Song Of Solomon 8:7

KJV

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if [a] man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

KJV (with Strong's)

Many {H7227} waters {H4325} cannot {H3201} quench {H3518} love {H160}, neither can the floods {H5104} drown {H7857} it: if a man {H376} would give {H5414} all the substance {H1952} of his house {H1004} for love {H160}, it would utterly {H936} be contemned {H936}.

Complete Jewish Bible

No amount of water can quench love, torrents cannot drown it. If someone gave all the wealth in his house for love, he would gain only utter contempt.

Berean Standard Bible

Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

American Standard Version

Many waters cannot quench love, Neither can floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, He would utterly be contemned.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Song of Solomon 8:7 serves as a climactic declaration on the profound nature of love, asserting its indomitable strength against all external pressures and its inestimable value beyond any material wealth. It portrays love as an unquenchable fire and an unpurchasable treasure, an enduring bond that transcends the destructive forces of the world and scorns any attempt to acquire it through mere possessions. This verse encapsulates the book's central message: true love is resilient, priceless, and utterly contemptuous of mercenary motives.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Song of Solomon 8:7 appears near the very end of the book, functioning as a powerful theological and thematic capstone to the entire lyrical poem. The preceding chapters have explored the developing relationship between the Shulammite woman and her beloved, depicting their longing, their intimacy, their struggles, and their deep affection. Chapter 8 itself opens with the Shulammite expressing her desire for public intimacy and her protective love for her younger sister, setting a tone of mature, possessive, and outward-looking love. Verse 6, immediately preceding, is a passionate appeal for love to be set "as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm," emphasizing its exclusive, binding, and powerful nature, akin to death and Sheol in its intensity. Verse 7 then expands on this intensity, providing a universal declaration about love's inherent qualities, summarizing the enduring and all-consuming passion celebrated throughout the Song.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Song of Solomon is set in an ancient Near Eastern context, likely during the Solomonic era, characterized by a rich tradition of poetic and wisdom literature. The imagery of "many waters" and "floods" would have resonated deeply with an agrarian society dependent on water, where both its life-giving and destructive capacities were well understood. Rivers could bring fertility but also devastating floods. The concept of "substance of his house" (wealth) was central to societal standing and security, often encompassing land, livestock, and precious metals. In a culture where marriages were often arranged and dowries exchanged, the idea of love being *unpurchasable* would have been a radical and counter-cultural statement, elevating genuine affection above transactional arrangements. The Song, in its celebration of mutual desire and romantic love, stands out from much ancient literature that focused on procreation or political alliances as primary marital motivations.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully articulates several core themes found throughout the Song of Solomon and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the **invincibility and endurance of true love**, portraying it as a force that cannot be overcome by external adversity, a theme echoed in the New Testament's description of love's perseverance in [1 Corinthians 13:7](/1_corinthians/13-7 "1 Corinthians 13:7 - Love Endures All Things"). Secondly, it highlights the **incomparable value and unpurchasable nature of genuine affection**, asserting that love cannot be bought or sold, a concept that resonates with the divine truth that God's greatest gifts, like salvation and grace, are freely given and cannot be earned by human effort or wealth, as stated in [Isaiah 55:1](/isaiah/55-1 "Isaiah 55:1 - God's Free Invitation") and [Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Ephesians 2:8-9 - Grace Through Faith"). The verse also implicitly touches on the theme of **exclusivity and commitment** within love, as such a powerful and priceless bond demands complete devotion.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Love (Hebrew, _ʼahăbâh'_):** This word (H160) is central to the entire book and this verse. Derived from the root for affection, it denotes a deep, passionate, and enduring emotional attachment. In this context, it refers to the profound, mutual affection between the beloveds, but its universal phrasing extends its meaning to true, genuine love in its most ideal form. It encompasses not just romantic desire but also loyalty, commitment, and a powerful bond that seeks the well-being of the other. The use of this term here elevates the human experience of love to a level of divine power and sanctity.
* **Quench (Hebrew, _kâbâh'_):** The verb (H3518) means "to expire or (causatively) to extinguish (fire, light, anger)." When paired with "waters" (H4325) and "floods" (H5104), it vividly portrays the inability of overwhelming forces to put out the flame of love. This imagery emphasizes love's inherent vitality and resilience. Just as a fire, once truly ignited, resists being put out by water, so too genuine love possesses an inner strength that resists dissolution by adversity, trials, or external pressures.
* **Contemned (Hebrew, _bûwz'_):** This word (H936) is a primitive root meaning "to disrespect, contemn, despise, utterly." Its use here is exceptionally strong, indicating not merely a rejection or failure, but a profound scorn and moral indignation. If one were to attempt to purchase love with "all the substance of his house" (H1952, wealth; H1004, house/family), such an offer would be met with absolute disdain. This highlights love's sacred, non-negotiable, and non-transactional nature. It cannot be bought, and the very idea of trying to do so is an insult to its intrinsic worth.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it:"** This opening clause employs powerful natural imagery to declare love's invincible nature. "Many waters" (H7227, rab, abundant; H4325, mayim, water) and "floods" (H5104, nâhâr, stream/river; H7857, shâṭaph, to gush/inundate) represent overwhelming, destructive forces. The assertion is that despite the most formidable adversities, trials, or even attempts to extinguish it, true love remains resilient and unyielding. It suggests that genuine affection possesses an inherent strength that allows it to persevere through all challenges, much like a deeply rooted flame that cannot be extinguished by a deluge.
* **"if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned."** This second clause shifts focus from love's resilience to its inestimable value. "A man" (H376, ʼîysh, an individual) attempting to "give" (H5414, nâthan, to give/put) "all the substance" (H1952, hôwn, wealth/riches) "of his house" (H1004, bayith, house/family) for love implies an attempt to acquire it through material means. The emphatic response, "it would utterly (H936, bûwz, despise, with H936, bûwz, utterly) be contemned," underscores that love is beyond price. Any attempt to buy it is not only futile but also met with scorn and deep disrespect, as it fundamentally misunderstands and devalues love's true essence as a freely given, priceless bond.

#### Literary Devices
Song of Solomon 8:7 is rich in **Imagery**, using vivid natural phenomena to convey abstract truths about love. The "many waters" and "floods" create a powerful visual of overwhelming force, while the unquenchable "love" is implicitly likened to a flame or a deeply rooted entity. This creates a strong **Metaphor** where love is compared to something that cannot be extinguished or drowned, emphasizing its enduring and resilient nature. The verse also employs **Hyperbole** in the phrase "all the substance of his house," exaggerating the amount of wealth a man might offer to emphasize the absolute pricelessness of love. The use of **Antithesis** is evident in the contrast between the destructive power of water and the indomitable nature of love, and between material wealth and the unpurchasable quality of true affection. Finally, the strong, almost indignant tone of "it would utterly be contemned" lends a sense of **Personification** to love itself, as if love is actively rejecting the demeaning offer.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, while celebrating human love, profoundly reflects divine truths about God's own character and His relationship with humanity. Just as human love, when true, is unquenchable and unpurchasable, so too is God's agape love. His love for His people cannot be extinguished by their failures, the world's opposition, or the forces of evil; it is an enduring covenantal love that triumphs over all. Furthermore, God's grace and salvation, which flow from His love, are utterly beyond human purchase or merit. Any attempt to earn or buy God's favor with human "substance" or works is met with a divine "contempt" for such a transactional approach, as it fundamentally misunderstands the nature of grace as a free gift. This verse thus serves as a beautiful human analogy for the steadfast, sovereign, and gratuitous love of God, which is both eternally persistent and freely bestowed.

* [Romans 8:38-39](/romans/8-38-39 "Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love")
* [Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Ephesians 2:8-9 - Salvation by Grace Through Faith")
* [1 Corinthians 13:8](/1_corinthians/13-8 "1 Corinthians 13:8 - Love Never Fails")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Song of Solomon 8:7 offers profound insights for navigating relationships and life in a world often driven by material gain and fleeting emotions. It calls us to cultivate a love that is resilient, capable of weathering the inevitable storms of life – disagreements, hardships, external pressures, and personal failings. True love is not a fair-weather friend; it is a steadfast anchor. Moreover, the verse challenges us to re-evaluate our priorities, reminding us that genuine affection, loyalty, and intimacy cannot be bought with money, status, or power. Attempting to do so cheapens the very essence of love and will ultimately lead to emptiness and scorn. Instead, we are encouraged to invest in relationships with authenticity, commitment, and self-giving, recognizing that the most precious bonds are forged through shared experiences, mutual respect, and unconditional acceptance, not through transactional exchanges. This applies not only to romantic love but to all forms of deep, meaningful connection, urging us to seek and offer love that is truly priceless and enduring.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "waters" or "floods" in your life or relationships have challenged your love, and how has love proven resilient?**
* **In what ways might we, consciously or unconsciously, try to "buy" love or affection with material possessions, favors, or status?**
* **How does understanding love as unpurchasable change your approach to building and maintaining relationships?**
* **How does the unquenchable and unpurchasable nature of God's love for you impact your faith and daily living?**

### FAQ
**What kind of "love" is being described in Song of Solomon 8:7?**

Answer: The "love" (Hebrew: *ʼahăbâh*) in Song of Solomon 8:7 primarily refers to the deep, passionate, and exclusive romantic love between a man and a woman, as celebrated throughout the book. However, the universal and absolute language used ("many waters cannot quench love") elevates this specific human experience to a profound declaration about the nature of genuine love in general. It speaks to an ideal, enduring, and priceless affection that transcends mere infatuation or transactional relationships. While its immediate context is romantic, its principles are applicable to any true, self-giving bond.

**Why would giving "all the substance of his house for love" be "utterly contemned"?**

Answer: The phrase "utterly be contemned" (Hebrew: *bûwz*) signifies a deep scorn and moral indignation. It highlights that true love is not a commodity that can be bought or sold. Love, in its purest form, is a freely given bond of affection, commitment, and devotion. To attempt to purchase it with "all the substance of his house" (meaning all of one's wealth, property, or possessions) fundamentally misunderstands and devalues its sacred nature. Such an offer would be met with contempt because it implies that love is a transaction, rather than a priceless, intrinsic connection. It's a rejection of the very idea that genuine affection could be reduced to a monetary exchange.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Song of Solomon 8:7 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The unquenchable nature of love is perfectly embodied in God's steadfast love for humanity, a love that "many waters cannot quench." This divine love, revealed in Christ, endured the "floods" of human sin, rebellion, and even the cross itself, yet it was never extinguished. As [Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God's Love Demonstrated") declares, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." No adversity, no spiritual force, no human failing could drown God's eternal commitment to redeem His people. Furthermore, the unpurchasable nature of love points directly to the grace of salvation. Humanity, with "all the substance of his house"—all its good works, religious efforts, or material wealth—could never purchase or earn God's favor or eternal life. Any such attempt would be "utterly contemned" in the face of God's free and unmerited gift. [Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Ephesians 2:8-9 - Salvation by Grace Through Faith") explicitly states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Christ's sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of a love that is freely given, beyond all human price, and eternally triumphant, inviting us into a relationship based on grace, not gain. This is the love that [nothing can separate us from](/romans/8-39 "Romans 8:39 - Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 6:35

He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

Isaiah 43:2

When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Proverbs 6:31

But [if] he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

Romans 13:8

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:10

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.

Matthew 7:24

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Matthew 7:25

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.