Song Of Solomon 7:12 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Song Of Solomon 7:12 kjv
Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.
Song Of Solomon 7:12 nkjv
Let us get up early to the vineyards; Let us see if the vine has budded, Whether the grape blossoms are open, And the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.
Song Of Solomon 7:12 niv
Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom? there I will give you my love.
Song Of Solomon 7:12 esv
let us go out early to the vineyards and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.
Song Of Solomon 7:12 nlt
Let us get up early and go to the vineyards
to see if the grapevines have budded,
if the blossoms have opened,
and if the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.
Song Of Solomon 7 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Vineyard/Fruitfulness & Love's Growth | ||
| Song 2:10-13 | "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone... The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom..." | Lover's invitation mirroring spring's awakening. |
| Ps 128:3 | "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children like olive shoots around your table." | Wife as fruitful vine, symbolic of family blessing. |
| Prov 5:18-19 | "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth... Let her breasts intoxicate you at all times; always be captivated by her love." | Celebrating marital intimacy and joy. |
| Isa 5:1-7 | "My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill... He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes." | Vineyard as a metaphor for Israel and expected fruitfulness. |
| John 15:1-5 | "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser... Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." | Spiritual fruitfulness through union with Christ. |
| Hos 10:1 | "Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit." | Israel as a vine, positive and negative contexts. |
| Jer 2:21 | "Yet I had planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then has it turned into a wild vine for me?" | God's expectation of Israel as a faithful vine. |
| Pomegranates - Abundance & Beauty | ||
| Song 4:3 | "Your lips are like a scarlet thread... Your temples are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil." | Pomegranate symbolizing beauty of the Beloved. |
| Song 6:7 | "Your temples are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil." | Repetition of pomegranate for Beloved's beauty. |
| Song 6:11 | "I went down to the garden of nuts, to see the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the vine had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom." | Similar desire for observing nature's bloom, preceding current verse. |
| Num 13:23 | "Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs." | Pomegranate as a fruit of the Promised Land, signifying blessing. |
| Exod 28:33-34 | "On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns... and golden bells between them all around." | Pomegranates used in priestly garments, symbolic of beauty/holiness. |
| Joel 1:12 | "The vine has dried up; the fig tree droops. Pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the field are withered; for joy has dried up from the children of man." | Pomegranate absence indicates lack of joy/blessing. |
| Intimacy & Self-Giving | ||
| Song 8:2 | "I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother... I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranates." | Expressing desire for deeper intimacy and sharing. |
| Gen 2:24 | "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." | Foundation of marital intimacy and union. |
| Heb 13:4 | "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." | Sanctity of the marital relationship. |
| Eph 5:25-27 | "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her... that he might present the church to himself in splendor." | Analogy of Christ's love for the Church, involving self-giving. |
| Rom 12:1 | "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." | Principle of giving one's whole self to God (or beloved in context). |
| 2 Cor 8:5 | "They gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us." | Principle of giving oneself completely. |
| Shared Journey & Pursuit | ||
| Song 2:16 | "My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies." | Mutual possession and belonging. |
| Phil 3:10 | "That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." | Shared pursuit and deeper knowing. |
Song Of Solomon 7 verses
Song Of Solomon 7 12 meaning
The Shulamite (Beloved) invites her King (Lover) to go with her to the vineyards at dawn. Her desire is for them to observe the early signs of spring—the budding vines, opening grape blossoms, and blooming pomegranates. This shared observation of natural renewal serves as a poetic backdrop and an active anticipation for the renewal and expression of their own intimate, physical love and mutual devotion in a setting symbolic of fruitfulness and abundance. It signifies her eager and proactive desire for deepening their marital union and celebrating their love in privacy and joy.
Song Of Solomon 7 12 Context
Song of Solomon 7:12 is a vibrant invitation from the Shulamite, the Beloved, to her Lover. It falls within a section (7:11-8:4) where she takes the initiative, expressing her desires. Following detailed descriptions of her beauty by the King in 7:1-9, this verse marks a shift as the Shulamite now speaks, proactively calling her beloved to a pastoral setting. She yearns to depart from the structured environment of the city or palace and enter the natural, fruitful world of the countryside. Historically and culturally, vineyards and orchards were significant for sustenance, economy, and as places of communal gathering and private celebration in ancient Israel. This specific call to witness the burgeoning life of early spring anticipates a mirroring vitality and fruitfulness in their intimate relationship. The Hebrew poetic structure here evokes a strong sense of eagerness and a shared journey of discovery, highlighting the beauty and sacredness of marital love and its physical expression within God's good creation.
Song Of Solomon 7 12 Word analysis
- Let us go out early (נַשְׁכִּימָה - nashkimah): This verb implies more than just 'going out'; it carries the nuance of rising or waking up early for a specific purpose. It suggests eagerness, initiative, and a shared enthusiasm to start the day together with intentionality. It's an invitation for a proactive, joint venture, reflecting a longing for communion from the first moments of the day.
- to the vineyards (הַכְּרָמִים - hakkĕramim): "Vineyards" (כֶּרֶם - kerem) in ancient Near Eastern culture symbolize not just agricultural productivity but also joy, abundance, and feasting. They were often places of fertility and beauty. Here, it suggests a return to a more natural, uninhibited setting, away from the formalities of court, allowing their love to bloom freely, reminiscent of paradise.
- let us see (נִרְאֶה - nire'eh): This is not merely a passive suggestion to "look" but implies an active, discerning observation, a shared exploration. It denotes a desire for mutual discovery and appreciation of the emerging life and growth in nature, mirroring a desire to discover and appreciate the blossoming in their own relationship.
- whether the vine has budded (הֲפָרְחָה הַגֶּפֶן - hafarechah haggefen): The "vine" (גֶּפֶן - gefen) is a prominent symbol of Israel's vitality and fruitfulness, as well as joy. "Budded" (פָּרַח - parach) indicates the earliest stage of growth after winter, a promise of life, fruit, and new beginnings. This questions the very start of renewal and hope.
- whether the grape blossom is open (וּפָתַח - u’patach): The "open" blossom marks a more developed stage than merely budding. It signals progression from potential to visible manifestation, with the delicate flower itself beginning to reveal its presence, hinting at the scent and eventual fruit. It signifies the forward movement of life and love.
- and the pomegranates are in bloom (הֵצִיצוּ הָרִמֹּנִים - heysitsu harimmonim): "Pomegranates" (רִמּוֹן - rimmon) were highly esteemed for their beauty, juiciness, and numerous seeds, making them potent symbols of fertility, abundance, prosperity, and divine blessing across ancient cultures. Their "bloom" (צִיץ - tsits) signifies full, vibrant expression and readiness for harvest.
- There (שָׁם - sham): This adverb emphasizes the precise location. It links the act of love to the very place where nature's awakening is observed, establishing a profound connection between the natural setting and their intimate communion. It roots their intimacy in creation's fertile promise.
- I will give you my love (אֶתֵּן אֶת דּוֹדַי - 'eten 'et dodai): The phrase "my love" (דּוֹדַי - dodai) refers to her affections, caresses, and expressions of conjugal love and intimacy. "I will give" (נָתַן - natan) signifies a proactive, willing, and complete self-offering. This culminates the invitation: in that context of abundant natural life, she promises the full expression of her intimate devotion.
- "Let us go out early to the vineyards; let us see...": This phrase initiates a shared adventure, a mutual pursuit of natural beauty and renewal. The early hour signifies urgency and deep longing for immediate, undisturbed communion. The transition from observation to intimacy suggests that the wonder of God's creation inspires and contextualizes human love.
- "whether the vine has budded, whether the grape blossom is open and the pomegranates are in bloom.": This sequential imagery—bud, open blossom, full bloom—illustrates a progressive, unfolding cycle of life and fertility. It creates a vivid anticipation of future fruitfulness and growth, linking the vitality of nature directly to the burgeoning passion and fertility within their relationship. Each stage represents a step closer to the full expression of love's potential.
- "There I will give you my love.": This is the heart of the Shulamite's intention. The "there" profoundly connects her act of self-giving, her intimate affections, to the setting of natural abundance and renewal. Her love is not offered randomly, but within this context, signifying that her desire for him is as natural and as deeply rooted in God's created order as the blossoming of spring itself. It implies a total, unreserved gift of herself in a deeply personal and sacred moment.
Song Of Solomon 7 12 Bonus section
This verse uniquely highlights the active agency of the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon. She is not merely a passive recipient of her Lover's affection but takes the initiative to invite him and declare her desire for intimacy. This portrays a mutual and egalitarian relationship, celebrating her voice and leadership within their marital bond. The journey to the vineyards at dawn signifies a longing for private, unspoiled communion, away from societal expectations or potential misunderstandings that sometimes arise in public spaces. It emphasizes that truly profound intimacy often seeks solitude to fully unfurl. Furthermore, the selection of spring's awakening for their rendezvous points to love's capacity for renewal and perpetual freshness. Like the seasons, love in marriage is not static but has phases of blossoming, growth, and yielding fruit, and this verse encourages nurturing that cyclical vibrancy through intentional shared moments and passionate connection. The "love" (dodai) she offers can encompass not only physical caresses but a full giving of her affections, attention, and very being to her beloved, reflecting the holistic nature of love's offering within a sacred marital covenant.
Song Of Solomon 7 12 Commentary
Song of Solomon 7:12 expresses the Beloved's proactive desire for intimate communion with her Lover in a setting teeming with natural life and promise. Her invitation to "go out early to the vineyards" isn't merely a casual outing; it's a profound quest for shared experience and a sacred space for their marital love to flourish. By calling him to witness the first signs of spring—the budding vines, opening grape blossoms, and blooming pomegranates—she links the vibrant, generative power of creation to their own passionate affection. This imagery of natural fruitfulness underscores the beauty and fertility of their conjugal union. Her concluding promise, "There I will give you my love," is a joyful and unreserved offer of herself, signaling that her physical and emotional intimacy finds its most authentic expression amidst the vitality of God's natural world, fostering deep connection and mutual delight. It teaches that devoted, mutual love flourishes best when nurtured with intention, shared experiences, and uninhibited affection.