Song Of Solomon 8:7 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Song Of Solomon 8:7 kjv
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
Song Of Solomon 8:7 nkjv
Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.
Song Of Solomon 8:7 niv
Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Song Of Solomon 8:7 esv
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.
Song Of Solomon 8:7 nlt
Many waters cannot quench love,
nor can rivers drown it.
If a man tried to buy love
with all his wealth,
his offer would be utterly scorned.
Song Of Solomon 8 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 8:35 | Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress...? | Nothing can separate believers from God's love. |
| Rom 8:38-39 | For I am convinced that neither death nor life... will be able to separate us from the love of God... | God's love is unbreakable and eternal. |
| 1 Cor 13:7 | Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. | Love's endurance and resilience. |
| 1 Cor 13:8 | Love never fails... | Love's ultimate perpetuity. |
| Col 3:14 | And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. | Love as the ultimate unifying principle. |
| Jude 1:21 | Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ... | Maintaining connection to divine love. |
| Is 43:2 | When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. | God's protective presence in trials. |
| Ps 42:7 | Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have swept over me. | Metaphor of overwhelming waters representing trials. |
| Ps 69:1-2 | Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire... | Waters as a metaphor for deep trouble and peril. |
| Jer 31:3 | The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love... | God's enduring and eternal love for His people. |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son... | God's supreme demonstration of sacrificial love. |
| Rom 5:8 | but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | The costly nature of God's love, not for sale. |
| Eph 2:4-5 | But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses... | God's love quickens us to life despite unworthiness. |
| Prov 8:11 | For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. | Wisdom (and by extension, love) is more valuable than riches. |
| Prov 3:13-15 | Blessed is the one who finds wisdom... Her value is far above rubies... | The immeasurable worth of wisdom compared to material wealth. |
| Prov 31:10 | An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. | The value of a virtuous partner exceeds material possessions. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... | Eternal spiritual treasures are more valuable than temporal earthly ones. |
| Mark 8:36-37 | For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? | Emphasizes the supreme value of spiritual life over material gain. |
| 1 Tim 6:6-10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil... | Contrasts love of money with spiritual contentment. |
| Luke 12:34 | For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. | Our affections follow what we value most. |
| Ps 49:7-8 | Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life... | Life (or love) cannot be purchased or bought. |
| Deut 7:7-8 | It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you... | God's love is sovereign, unmerited, not based on human worth. |
| Zep 3:17 | The LORD your God is in your midst... he will rejoice over you with gladness... love you... | God's active, rejoicing love for His people. |
Song Of Solomon 8 verses
Song Of Solomon 8 7 meaning
Song of Solomon 8:7 asserts that true love is an unyielding, powerful force that cannot be extinguished by any trial, adversity, or suffering, symbolized by "many waters" and "floods." Furthermore, it declares that genuine love is intrinsically priceless and utterly beyond purchase, valuing it far above any material wealth or earthly possessions. It is presented as a spiritual fire, divine in its origin and eternal in its nature.
Song Of Solomon 8 7 Context
Song of Solomon 8:7 serves as a powerful, climactic declaration regarding the nature of love within the poetic dialogue. It comes at the very end of the book, after the lovers have affirmed their exclusive, passionate bond through various seasons of seeking, finding, and rejoicing. The previous verse (8:6) sets the stage by comparing love to an unyielding seal on the heart and arm, declaring it to be "strong as death" and "jealous as Sheol," culminating in the profound statement that its "flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame, a flame of the LORD." Verse 7 expands on this divine, unquenchable nature, asserting its resilience against any external threat and its intrinsic, inestimable value. Historically and culturally, while arranged marriages and bride-prices were common, this verse strongly elevates conjugal love to a transcendent spiritual plane, presenting it as an indomitable force that transcends social conventions and material considerations. It provides a timeless testament to the purity, power, and sacredness of covenantal love.
Song Of Solomon 8 7 Word analysis
- Many waters (מַיִם רַבִּים - _mayim rabbim_): This phrase refers to large, powerful bodies of water. In ancient Near Eastern thought, "waters" often symbolized chaos, overwhelming adversity, trials, dangers, or even hostile forces (as seen in many Psalms). It suggests external pressures or misfortunes.
- cannot quench (לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת - _lo yukhlu lekabbot_): Literally, "not be able to extinguish." This emphasizes that love, presented earlier as a "flame of the LORD" (8:6), possesses an inherent heat and vitality that cannot be put out. It points to its indestructibility and enduring nature.
- love (הָאַהֲבָה - _ha'ahavah_): The definite article "the" before love suggests a specific, powerful, and profound love—the exclusive, covenantal bond celebrated throughout the Song. It encompasses strong affection, deep commitment, and intimate relationship, mirroring divine love.
- neither can floods drown it (וּנְהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּהָ - _u'neharot lo yishtefuha_): "And rivers will not sweep it away." "Floods" are an even stronger imagery of overwhelming destruction than "many waters." It signifies complete annihilation or utter defeat. The phrase implies love is resilient to even the most cataclysmic adversities.
- If a man offered (אִם־יִתֵּן אִישׁ - _im yitten ish_): This introduces a hypothetical scenario to underscore a truth. It posits an act of exchange or payment.
- all the wealth of his house (אֶת־כָּל־הוֹן בֵּיתוֹ - _et kol-hon beito_): This refers to a person's entire material possessions, property, inheritance, and accumulated riches—everything that represents financial security and status in society. In an agrarian society, this was a man's entire life's earning and family legacy.
- for love (בָּאַהֲבָה - _ba'ahavah_): This preposition indicates "in exchange for" or "as a price for" love. It does not mean giving in an act of love, but attempting to procure love through material payment.
- it would be utterly scorned (בּוֹז יָבוּזוּ לוֹ - _boz yavuzu lo_): This is a Hebrew idiom using reduplication of the verb for emphasis, meaning "he would be despised/rejected/held in contempt with scorn." It conveys absolute contempt for the notion that love could be bought. It indicates that the attempt to commodify love is met with utter disdain, highlighting love's incalculable and non-monetary value.
- "Many waters cannot quench love; neither can floods drown it.": This pairing of elemental forces underscores love's invincibility against external threats and the most formidable challenges. It's a hyperbole to illustrate its unshakeable nature. This phrase echoes how God is often depicted protecting His people through immense difficulties, emphasizing love's strength as divine in origin.
- "If a man offered... it would be utterly scorned.": This contrasts the two distinct realms of value: the material and the relational/spiritual. It serves as a direct polemic against the transactional view of human relationships and strongly affirms that genuine love's value is infinite and cannot be equated with any finite earthly sum. It can only be freely given and received.
Song Of Solomon 8 7 Bonus section
- Divine Attribution: The preceding verse (8:6) explicitly links the "flame" of love to the LORD (Yah), making the unquenchable and unpurchasable nature described in verse 7 a direct reflection of divine attributes. This elevates the love between the human couple to a sacred, covenantal status, infused with divine origin and characteristics.
- Polemics against Transactional Relationships: In ancient Near Eastern societies where marriages were often arranged for economic, political, or social status benefits, and where bride-prices were customary, this verse stands as a powerful declaration against a purely transactional view of human affection. It champions intrinsic, selfless love above all monetary considerations.
- Prophetic Shadowing: This ultimate description of love, "strong as death" and unquenchable by waters or wealth, foreshadows the unyielding love of Christ for His Church (Eph 5:25-27) and God's steadfast covenantal love for Israel, a love that overcomes all sin and judgment. The Church, as the Bride of Christ, echoes this unwavering affection.
- A "Seal" of Authenticity: The concepts presented in verses 6 and 7 serve as a "seal" or hallmark of what genuine love truly is—enduring through trial, priceless beyond wealth, and rooted in a divine source. This sets a high standard for marital love and provides an enduring testament to its profound significance.
Song Of Solomon 8 7 Commentary
Song of Solomon 8:7 serves as the climactic, definitive statement on the enduring power and transcendent value of true, covenantal love. Building on the preceding verse that identifies love as "a flame of the LORD," this verse first establishes love's unconquerable nature. Like a divine fire, it cannot be extinguished by any trial, sorrow, temptation, or adversity—symbolized by the overwhelming "many waters" and destructive "floods." This highlights love's resilience, tenacity, and ability to persist through the most challenging circumstances, making it a source of steadfast comfort and strength. Second, the verse starkly contrasts love's spiritual worth with material possessions, stating that no amount of wealth can purchase or compare to love. An attempt to do so would be met with "utter scorn," underscoring love's priceless and sacred nature. True love, as portrayed here, is not an exchange of goods but a deep, unbreakable bond freely given, mirroring the unpurchasable nature of God's grace and Christ's love for the Church. It is the pinnacle of human relationship, endowed with divine qualities.