What does Song of Solomon 5:14 mean?
"His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires." - Song of Solomon 5:14
The Bible verse Song of Solomon 5:14, from the King James Version (KJV), reads as follows: "His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires." This verse comes from a book of the Old Testament known as the Song of Solomon, also referred to as the Song of Songs. This book is a collection of love poems or songs that celebrate the beauty and passion of romantic love, often using allegorical language to depict the relationship between God and his people, or between Christ and the Church.
In the context of the Song of Solomon, the verse in question is part of a larger passage in which the bride describes her beloved in intimate and symbolic terms. The bride's vivid descriptions of her beloved's physical attributes are meant to convey the depth of her love and admiration for him, and to celebrate the beauty and desirability of romantic love. The use of imagery and symbolism in this passage adds layers of meaning and depth to the bride's expressions of love, creating a rich and evocative portrayal of the power and passion of love.
The specific imagery used in Song of Solomon 5:14 is particularly striking and evocative. The description of the beloved's hands as "gold rings set with the beryl" conjures up an image of hands adorned with precious and beautiful jewels, symbolizing strength, value, and beauty. The reference to the beloved's belly as "bright ivory overlaid with sapphires" further emphasizes his physical splendor and allure, using the symbolism of ivory and sapphires to evoke purity, preciousness, and radiance.
In addition to being a celebration of romantic love, the Song of Solomon as a whole can also be understood as an allegory for the love and devotion between God and his people. Christian theologians have often interpreted the book as a representation of the love between Christ and the Church, with the bride and groom serving as symbols of this divine relationship. In this allegorical reading, the vivid and passionate language used in passages like Song of Solomon 5:14 can be seen as depicting the intensity and beauty of God's love for his people, and the Church's love and longing for Christ.
The use of precious and radiant imagery in Song of Solomon 5:14 also points to broader themes of beauty, purity, and value. The reference to gold, beryl, ivory, and sapphires all evoke images of precious and luxurious materials, symbolizing the preciousness and worth of the beloved. This imagery can be seen as reflecting the deep value and significance of love, as well as the idea that true love is something precious and rare, to be cherished and treasured.
Overall, Song of Solomon 5:14 is a powerful and evocative expression of love, using rich and symbolic imagery to convey the intense beauty and value of the beloved. Whether understood as a celebration of romantic love, or as an allegory for the love between God and his people, this verse and the larger passage in which it appears offer a profound and moving depiction of the power and passion of love. The use of vivid and symbolic language in this verse serves to elevate and enrich the portrayal of love, inviting readers to contemplate the deep significance and beauty of the loving relationship it describes.
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Song of Solomon 5:14 Artwork
Song of Solomon 5:14 - "His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires."
"His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires." - Song of Solomon 5:14
Song of Solomon 5:11
Song of Solomon 1:4
Song of Solomon 1:4
Song of Solomon 5:10 - "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand."
Song of Solomon 1:5 - "I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon."
Song of Solomon 5:11 - "His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven."
Song of Solomon 1:14 - "My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi."
"My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand." - Song of Solomon 5:10
Song of Solomon 5:12 - "His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set."
Song of Solomon 5:4 - "My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him."
Song of Solomon 5:13 - "His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh."
Song of Solomon 2:5 - "Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love."
Song of Solomon 5:15 - "His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars."
Song of Solomon 5:8 - "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love."
Song of Solomon 5:3 - "I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?"
Song of Solomon 8:14 - "¶ Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices."
Song of Solomon 5:16 - "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."
Song of Solomon 4:14 - "Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:"
Song of Solomon 4:5 - "Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies."
Song of Solomon 1:1 - "The song of songs, which is Solomon's."
Song of Solomon 5:5 - "I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock."
Song of Solomon 5:7 - "The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me."
Song of Solomon 5:11 Please follow scripture descriptions of raven black hair and add in an element of royal purple
Song of Solomon 5:11 Please follow scripture descriptions of raven black hair and add in an element of royal purple
Song of Solomon 5:11 Please follow scripture descriptions of raven black hair and add in an element of royal purple
Song of Solomon 5:9 - "¶ What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?"
Song of Solomon 7:5 - "Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries."
"His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven." - Song of Solomon 5:11