Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. New Living Translation Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. English Standard Version Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Berean Standard Bible Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. King James Bible Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. New King James Version Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame. New American Standard Bible “Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flames are flames of fire, The flame of the LORD. NASB 1995 “Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD. NASB 1977 “Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD. Legacy Standard Bible Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of Yah. Amplified Bible “Put me like a seal on your heart, Like a seal on your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead). Its flashes are flashes of fire, [A most vehement flame] the very flame of the LORD! Christian Standard Bible Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death; jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love’s flames are fiery flames — an almighty flame! Holman Christian Standard Bible Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death; ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love’s flames are fiery flames— the fiercest of all. American Standard Version Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of Jehovah. Contemporary English Version Always keep me in your heart and wear this bracelet to remember me by. The passion of love bursting into flame is more powerful than death, stronger than the grave. English Revised Version Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD. GOD'S WORD® Translation Wear me as a signet ring on your heart, as a ring on your hand. Love is as overpowering as death. Devotion is as unyielding as the grave. Love's flames are flames of fire, flames that come from the LORD. Good News Translation Close your heart to every love but mine; hold no one in your arms but me. Love is as powerful as death; passion is as strong as death itself. It bursts into flame and burns like a raging fire. International Standard Version Set me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion as intense as Sheol. The flames of love are flames of fire, a blaze that comes from the LORD. Majority Standard Bible Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. NET Bible Set me like a cylinder seal over your heart, like a signet on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. Its flames burst forth, it is a blazing flame. New Heart English Bible Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD. Webster's Bible Translation Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals of it are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. World English Bible Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSet me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm, "" For strong as death is love, "" Sharp as Sheol is jealousy, "" Its burnings [are] burnings of fire, a flame of YAH! Young's Literal Translation Set me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal on thine arm, For strong as death is love, Sharp as Sheol is jealousy, Its burnings are burnings of fire, a flame of Jah! Smith's Literal Translation Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love was strong as death; jealousy hard as hades: its flames, flames of fire, flames of Jehovah. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BiblePut me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames. Catholic Public Domain Version Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm. For love is strong, like death, and envy is enduring, like hell: their lamps are made of fire and flames. New American Bible Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; For Love is strong as Death, longing is fierce as Sheol. Its arrows are arrows of fire, flames of the divine. New Revised Standard Version Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSet me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death; desire is cruel as Sheol; its flashes are flashes of fire and flame. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Set me as the seal on your heart and as a seal on your arm, because love is as strong as death, and jealousy hard as Sheol! Its blazing is like the blazing of fire and the flame! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm; For love is strong as death, Jealousy is cruel as the grave; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of the LORD. Brenton Septuagint Translation Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave, her shafts are shafts of fire, even the flames thereof. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Longing for Her Beloved…5Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth. 6Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. 7Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.… Cross References 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. / Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. ... Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? / As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” / No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ... Ephesians 5:25-33 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. ... John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 1 John 4:7-10 Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. / Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. / This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. ... Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion. Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Proverbs 6:34 For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. 1 John 3:16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ / This is the first and greatest commandment. / And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Hosea 2:19-20 So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion. / And I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.” Colossians 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity. 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Treasury of Scripture Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which has a most vehement flame. as a seal Exodus 28:9-12,21,29,30 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: … Isaiah 49:16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Jeremiah 22:24 As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; love Song of Solomon 5:8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. Psalm 42:1,2 To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God… Psalm 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; jealousy Numbers 5:14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled: Numbers 25:11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Deuteronomy 32:21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. cruel Psalm 120:4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Proverbs 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. Romans 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Jump to Previous Arm Coals Cruel Death Fire Flame Flashes Grave Heart Jealousy Love Seal Sheol Strong Thereof Unyielding VehementJump to Next Arm Coals Cruel Death Fire Flame Flashes Grave Heart Jealousy Love Seal Sheol Strong Thereof Unyielding VehementSong of Solomon 8 1. The love of the church to Christ6. The vehemence of love 8. The calling of the Gentiles 14. the church prays for Christ's coming Place me like a seal over your heart The word "seal" in Hebrew is "chotam," which refers to a signet ring or a stamp used to denote ownership or authenticity. In ancient times, a seal was a symbol of authority and possession. By asking to be placed as a seal over the heart, the speaker is expressing a desire for an intimate and unbreakable bond, signifying belonging and deep emotional connection. The heart, in biblical terms, is the center of one's being, encompassing emotions, will, and intellect. This phrase suggests a profound commitment and an indelible mark of love that is both personal and eternal. like a seal on your arm for love is as strong as death its jealousy as unyielding as the grave Its sparks are fiery flames the fiercest blaze of all Jealousy.--Strong passion, from a word meaning to be red with flame; not in a bad sense, as the parallelism shows:-- "Strong as death is love, Inexorable as Sheol is ardent passion." Grave.--Heb. sheol. Perhaps, as in the LXX., Hades, with its figurative gates and bars (Psalm 6:5, Note). Coals.--Heb. resheph; in Psalm 78:48, hot thunderbolts (comp. Habakkuk 3:5); in Job 5:7, sparks; Marg., sons of the burning; Deuteronomy 32:24, burning heat of the burning fever of the plague. . . . Verses 6, 7. - Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would be utterly contemned. Is this to be regarded as the reply of the bride to the tender allusion of her husband to their first love; or is it, as some think, only the first words which belong to the bride, while the rest of the two verses are a kind of chorus echoing her loving appeal, and bringing the general action of the poem to a conclusion? It is difficult to decide this, and the meaning is not affected either way. Perhaps, however, it is best to take it as spoken by the bride, who continues her address to the end of the eighth verse. She is full of joy in the return of perfect confidence; she prays that the full tide of affection may never cease to flow, that there be no ebbing of that happy feeling in which she now delights; and then sings the praise of love itself, as though a prelude of praise to a long and eternal peace. The seal is the signet ring, chotham, from a root "to impress" It was sometimes carried by a string on the breast, and would, therefore, be near the heart (see Genesis 38:18). It was sometimes worn on the hand (see Jeremiah 22:24; and cf. Genesis 41:42; Esther 3:12). It was not worn on the arm like a bracelet (2 Samuel 1:10). Probably it was not the signet ring which is referred to in the second clause: "Set me as a seal on thine heart, and as a bracelet on thine arm." The same simile is not infrequent in the prophets. The desire of Shulamith was to escape all possibility of those declensions of which she had spoken before. "Let me never be out of thy thoughts; let me never go back from my fulness of joy in thy love." The true believer understands well such language. He knows that the maintenance of devout affection is not a matter of mere desire and will. The Lord himself must help us with his blessed gifts, the influence of his gracious Spirit to overcome the feebleness and fickleness of a fallen heart. We want to be close to the heart of the Saviour; we want to be constantly in his eye, and so diligently employed in his service, so closely associated with the work of his mighty arm, that we shall be ever receiving from him the signs and evidences of his approval and affection. The purity and perfection of true love are the theme of every sincere believer. The priceless value of such love is described in the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 6:30), in Numbers 22:18, and 1 Corinthians 13:3. It is an unquenchable flame - nothing can resist it. We cannot but recall the rapturous language of one who himself was an example of the highest devotedness to the Saviour, who rejoiced over death and the grave in the consciousness of victory through him from whose love nothing can separate us (Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:54). Certainly the history of the sufferings and trials of the true Church form a most striking commentary upon these words. Floods of persecution have swept over it, but they have not quenched love. The flame has burst forth again and again when it seemed to be extinguished, and it has become a very "flame of the Lord." The bush has been burning, but has not been consumed. By jealousy is intended love in its intensity not bearing arival. The "flame of the Lord" may be compared with "the voice of the Lord," which is described in Hebrew poetry as connected with the fury of the storm. The flame, therefore, would be lightning and the voice thunder. The whole of this passage, which forms a kind of keynote of the poem, is more like a distinct strain introduced to give climax to the succession of songs than the natural expression of the bride's feelings. It has been always regarded as one of the sublimest apostrophes to love to be found anywhere. The enemies of God and of humanity are represented as falling before it, death and the grave. Its vehemence and force of manifestation are brought vividly before us by the comparison of the flash of lightning. It is remarkable that this exaltation of love should be included in the Old Testament, thus proving that the Mosaic Law, with its formal prescriptions, by no means fulfils the whole purpose of God in his revelation to the world. As the New Testament would not have been complete without the message of the beloved disciple, so this Old Testament must have its song of love. Nor is it only the ideal and the heavenly love which is celebrated, but human affection itself is placed very high, because it is associated with that which is Divine. It is a more precious thing than mere wealth or worldly honour, and he that trifles with it deserves the utmost scorn and contempt of his fellows. It is well to remark how consistently the poetic framework is maintained. There is no attempt to leave the lines of human relations even at this point, whets evidently the sentiment rises above them. The love which is apostrophized is not removed from earth in order to be seen apart from all earthly imperfections and impurities. We are invited rather to look through the human to the Divine which embraces it and glorifies it. That. is the method of the Divine revelation throughout. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." We do not need to take Solomon's Song as an allegory. It is a song of human love, but as such it is a symbol of that which is Divine.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Setשִׂימֵ֨נִי (śî·mê·nî) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set me as a seal כַֽחוֹתָ֜ם (ḵa·ḥō·w·ṯām) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2368: A seal, signet ring over עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against your heart, לִבֶּ֗ךָ (lib·be·ḵā) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre as a seal כַּֽחוֹתָם֙ (ka·ḥō·w·ṯām) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2368: A seal, signet ring upon עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against your arm. זְרוֹעֶ֔ךָ (zə·rō·w·‘e·ḵā) Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force For כִּֽי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction love אַהֲבָ֔ה (’a·hă·ḇāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 160: Love (noun) is as strong עַזָּ֤ה (‘az·zāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 5794: Strong, vehement, harsh as death, כַמָּ֙וֶת֙ (ḵam·mā·weṯ) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin jealousy קִנְאָ֑ה (qin·’āh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7068: Ardor, zeal, jealousy as unrelenting קָשָׁ֥ה (qā·šāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7186: Hard, severe as Sheol. כִשְׁא֖וֹל (ḵiš·’ō·wl) Preposition-k | Noun - common singular Strong's 7585: Underworld (place to which people descend at death) Its sparks רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ (rə·šā·p̄e·hā) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 7565: A live coal, lightning, an arrow, fever are fiery אֵ֖שׁ (’êš) Noun - common singular Strong's 784: A fire flames, רִשְׁפֵּ֕י (riš·pê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 7565: A live coal, lightning, an arrow, fever the fiercest blaze of all. שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה׃ (šal·he·ḇeṯ·yāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7957: A flare of fire Links Song of Solomon 8:6 NIVSong of Solomon 8:6 NLT Song of Solomon 8:6 ESV Song of Solomon 8:6 NASB Song of Solomon 8:6 KJV Song of Solomon 8:6 BibleApps.com Song of Solomon 8:6 Biblia Paralela Song of Solomon 8:6 Chinese Bible Song of Solomon 8:6 French Bible Song of Solomon 8:6 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal on your (Song Songs SS So Can) |
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