8:2 [Prov. 9:2, 5]
• 3. 8:3 ch. 2:6, 7
• 4. 8:4 See ch. 2:7
• 5. 8:4 See ch. 1:5
• 6. 8:4 [ch. 2:7]
• 7. 8:5 See ch. 3:6
• 8. 8:6 Isa. 49:16; Jer. 22:24; Hag. 2:23
• 9. 8:6 [Rom. 8:35]
• 10. 8:6 [Ex. 34:14]; Deut. 4:24
• 11. 8:6 [Job 1:16]
• 12. 8:7 Prov. 6:35

Footnotes

• [a] 8:6 Or 'ardor'
• [b] 8:6 Hebrew 'as Sheol'
• [c] 8:7 Or 'it'