I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

SONG OF SOLOMON 7:8KJV
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Song of Solomon 7:8 (KJV)

What does Song of Solomon 7:8 mean?

Song of Solomon 7:8 uses vivid, poetic language to describe the speaker’s desire and admiration for his beloved. The verse compares her body and fragrance to fruitful trees and vines, expressing longing and delight in her physical beauty.

In this verse, the man is speaking to his beloved woman, using the imagery of a palm tree and clusters of grapes to describe her form and allure. The mention of her “breasts” as “clusters of the vine” and the “smell of thy nose like apples” is part of a larger celebration of love and attraction in the Song of Solomon, where natural imagery is used to communicate affection and sensual appreciation.

The Hebrew behind Song of Solomon 7:8

  • “Palm tree” (תָּמָר, tamar): This word refers to a tall, graceful tree, often a symbol of beauty and fruitfulness in ancient Israel. Comparing the woman to a palm tree highlights her stature and elegance.
  • “Boughs” (סַנְסִנָּה, sansinnah): This word means branches or clusters, emphasizing the idea of abundance and fertility. The speaker’s desire to “take hold” of these boughs is a poetic way of expressing intimacy.
  • “Breasts” (שַׁד, shad): The comparison to “clusters of the vine” (אֶשְׁכּוֹל, eshkol) uses the image of grape clusters to suggest fullness, beauty, and desirability.
  • “Smell” (רֵיחַ, reyach) and “nose” (אַף, aph): The phrase “the smell of thy nose like apples” uses the sense of smell to evoke freshness and sweetness, adding another layer to the sensory imagery.

Why Song of Solomon 7:8 matters

  • This verse helps clarify that the Song of Solomon is filled with sensual, poetic expressions of love, not just abstract or spiritual ideas; it uses the language of the senses to celebrate human affection.
  • The imagery of fruitfulness and fragrance ties the beloved’s beauty to the natural world, showing how ancient love poetry often drew on everyday experiences and surroundings.
  • Understanding the original Hebrew words and their connotations reveals the depth and richness of the metaphors, which might otherwise seem strange or overly bold in a modern context.

Where else these words appear

“apples” Hebrew H8598 · used in 6 verses

  • Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
  • Song of Solomon 2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
  • Song of Solomon 8:5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

“clusters” Hebrew H811 · used in 9 verses

  • Genesis 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
  • Numbers 13:24 The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
  • Song of Solomon 7:7 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

“tree” Hebrew H8558 · used in 12 verses

  • Exodus 15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
  • Deuteronomy 34:3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
  • Nehemiah 8:15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

“breasts” Hebrew H7699 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
  • Song of Solomon 7:7 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
  • Lamentations 4:3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.