Song of Solomon 4:14spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree; myrrh and aloes, with all the best spices,
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Solomon continues his wedding poem, listing spices that traveled thousands of miles on trade routes. Each spice represents a different aspect of his bride's character.
The emotion here: overwhelmed by the richness of love
The original word
qinnamon (קִנָּמוֹן) — cinnamon, imported from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), worth more than silver
Why it matters
Saffron required 150 flowers to produce just one gram, making it literally worth its weight in gold
Read with care
What most readers miss in Song of Solomon 4:14
This verse lists spices from India, Ceylon, Arabia, and Lebanon - Solomon is saying his bride contains the best of the entire known world
Common misconceptionPeople focus on the sensual imagery and miss that Solomon is describing character qualities using spice metaphors - each spice represents a different virtue that 'flavors' their relationship.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Song of Solomon 4:14
Bible Genome reading
Song of Solomon 4:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Song of Solomon 4:14 comes from the book of Song of Solomon, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Beloved. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the poetry genre of biblical literature. Key themes include beauty, luxury. Notable phrases: spikenard and saffron; best spices.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does Song of Solomon 4:14 mean to you, today?
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