Song of Solomon 8:7 (KJV)

What does Song of Solomon 8:7 mean?

Song of Solomon 8:7 describes how true love is so strong that nothing can destroy it—not even overwhelming forces like many waters or floods. The verse also says that love cannot be bought or traded for any amount of wealth; if someone tried, their offer would be rejected with scorn.

In the Song of Solomon, the woman is speaking about the power and value of love, likely to her beloved or to those around her. The setting is a poetic celebration of romantic love, using vivid images from nature and daily life. The verse emphasizes that genuine love is enduring, priceless, and cannot be overcome or replaced by material things.

The Hebrew behind Song of Solomon 8:7

• "waters" (מַיִם, mayim): This word often refers to large, potentially dangerous bodies of water. Here, it highlights the idea of overwhelming challenges or forces that cannot extinguish love.
• "quench" (כָּבָה, kavah): This verb means to put out or extinguish, like putting out a fire. The image suggests that love burns like a flame that cannot be put out by even the greatest obstacles.
• "love" (אַהֲבָה, ahavah): The word used here is the broad Hebrew term for love, covering deep affection and commitment, not just fleeting feelings.
• "utterly...contemned" (בּוּז, buz): This word means to despise or treat with contempt. The verse says that trying to buy love would not just fail, but would be looked down on as shameful.

Why Song of Solomon 8:7 matters

• Song of Solomon 8:7 clears up the idea that love can be controlled, bought, or bargained for; it insists that real love is beyond price and cannot be manipulated.
• The verse uses dramatic natural images to stress the lasting, unbreakable nature of true love, connecting to the book’s larger theme of love’s power and beauty.
• This verse helps the reader see that the love described in Song of Solomon is not just emotional or physical, but deeply committed and enduring, setting a high standard for what love means.