Song of Solomon 4:13
New International Version
Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard,

New Living Translation
Your thighs shelter a paradise of pomegranates with rare spices— henna with nard,

English Standard Version
Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard,

Berean Standard Bible
Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard,

King James Bible
Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

New King James Version
Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates With pleasant fruits, Fragrant henna with spikenard,

New American Standard Bible
“Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates With delicious fruits, henna with nard plants,

NASB 1995
“Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates With choice fruits, henna with nard plants,

NASB 1977
“Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates With choice fruits, henna with nard plants,

Legacy Standard Bible
Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates With choice fruits, henna with nard plants,

Amplified Bible
“Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, [A paradise] with precious fruits, henna with fragrant plants,

Christian Standard Bible
Your branches are a paradise of pomegranates with choicest fruits; henna with nard,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Your branches are a paradise of pomegranates with choicest fruits, henna with nard—

American Standard Version
Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants,

Contemporary English Version
Your arms are vines, covered with delicious fruits and all sorts of spices--henna, nard,

English Revised Version
Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits; henna with spikenard plants,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You are paradise that produces pomegranates and the best fruits, henna flowers and nard,

Good News Translation
there the plants flourish. They grow like an orchard of pomegranate trees and bear the finest fruits. There is no lack of henna and nard,

International Standard Version
Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with choice fruit, henna with nard,

Majority Standard Bible
Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard,

NET Bible
Your shoots are a royal garden full of pomegranates with choice fruits: henna with nard,

New Heart English Bible
Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits: henna with spikenard plants,

Webster's Bible Translation
Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphor, with spikenard,

World English Bible
Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits, henna with spikenard plants,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Your shoots a paradise of pomegranates, "" With precious fruits,

Young's Literal Translation
Thy shoots a paradise of pomegranates, With precious fruits,

Smith's Literal Translation
Thy sendings forth a park of pomegranates, with most precious fruits, cypresses with spikenards,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruits of the orchard. Cypress with spikenard.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You send forth a paradise of pomegranates along with the fruits of the orchard: Cypress grapes, with aromatic oil;

New American Bible
Your branches are a grove of pomegranates, with fruits of choicest yield: Henna with spikenard,

New Revised Standard Version
Your channel is an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; henna-flower with spikenard.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Your nudity is a paradise of pomegranates with the fruit of produce; henna flower with spikenard
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thy shoots are a park of pomegranates, With precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thy shoots are a garden of pomegranates, with the fruit of choice berries; camphor, with spikenard:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Solomon Admires His Bride
12My sister, my bride, you are a garden locked up, a spring enclosed, a fountain sealed. 13Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard, 14with nard and saffron, with calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of frankincense tree, with myrrh and aloes, with all the finest spices.…

Cross References
Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Isaiah 5:1-2
I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour!

John 15:1-5
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. / He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. / You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ...

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, / gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

Matthew 7:17-20
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. / A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. / Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ...

Revelation 22:1-2
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb / down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

Isaiah 61:11
For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

John 15:8
This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

Hosea 14:5-7
I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. / His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon. / They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Matthew 13:23
But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,


Treasury of Scripture

Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

are

Song of Solomon 6:11
I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

Song of Solomon 7:12
Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.

Song of Solomon 8:2
I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

pleasant

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.

camphire

Song of Solomon 4:14
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

Song of Solomon 1:14
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

spikenard

Song of Solomon 1:12
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

Mark 14:3
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

John 12:3
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Jump to Previous
Best Camphire Camphor Choice Choicest Fruits Garden Henna Nard Orchard Paradise Park Plants Pleasant Pomegranates Precious Produce Shoots Spikenard
Jump to Next
Best Camphire Camphor Choice Choicest Fruits Garden Henna Nard Orchard Paradise Park Plants Pleasant Pomegranates Precious Produce Shoots Spikenard
Song of Solomon 4
1. Christ sets forth the graces of the church
8. He shows forth his love to her
16. The church prays to be made fit for his presence














Your plants
The Hebrew word for "plants" here is "שלחיך" (shelachayikh), which can also mean "shoots" or "branches." This imagery suggests growth, vitality, and the potential for fruitfulness. In the context of the Song of Solomon, it symbolizes the beloved's beauty and the flourishing nature of love. The metaphor of plants indicates a nurturing environment where love can grow and thrive, much like a well-tended garden.

are an orchard
The term "orchard" in Hebrew is "פרדס" (pardes), which is a Persian loanword meaning a park or garden. This word is also the root for the English word "paradise," evoking a sense of a lush, idyllic place. In ancient times, an orchard was a symbol of abundance and prosperity. The use of this word suggests that the beloved is a source of delight and richness, much like a paradise on earth.

of pomegranates
The pomegranate is a fruit that holds significant symbolism in the Bible and ancient Near Eastern culture. In Hebrew, it is "רמונים" (rimmonim). Pomegranates were associated with fertility, beauty, and love due to their abundant seeds. They were also used in the decoration of the temple (1 Kings 7:18) and the priestly garments (Exodus 28:33-34), symbolizing holiness and blessing. Here, the pomegranate represents the beloved's allure and the fruitful nature of their love.

with the choicest fruits
The phrase "choicest fruits" in Hebrew is "מגדים" (megadim), which means precious or excellent fruits. This suggests that the beloved possesses qualities that are rare and highly valued. The imagery of choice fruits indicates a sense of selection and care, emphasizing the uniqueness and desirability of the beloved's attributes.

with henna
Henna, or "כפרים" (kopherim) in Hebrew, is a flowering plant used for its fragrant blossoms and as a dye. In ancient times, henna was used for cosmetic and ceremonial purposes, symbolizing beauty and celebration. The mention of henna in this verse highlights the beloved's attractiveness and the joy that their presence brings, much like the pleasant aroma and vibrant color of henna.

and nard
Nard, or "נרד" (nerd) in Hebrew, is a costly aromatic oil derived from a plant found in the Himalayas. It was used in anointing and as a perfume, signifying luxury and devotion. In the New Testament, nard is famously used by Mary to anoint Jesus' feet (John 12:3), symbolizing worship and sacrifice. In this context, nard represents the preciousness and depth of the beloved's love, akin to a rare and treasured fragrance.

(13) Thy plants.--Some have thought the offspring of the marriage intended here; but the poet is plainly, by a new adaptation of the language of flowers, describing the charms of the person of his beloved.

Orchard.--Heb. pardes; LXX. ??????????; found only elsewhere in Nehemiah 2:8 (where see Note), Ecclesiastes 2:5. The pomegranate was perhaps an emblem of love, having been held sacred to the Syrian Venus. (See Tristram, Nat. Hist. of Bible, p. 389.)

Camphire.--See Note, Song of Solomon 1:14.

Verses 13, 14. - Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits; henna with spikenard plants, spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices. Thy shoots; i.e. that which comes forth from thee, thy plants, or, as Bottcher puts it, "all the phenomena and life utterances of her personality." All the plants had their meaning in flower language. They are mostly exotics. But it is difficult now to suggest meanings, though they may have been familiar to Jewish readers at the time. The pardes, "park, or enclosure," was adorned especially with foreign and fragrant plants of great beauty. It is an Old Persian word, perhaps, as Delitzsch suggests, from pairi (περὶ) and dez (Pers. diz), "a heap." Precious fruit; literally, fructus laudam, "fruits of renown" or excellence (cf. Syriac magdo, "dried fruit"). The carcom, or saffron, a kind of crocus (Ind. safran), yields the saffron colour from its dried flower eyes, used both as a cosmetic and as a medicine (cf. Sansc. kuakuma). The calamus, simply a reed, the sweet reed, a corn indigenous to the East. Cinnamon (Quinnamon), Laurus cinnamomum, is indigenous on the east coast of Africa and Ceylon, found later in the Antibes. The inner bark peeled off and roiled together forms the cinnamon bark (see Pliny, bk. 12). There are seven spices mentioned. We need not trouble ourselves to identify them all, as they are mostly Indian, and such as Solomon would fetch from the far East in his celebrated ships. The description is highly poetical, and simply means that all sweetness and attractiveness combine in the fair one. But symbolically we may see an allusion to the spread of the Church over the world, and all the glory and honour of the nations" being introduced into it. So the graces of the individual soul expand themselves under the influence of Christian truth and fellowship.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Your branches
שְׁלָחַ֙יִךְ֙ (šə·lā·ḥa·yiḵ)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 7973: A missile of attack, spear, a shoot of growth, branch

[are] an orchard
פַּרְדֵּ֣ס (par·dês)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6508: A preserve, park

of pomegranates
רִמּוֹנִ֔ים (rim·mō·w·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7416: A pomegranate, the tree, the fruit

with
עִ֖ם (‘im)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the choicest
מְגָדִ֑ים (mə·ḡā·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4022: A distinguished thing, something valuable, as a, product, fruit

of fruits,
פְּרִ֣י (pə·rî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6529: Fruit

with henna
כְּפָרִ֖ים (kə·p̄ā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3724: A cover, a village, bitumen, the henna plant, a redemption-price

[and]
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

nard,
נְרָדִֽים׃ (nə·rā·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5373: Nard, an aromatic


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