Song of Songs 4:10

Song of Songs 4:10 in other versions

• King James Version (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!
• New International Version (NIV)How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice!
• English Standard Version (ESV)How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!
• New King James Version (NKJV)How fair is your love, My sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, And the scent of your perfumes Than all spices!

Context of Song of Songs 4:10

8Come away with me from Lebanon, my [promised] bride, May you come with me from Lebanon. Journey down from the top of Amana, From the summit of Senir and Hermon, From the dens of lions, From the mountains of leopards. 9You have ravished my heart and given me courage, my sister, my [promised] bride; You have ravished my heart and given me courage with a single glance of your eyes, With one jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my [promised] bride! How much better is your love than wine, And the fragrance of your oils Than all kinds of balsam and spices. 11Your lips, my [promised] bride, drip honey [as the honeycomb]; Honey and milk are under your tongue, And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. 12A garden enclosed is my sister, my [promised] bride— A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up.

Song of Songs 4:10 word by word

מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִךְ אֲחֹתִ֣י כַלָּ֑ה מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן וְרֵ֥יחַ שְׁמָנַ֖יִךְ מִכָּל־בְּשָׂמִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• How fairיָפָהyâphâh · be beautifulH3302
• is thy loveדּוֹדdôd dôd · beloved: loveH1730
• my sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
• spouseכַּלָּהkallâh · daughter-in-law: brideH3618
• how much betterטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
• than wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• and the smellרֵיחַrêyach · aromaH7381
• of thine ointmentsשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
• than all spicesבֶּ֫שֶׂםbeώem bôώem · spiceH1314

Commentaries on Song of Songs 4:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10How 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.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-15Verses 8-15 Observe the gracious call Christ gives to the church. It is, 1. A precept; so this is Christ's call to his church to come off from the world. These hills seem pleasant, but there are in them lions' dens; they are mountains of the leopards. 2. As a promise; many shall be brought as members of the church, from every point. The church shall be delivered from her persecutors in due time, though now she dwells among lions, Ps. 57:4. Christ's heart…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-11wine...perfume...honey and milk: The woman is compared to things that are smooth, sweet, and sensual. Her love and their kisses, surrounded by rich fragrances, bring the bridegroom close to ultimate joy.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. 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; Joh 4:32; compare Zec 10:7). smell of ... ointments than all spices--answering to her praise (So…Read the comment
• Rashi on Tanakh · v. 10how much better is your love Every place where you showed Me affection is beautiful in my eyes: Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, Gibeon, and the everlasting Temple. That is what the “Babylonian (poet)” composed: “A resting place and other meeting places”: “resting place” refers to Jerusalem, and “other meeting places” refers to the place where the Shechinah met with Israel.Read the comment

Topics related to Song of Songs 4:10

• Anointing
• Bridegroom
• Ointment

In the dictionaries

• Ethics of Jesus
• Marriage

Commentaries on Song of Songs 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary