Bible Strands
Song of Solomon 1:14
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-gedi.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The female speaker addresses her beloved in a moment of intimate appraisal, immediately following her comparison of his scent to a sachet of myrrh. She uses this direct address to shift from describing his fragrance to describing his presence and value.
The words — The phrase אֶשְׁכּוֹל כֹּפֶר ('eshkol kofer) literally translates to "cluster of henna blossoms." The speaker places this cluster within the כַּרְמֵי עֵין גֶּדִי (kharmei 'ein Gedi), or vineyards of En-gedi.
The thread — En-gedi appears in Joshua 15:62 as a listed city and in 1 Samuel 23:29 as a stronghold where David takes refuge. The same speaker immediately shifts to praising the beloved's eyes in Song of Solomon 1:15.
Why it lands — The text states that the beloved's worth is anchored in a specific, fertile landscape rather than abstract praise. It asks the reader to observe how the speaker uses concrete geography and flora to define the beloved's value without resorting to sentimentality.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En–gedi.
Cross-references
- Joshua 15:62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi—six cities, along with their villages.
- 1 Samuel 23:29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.
- Song of Solomon 1:13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
- Song of Solomon 2:3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
- Song of Solomon 4:13 Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard,