Song of Solomon 4:16
What does Song of Solomon 4:16 mean?
A plain-English look at Song of Solomon 4:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Song of Solomon 4:16 means
At last the bride speaks. She summons the north wind and the south—strong and gentle breezes—to blow upon her garden so its spices may flow, and she invites, “Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his precious fruits.” The shift to “his garden” signals her glad, willing surrender; what is hers she gives to him in covenant love. The winds suggest readiness and awakening, not passivity. This is the mutuality of marital intimacy: she desires his presence and enjoyment. The verse portrays consent, delight, and culmination—love moving from description to shared experience, where guarded riches are now offered and received in joy.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, And eat his precious fruits.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, And eat his precious fruits.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Be awake, O north wind; and come, O south, blowing on my garden, so that its spices may come out. Let my loved one come into his garden, and take of his good fruits.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Awake, O north wind, and come, O south, Cause my garden to breathe forth, its spices let flow, Let my beloved come to his garden, And eat its pleasant fruits!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my garden, and let the aromatical spices thereof flow.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Awake, north wind, and come, [thou] south; Blow upon my garden, [that] the spices thereof may flow forth. Let my beloved come into his garden, And eat its precious fruits.
Context
This closing verse completes the chapter’s arc. After the groom’s praise and invitation (verses 1–15), the bride answers with her own invitation, authorizing the enjoyment of the garden’s treasures. The mention of winds connects to the fragrances cataloged earlier, while the welcome to “his garden” ties back to the sealed, exclusive space. The chapter thus ends with unity and readiness, setting the stage for the union celebrated in the following section, and affirming that true intimacy is both exclusive and mutual, protected and gladly shared.
v.15Thou arta fountain of gardens, A well of living waters, And flowing streams from Lebanon.
v.16This passage
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- Song of Solomon 5:1
I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
- 1 Peter 2:5
ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Song of Solomon 8:12
My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, And those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
- John 5:8
Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.
- Romans 15:28
When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by you unto Spain.
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