Song Of Solomon 2:5 kjv
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
Song Of Solomon 2:5 nkjv
Sustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.
Song Of Solomon 2:5 niv
Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
Song Of Solomon 2:5 esv
Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.
Song Of Solomon 2:5 nlt
Strengthen me with raisin cakes,
refresh me with apples,
for I am weak with love.
Song Of Solomon 2 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Song 8:6-7 | For love is strong as death... its flashes are flashes of fire... | Love's unquenchable power and intensity. |
| Ps 42:1-2 | As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God... | Deep longing and thirst for the beloved. |
| 1 Sam 30:11-12 | They gave him bread to eat and water... and a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. | Raisin cakes for physical revival from faintness. |
| Judg 15:18-19 | He was very thirsty... God split open the hollow place... and water came out... | Revitalization and strength given in weariness. |
| Prov 25:25 | Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. | Relief and refreshment for a weary soul. |
| Ps 104:14-15 | He causes the grass... that he may bring food out of the earth and wine that makes glad... | Food for strength, wine for gladness/heart. |
| Deut 8:3 | Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. | Spiritual sustenance is paramount. |
| Matt 4:4 | Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. | Echoes Deut 8:3, emphasizes divine word as nourishment. |
| Jn 6:35 | Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger..." | Jesus as the ultimate spiritual sustenance. |
| Isa 40:31 | But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength... | Renewal of strength through spiritual reliance. |
| Ps 23:2-3 | He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. | Divine comfort and soul restoration. |
| Phil 4:13 | I can do all things through him who strengthens me. | Strength found in Christ, spiritual support. |
| Ps 63:1-2 | O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you... | Soul's deep yearning and thirst for God. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... | God's strength manifested in human weakness. |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. | Seeking grace and help in moments of weakness. |
| Isa 55:1-2 | Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... without money and without price. Why do you spend... for what does not satisfy? | Invitation to satisfying spiritual nourishment. |
| Jer 31:25 | For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish. | Divine promise to refresh weary souls. |
| Hos 3:1 | ...even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods... | Raisin cakes in a context of longing for love, sometimes misused but symbol of enjoyment. |
| Prov 25:28 | A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. | Emotional intensity needing proper containment (spiritual allegorical control) |
| Ps 119:28 | My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! | A plea for strengthening in distress. |
| Song 1:3 | Your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore, young women love you. | Beloved's refreshing presence. |
Song Of Solomon 2 verses
Song Of Solomon 2 5 Meaning
The Shulammite maiden, overwhelmed by the intensity of her love for her beloved, expresses a deep emotional and perhaps physical weakness. She pleas for tangible comforts—sustaining raisin cakes and refreshing apples—to alleviate her state of being "faint with love." This verse poetically describes the powerful and consuming nature of true love, emphasizing both its intoxicating effect and the longing for nurture within that passion.
Song Of Solomon 2 5 Context
Song of Solomon chapter 2 portrays the lovers admiring each other, with the beloved (Shulammite) expressing her intimate feelings. Verse 5 is spoken by the Shulammite, following her joyful declaration of finding spiritual and physical shelter under her beloved (v. 2:3-4) and anticipating the overwhelming nature of their shared love. She feels utterly consumed by this affection, reaching a point of "faintness." This verse sets the stage for her subsequent plea in verse 6 for his intimate embrace, and her solemn warning in verse 7 not to awaken love prematurely, indicating the deep and serious nature of the feelings involved. The request for raisin cakes and apples signifies a real need for comfort and restoration within the intensity of their romantic connection.
Song Of Solomon 2 5 Word analysis
- Sustain (Heb. סַמְּכוּ, sammekhu): This verb means "to support," "to uphold," "to lean on." It conveys an urgent need for stability and strength due to an internal collapse or weakness. The beloved is asking to be physically propped up and restored.
- me (Heb. לִי, li): Indicates the direct object, showing the intense personal need of the Shulammite.
- with raisins (Heb. בַּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת, ba'ashishot): Literally "with raisin-cakes." These were dense cakes made from pressed raisins, often used for sustenance, quick energy, and provision, particularly for those who were weak or in need of rapid invigoration. They symbolized bounty, joy, and strength in ancient Israel.
- refresh (Heb. רַפְּדוּ, rappədhū): Means "to strew," "to spread under," or "to revive" and "comfort." It implies lying down to rest and be made comfortable, often by placing something soothing around or beneath one. Here, it suggests providing solace and revival from a state of distress.
- me (Heb. אוֹתִי, oti): Again, emphasizing the personal appeal of the beloved.
- with apples (Heb. בַּתַּפּוּחִים, battappuchim): Refers to "apples," though the precise fruit in antiquity is debated (possibly quince, apricot, or citron), chosen for its fragrance and refreshing qualities rather than its caloric value. The fragrance might have been as important as the taste for one feeling faint, serving as an aromatic stimulant.
- for (Heb. כִּי, ki): A conjunction introducing the reason or explanation for the preceding request.
- I am faint (Heb. חוֹלַת, cholat): Derived from the verb חָלָה, chalah, meaning "to be sick," "weak," "infirm," or "wounded." Here, it's used poetically to describe a specific kind of weakness or sickness—one brought on by overwhelming emotion, hence "love-sickness," not a literal physical ailment but its emotional equivalent.
- with love (Heb. אַהֲבָה, ahavah): The direct cause of her faintness. This is a deep, passionate, and consuming affection that overwhelms her. It speaks of a profound emotional state where her being is utterly given over to the object of her devotion.
- "Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples": This phrase exhibits classic Hebrew parallelism, where the two clauses convey similar yet distinct ideas of physical support and soothing restoration. The choice of specific foods points to common, readily available, and effective remedies for faintness in ancient culture.
- "for I am faint with love": This clause provides the reason and the emotional core of the verse. It transforms a seemingly simple request for food into a profound declaration of love's intense, consuming, and sometimes overwhelming nature. It illustrates how love can fully encompass one's being, to the point of leaving them weak.
Song Of Solomon 2 5 Bonus section
The concept of "love-sickness" (faintness with love) was a recognized motif in ancient Near Eastern and classical literature, describing an extreme emotional state caused by intense romantic longing. It implied not literal illness but an emotional languishing or consuming passion that affects one's physical being. The choice of specific foods, raisin cakes (ashishot) and apples (tappuchim), reveals a practical understanding of natural remedies. Raisin cakes were known for quick energy, while apples, particularly their fragrance, were considered refreshing and even calming. This verse beautifully bridges the deeply human, passionate aspect of love with a subtle recognition of physical needs and traditional methods of comfort within the context of a loving relationship.
Song Of Solomon 2 5 Commentary
Song of Solomon 2:5 paints a vivid picture of love's powerful hold. The beloved's plea for raisin cakes and apples signifies a natural response to being overwhelmed by intense affection. On a literal level, it speaks to the deep, passionate bond between a man and a woman, acknowledging the physiological and emotional impact of romantic love. Her "faintness" is a testament to the intoxicating and all-encompassing nature of this devotion.
Allegorically, this verse is often interpreted as the longing of the soul (the Church or an individual believer) for Christ, or of Israel for God. The "faintness with love" represents the spiritual exhaustion or profound yearning that comes from deep love for the Lord, where His presence is so desired that one feels incomplete without Him. In this spiritual sense, "raisins" and "apples" can symbolize the spiritual sustenance and refreshing truths that come from Christ—His Word, His Spirit, His comforting presence, or the fruit of His redemption, which revive and strengthen the weary soul in its devotion. This imagery highlights dependence on God for renewal when spiritual longing is profound.