Song of Solomon 5 · Verse 13

Song of Solomon 5:13

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
Song of Solomon 5:13, King James Version

Song of Solomon 5:13 in other translations

BSBHis cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.
WEBHis cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
ASVHis cheeks are as a bed of spices, As banks of sweet herbs: His lips are as lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
YLTHis cheeks as a bed of the spice, towers of perfumes, His lips are lilies, dropping flowing myrrh,
DARBYHis cheeks are as a bed of spices, raised beds of sweet plants; His lips lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
BBEHis face is as beds of spices, giving out perfumes of every sort; his lips like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
WebsterHis cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh.

What does Song of Solomon 5:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. cheeks--the seat of beauty, according to the Hebrew meaning [Gesenius]. Yet men smote and spat on them (Is 50:6). bed--full, like the raised surface of the garden bed; fragrant with ointments, as beds with aromatic plants (literally, "balsam"). sweet flowers--rather, "terraces of aromatic herbs"--"high-raised parterres of sweet plants," in parallelism to "bed," which comes from a Hebrew root, meaning "elevation." lips--(Psa 45:2; Joh 7:46). lilies--red lilies. Soft and gentle (1Pe 2:22, 23). How different lips were man's (Psa 22:7)! dropping ... myrrh--namely, His lips, just as the sweet dewdrops which hang in the calyx of the lily.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices - Possibly meaning a bed in the garden, where odoriferous herbs grew. But it has been supposed to refer to his beard, which in a young well-made man is exceedingly beautiful. I have seen young Turks, who had taken much care of their beards, mustachios, etc., look majestic. Scarcely any thing serves to set off the human face to greater advantage than the beard, when kept in proper order. Females admire it in their suitors and husbands. I have known cases, where they not only despised but execrated Europeans, whose faces were close shaved. The men perfume their beards often; and this may be what is intended by spices and sweet-smelling myrrh. His lips like lilies - The שושנם shoshannim may mean any flower of the lily kind, such as the rubens lilium, mentioned by Pliny, or something of the tulip kind. There are tints in such flowers that bear a very near resemblance to a fine ruby lip.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 5:9-16

Even those who have little acquaintance with Christ, cannot but see amiable beauty in others who bear his image. There are hopes of those who begin to inquire concerning Christ and his perfections. Christians, who are well acquainted with Christ themselves, should do all they can to make others know something of him. Divine glory makes him truly lovely in the eyes of all who are enlightened to discern spiritual…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 5:9-16 →

Song of Solomon 5:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לְחָיָו֙le.cha.Yavcheeks hisH3895
כַּעֲרוּגַ֣תka.'a.ru.Gat[are] like [the] bed ofH6170
הַבֹּ֔שֶׂםha.Bo.sem<the> spiceH1314
מִגְדְּל֖וֹתmig.de.Lottowers ofH4026
מֶרְקָחִ֑יםmer.ka.Chimaromatic herbsH4840
שִׂפְתוֹתָיו֙sif.to.Tavlips hisH8193
שֽׁוֹשַׁנִּ֔יםsho.sha.Nim[are] liliesH7799
נֹטְפ֖וֹתno.te.FotdrippingH5197
מ֥וֹרMormyrrhH4753
עֹבֵֽר\׃'o.VerflowingH5674

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Song of Solomon 5:13

  • Song of Solomon 1:10

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

  • Song of Solomon 2:1

    I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

  • Song of Solomon 6:2

    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 4:11

    Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

  • Psalms 89:15

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

  • Psalms 45:2

    Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

  • Psalms 4:6-7

    There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

  • 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?

  • Luke 4:22

    And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

  • Isaiah 50:6

    I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

  • Revelation 21:23

    And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

  • Song of Solomon 5:5

    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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
cheeks.
1:10; Isa 50:6
as a.
Ps 4:6,7; 27:4; 89:15; Re 21:23
sweet flowers. or, towers of perfumes.
3:6
his lips.
4:11; Ps 45:2; Isa 50:4; Lu 4:22
dropping.
5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Song of Solomon 5:12

    His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

  • Song of Solomon 5:13

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

  • Song of Solomon 5:14

    His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

Read all of Song of Solomon 5

Song of Solomon 5:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Sus mejillas, como una era de especias aromáticas, como fragantes flores: sus labios, como lirios que destilan mirra que trasciende.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		ses joues, comme des parterres d’aromates, des corbeilles de fleurs parfumées; ses lèvres, des lis distillant une myrrhe limpide;
German
Elberfelder 1871		seine Wangen wie Beete von Würzkraut, Anhöhen von duftenden Pflanzen seine Lippen Lilien, träufelnd von fließender Myrrhe;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Genæ illius sicut areolæ aromatum, consitæ a pigmentariis. Labia ejus lilia, distillantia myrrham primam.