King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Complete Jewish Bible:
I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
Berean Standard Bible:
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
American Standard Version:
I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
I have perfumed{H5130} my bed{H4904} with myrrh{H4753}, aloes{H174}, and cinnamon{H7076}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Psalms 45:8
- All thy garments [smell] of myrrh, and aloes, [and] cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Song of Solomon 4:13
- Thy plants [are] an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,
Song of Solomon 4:14
- Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
Exodus 30:23
- Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred [shekels], and of sweet cinnamon half so much, [even] two hundred and fifty [shekels], and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty [shekels],
Song of Solomon 3:6
- ¶ Who [is] this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
Isaiah 57:7
- Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Isaiah 57:9
- And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase [thyself even] unto hell.
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Commentary for Proverbs 7:17
Proverbs 7:17, "I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon," is a verse embedded within a larger narrative warning against the enticements of adultery. In this chapter, the writer, traditionally believed to be Solomon, describes a young man being seduced by a woman characterized as a "strange" or "foreign" woman, which in the context of Proverbs often symbolizes folly and moral danger, contrasting with "Lady Wisdom" who represents prudence and righteousness.
The verse itself speaks to the sensory allurements used by the seductress to entrap the young man. Myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon were all valuable and fragrant substances in the ancient world, used for perfumes and anointing oils. Myrrh was associated with intimacy and was used in sacred anointing oils; aloes were known for their sweet scent and were used in embalming; and cinnamon was a costly spice, valued for its aroma and flavor. By perfuming her bed with these luxurious fragrances, the woman in the proverb is creating an enticing atmosphere designed to lower the young man's defenses and lure him into an adulterous relationship.
In the historical context, the use of such exotic and expensive perfumes would have been a sign of wealth and indulgence. The audience of Proverbs, which included young men being groomed for leadership and wise living, would have understood the reference as a symbol of the seductive power of illicit pleasure and the potential consequences of succumbing to such temptations. The broader theme of the passage is a caution against the deceptive path of folly, which may offer immediate gratification but leads to destruction, contrasting with the life-giving and enduring benefits of wisdom and righteousness.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5130
There are 35 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נוּף
Transliteration: nûwph
Pronunciation: noof
Description: a primitive root; to quiver (i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro); used in a great variety of applications (including sprinkling, beckoning, rubbing, bastinadoing, sawing, waving, etc.); lift up, move, offer, perfume, send, shake, sift, strike, wave. - Strong's Number: H4904
There are 44 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִשְׁכָּב
Transliteration: mishkâb
Pronunciation: mish-kawb'
Description: from שָׁכַב; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep; by euphemism, carnal intercourse; bed(-chamber), couch, lieth (lying) with. - Strong's Number: H4753
There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֹר
Transliteration: môr
Pronunciation: more
Description: or מוֹר; from מָרַר; myrrh (as distilling in drops, and also as bitter); myrrh. - Strong's Number: H174
There are 33 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֲהָלִים
Transliteration: ʼăhâlîym
Pronunciation: a-haw-leem'
Description: or (feminine) אֲהָלוֹת (only used thus in the plural); of foreign origin; aloe wood (i.e. sticks); (tree of lign-) aloes. - Strong's Number: H7076
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קִנָּמוֹן
Transliteration: qinnâmôwn
Pronunciation: kin-naw-mone'
Description: from an unused root (meaning to erect); cinnamon bark (as in upright rolls); cinnamon.