Song Of Solomon 4:13

Thy plants [are] an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

Thy plants {H7973} are an orchard {H6508} of pomegranates {H7416}, with pleasant {H4022} fruits {H6529}; camphire {H3724}, with spikenard {H5373},

You are an orchard that puts forth pomegranates and other precious fruits, henna and nard

Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard,

Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants,

Song of Solomon 4:13 is a vibrant verse from the lover's passionate description of his beloved, using rich botanical imagery to extol her beauty, purity, and captivating qualities. It continues the theme of the beloved as a private, delightful garden, full of precious and fragrant elements.

Historical and Cultural Context

The Song of Solomon is an ancient Hebrew love poem, often interpreted on multiple levels: a celebration of human marital love, an allegory for God's love for Israel, and Christ's love for the Church. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, gardens, fruits, and exotic spices were symbols of wealth, luxury, beauty, and fertility. The imagery here paints a picture of exclusivity and preciousness, implying that the beloved's inner and outer beauty is a cultivated paradise.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Beauty and Delight: The verse emphasizes the captivating beauty and pleasantness of the beloved, comparing her to a flourishing orchard filled with choice fruits and fragrant spices.
  • Fruitfulness and Abundance: Pomegranates, with their numerous seeds, often symbolize fertility, abundance, and the richness of life. This suggests a fruitful character or spirit.
  • Purity and Preciousness: The mention of camphire (henna) and spikenard, both highly valued for their fragrance and often used in rituals or anointing, denotes purity, exclusivity, and a precious, alluring presence.
  • Inner and Outer Qualities: The "plants" and "orchard" can represent both the outward attractiveness and the inward virtues that make the beloved so desirable.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "orchard" is pardes (פַּרְדֵּס), which is the origin of our word "paradise." This term suggests a cultivated, enclosed garden, a place of exquisite beauty and delight, reinforcing the idea of the beloved as a private and perfect sanctuary. The "camphire" is kopher (כֹּפֶר), often identified as henna, known for its sweet scent and use in dyes and perfumes. The "spikenard" is nerd (נֵרְדְּ), a highly prized and expensive aromatic oil, famously used for anointing, as seen in the New Testament when Mary anointed Jesus' feet with costly spikenard.

Practical Application

For the believer, this verse can serve as a beautiful metaphor for the qualities Christ sees in His Church or in an individual. Our lives, when cultivated by God's Spirit, can become a "garden" producing "pleasant fruits" of righteousness, love, and good works (Galatians 5:22-23). The fragrant spices like camphire and spikenard can represent the sweet aroma of Christ that we carry through our lives, a testimony to His presence within us. It encourages us to nurture our spiritual lives, allowing God to cultivate virtues that are beautiful, fruitful, and pleasing to Him, reminiscent of the "sealed fountain" mentioned just before this verse, symbolizing purity and exclusivity to God.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Song Of Solomon 1:14

    My beloved [is] unto me [as] a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

  • Song Of Solomon 6:11

    ¶ I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, [and] to see whether the vine flourished, [and] the pomegranates budded.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:5

    I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:

  • Song Of Solomon 1:12

    ¶ While the king [sitteth] at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

  • John 15:1

    I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

  • John 15:3

    Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

  • Song Of Solomon 8:2

    I would lead thee, [and] bring thee into my mother's house, [who] would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

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