Song of Solomon Chapter 7

Old Testament Poetry/Wisdom 13 Verses

What is Song of Solomon 7 about?

A celebration of marital love, read in Jewish and Christian tradition as an allegory of God's covenant love for his people. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, O prince`s daughter! Thy rounded thighs are like jewels, The work of the hands of a skilful workman.
2Thy body is [like] a round goblet, [Wherein] no mingled wine is wanting: Thy waist is [like] a heap of wheat Set about with lilies.
3Thy two breasts are like two fawns That are twins of a roe.
4Thy neck is like the tower of ivory; Thine eyes [as] the pools in Heshbon, By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon Which looketh toward Damascus.
5Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, And the hair of thy head like purple; The king is held captive in the tresses [thereof].
6How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!
7This thy stature is like to a palm-tree, And thy breasts to its clusters.
8I said, I will climb up into the palm-tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof: Let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine, And the smell of thy breath like apples,
9And thy mouth like the best wine, That goeth down smoothly for my beloved, Gliding through the lips of those that are asleep.
10I am my beloved`s; And his desire is toward me.
11Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; Let us lodge in the villages.
12Let us get up early to the vineyards; Let us see whether the vine hath budded, [And] its blossom is open, [And] the pomegranates are in flower: There will I give thee my love.
13The mandrakes give forth fragrance; And at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old, Which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, etc.] It is no unusual thing to describe the comeliness of women by their feet, and the ornaments of them; so Hebe is described by Homerf415 as having beautiful feet, and Juno by her golden shoes: particular care was taken of, and provision made for, the shoes of queens and princesses in the eastern countries; Herodotusf416 tells us, that the city of Anthylla was given peculiarly to the wife of the king of Egypt, to provide her with shoes; which custom, he says, obtained when Egypt became subject to Persia; (see Gill on “<170218>Esther 2:18”). Shoes of a red, or scarlet, or…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“thy feet--rather, "thy goings" (Psa 17:5). Evident allusion to Isa 52:7 : "How beautiful . . . are the feet of him . . . that publisheth peace" (Shulamite, Sol 6:13). shoes--Sandals are richly jewelled in the East (Luk 15:22; Eph 6:15). She is evidently "on the mountains," whither she was wafted (Sol 6:12), above the daughters of Jerusalem, who therefore portray her feet first. daughter--of God the Father, with whom Jesus Christ is one (Mat 5:9), "children of (the) God" (of peace), equivalent to Shulamite (Psa 45:10-15; Co2 6:18), as well as bride of Jesus Christ. prince's--therefore princely herself, freely…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Thy feet with shoes - Or, thy steps in the sandals: the bride’s feet are seen in motion in the dance. “Joints” might be rendered circling movements. Prince’s daughter - Or, daughter of a noble; the bride is of honorable though not of kingly birth. Like jewels - The image suggested is that of large well-formed pearls or other jewels skillfully strung or linked together. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Shoes - Were anciently evidences of a free and comfortable state, whereas slaves and mourners used to go bare - foot. Song of Solomon (Canticles) 7:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“7:1-5 The man now praises the woman’s dancing feet and then ascends her sensuous body to her flowing hair (7:1-5). • This queenly maiden (literally prince’s daughter) might or might not be from a royal family, but the man considers her as fine as royalty.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“thy feet: Luk 15:22; Eph 6:15; Phi 1:27 O prince's: Psa 45:13; Co2 6:18 the joints: Dan 2:32; Eph 4:15, Eph 4:16; Col 2:19 the work: Exo 28:15, Exo 35:35 Song of Solomon (Canticles) 7:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“1a How beautiful are thy steps in the shoes, O prince's daughter! The noun נדיב, which signifies noble in disposition, and then noble by birth and rank (cf. the reverse relation of the meanings in generosus), is in the latter sense synon. and parallel to מלך and שׂר; Shulamith is here called a prince's daughter because she was raised to the rank of which Hannah, Sa1 2:8, cf. Psa 113:8, speaks, and to which she herself, 6:12 points. Her beauty, from the first associated with unaffected dignity, now appears in native princely grace and majesty. פּעם (from פּעם, pulsare, as in nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus)…”
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