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Song Of Solomon 5:13

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His cheeks [are] as a bed of spices, [as] sweet flowers: his lips [like] lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

His cheeks {H3895} are as a bed {H6170} of spices {H1314}, as sweet {H4840} flowers {H4026}: his lips {H8193} like lilies {H7799}, dropping {H5197} sweet smelling {H5674} myrrh {H4753}.

His cheeks are like beds of spices, like banks of fragrant herbs. His lips are like lilies dripping with sweet myrrh.

His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, Asbanks of sweet herbs: His lips are as lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

Commentary

Song of Solomon 5:13 (KJV)

"His cheeks [are] as a bed of spices, [as] sweet flowers: his lips [like] lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh."

Context

This verse is part of the Shulamite woman's elaborate and passionate description of her beloved, the king (or shepherd), to the daughters of Jerusalem. Following their challenge to describe him (Song 5:9), she offers a detailed portrait using rich, natural, and often symbolic imagery, highlighting his physical beauty and desirability from her perspective.

Key Themes

  • Beauty and Desirability: The verse emphasizes the beloved's physical attractiveness, focusing specifically on his cheeks and lips.
  • Rich and Fragrant Imagery: Comparing his features to spices, sweet flowers, lilies, and myrrh uses symbols of value, purity, pleasantness, and abundance prevalent in the ancient world.
  • Affection and Admiration: The lavish description reveals the depth of the woman's love and admiration for her beloved.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "bed of spices" (Hebrew: 'arugot bosem) refers to cultivated garden beds specifically grown for fragrant plants, suggesting abundance and deliberate beauty. The KJV adds "sweet flowers," which captures the sense of pleasant aroma and visual appeal.
  • "Dropping sweet smelling myrrh" (Hebrew: notef mor 'over) suggests the freshness, richness, and exquisite fragrance of his lips, perhaps like moist lips exuding a precious perfume. Myrrh was a valuable aromatic resin used for perfumes and anointing oils, signifying luxury and desirability.

Reflection

This verse beautifully illustrates how love sees and appreciates specific details, using the most precious and delightful imagery available to express deep affection and admiration. It highlights the sensory richness of the description within the Song of Solomon, emphasizing the beloved's overwhelming appeal to the one who loves him.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Song Of Solomon 1:10 (5 votes)

    Thy cheeks are comely with rows [of jewels], thy neck with chains [of gold].

  • Song Of Solomon 6:2 (3 votes)

    My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

  • Song Of Solomon 2:1 (3 votes)

    ¶ I [am] the rose of Sharon, [and] the lily of the valleys.

  • Song Of Solomon 5:5 (2 votes)

    I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped [with] myrrh, and my fingers [with] sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

  • Song Of Solomon 3:6 (2 votes)

    ¶ Who [is] this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

  • Psalms 89:15 (2 votes)

    ¶ Blessed [is] the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

  • Psalms 4:6 (2 votes)

    ¶ [There be] many that say, Who will shew us [any] good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.