Song Of Solomon 6 8

Song Of Solomon 6:8 kjv

There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

Song Of Solomon 6:8 nkjv

There are sixty queens And eighty concubines, And virgins without number.

Song Of Solomon 6:8 niv

Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number;

Song Of Solomon 6:8 esv

There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

Song Of Solomon 6:8 nlt

Even among sixty queens
and eighty concubines
and countless young women,

Song Of Solomon 6 verses

Song Of Solomon 6 8 meaning

Song of Solomon 6:8 contrasts the vast number of high-status women in a typical royal court—sixty queens, eighty concubines, and innumerable virgins—with the unique, incomparable beloved who is about to be described in the following verses. This verse establishes a rich backdrop of available alternatives, heightening the chosen one's singular worth and beauty in the eyes of her lover. It is not a declaration of possession but a rhetorical device to emphasize exclusivity and supreme affection.

Song Of Solomon 6 8 Context

Song of Solomon chapter 6 follows a search scene where the beloved seeks her king (6:1). The daughters of Jerusalem ask where he has gone, and she responds, confirming their reunited love (6:2-3). The king then delivers an extensive commendation of the Shulamite's beauty, comparing her to Tirzah, Jerusalem, and an army with banners (6:4-7). Verse 8, "There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins without number," is uttered by the king as part of this fervent declaration, directly setting up the superlative praise for the Shulamite that immediately follows in verse 9.

Historically, this verse reflects the practice of ancient Near Eastern monarchies, including Solomon's, of having numerous wives and concubines as symbols of wealth, power, and international alliances (cf. 1 Kgs 11:3). The presence of such an extensive court entourage would have been well understood by the original audience. The verse uses this common cultural backdrop not to affirm polygamy but to contrast the sheer quantity of these high-status women with the quality and singular affection the king holds for his one true beloved, making her uniqueness profoundly clear.

Song Of Solomon 6 8 Word analysis

• There are sixty queens

  • sixty (שִׁשִּׁים - shishim): A specific, yet somewhat round number, signifying a considerable, established multitude within a royal court. Not necessarily an exact count of queens at Solomon's time but representative of abundant royalty. In ancient times, round numbers often carried a sense of completion or vastness.
  • queens (מְלָכוֹת - melakhot): Plural of malkah (queen). These would be royal wives, often of noble birth or from foreign alliances, holding high status and prestige. Their presence indicates political power and considerable wealth in the royal establishment.

• and eighty concubines

  • eighty (שְׁמֹנִים - shmonim): Another round, specific number, further expanding the vastness of the royal household. It enhances the idea of abundance without being precisely enumerative.
  • concubines (פִּילַגְשִׁים - pilagshim): Women of recognized, though secondary, marital status, typically providing children or enhancing a man's household. They held a higher standing than servants but less than primary queens, often not having full spousal rights or succession for their children. Their inclusion emphasizes the breadth of the royal collection of women.

• and virgins without number.

  • virgins (עֲלָמוֹת - alamot): Young, unmarried women, often part of the royal entourage as attendants, servants, or those being considered for future royal relationships. This term denotes youthfulness and purity.
  • without number (אֵין מִסְפָּר - ein mispar): This phrase employs hyperbole, indicating an incalculable multitude, far exceeding the counted queens and concubines. It completes the picture of a vast royal court teeming with women, emphasizing the sheer numerical comparison against which the Shulamite will be measured.

Song Of Solomon 6 8 Bonus section

The numbers sixty and eighty, while likely representative of large figures rather than literal counts in this poetic context, might also subtly hint at the historical reality of royal polygamy as a source of national prestige and alliances. However, within the book of Song, it swiftly redirects focus from quantitative possession to qualitative, singular adoration.

From a typological viewpoint, this scene powerfully foreshadows the truth that for God, His people are "a treasured possession among all peoples" (Exod 19:5). In Christ, every believer is individually cherished as if they were the "only one," highlighting the intimate, personal nature of divine love that transcends all other considerations or numerical comparisons. This verse underscores the exclusivity of devotion that God seeks from His covenant people, echoed in "you shall have no other gods before me" (Exod 20:3), affirming a spiritual monotheism in relationships as well as worship.

Song Of Solomon 6 8 Commentary

Song of Solomon 6:8 serves as a pivotal rhetorical flourish by the king (or Bridegroom figure), creating an elaborate backdrop against which the unmatched beauty and singular appeal of his beloved Shulamite are powerfully illuminated in the subsequent verses. This verse isn't merely a demographic count of a royal harem; it's a dramatic literary device to amplify her uniqueness. By enumerating a vast multitude of "sixty queens" and "eighty concubines"—numbers suggesting immense status, wealth, and beauty within the societal framework of a monarch—and then adding an incalculable host of "virgins," the speaker deliberately presents an array of highly desirable options.

The spiritual allegory often drawn from this verse highlights Christ's unparalleled love for His Church, His Bride. Just as the Shulamite stands unique against a world full of attractive alternatives, so the Church, though "made ready" and cleansed by Christ (Eph 5:25-27; Rev 19:7-8), is singular in His affections. This perspective implies that while the world offers many pathways, philosophies, and enticements ("queens, concubines, virgins"), none hold the same esteemed, beloved place as the redeemed Body of Christ in the eyes of the divine Bridegroom. The verse thus sets the stage for a profound statement about exclusive love, faithfulness, and the priceless value of one chosen heart over all worldly splendors and multitude.