Song of Solomon 7:5

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O daughter of the prince! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the handiwork of a master. ²Your navel is a rounded goblet; it never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by the lilies. ³Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. ⁴Your neck is like a tower made of ivory; your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim; your nose is like the tower of Lebanon facing toward Damascus. ⁵Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.⁶How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights! ⁷Your stature is like a palm tree; your breasts are clusters of fruit. ⁸I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, ⁹and your mouth like the finest wine. May it flow smoothly to my beloved, gliding gently over lips and teeth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

head: Isaiah 35:2, Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:16, Colossians 1:18, Colossians 2:19

Carmel: or, crimson, Micah 7:14

the hair: Song of Solomon 4:1, Song of Solomon 5:11, Revelation 1:14

the king: Song of Solomon 1:17, *marg. Genesis 32:26, Psalms 68:24, Psalms 87:2, Matthew 18:20, Matthew 28:20

held: Heb. bound

Reciprocal: Joshua 19:26 - Carmel Song of Solomon 1:12 - the king Song of Solomon 3:4 - I held Song of Solomon 4:9 - thou hast Song of Solomon 7:10 - his Ezekiel 41:15 - galleries Ezekiel 42:3 - gallery against

Cross-References

Genesis 6:22
So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.

Exodus 39:32
So all the work for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Exodus 40:16
Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.

Psalms 119:6
Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.

Matthew 3:15
"Let it be so now," Jesus replied. "It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way." Then John permitted Him.

Luke 8:21
But He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out."

John 2:5
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."

John 13:17
If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross.

Hebrews 5:8
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thine head upon thee [is] like Carmel,.... Set with hair, thick and long, as Carmel with plants and trees. Now Christ is the church's Head in various senses; he is her federal and representative Head in eternity and time; her political Head, as a King to his subjects; an economical Head, as the husband to the wife, as parents to their children, and a master to servants; and, as such, may be compared to Carmel; for the multitude dependent on him, whom he represents, and is connected with under various relations; for his height, being higher than the kings of the earth, and all other heads; and for fruitfulness, all the fruits of the church, and of all true believers, coming from him. Some render the word, "as crimson", or "scarlet" b; which may set forth his royal dignity and majesty, this colour being wore by kings and great personages; or the ardent love of Christ to his body, the church, and the members of it; or his bloody sufferings for them;

and the hair of thine head like purple; purple coloured hair has been in great esteem. Of this colour was the hair of King Nysus, according to the fable c; and so the hair of Evadne, and of the Muses d, were of a violet colour; the hair of Ulysses is said e to be like to the hyacinth flower, which is of a purple or violet colour; and Milton f calls the first Adam's hair hyacinthine locks; and here, in a figurative sense, the second Adam's hair is said to be like purple. By which believers that grow on Christ, the Head of the church, nay be meant, who have their dependence on him, and their strength and nourishment from him; see Song of Solomon 4:1; and these may be said to be like "purple", because of their royal dignity, being made kings unto God by Christ; and because of their being washed in the purple blood of Christ; and because of the sufferings they endure for his sake; and especially such may be so compared, who have spilt their blood and laid down their lives on his account;

the king [is] held in the galleries; the same with the Head of the church, the King of Zion, and King of saints, whose kingdom is a spiritual and everlasting one: and by the "galleries" in which he is held may be meant the ordinances of the Gospel; where Christ and his people walk and converse together; where he discloses the secrets of his heart to them, leads them into a further acquaintance with his covenant, and the blessings and promises of it; and from whence they have delightful views of his person and fulness; see the King in his beauty, and behold the good land which is afar off: the same word as here is rendered "rafters", and by some "canals", in Song of Solomon 1:17;

Song of Solomon 1:17- :. Now Christ being said to be "held in [these] galleries" may signify his fixed habitation in his house and ordinances; where he has promised to dwell, and delights to be; and where he is as it were fastened to them, and hatred in them.

b ככרמל "veluti coccinum", Pagninus, Vatablus, Mercerus; "simile est coccineo", Junius Tremellius "est ut coccus", Piscator; so Ainsworth; "sicut carmesinum", Schindler. c Ovid. Metamorph. l. 8. Fab. 1. v. 301. De Arte Amandi, l. 1. & de Remed. Amor. l. 1. v. 68. Hygin. Fab. 198. Pausan. Attica, p. 33. d Pindar. Olymp. Ode 6. Pyth. Ode 1. v. 2. e Homer. Odyss. 6. v. 231. & 23. v. 155. f Paradise Lost, Book 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare and contrast with Song of Solomon 5:15. The rendering in the margin takes “Carmel” as the name of a color, equivalent to “carmine” (rendered “crimson” in 2 Chronicles 2:7, 2 Chronicles 2:14; 2 Chronicles 3:14). This interpretation is favored by the parallelism with “purple,” but removes a beautiful image.

Purple - A deep violet black.

The king ... - Rather, “A king is bound in the tresses or windings of thy hair.” These last words indicate the king’s approach.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Song of Solomon 7:5. Thine head - like Carmel — Rising majestically upon thy neck, and above thy shoulders, as Mount Carmel does in its district. Carmel was the name of the mountain where Elijah had his contest with the prophets of Baal. See 1 Kings 18:19, &c.

The hair of thine head like purple — Ornamented with ribbons and jewellery of this tint.

The king is held in the galleries. — Or is detained in the antechamber. His heart is captivated by thy person and conduct. Some understand the ringlets of the bride's hair.