LOVE IS AS STRONG AS DEATH

Passage: Song of Songs 8:5-14

Key verse: 6,7

NIV

Friends

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness(A)
    leaning on her beloved?

She

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived(B) you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love(C) is as strong as death,
    its jealousy[a](D) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it[c] would be utterly scorned.(E)

Friends

8 We have a little sister,
    and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
    we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
    we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

She

10 I am a wall,
    and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
    like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard(F) in Baal Hamon;
    he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
    a thousand shekels[d](G) of silver.
12 But my own vineyard(H) is mine to give;
    the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
    and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.

He

13 You who dwell in the gardens
    with friends in attendance,
    let me hear your voice!

She

14 Come away, my beloved,
    and be like a gazelle(I)
or like a young stag(J)
    on the spice-laden mountains.(K)

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Footnotes
  1. Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
  2. Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
  3. Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
  4. Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
  5. Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

5 (A)Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
    leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
    there she who bore you was in labor.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as (B)a seal upon your arm,
for (C)love is strong as death,
    (D)jealousy[a] is fierce as the grave.[b]
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very (E)flame of the Lord.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
    all the wealth of his (F)house,
    he[c] would be utterly despised.

Final Advice

Others

8 We have a little sister,
    and she (G)has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
    on the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
    we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
    we will enclose her with (H)boards of cedar.

She

10 (I)I was a wall,
    and my (J)breasts were like towers;
then I was in his eyes
    as one who finds[d] peace.

11 Solomon had (K)a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
    he (L)let out the vineyard to (M)keepers;
    each one was to bring for its fruit (N)a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me;
    you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
    and (O)the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

13 (P)O you who dwell in the gardens,
    with (Q)companions listening for your voice;
    (R)let me hear it.

She

14 (S)Make haste, my beloved,
    and be (T)like a gazelle
or a young stag
    on (U)the mountains of spices.

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Footnotes
  1. Song of Solomon 8:6 Or ardor
  2. Song of Solomon 8:6 Hebrew as Sheol
  3. Song of Solomon 8:7 Or it
  4. Song of Solomon 8:10 Or brings out
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Love is as strong as death (5-6)

God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son to die for the sins of the world. Whoever accepts his gift of love has eternal life (Jn 3:16). He draws us to himself with cords of everlasting love. When death calls, then we must go. When we hear God's voice of love, we are inextricably drawn to him. Jealousy is evil if it is a human denial of God's sovereignty. But when it is God's jealousy for his people, it is the evidence of his love and it is the mark of his rightful claim of possession.

2. Many waters cannot quench love (7-14)

Love cannot be quenched by many waters. And no one can buy love. Even Solomon, who had enough wealth to buy many wives and concubines, did not have enough wealth to buy love (7). Love must be freely given (12).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love for me which is stronger than death. My love is small, but I want to give it to you. Kindle it daily at the fire of your love.

One Word: Love is as strong as death