Song of Solomon 7 · Verse 4

Song of Solomon 7:4

Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath–rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.
Song of Solomon 7:4, King James Version

Song of Solomon 7:4 in other translations

BSBYour neck is like a tower made of ivory; your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim; your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, facing toward Damascus.
WEBYour neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bathrabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looks toward Damascus.
ASVThy neck is like the tower of ivory; Thine eyes as the pools in Heshbon, By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon Which looketh toward Damascus.
YLTThy neck as a tower of the ivory, Thine eyes pools in Heshbon, near the gate of Bath-Rabbim, Thy face as a tower of Lebanon looking to Damascus,
DARBYThy neck is as a tower of ivory; Thine eyes, like the pools in Heshbon, By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Thy nose like the tower of Lebanon, Which looketh toward Damascus;
BBEYour neck is as a tower of ivory; your eyes like the waters in Heshbon, by the doorway of Bath-rabbim; your nose is as the tower on Lebanon looking over Damascus:
WebsterThy neck is as a tower of ivory; thy eyes like the fish-pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh towards Damascus.

What does Song of Solomon 7:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. tower of ivory--In So 4:4, Jesus Christ saith, "a tower of David builded for an armory." Strength and conquest are the main thought in His description; here, beauty and polished whiteness; contrast So 1:5. fishpools--seen by Burckhardt, clear (Re 22:1), deep, quiet, and full (1Co 2:10, 15). Heshbon--east of Jordan, residence of the Amorite king, Sihon (Nu 21:25, &c.), afterwards held by Gad. Bath-rabbim--"daughter of a multitude"; a crowded thoroughfare. Her eyes (So 4:1) are called by Jesus Christ, "doves' eyes," waiting on Him. But here, looked on by the daughters or Jerusalem, they are compared to a placid lake. She is calm even amidst the crowd (Pr 8:2; Joh 16:33). nose--or, face. tower of Lebanon--a border-fortress, watching the hostile Damascus. Towards Jesus Christ her face was full of holy shame (see on So 4:1; So 4:3); towards spiritual foes, like a watchtower (Ha 2:1; Mr 13:37; Ac 4:13), elevated, so that she looks not up from earth to heaven, but down from heaven to earth. If we retain "nose," discernment of spiritual fragrance is meant.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Thy neck - as a tower of ivory - High, white, and ornamented with jewellery, as the tower of David was with bucklers. See on Sol 4:4 (note). The fish - pools in Heshbon - Clear, bright, and serene. These must have been very beautiful to have been introduced here in comparison. These two fountains appear to have been situated at the gate that led from Heshbon to Rabba, or Rabboth Ammon. There is a propriety in this metaphor, because fountains are considered to be the eyes of the earth. Thy nose - as the tower of Lebanon - There was doubtless a propriety in this similitude also, which cannot now be discerned. If we are to understand the similitude as taken from the projecting form of the nose, even here I see nothing striking in the metaphor; for surely the tower of Lebanon did not project from the mountain as the human nose does from the face. It is better to acknowledge that there was undoubtedly some fit resemblances; but in what circumstance we know not. But some commentators are always extolling the correctness of the imagery in those very difficult places, where no soul sees the similitude but themselves.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 7:1-9

The graces of the church. (Song 7:1-9) The delight of the church in Christ. (Song 7:10-13) Verses 1-9 The similitudes here are different from what they were before, and in the original refer to glorious and splendid clothing. Such honour have all his saints; and having put on Christ, they are distinguished by their beautiful and glorious apparel. They adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. Consistent…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 7:1-9 →

Song of Solomon 7:4 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.

צַוָּארֵ֖ךְtza.va.Rekhneck yourH6677
כְּמִגְדַּ֣לke.mig.Dal[is] like [the] tower ofH4026
הַשֵּׁ֑ןha.Shen<the> ivoryH8127
עֵינַ֜יִךְ'ei.Na.yikheyes yourH5869
בְּרֵכ֣וֹתbe.re.Khot[are] poolsH1295
בְּחֶשְׁבּ֗וֹןbe.chesh.Bonin HeshbonH2809
עַל\־'al-atH5921
שַׁ֙עַר֙sha.'ar[the] gate ofH8179
בַּת\־bat-Bath-H1337
רַבִּ֔יםra.BimRabbimH1337
אַפֵּךְ֙'a.peKhnose yourH639
כְּמִגְדַּ֣לke.mig.Dal[is] like [the] tower ofH4026
הַלְּבָנ֔וֹןha.le.va.Non<the> LebanonH3844
צוֹפֶ֖הtzo.Peh[which] watchesH6822
פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] face ofH6440
דַמָּֽשֶׂק\׃da.Ma.sekDamascusH1834

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 7:4

  • Song of Solomon 4:4

    Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

  • Song of Solomon 4:8-9

    Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

  • Psalms 144:12

    That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

  • 1 Kings 22:39

    Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

  • 1 Kings 9:19

    And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

  • Song of Solomon 5:14-15

    His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

  • Philippians 1:9-10

    And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

  • Hebrews 5:14

    But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

  • 1 Kings 10:22

    For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

  • Ephesians 1:17-18

    That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

  • Isaiah 54:4

    Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

  • Genesis 15:2

    And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
neck.
1:10; 4:4
ivory.
5:14; 1Ki 10:18,22; 22:39; Ps 45:8; 144:12
thine eyes.That is, "Thine eyes are dark, deep, clear, and serene, as the fish-pools in Heshbon. "
4:1,9; 6:5; Eph 1:17,18; 3:18,19
Heshbon.
Nu 21:25; Isa 54:4
thy nose.That is, "Thy nose is as finely formed as the tower of Lebanon."
Php 1:9,10; Heb 5:14
the tower.
4:8; 5:15; 1Ki 7:2; 9:19; 2Ch 8:6
Damascus.
Ge 15:2; 2Sa 8:6

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

Context

  • Song of Solomon 7:3

    Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.

  • Song of Solomon 7:4

    Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath–rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.

  • Song of Solomon 7:5

    Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

Read all of Song of Solomon 7

Song of Solomon 7:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Tu cuello, como torre de marfil; tus ojos, como las pesqueras de Hesbón junto á la puerta de Batrabbim; tu nariz, como la torre del Líbano, que mira hacia Damasco.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tes deux seins sont comme deux faons jumeaux d’une gazelle.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dein Hals ist wie ein Turm von Elfenbein deine Augen wie die Teiche zu Hesbon am Tore der volkreichen Stadt; deine Nase wie der Libanonturm, der nach Damaskus hinschaut.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Collum tuum sicut turris eburnea; oculi tui sicut piscinæ in Hesebon quæ sunt in porta filiæ multitudinis. Nasus tuus sicut turris Libani, quæ respicit contra Damascum.