Song of Songs Chapter 7 – A Detailed Explanation

 

Song of Songs Chapter 7 – A Detailed Explanation

Overview:

Song of Songs Chapter 7 is a poetic and sensual exchange between lovers. Traditionally attributed to King Solomon, the Song of Songs (also called Song of Solomon or Canticles) is an extended love poem rich with imagery and metaphors. Chapter 7 is part of the latter section of the book and continues the celebration of physical beauty, romantic longing, and intimate love between the Shulammite woman and her beloved. The chapter begins with a detailed description of the woman’s physical attributes and concludes with her passionate desire to be with her lover.

Though some interpret this book purely as romantic poetry between two human lovers, others see it as an allegory of God’s love for His people (Israel in the Old Testament context, or Christ and the Church in Christian tradition). In either interpretation, the deep appreciation, mutual desire, and joy in the beloved are central themes.

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Verses 1–5: The Man Praises the Woman's Beauty

“How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince’s daughter!
Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of an artist’s hands.
Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine.
Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies.
Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle.
Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus.
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.
Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses.”

Explanation:

This passage is a vivid and sensual description of the woman’s body, given by her lover. Notably, the description starts from the feet and moves upward—an inversion from earlier chapters where the lover often begins with the head or face. This suggests a more intimate, perhaps more complete appreciation of her whole being.

• “Sandaled feet”: This shows that even what is usually hidden or considered mundane (feet) is seen as beautiful and noble—likened to a “prince’s daughter.”

• “Legs like jewels”: A celebration of physical form and grace, presenting her as a crafted masterpiece.

• “Navel is a rounded goblet”: This could symbolize sensuality and abundance, as a goblet that never lacks wine hints at both physical delight and emotional fullness.

• “Waist is a mound of wheat”: Wheat often symbolizes fertility and harvest. The imagery evokes natural abundance, life, and richness.

• “Breasts like twin fawns”: This is a recurring image in the Song (cf. 4:5), suggesting gentleness, youth, and beauty.

• “Neck like an ivory tower”: Ivory is rare, precious, and smooth. A tower implies dignity and strength.

• “Eyes like pools of Heshbon”: Pools convey depth, clarity, and calm. Heshbon was known for its beauty and water supply.

• “Nose like the tower of Lebanon”: This may seem odd today, but in ancient poetry, it conveyed nobility, strength, and prominence.

• “Head like Mount Carmel”: Carmel was a lush, beautiful mountain—a symbol of natural beauty and grandeur.

• “Hair like royal tapestry”: Her hair is so captivating it could ensnare even a king—likely a poetic way of saying her beauty is irresistible.

The lover is not just admiring physical traits but celebrating the woman as a whole—her beauty, nobility, and the emotional effect she has on him.

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Verse 6–9: His Desire and Praise of Her Love

“How beautiful you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights!
Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit.
I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.’
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
the fragrance of your breath like apples,
and your mouth like the best wine.”

Explanation:

The man continues his praise, now more overtly sensual and filled with longing.

• “How beautiful you are…with your delights”: The word “delights” in Hebrew can imply both sensual pleasure and emotional joy.

• “Stature like a palm”: Palms are tall, graceful, and fruitful. He sees her as majestic and full of life.

• “Breasts like clusters of fruit”: Continues the theme of fertility, pleasure, and fruitfulness.

• “Climb the palm…take hold of its fruit”: A vivid metaphor for physical intimacy, suggesting both desire and a sense of awe.

• “Breath like apples” / “Mouth like best wine”: Apple and wine imagery suggest sweetness, refreshment, and intoxication.

This section blends natural imagery with passionate desire. In ancient Hebrew poetry, such expressions were not considered crass but part of a wholesome celebration of marital love.

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Verse 9b–10: The Woman Responds

“May the wine go straight to my beloved,
flowing gently over lips and teeth.
I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”

Explanation:

This marks the woman’s response, showing mutual desire and delight.

• “May the wine…”: She embraces the metaphor of wine as representing love and intimacy. The phrase suggests she wants her love to be sweet and pleasing to him.

• “I belong to my beloved…”: This echoes 6:3 (“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”) and reveals mutual belonging. She is not passive in the relationship; she expresses ownership and agency.

• “His desire is for me”: A powerful statement of being wanted and cherished. In a biblical context, this reverses the curse of Genesis 3:16 (where woman’s desire is for her husband), showing restored, mutual love.

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Verses 11–13: The Woman Invites Her Beloved

“Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
let us spend the night in the villages.
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.
The mandrakes send out their fragrance,
and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
that I have stored up for you, my beloved.”

Explanation:

This section is a bold and joyful invitation to intimacy, using the imagery of spring and the countryside to set the scene.

• “Come…let us go…”: A call to explore love in nature—outside the constraints of society. This symbolizes freedom, spontaneity, and abundance.

• “Vineyards…vines…blossoms…pomegranates”: All symbols of fertility and love. The timing is right for love, just as spring is the right time for planting and blooming.

• “There I will give you my love”: An open, generous declaration of affection and sexual intimacy.

• “Mandrakes…”: In the ancient world, mandrakes were associated with fertility (see Genesis 30:14–16).

• “Every delicacy, both new and old”: Suggests that love is both fresh and seasoned—new experiences as well as enduring affection. She has been saving pleasures and experiences for this moment.

This final passage speaks of readiness, longing, and abundance. The woman not only returns the man’s affections but amplifies them with initiative, poetic expression, and a promise of deep connection.

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Theological and Spiritual Interpretations

While Song of Songs is undeniably sensual and romantic, many Jewish and Christian traditions see deeper layers:

1. Allegory of Divine Love

• Jewish Tradition: The love poem is often read as an allegory of God's love for Israel. In this reading, Chapter 7 is a celebration of Israel’s beauty as seen through God’s eyes—a nation that is cherished, restored, and fruitful.

• Christian Tradition: Similarly, many Christian theologians interpret the Song as a metaphor for Christ’s love for the Church or for the individual soul. The desire, delight, and mutual intimacy reflect the spiritual union between God and His people.

In this view:

• The woman represents the Church or the soul.

• The man represents Christ.

• The garden imagery, wine, fruit, and nature point to the spiritual abundance and joy found in divine communion.

2. Celebration of Human Love

Another legitimate reading is that the Song of Songs celebrates human love in its purest form—free of shame, full of joy, desire, and mutual respect. It elevates romantic and sexual love as a God-given gift, particularly within the covenant of marriage.

Chapter 7’s detailed and sensual description of the woman, her own invitation to intimacy, and their mutual delight all reinforce the theme of equality in desire and dignity in love. The woman is not silent or passive; she speaks, invites, responds. The man listens, admires, and longs. This reciprocity is notable and beautiful.

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Themes in Chapter 7

1. The Beauty of the Beloved

Beauty is not merely skin-deep; it’s an expression of the beloved’s whole being. The admiration of physical traits serves as a metaphor for the joy, awe, and delight the lover feels.

2. Mutual Desire

Desire flows both ways—he longs for her, and she longs for him. There is no shame, fear, or manipulation. This points to a relationship marked by respect, trust, and freedom.

3. The Sacredness of Intimacy

The frank sensuality of this chapter reminds us that intimacy is not a taboo subject in Scripture. Instead, it is celebrated when expressed rightly. Chapter 7 portrays intimacy as something to be enjoyed, given, and cherished.

4. Nature as a Setting for Love

The garden, vineyard, countryside, fruit trees—all of nature plays a role in this love song. Love and nature are intertwined. This setting removes love from the abstract and places it in the realm of the real, the beautiful, the growing.

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Conclusion

Song of Songs Chapter 7 is a richly poetic and passionate chapter. It celebrates physical beauty, mutual desire, and the joy of love with imagery that is at once sensual and symbolic. Whether read as an allegory of divine love or a celebration of marital intimacy, this chapter underscores the themes of mutuality, delight, and the beauty of a love that is both emotional and physical.

It stands as a powerful affirmation of love’s sacredness—reminding us that to be deeply seen, known, and cherished is not only a human desire but also a divine gift.

Let love be without shame. Let longing be without fear. And let poetry remind us that passion, in all its forms, can lead us closer to the heart of God—or to the heart of another.