Song of Solomon 8:2
in Song of Solomon 8I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, Who would instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.
KJV
I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.
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This verse in Song of Solomon 8
Commentary
18 notes on this verseWould - bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me - She would teach me how to conduct myself towards thee, as she would how to nurse a young child. To drink of spiced wine - Wine rendered peculiarly strong and invigorating. The bride and bridegroom on the wedding day both drank out of the same cup, to show that they were to enjoy and equally bear together the comforts and adversities of life.
This site's exposition
O that you were to me like a brother
on Song of Solomon 8:1-4
She wishes he were like a brother, whom she could kiss outdoors and bring openly to her mother's house, as at 3:4. The fourth and last charge to the daughters falls here (2:7, 3:5, 5:8, 8:4): "Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right".
This site's exposition
the nectar of my pomegranates
Adam Clarke took the mother who taught me as the one who would show her how to behave. He tied the wine to a wedding custom, bride and bridegroom drinking from one cup to share the comforts and hardships. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown heard the marriage cup of Christ's return.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanCONSOLATION ON THE DEATH OF EMPEROR VALENTINIAN 75 · Written before 397.
proposed
What are the breasts of the church except the sacrament of baptism? And well does he say "sucking," as if the baptized were seeking him as a draught of snowy milk. "Finding you without," he says, "I shall kiss you," that is, finding you outside the body, I embrace you with the kiss of mystical peace. No one shall despise you; no one shall shut you out. I will introduce you into the inner sanctuary and hidden places of Mother Church, and into all the secrets of mystery, so that you may drink the cup of spiritual grace.
Therefore she interceded so that he would go forth from the bosom of the Father, go out of doors like the bridegroom coming out from his chamber, and run his course. She interceded, too, that he would win those who were weak, would not linger on the distant throne of the Father and in that light, for those without strength cannot follow there. Instead he would be taken up and led into the dwelling of the bride and her chamber, that he would be out of doors for her but within for us, would be in our midst, even though unseen by us.
The church answers unto [God the Word], "Who will give you to me, my brother, you who did suck the breasts of my mother? If I find you outside I will kiss you, and indeed they will not despise me. I will take you, and bring you into the house of my mother; and into the secret chamber of her who conceived me. You shall teach me." You see how, delighted with the gifts of grace, she longs to attain to the innermost mysteries and to consecrate all her affections to Christ. She still seeks, she still stirs up his love, and asks of the daughters of Jerusalem to stir it up for her, and desires that by their beauty, which is that of faithful souls, her spouse may be incited to ever richer love for her.
"I will take you up and lead you in." It is right to take up the Word of God and lead him in, because he knocks at the soul, that the door may be opened to him, and, unless he finds the door opened to him, he does not enter. But if anyone opens the door, he enters and dines. The bride takes up the Word in such a way that she is taught in the taking up.
Again, referring to the wine mingled with myrrh, the Canticle says, "I will give you a cup of spiced wine."
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
"I shall lead you into my mother's house and into the chamber of the one who conceived me." Now, what is the house of the all-holy Spirit (of whom the bride was born, after all) if not the divine temple, which resembles the Jerusalem on …
Neither hold back the maidens of whom it is written, "Thus have the maidens loved you, and they have brought you into the house of their mother." You may not, then, separate the little ones from the love of Christ whom they proclaimed with prophetic exaltation even from their mother's womb.
The Medieval Church4 voices
A commentator
Robert of TombelaineCommentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 8 · Written in the 11th century.
proposed
She leads the one she has seized into the house of her mother, because the Synagogue at the end of the world will preach Christ, in whom she believes; and when he has been received through the preaching of the Church, there he will teach …
I will apprehend thee, etc. But thus the Synagogue speaks, as Paul says, We who live, who are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep (1 Thess. IV). He, though knowing certainly that he could not endure …
There you will teach me, etc. There you will teach me, in the very substance of flesh, in which I will find you outwardly and kiss you; there you will give me the precepts of your Gospel, which the prophets, the law, and the psalms …
And I will give you a cup of spiced wine, etc. The Church gives a cup of wine to the Lord when, having received His benefits, it returns great and fervent gratitude of love, and the wine itself is not pure, but seasoned as if …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
4 ), into my closet" (for there the saints have most familiar communion with Christ), "and there thou wouldst instruct me " (so some read it), as brethren inform their sisters of what they desire to be instructed in. Those that know Christ shall be taught of him; and therefore we should desire communion with Christ that we may receive instruction from him.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
I would lead thee, and bring, thee into mother's house,.... The general assembly and church of the firstborn is mother to the church visible, to particular churches and believers, where they are born, educated, and brought up; for which they have a great affection, as persons usually have for the place of their nativity and education.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Jesus Christ ought to have our choicest gifts. Spices are never introduced in the song in His absence; therefore the time of His return from "the mountain of spices" (So 8:14) is contemplated. The cup of betrothal was given by Him at the last supper; the cup or marriage shall be presented by her at His return (Mt 26:29).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Who would instruct me - Or, thou shouldest teach me Isa 54:13. Some allegorists make the whole passage Cant. 7:11–8:2 a prayer of the synagogue for the Incarnation of the Word, like Son 1:2 (see note). Others, a prayer of the Church under both covenants for that complete union with the Incarnate Godhead which is still future.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶנְהָֽגֲךָ֗ | ʾenhagakha | I will lead you | H5090 → | |
| אֲבִֽיאֲךָ֛ | ʾaviakha | I will bring you | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּ֥ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אִמִּ֖י | ʾimi | mother my | H517 → | 220 times |
| תְּלַמְּדֵ֑נִי | telamedeni | [who] she taught me | H3925 → | |
| אַשְׁקְךָ֙ | ʾashkecha | I will give to drink you | H8248 → | |
| מִיַּ֣יִן | miyayin | some of [the] wine of | H3196 → | 141 times |
| הָרֶ֔קַח | harekach | <the> spice | H7544 → | |
| מֵעֲסִ֖יס | measis | some of [the] juice of | H6071 → | |
| רִמֹּנִֽי׃ | rimoni | pomegranate my | H7416 → | 32 times |
אֶנְהָֽגֲךָ֗I will lead you
ʾenhagakhaH5090 →
אֲבִֽיאֲךָ֛I will bring you
ʾaviakhaH935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּ֥ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
אִמִּ֖יmother my
ʾimiH517 →220 times
תְּלַמְּדֵ֑נִי[who] she taught me
telamedeniH3925 →
אַשְׁקְךָ֙I will give to drink you
ʾashkechaH8248 →
מִיַּ֣יִןsome of [the] wine of
miyayinH3196 →141 times
הָרֶ֔קַח<the> spice
harekachH7544 →
מֵעֲסִ֖יסsome of [the] juice of
measisH6071 →
רִמֹּנִֽי׃pomegranate my
rimoniH7416 →32 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
John 5:39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
it leads to
- Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
- Luke 24:44
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets,…
- 2 Peter 1:19–21
We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day…
- Acts 26:22–23
But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:
- Proverbs 8:33–34
Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.
- Luke 24:27
Through
Galatians 4:26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:22
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
- Revelation 21:2
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
- Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
- Hebrews 12:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this chapter
About Song of Solomon
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, CONSOLATION ON THE DEATH OF EMPEROR VALENTINIAN 75; Ambrose of Milan, On Isaac and the Soul 8.69; Ambrose of Milan, On the Mysteries 7:40; Ambrose of Milan, On Isaac and the Soul 8.71; Ambrose of Milan, Concerning Virginity 7:41; Bede, Commentary on the Song of Songs; Cyril of Jerusalem, SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 11; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Robert of Tombelaine, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 8 and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS 8.