Song of Solomon 7:8
What does Song of Solomon 7:8 mean?
A plain-English look at Song of Solomon 7:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Song of Solomon 7:8 means
Desire is spoken plainly: he longs to “climb” the palm and “take hold” of its branches—an unashamed metaphor for embracing his wife. He wishes that her breasts be like clusters of the vine and her breath like apples, mixing the pleasures of sight, touch, and scent. The imagery is sensuous yet positive, presenting marital intimacy as joyful and wholesome. Apples and wine suggest sweetness and exhilaration without excess. His voice is not forceful but anticipatory; he imagines delight within the safety of mutual love, showing that desire in marriage seeks not to conquer but to receive and enjoy what is freely given.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000I 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,
KJV
King James Version · 1611I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901I 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,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949I said, Let me go up the palm-tree, and let me take its branches in my hands: your breasts will be as the fruit of the vine, and the smell of your breath like apples;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862I said, `Let me go up on the palm, Let me lay hold on its boughs, Yea, let thy breasts be, I pray thee, as clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of thy face as citrons,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752I said: I will go up into the palm tree, and will take hold of the fruit thereof: and thy breasts shall be as the clusters of the vine: and the odour of thy mouth like apples.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890I said, I will go up to the palm-tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof; And thy breasts shall indeed be like clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of thy nose like apples,
Context
Following the palm-tree image (verse 7), the beloved extends the metaphor into action and aroma. The language becomes more tactile and olfactory, revealing a crescendo of longing. This naturally leads to the climactic comparison in verse 9—her mouth like the best wine—and then, in a literary turn, to the woman’s confident response in verse 10. Seeing the progression prevents misreading these lines as isolated or crude; they are part of a carefully built sequence of mutual affection.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.
- Song of Solomon 4:16
Awake, 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.
- Jeremiah 32:41
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
- Song of Solomon 2:3
As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
- 2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place.
- Song of Solomon 2:5
Stay ye me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am sick from love.
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