Song of Solomon 7:8

I said, “I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.” May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The male speaker addresses his beloved woman immediately after her stature and breasts were compared to a palm tree and fruit clusters, responding to her physical presence in the moment.

The words — The verse opens with אֶעֱלֶה (e.'e.Leh), meaning “I will climb up,” and אֹֽחֲזָ֖ה ('o.cha.Zah), meaning “I will take hold,” describing the speaker’s intention to reach the palm tree’s fruit-stalks (סַנְסִנּוֹ).

The thread — The climbing and fruit imagery links to the vine and apple metaphors in the surrounding verses, while the scent motif echoes the perfume comparisons in Song of Solomon 1:3 and the fragrance language in 2 Corinthians 2:14.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition of the speaker’s deliberate pursuit and the woman’s sensory appeal, framing physical desire as a concrete action rather than an abstract emotion.

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

אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙'a.Mar.tiI say אֶעֱלֶ֣ה'e.'e.LehI will climb up בְתָמָ֔רve./ta.Maron/ [the] palm tree אֹֽחֲזָ֖ה'o.cha.ZahI will take hold בְּסַנְסִנָּ֑יוbe./san.si.Na/von/ fruit-stalks/ its וְיִֽהְיוּ־ve./yih.yu-and/ may they be נָ֤אna'please שָׁדַ֙יִךְ֙sha.Da.yi/khbreasts/ your כְּאֶשְׁכְּל֣וֹתke./'esh.ke.Lotlike/ [the] clusters of הַגֶּ֔פֶןha./Ge.fen<the>/ vine וְרֵ֥יחַve./Rei.achand/ [the] odor of אַפֵּ֖ךְ'a.Pe/khnose/ your כַּתַּפּוּחִֽים׃ka./ta.pu.Chimlike <the>/ apples

King James Version

I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

Cross-references

John 14:21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
Song of Solomon 1:3 The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.
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 2:5 Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
Song of Solomon 4:16 Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind. Breathe on my garden and spread the fragrance of its spices. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choicest fruits.
Jeremiah 32:41 Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.