Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

SONG OF SOLOMON 4:11KJV
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Song of Solomon 4:11 (KJV)

What does Song of Solomon 4:11 mean?

Song of Solomon 4:11 is a lover’s praise of his bride. He uses the sweetness of honey and milk and the scent of Lebanon to express his delight in her. The verse draws on taste and smell to make his words of admiration vivid.

The man addresses the woman directly as “my spouse.” Honey and milk “under thy tongue” picture sweetness associated with her mouth, while the scent of her garments evokes Lebanon’s fragrant trees. His praise continues the description of her beauty in the preceding verses.

The Hebrew behind Song of Solomon 4:11

  • “spouse” — כַּלָּה (kallah): This word can mean “bride.” It presents the woman as the one addressed in a wedding setting.
  • “honeycomb” — נֹפֶת (nofet): This word refers to honey that drips from the comb. The image suggests fresh, flowing sweetness.
  • “drop” — נָטַף (nataf): This word means “to drip” or “to flow.” Alongside the image of the lips, it can suggest the sweetness of words as well as the sweetness of a kiss.

Why Song of Solomon 4:11 matters

  • The praise involves more than appearance. The mention of her “tongue” draws attention to her mouth and potentially her speech.
  • Lebanon adds a setting from nature to the compliment. Its cedar trees were known for their fragrance, making “the smell of Lebanon” an evocative comparison for her garments.
  • The address “my spouse” gives the praise a personal focus. The man speaks to the woman herself, rather than describing her at a distance.

Where else these words appear

“honeycomb” Hebrew H5317 · used in 5 verses

  • Psalms 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
  • Proverbs 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
  • Proverbs 24:13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

“drop” Hebrew H5197 · used in 14 verses

  • Judges 5:4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
  • Song of Solomon 5:5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
  • Joel 3:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

“garments” Hebrew H8008 · used in 16 verses

  • Exodus 22:9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
  • Joshua 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
  • 2 Chronicles 9:24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

“spouse” Hebrew H3618 · used in 34 verses

  • Genesis 11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
  • Ruth 2:22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
  • Isaiah 62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.