Song of Solomon 4:10
in Song of Solomon 4How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! Your love is much better than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than all spices.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
How fair is thy love, my sister, my bride! How much better is thy love than wine! And the fragrance of thine oils than all manner of spices!
KJV
How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
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This verse in Song of Solomon 4
Commentary
15 notes on this verseHow much better is thy love - דדיך dodayich; Hebrew. mastoi sou; Septuagint. Ubera tua; Vulgate. “Thy breasts.” And so all the versions, except the Chaldee. Smell of thine ointments - Perfumes.
This site's exposition
You have captured my heart, my sister, my bride
on Song of Solomon 4:9-11
The double name "my sister, my bride" joins the lasting bond of kin to the chosen bond of marriage. One glance and one ornament are enough: "you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your neck". He returns her praise of 1:2.
This site's exposition
How delightful is your love
In 1:3 she praised the fragrance of his perfume, and now he praises hers above all spices. Adam Clarke noted that the Septuagint, the Vulgate and every ancient version except the Chaldee read the word for love as breasts. The two praises answer each other.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Christ, then, feeds his church with these sacraments, by means of which the substance of the soul is strengthened, and seeing the continual progress of her grace, he rightly says to her, "How comely are your breasts, my sister, my spouse, how comely they are made by wine, and the smell of your garments is above all spices. A dropping honeycomb are your lips, my spouse, honey and milk are under your tongue, and the smell of your garments is as the smell of Lebanon. A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed."
The Medieval Church4 voices
How beautiful are your breasts! etc. Just as in the neck, eyes, and teeth, so too in the breasts are understood the teachers of the Church; but this is different in that they are to be regarded with these names either when they speak wisdom …
And the scent of your ointments, etc. The scent of the Church's spiritual ointments is the fame of the gifts; of which it is written: Their voice has gone out unto all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Psalm XVIII). …
Your breasts are more beautiful than wine. At the beginning of this song, this verse has already been explained, where it was said: "Because your breasts are better than wine," and it was understood that these words also demonstrate the beginnings of the evangelical faith …
A commentator
Robert of TombelaineCommentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 4 · Written in the 11th century.
proposed
What is more fittingly understood by the breasts in this place than the very love of God and neighbor, about which we spoke above? Through these the holy mind nourishes all its senses in love, while it is bound to its God by the tenacity …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Robert of TombelaineCommentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 4 · Written in the 11th century.
proposed
What we said above concerning the breasts of the bridegroom, we consider can also be understood here when he speaks of the bride. 'And the fragrance of your ointments is above all spices.' By ointments, indeed, are understood those very virtues which arise from charity. …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
11 ) of the day of his espousals, and, after that, she is called his spouse, not before. Note, There is a marriage-covenant between Christ and his church, between Christ and every true believer. Christ calls his church his spouse, and his calling her so makes her so.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse!....
She ascribes all she had that was valuable in her to him, and depends upon the continued influence of his grace to make her more and more acceptable to him,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
love--Hebrew, "loves"; manifold tokens of thy love. much better--answering to her "better" (So 1:2), but with increased force. An Amoebean pastoral character pervades the Song, like the classic Amoebean idylls and eclogues. wine--The love of His saints is a more reviving cordial to Him than wine; for example, at the feast in Simon's house (Lu 7:36, 47;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
I SHALL NOT, this evening, attempt to prove that the Song of Solomon has a spiritual meaning. I am sure it has. It has been frequently said, and, I believe, has commonly been thought, that this song was originally written by Solomon upon his marriage with Pharaoh’s daughter. Now I am as sure as I am of my own existence, that this is one of the grossest mistakes that ever was committed. There is nothing about Pharaoh’s daughter in it.
I SHALL NOT, this evening, attempt to prove that the Song of Solomon has a spiritual meaning. I am sure it has. It has been frequently said, and, I believe, has commonly been thought, that this song was originally written by Solomon upon his marriage with Pharaoh’s daughter. Now I am as sure as I am of my own existence, that this is one of the grossest mistakes that ever was committed. There is nothing about Pharaoh’s daughter in it. It is, first of all, improbable that it was written of her; and in the next place I will go further, and affirm that it is impossible that it could have been written by Solomon in honor of her. If you look all through the song you will find that this is so; in the first beginning she is compared to a shepherdess. Now all shepherds are abominations to the Egyptians; do you think, therefore, that Solomon would compare an Egyptian princess to the very thing which she abominated. In the next place, all the scenery is in the land of Canaan, none of it in Egypt; and besides that, all the places that Solomon speaks of, such as Engedi, Lebanon, Amana, and Damascus, were all out of the way; not one of them would have been passed in coming out of Egypt into Jerusalem, and very probably the Egyptian princess did not even know there were such places at all, so that if Solomon had wished to praise her he would not have compared her eyes to the fish-ponds of Heshbon, but would have spoken of the sweet waters of the Nile. Besides, it could not have been Pharaoh’s daughter. Did Pharaoh’s daughter ever keep sheep?—and yet the person who is represented here did. Did the watchman ever follow her about the streets, and try to take away her veil from her? Solomon would have shown them something if they had; therefore, that is impossible. In one place, Solomon compares her to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariot.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
How beautiful is your love. Every place where you showed me affection is beautiful in My eyes; Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov, Givon, and the eternal Temple.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
“How beautiful to Me is your love, My sister, Assembly of Israel (who are comparable to a chaste bride).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַה־ | mah- | how! | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יָּפ֥וּ | yafu | they are beautiful | H3302 → | 8 times |
| דֹדַ֖יִךְ | dodayikh | love<s> your | H1730 → | 61 times |
| אֲחֹתִ֣י | ʾachoti | O sister my | H269 → | 114 times |
| כַלָּ֑ה | khalah | bride | H3618 → | 34 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | how! | H4100 → | 752 times |
| טֹּ֤בוּ | tou | they are good | H2895 → | |
| דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙ | dodayikh | love<s> your | H1730 → | 61 times |
| מִיַּ֔יִן | miyayin | more than wine | H3196 → | 141 times |
| וְרֵ֥יחַ | vereiach | and [the] odor of | H7381 → | 58 times |
| שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְ | shemanayikh | oils your | H8081 → | 193 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | more than all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּשָׂמִֽים׃ | besamim | spices | H1314 → | 29 times |
מַה־how!
mah-H4100 →752 times
יָּפ֥וּthey are beautiful
yafuH3302 →8 times
דֹדַ֖יִךְlove<s> your
dodayikhH1730 →61 times
אֲחֹתִ֣יO sister my
ʾachotiH269 →114 times
כַלָּ֑הbride
khalahH3618 →34 times
מַה־how!
mah-H4100 →752 times
טֹּ֤בוּthey are good
touH2895 →
דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙love<s> your
dodayikhH1730 →61 times
מִיַּ֔יִןmore than wine
miyayinH3196 →141 times
וְרֵ֥יחַand [the] odor of
vereiachH7381 →58 times
שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְoils your
shemanayikhH8081 →193 times
מִכָּל־more than all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
בְּשָׂמִֽים׃spices
besamimH1314 →29 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
it leads to
- Colossians 3:12–17
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
- James 3:17–18
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
- Colossians 3:12–17
Through
Philippians 4:18I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Philippians 4:12
I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need.
- 2 Corinthians 9:12
For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.
- Hebrews 13:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Song of Solomon

This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Mysteries 9:55; Bede, Commentary on the Song of Songs; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 282: “Christ's Estimate of His People” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Robert of Tombelaine, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 4.
