Bible Strands
Song of Solomon 4:14
with nard and saffron, with calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of frankincense tree, with myrrh and aloes, with all the finest spices.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The speaker addresses the beloved, cataloging the fragrant plants that constitute her described garden.
The words — נֵ֣רֶד (nered) means nard, and קִנָּמֹן (qinnamôn) means cinnamon. The text lists these aromatics alongside saffron, calamus, frankincense, myrrh, and aloes.
The thread — Exodus 30:23 lists myrrh and cinnamon for sacred oil. Song 3:6 and 4:6 reference myrrh and frankincense in garden and mountain imagery.
Why it lands — The text catalogs valuable spices to portray the beloved’s richness and fragrance, demanding the reader observe the concrete details of the garden metaphor rather than abstracting the imagery.
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
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:
Cross-references
- Exodus 30:23 “Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,
- Song of Solomon 4:6 Before the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will make my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
- Song of Solomon 3:6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?
- Song of Solomon 6:2 My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens and to gather lilies.
- Proverbs 7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
- Song of Solomon 1:12 While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
- Ezekiel 27:19 and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were exchanged for your merchandise.
- Genesis 43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
- Numbers 24:6 They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters.
- 1 Kings 10:10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again were spices in such abundance brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.