Song Of Solomon 1 2

Song Of Solomon 1:2 kjv

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

Song Of Solomon 1:2 nkjv

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth? For your love is better than wine.

Song Of Solomon 1:2 niv

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth? for your love is more delightful than wine.

Song Of Solomon 1:2 esv

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine;

Song Of Solomon 1:2 nlt

Kiss me and kiss me again,
for your love is sweeter than wine.

Song Of Solomon 1 verses

Song Of Solomon 1 2 Meaning

This verse, uttered by the Shulamite woman, expresses a profound desire for intimate and direct affection from her beloved. She longs for personal communion, requesting a kiss from his own mouth, signifying deep tenderness and passionate embrace. Her reasoning is clear: his love, specifically the expressions of his love, surpasses the joy, exhilaration, and material delights symbolized by wine. It speaks to a preference for a soul-deep connection over any earthly pleasure.

Song Of Solomon 1 2 Context

Song of Solomon chapter 1 opens with the voice of the Shulamite woman, expressing her ardent love and longing for her beloved king. The setting is likely pastoral, invoking natural beauty and an atmosphere of intimate yearning. This chapter introduces the primary characters and establishes the passionate romantic tension that defines the book. Historically, Song of Solomon is unique among the Old Testament wisdom literature for its focus solely on romantic love. It is attributed to Solomon, renowned for his wisdom and poetic prowess. The immediate context of verse 2 is the Shulamite's fervent declaration of desire at the very beginning of the narrative, setting a tone of deep personal connection and uninhibited affection.

Song Of Solomon 1 2 Word analysis

• "Let him kiss me":

  • Hebrew: Yishakeni (יִשָּׁקֵנִי). This jussive verb form expresses a strong wish, desire, or request. It signifies an active and deep yearning from the Shulamite, not a passive hope, but a direct and uninhibited longing for affection.
  • Significance: It indicates the Shulamite's initiative in expressing her fervent desire, immediately establishing the book's theme of passionate love.

• "with the kisses":

  • Hebrew: min-neshiqot (מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת). The prefix "min" (from) combined with the plural "kisses" (neshiqot) suggests an abundance and profusion of kisses, originating from the very core of his affection.
  • Significance: It emphasizes a craving for comprehensive and repeated expressions of intimacy, going beyond a singular, fleeting gesture.

• "of his mouth":

  • Hebrew: pihu (פִּיהוּ). Explicitly denotes a direct kiss from the beloved's lips.
  • Significance: This detail stresses a profound level of direct, personal, and passionate intimacy. The mouth, where words and breath originate, symbolizes profound communion and connection, distinguishing it from a casual social gesture.

• "for":

  • Hebrew: ki (כִּי). This causal conjunction introduces the reason or justification for her intense plea.
  • Significance: It establishes a logical basis for her longing, demonstrating that her desire is rooted in the perceived supreme quality of his love.

• "thy love":

  • Hebrew: dodeyka (דּוֹדֶיךָ). This is the plural form of dod, which in the context of Song of Songs primarily refers to expressions of passionate love, tender affections, or loving embraces, rather than merely an abstract feeling.
  • Significance: It points to the tangible and experiential aspects of his love – his specific acts and demonstrations of affection – as the source of her deep satisfaction.

• "is better than":

  • Hebrew: tovim mi- (טוֹבִים מִיָּיִן). Tovim means 'good' or 'superior' (plural), followed by mi- indicating comparison ('than').
  • Significance: This phrase elevates his love to a position of supreme value, demonstrating its qualitative superiority over an commonly desired earthly pleasure.

• "wine":

  • Hebrew: yayin (יָּיִן).
  • Significance: In biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts, wine often symbolized joy, exhilaration, celebration, festivity, and sometimes even sensual indulgence or forgetfulness. By comparing his love to wine and declaring it "better," the Shulamite states that his affection provides a deeper, more profound, and more satisfying joy than any temporary physical pleasure or earthly stimulant.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth": This ardent and direct petition reveals the profound depth of the Shulamite's desire for physical and emotional intimacy. It encapsulates a yearning for absolute personal connection, a communion of spirits conveyed through a uniquely direct and passionate physical act. Her immediate and explicit expression of this wish sets a tone of unrestrained love, characteristic of the book, where desire is openly acknowledged.
  • "for thy love is better than wine": This provides the central motivation and rationale for her fervent longing. It establishes a powerful hierarchy of values, asserting that the beloved's affection delivers a joy far surpassing any material pleasure, earthly merriment, or sensual delight that wine symbolizes. It suggests a qualitative difference: while wine offers temporary euphoria, his love offers enduring and profoundly satisfying fulfillment for the soul.

Song Of Solomon 1 2 Bonus section

The boldness of the Shulamite's direct appeal in this verse is remarkable for ancient literature, challenging common portrayals of women as solely passive recipients of affection. It emphasizes the active nature of her desire within the framework of devoted love. In theological interpretations, the "kisses of His mouth" are sometimes seen as symbolic of God's Word (e.g., Deut 8:3, Matt 4:4), His covenant declarations, and the sweet communication of His truth that feeds and refreshes the soul more than any physical sustenance. The desire for plural kisses suggests a perpetual longing for ongoing communion and continuous revelation from the beloved. This sets a precedent for the constant yearning and pursuit of deeper intimacy that defines a thriving spiritual walk.

Song Of Solomon 1 2 Commentary

Song of Solomon 1:2 serves as a striking opening to this unique biblical book, immediately immersing the reader in the Shulamite's fervent desire. Her longing for the "kisses of his mouth" signifies a yearning for direct, personal, and unhindered communion, where love is expressed in its most intimate and pure form. This is not a superficial wish, but a deep aspiration for a relational bond that touches the core of her being. The subsequent declaration, "for thy love is better than wine," provides the profound justification for her longing. Wine represents the highest forms of earthly joy, celebration, and sensory pleasure. By elevating her beloved's love above this, she asserts its supreme and incomparable value, indicating that the joy and satisfaction found in his affection are qualitatively superior and far more fulfilling than any fleeting worldly pleasure. This verse beautifully portrays human romantic love in its most exalted form.

Spiritually, this verse is often understood as the Bride (representing the Church or the individual believer) expressing an ardent desire for direct intimacy with the Bridegroom (Christ). The "kisses of his mouth" signify a deep hunger for the Words of Christ, for His truth, and for His manifest presence, which satisfy the soul in a way no worldly indulgence can. His love and direct communication are found to be more enriching and life-giving than any material pleasure or earthly philosophy. It challenges believers to cultivate a deeper, more satisfying intimacy with God, recognizing His love as the ultimate source of joy.

• Examples for practical usage:
  • Prioritizing time in prayer and reading God's Word over transient pleasures or endless pursuit of entertainment.
  • Seeking God's direct guidance and comfort through His Spirit rather than relying on worldly solutions.
  • Valuing true communion with Christ as the ultimate satisfaction for the soul, beyond superficial religious practices.