Song of Solomon 8

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

The woman wishes her beloved were like a brother whom she could kiss publicly without reproach and lead to her mother's house to share spiced wine and pomegranate nectar. She recounts being embraced by him and charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to awaken love until the right time. Observers ask who is coming up from the wilderness while leaning on her beloved, referencing an encounter under an apple tree. The woman asks to be set as a seal upon his heart and arm, describing love's strength and endurance, which cannot be quenched by waters or bought with wealth. Brothers discuss their young sister's future marriage arrangements, and the woman declares herself a wall bringing peace in her beloved's eyes. Finally, reference is made to Solomon's vineyard in Baal-hamon and the woman's own vineyard, concluding with a companion's request to hear the beloved's voice and an invitation for him to flee like a gazelle upon the mountains of spices.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹O that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me. ²I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. ³His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. ⁴O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right. ⁵Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? The Bride I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth. ⁶Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. ⁷Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned. ⁸We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for? ⁹If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver upon her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. ¹⁰I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace. ¹¹Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver. ¹²But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit. ¹³You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it! ¹⁴Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

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Louis Segond 1910 and Berean Standard Bible: public domain. Cross references: open-cross-ref, Creative Commons BY 4.0.