Song of Solomon 5:15
What does Song of Solomon 5:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Song of Solomon 5:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Song of Solomon 5:15 means
His legs are like marble pillars set on bases of fine gold—immovable, elegant, able to bear weight. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars—majestic, tall, and fragrant in reputation. Now the metaphors are architectural and arboreal, evoking endurance, proportion, and stateliness. The man she praises is not only beautiful up close; he commands awe from a distance. The image is of solid, lasting strength joined with noble grace, a presence that provides security as well as delight.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000His legs areaspillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: His aspect is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
KJV
King James Version · 1611His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901His legs areaspillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: His aspect is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949His legs are as pillars of stone on a base of delicate gold; his looks are as Lebanon, beautiful as the cedar-tree.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862His limbs pillars of marble, Founded on sockets of fine gold, His appearance as Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752His legs as pillars of marble, that are set upon bases of gold. His form as of Libanus, excellent as the cedars.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890His legs, pillars of marble, set upon bases of fine gold: His bearing as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars;
Context
Having detailed hands and torso, the bride now completes the physical portrait with legs and stance, then widens to his whole aspect. The cumulative imagery has built a temple of beauty and strength. One feature remains: his mouth—summarizing his sweetness and leading to a personal claim. The next verse will gather all this admiration into an affirmation of relationship: he is not only lovely, he is hers—and her friend.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Zechariah 9:17
For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
- Psalms 92:12
The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
- Exodus 26:19
And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons:
- Matthew 17:2
and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.
- Revelation 1:15
and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.
- Song of Solomon 7:4
Thy 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.
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