I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

PROVERBS 7:17KJV
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Proverbs 7:17 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 7:17 mean?

Proverbs 7:17 describes someone saying they have made their bed smell pleasant by using myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. This is meant to create an inviting and seductive atmosphere, showing special effort to attract someone.

In the context of Proverbs 7, a woman is speaking to a young man, trying to tempt him into an adulterous relationship. The verse highlights how she uses luxury and appealing scents to make her invitation more enticing, emphasizing the deliberate and alluring nature of her approach.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 7:17

  • "Perfumed" (נָטַף, nāṭaf) means to drip, trickle, or sprinkle, and here it suggests the act of spreading or applying fragrances, not just a light scent but a deliberate, generous use of perfume.
  • "Myrrh" (מֹר, mor) refers to a valuable resin with a strong, sweet smell, often used in perfumes and for special occasions, signaling luxury and intimacy.
  • "Aloes" (אֲהָלִים, ’ăhālîm) is a fragrant wood or resin, prized in the ancient world for its scent, used in bedding or clothing to create a rich aroma.
  • "Cinnamon" (קִנָּמוֹן, qinnāmōn) is a well-known spice with a warm, sweet smell, associated with wealth and special preparation.

Why Proverbs 7:17 matters

  • Proverbs 7:17 shows the intentional effort and planning behind temptation, not just a casual or accidental encounter.
  • The verse helps readers see how sensory appeal—like pleasant smells—can be used to influence decisions and lower defenses.
  • Understanding the use of luxury items in this verse highlights the seriousness of the warning in Proverbs 7 about being alert to seductive tactics.

Where else these words appear

“cinnamon” Hebrew H7076 · used in 3 verses

  • Exodus 30:23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
  • Song of Solomon 4:14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

“aloes” Hebrew H174 · used in 4 verses

  • Numbers 24:6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
  • Psalms 45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
  • Song of Solomon 4:14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

“myrrh” Hebrew H4753 · used in 11 verses

  • Exodus 30:23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
  • Song of Solomon 1:13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
  • Song of Solomon 4:14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

“perfumed” Hebrew H5130 · used in 35 verses

  • Exodus 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
  • Leviticus 14:24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:
  • Deuteronomy 27:5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.