TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: 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.
KJV (with Strong's)
I am come H935 into my garden H1588, my sister H269, my spouse H3618: I have gathered H717 my myrrh H4753 with my spice H1313; I have eaten H398 my honeycomb H3293 with my honey H1706; I have drunk H8354 my wine H3196 with my milk H2461: eat H398, O friends H7453; drink H8354, yea, drink abundantly H7937, O beloved H1730.
Complete Jewish Bible
[He] My sister, my bride, I have entered my garden; I am gathering my myrrh and my spices; I am eating my honeycomb along with my honey; I am drinking my wine as well as my milk. [Chorus] Eat, friends, and drink, until you are drunk with love!
Berean Standard Bible
I have come to 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, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.
American Standard Version
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.
World English Bible Messianic
I have 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. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved. Beloved
Geneva Bible (1599)
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I gathered my myrrhe with my spice: I ate mine hony combe with mine hony, I dranke my wine with my milke: eate, O friends, drinke, and make you merie, O welbeloued.
Young's Literal Translation
I have come in to my garden, my sister-spouse, I have plucked my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, drink, Yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ones!
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In the KJVVerse 17,600 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On Cain and Abel 1.5.19
But this drunkenness makes the sober; this drunkenness is of grace, not of intoxication. It generates joy, not stumbling. Do not fear that in the banquet of the Church there will be lacking pleasant smells, sweet foods, different drinks, or noble guests, or respectable attendants. What is more noble than Christ, who both serves and is served in the banquet of the Church?
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On Isaac and the Soul 5.49
The groom descends, and delighted by the diversity of its fruits, he rejoices that he has found a stronger food, he has also found a sweeter one. For it is like a certain bread of the word, and honey: one speech is more forceful, another more persuasive. And there is another faith, more ardent, like wine: another, more clear, like the juice of milk. Christ feasts on this food within us, drinks this cup, and by the intoxication of his drink, he incites us to surpass lower things and strive for better and best things.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Concerning Virginity 16:98
“I have eaten my bread with my honey.” This solid is gathered from the flowers of various virtues by the cooperative work of those bees that proclaim wisdom. Holy church puts it in honeycombs so that it may be the food of Christ.
JeromeAD 420
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 42 (PSALM 127)
“Come, brethren, drink deeply of love.” Wine to cheer the heart of people. The wine of the flesh does not cheer the heart of humankind but overpowers it and produces madness; it is written, in fact, that it is not for kings to drink wine.
JeromeAD 420
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 42 (PSALM 127)
“O my sister, my bride, come.” Lest you associate anything base with the concept of bride, the word sister is adjoined to preclude any dishonorable love. Come, my sister: love is something sacred and for that reason I call you sister. My bride: I call you my bride that I may have a wife, and from you, my wife, beget sons in number, sons as many as clusters of grapes on the vine.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Songs
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey, etc. Those who in sacred writings seek the sweetness of spiritual insights and know how to elucidate them through preaching for the salvation of listeners are compared to the honeycomb. Those who eagerly taste the prepared meals of the word and desire to consume them insatiably are likened to honey. Also, the strong and eminent preachers of heavenly things are represented by wine, whereas the still weak listeners are expressed by milk. And when the inner judge approves the life of all these, differing indeed in various modes of study, but united by one hope of supernal recompense, it is as if he eats honeycomb with honey and drinks wine with milk. Not only does he himself delight in the pious deeds of the elect, but he also encourages his faithful to such a banquet of the mind, that is, to rejoice in the good intentions of the saints, when he adds:
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Songs
Eat, my friends, and drink, etc. That is, you too who are my friends by doing what I have commanded you, are also most dear, embracing me with undivided love: therefore I beseech you to fill your hearts with the acts of the saints, as with the choicest feasts. And not only take care to recall these things to memory, but also turn the very memory of them to the fruit of imitation. For this is indeed to eat honeycomb and honey after the repast, after drinking wine and milk to become inebriated, not only to rejoice in the wondrous virtues of the good, but also to follow these, and through their retracing, to shake off the torpor of our mind, and to kindle with greater zeal the love of eternal things. On the contrary, the prophet says to some, You have eaten, but you were not satisfied; you have drunk, but you were not inebriated (Hagg. I). For indeed, one eats the banquets of the vital table, but is not satisfied; one drinks the cup of salvation, but is not inebriated, who has indeed learned the words of the Scriptures, has known the examples of the just, but has not changed his own life, nor corrected his manners; he drinks, but is not inebriated, who joyfully hears the precepts of life, but remains sluggish and lazy in fulfilling them. However, if in the Lord's statement above, who said: I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey, and I have drunk my wine with my milk, we should wish to accept this signified that He has translated His saints from this world to the heavens, and introduced them into the society of the heavenly citizens, who are indeed His body, it will follow that this admonition of which we now speak should be understood as given to the same citizens of heaven: for when He said He had eaten His honeycomb with His honey, and drunk His wine with His milk, that is, gathered the saints into the growth of His heavenly body, He immediately turned His face and words to the inhabitants of heaven, saying: Eat, my friends, and drink, and be inebriated, most dear. Which is in other words to say: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost (Luke XV). Indeed, by a most fitting comparison, they are likened to honeycomb and honey, those whom, pleasing to Himself from the foundation of the world, the Lord, rising from the dead, has taken with Him from the underworld to the heavenly kingdoms: so that the sweetness of the holy souls which He has lifted to eternal joys in heaven is indeed compared to honey. In the honeycomb, however, there is no less happiness for those who have merited to ascend to the courts of the heavenly city through Him, both in body and in immortal soul. About whom the evangelist clearly testifies, because as the Lord was dying on the cross, the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and after His resurrection came into the holy city, and appeared to many (Matthew XXVII). For those who rose from the dead at the rising of the Lord are also believed to have ascended together with Him when He ascended to the heavens. Nor should faith be given by any means to their rashness, who think that afterward they returned to dust, and again were enclosed in the graves, which had been opened long before by them, to whom they had appeared alive a little before, in the manner of the dead. Thus, the bridegroom ate the honeycomb with his honey, when the Lord led all those who had faithfully served Him from the beginning of this life, some rejoicing in the immortality of the flesh, others still awaiting the rewards of the resurrection, to eternal life, and together elevated them all with unspeakable glory among the company of angels in happiness. Thus far, the Lord had praised abundantly the beauty and virtues of the holy Church, beginning with the saying: How beautiful you are, my friend! how beautiful you are! your eyes are like doves. This praise was carried so far that it was even to be tested by adversities; that where this began to be done, she invoked the unique help of the same Redeemer; and He, delaying nothing of the prayers, under the name of myrrh and spices, gathered those who had either been tested by oppressions or adorned with other virtues, to the heavenly homeland. And He declared that the whole life of the holy Church, which is distinguished by teachers, and by its hearers, was accepted by Him under the name of honeycomb, honey, and milk. When these things are fulfilled, follows the voice of the Church desirous to cling to the Lord rather in the hiddenness and silence of contemplation than through the labor of preaching, to incite the weapons and fury of the wicked against her.
Richard ChallonerAD 1781
Let my beloved come into his garden: Garden, mystically the church of Christ, abounding with fruit, that is, the good works of the elect.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Song of Solomon 5:1 climactically portrays the Beloved's joyful entry into his bride's "garden," signifying the consummation of their love and the profound intimacy of their marital union. Through rich sensory imagery of gathered myrrh and spices, eaten honeycomb and honey, and drunk wine and milk, the verse depicts his complete and delightful partaking of all that his bride offers. This private satisfaction then overflows into a generous invitation for friends and beloved ones to share in the abundant joy, celebrating the deep fulfillment and communal affirmation found in their committed relationship.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse serves as the triumphant culmination of a significant poetic exchange (Song of Solomon 4:1-5:1) where the Beloved lavishes praise upon the Shulamite's beauty and purity. He meticulously describes her as an "enclosed garden, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed" in Song of Solomon 4:12, highlighting her exclusivity and untouched essence. In response to his ardent admiration, the Shulamite extends a tender invitation in Song of Solomon 4:16, urging her Beloved to "come into his garden and eat its choicest fruits." Song of Solomon 5:1 is the Beloved's immediate, eager, and affirming reply to this invitation, confirming his presence and profound delight in her. It marks the pivotal transition from the anticipation and poetic praise of their love to its physical consummation and shared celebration, thereby setting the stage for the Shulamite's subsequent dream and search for her Beloved in Song of Solomon 5:2-8.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a garden was a highly symbolic and often private space, frequently representing beauty, fertility, and exclusivity. For a woman, particularly, the imagery of an "enclosed garden" was a potent metaphor for her virginity and her innermost being, reserved solely for her husband. The specific items mentioned—myrrh, spices, honey, wine, and milk—were not merely foodstuffs but luxury goods and staples that symbolized prosperity, blessing, and sensory delight in ancient Israel. Myrrh and spices were used for perfumes, anointing, and incense, signifying preciousness and fragrance. Honey was a symbol of sweetness and abundance, while wine and milk represented joy, sustenance, and the richness of the land. The subsequent communal invitation to "eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved" strongly evokes the customs of ancient Near Eastern wedding feasts, where the joy of the newly united couple was shared with their community, affirming the social, familial, and often spiritual significance of marriage. The use of "sister" alongside "spouse" was a common poetic and affectionate term in the region, signifying a deep bond of trust, equality, and profound intimacy within the marital relationship, elevating it beyond mere physical union.
Key Themes: Song of Solomon 5:1 significantly contributes to several overarching themes within the book. Firstly, it powerfully underscores Consummation and Intimacy, depicting the physical and emotional union of the lovers as the pinnacle of their relationship, a source of immense satisfaction and mutual delight. The "garden" metaphor, previously established as the bride herself, becomes the sacred and exclusive space where this intimacy is fully realized. Secondly, the verse highlights Abundance and Delight, with the detailed enumeration of luxurious provisions (myrrh, spices, honeycomb, honey, wine, milk) symbolizing the richness, sweetness, and intoxicating joy found in a loving and committed relationship. This imagery speaks to the full sensory and emotional experience of their union, portraying love as a lavish feast. Thirdly, the overflowing invitation to "friends" and "beloved" emphasizes Shared Joy and Celebration, transforming a deeply private moment of intimacy into a communal affirmation of their bond. This suggests that true, overflowing joy naturally seeks expression and inclusion, mirroring the celebratory atmosphere of a wedding feast and affirming the social dimension of marriage. Finally, for many theological interpreters, this verse also contributes to the Allegorical Representation of Christ and His Church, where the Beloved's delight in his bride foreshadows Christ's profound love for and union with His people, the Church, inviting them to partake in the spiritual abundance of His grace and presence, as seen in passages like Ephesians 5:25-27.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Song of Solomon 5:1 is rich in Metaphor and Symbolism. The central metaphor is the "garden," which symbolizes the bride herself, her inner being, and her physical beauty, particularly in the context of intimacy and fertility. The "myrrh," "spice," "honeycomb," "honey," "wine," and "milk" are potent symbols of the sensory delights, abundance, and profound satisfaction found in the consummation of love. The Beloved's actions of gathering, eating, and drinking are symbolic of his full and joyful embrace of his bride. The phrase "my sister, my spouse" employs Juxtaposition to highlight the dual nature of their relationship—both pure, familial affection and exclusive marital commitment. The series of parallel clauses describing the Beloved's partaking ("I have gathered... I have eaten... I have drunk...") utilizes Parallelism and Anaphora (repetition of "I have") to emphasize the completeness and comprehensive nature of his experience, building a sense of luxuriant abundance. The final invitation uses Exhortation and Repetition ("drink, yea, drink abundantly") to convey the overflowing joy that seeks to be shared with others.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Song of Solomon 5:1, in its celebration of marital intimacy and shared joy, reflects profound theological truths about creation, covenant, and divine delight. It portrays marriage as a sacred institution designed by God, where deep, exclusive intimacy is not only permitted but celebrated as a source of profound satisfaction and abundance. The Beloved's delight in his bride mirrors, in a human way, God's delight in His creation and His covenant people, Israel, and ultimately His Church. The overflowing joy that compels the Beloved to invite others to partake points to the communal nature of God's blessings and the inherent desire for joy to be shared, whether in the context of a wedding feast or the fellowship of believers. The sanctity and beauty of this human union also serve as a powerful earthly illustration of the spiritual union between Christ and His Church, a theme often explored in theological interpretations of the Song, highlighting the covenantal faithfulness and mutual delight central to God's relationship with His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Song of Solomon 5:1 offers rich insights for both marital relationships and the spiritual life of believers. For married couples, this verse is a beautiful affirmation of the sacredness and joy of marital intimacy. It encourages spouses to cultivate their "garden"—their shared life, their emotional connection, and their physical intimacy—as a private, cherished space where mutual delight and satisfaction can flourish. It reminds us to savor the "myrrh, spice, honeycomb, honey, wine, and milk" of our relationships, appreciating the unique qualities and abundant blessings our partners bring. Furthermore, the invitation to "friends" encourages couples to share the joy of their union with their community, allowing their love to be a testimony and a source of celebration for others, demonstrating the beauty of a God-ordained bond. Spiritually, this verse invites believers to reflect on Christ's profound love and delight in His Church, His beloved bride. Just as the Beloved fully partakes of his garden, Christ fully embraces and delights in His people, inviting us to partake in the abundant spiritual nourishment and joy found in His presence and fellowship. It calls us to respond to His loving invitation, allowing Him to enter every "garden" of our lives—our hearts, our gifts, our worship—and find delight, trusting that He will satisfy us abundantly.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "garden" metaphor in this verse?
Answer: The "garden" metaphor in Song of Solomon 5:1 is profoundly significant. It represents the Shulamite herself—her inner being, her beauty, her purity, and her physical person. As an "enclosed garden" (Song of Solomon 4:12), it symbolizes her exclusivity and virginity, reserved solely for her Beloved. In this verse, the Beloved's entry into "my garden" signifies the consummation of their love and the complete, joyful intimacy of their marital union. It is a private, fertile, and delightful space where the Beloved finds immense satisfaction and abundance, emphasizing the sanctity and exclusivity of the marital bond.
Why does the Beloved invite "friends" to eat and drink?
Answer: The Beloved's invitation to "eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved" signifies the overflowing nature of his joy and the communal celebration of his union with the Shulamite. This act is reminiscent of ancient Near Eastern wedding feasts, where the joy and abundance of the newly married couple were shared with their closest companions and community. It transforms a private moment of intimacy into a public affirmation, suggesting that true happiness in love is so profound that it naturally seeks expression and inclusion, inviting others to partake in the delight and abundance of their bond. This communal aspect underscores the social and celebratory dimension of marriage.
How can this verse be applied spiritually by Christians?
Answer: Spiritually, Song of Solomon 5:1 is often interpreted as an allegory for the profound love and intimacy between Christ and His Church. In this view, Christ, the Beloved, enters His "garden," the Church, finding delight and satisfaction in His people. His partaking of the "myrrh, spice, honeycomb, honey, wine, and milk" symbolizes His full embrace and enjoyment of the spiritual fruits, virtues, and worship of His bride. The subsequent invitation to "eat, O friends; drink abundantly, O beloved" represents Christ's call to believers to partake in the abundant spiritual blessings, grace, and joy found in His presence and fellowship, foreshadowing the eternal feast and union with Him, as described in passages like Revelation 19:7-9. It encourages believers to fully receive and delight in the spiritual provisions Christ offers.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Song of Solomon 5:1, with its vivid portrayal of the Beloved's joyful entry into his bride's garden and his partaking of its rich delights, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Beloved's "coming into my garden" foreshadows Christ's incarnation, where the Son of God "tabernacled among us" (John 1:14), entering humanity to unite with His people. Just as the Beloved finds delight in his bride, Christ, the ultimate Bridegroom, delights in His Church, whom He has purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28) and continually sanctifies (Ephesians 5:25-27). The "myrrh and spice" gathered by the Beloved can symbolize the fragrant offering of Christ's perfect life and sacrificial death, a "fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2), through which He gains His bride. The "honeycomb with honey" and "wine with milk" represent the abundant spiritual nourishment, sweetness, and intoxicating joy that Christ provides for His people through His Word, His Spirit, and His very presence, far surpassing any earthly delight (Psalm 19:10; Isaiah 55:1). Finally, the Beloved's overflowing invitation to "eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved" finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's gracious invitation to the Lord's Supper, where believers partake of the emblems of His body and blood, signifying their union with Him and anticipating the great marriage supper of the Lamb (Matthew 26:26-28; Revelation 19:7-9). In Christ, we are invited not just to taste, but to "drink abundantly" of the inexhaustible joys and blessings of His eternal fellowship and the new covenant He established.