Song Of Solomon 1:14 kjv
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
Song Of Solomon 1:14 nkjv
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms In the vineyards of En Gedi.
Song Of Solomon 1:14 niv
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
Song Of Solomon 1:14 esv
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi.
Song Of Solomon 1:14 nlt
He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En-gedi.
Song Of Solomon 1 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| SoS 1:2 | Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth... | Affirms intimate desire for the Beloved. |
| SoS 1:7 | Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock... | Shows her yearning and search for her Beloved. |
| SoS 2:1 | I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. | Self-description using floral imagery. |
| SoS 2:3 | Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my Beloved... | Her comparison of him to an esteemed tree. |
| SoS 2:9 | My Beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag... | Physical beauty and swiftness of the Beloved. |
| SoS 4:7 | You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. | A direct declaration of beauty and perfection. |
| SoS 4:12 | A garden locked is my sister, my bride; a garden locked, a fountain sealed. | Garden imagery representing purity and exclusivity. |
| SoS 4:13 | Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with choicest fruits, with henna.. | Lists various fragrant and beautiful plants. |
| SoS 4:14 | Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all frankincense trees... | Lists various precious and fragrant spices. |
| SoS 4:16 | Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden... | Desire for the garden's fragrance to spread. |
| SoS 5:1 | I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride... | The Beloved's enjoyment of the metaphorical garden. |
| SoS 5:10 | My Beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. | Her comprehensive description of his unique beauty. |
| Ps 45:8 | All your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia... | Kings' garments symbolizing rich fragrance. |
| Isa 5:7 | For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel... | Vineyard as a metaphor for Israel. |
| Isa 58:11 | And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water... | Promise of prosperity and flourishing. |
| Jer 31:12 | And their life will be like a watered garden... | Prosperity and spiritual flourishing. |
| Hos 14:6 | His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree... | Promise of flourishing and beauty for Israel. |
| Lk 22:39 | And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives... | Jesus in Gethsemane (garden setting). |
| Jn 15:1 | I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. | Jesus as the source of fruitfulness. |
| Jn 19:41 | Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden... | Garden imagery associated with Christ's burial. |
| 2 Cor 2:14 | But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads the fragrance... | Believers as diffusing the aroma of Christ. |
| Eph 5:25 | Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church... | Christ's sacrificial love for His church, often symbolized as His Bride. |
| Rev 21:2 | And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down... like a bride... | The Church as the Bride of Christ, beautifully adorned. |
| Rev 22:1-2 | Then he showed me a river of the water of life... On either side of the river was the tree of life... | Paradise garden imagery, symbolizing life and blessings. |
Song Of Solomon 1 verses
Song Of Solomon 1 14 Meaning
In Song of Solomon 1:14, the Beloved, through the eyes of the Shulamite, is described as a cluster of fragrant henna blossoms originating from the esteemed vineyards of En Gedi. This imagery conveys her deep appreciation for his beauty, delightful presence, and unique value, likening him to a rare and luxurious plant renowned for its captivating scent and aesthetic appeal. His presence brings joy and delight, comparable to the rich and pleasant aroma of henna, growing in an exceptionally lush and fertile oasis.
Song Of Solomon 1 14 Context
Song of Solomon chapter 1 sets the scene, with the Shulamite maiden expressing her longing and affection for her Beloved. Having been sun-kissed and made keeper of the vineyards (SoS 1:6), she feels rustic compared to the royal attendants, yet she asserts her natural beauty and her deep love for the shepherd Beloved. The verse in question is her praise for him, responding to his own compliments of her beauty (SoS 1:9-11). It shifts from her self-perceived "darkness" (SoS 1:5-6) to her eloquent appreciation of her Beloved's radiance and worth, using high-value natural imagery. Historically and culturally, ancient Israel cherished fragrances and botanicals. En Gedi was a rare oasis near the Dead Sea, famed for its springs, fertility, and unique, valuable plants like balsam, date palms, and henna, thriving in contrast to the surrounding arid wilderness. It symbolized exclusivity, abundance, and premium quality, enhancing the significance of any plant found there.
Song Of Solomon 1 14 Word analysis
- My beloved (דּוֹדִי, dōḏî): Signifies an intimate and affectionate relationship. It is a deeply personal possessive pronoun, conveying exclusive devotion and love, common throughout Song of Solomon to describe the male beloved. It establishes the central figure of her affection.
- is to me: Highlights the speaker's subjective perception and profound appreciation. It signifies how she specifically values and experiences him, making her adoration profoundly personal and expressive.
- a cluster (אֶשְׁכֹּל, ʾeškol): Implies fullness, richness, and abundance, typically used for a cluster of grapes. Applying it to blossoms suggests not just a single bloom, but a profusion of flowers, symbolizing his multifaceted and bountiful attractiveness, a complete sensory delight.
- of henna blossoms (הַכֹּפֶר, hakkōper): Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is known for its highly fragrant, small, white to yellowish-red flowers. Culturally used for its intoxicating aroma in perfumes and cosmetics, as well as for decorative dyes. Here, it metaphorically describes the Beloved's captivating charm, his pleasing and pervasive "fragrance" of character, beauty, and presence. It denotes attractiveness and delightful sensory pleasure.
- in the vineyards (בְּכַרְמֵי, bekharmê): Vineyards symbolize cultivation, fertility, and a controlled, nurtured environment that produces valuable output. The plural "vineyards" further emphasizes a place of abundance and produce.
- of En Gedi (עֵין גֶּדִי, ʿĒn Geḏî): Literally "spring of the kid." A fertile oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, known for its unique microclimate and prized agricultural products, including dates, spices, and famously, balsam and henna. Its remoteness and fertility make anything grown there highly valuable and rare. This location specifies the quality and rarity of the henna, making the Beloved's attractiveness not just generally pleasant, but exquisitely rare and precious.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms": This phrase directly links her deeply personal affection ("My beloved is to me") with an exquisite natural metaphor. The "cluster of henna blossoms" signifies his abundant, captivating, and delightful essence. It conveys a strong sensory experience – visually beautiful and aromatically pleasing.
- "in the vineyards of En Gedi": This geographical descriptor elevates the praise. It specifies that this "cluster of henna" is not ordinary but of the finest quality, sourced from a uniquely fertile and prestigious location. It implies the Beloved's rare and distinguished excellence, surpassing common standards of beauty and charm, rooted in a place of life and prosperity.
Song Of Solomon 1 14 Bonus section
The intense specificity of the locale "En Gedi" suggests a deep familiarity and appreciation for nature's bounty among the original audience. It elevates the metaphor from generic beauty to something distinct, premium, and exclusive. The repeated use of plant imagery throughout SoS (lily, rose, apple, pomegranates, various spices) emphasizes natural, unadorned beauty and the Garden of Eden theme, linking intimacy to an environment of original creation and divine delight. This verse beautifully reflects the concept that love perceives the Beloved as unique and irreplaceable, extracting beauty from a renowned source, just as God delights in His beloved Church, whom He makes beautiful.
Song Of Solomon 1 14 Commentary
Song of Solomon 1:14 offers a poignant expression of the Shulamite's intimate perception and admiration for her Beloved. By likening him to a "cluster of henna blossoms," she highlights his captivating beauty, the delight he brings, and the pleasant, pervasive "fragrance" of his presence. The addition "in the vineyards of En Gedi" intensifies this compliment, marking him as uniquely exquisite and rare, like a precious bloom from a renowned and abundant oasis in a desert landscape. This is not merely a statement of physical attraction but reflects a deep sensory and emotional appreciation of his character and charm. The imagery evokes warmth, vitality, and delightful abundance, painting a vivid picture of the Beloved as the epitome of desirable perfection in her eyes. It underlines the theme of mutual admiration and delight that pervades this lyrical book. In its spiritual allegory, it portrays the Church's profound adoration and delight in Christ, recognizing His surpassing beauty and the infinite pleasure derived from His presence.