What Does Song of Solomon 5:13 Mean?
His cheeks are like beds of balsam, like towers of blended spice; his lips are like lilies, dripping flowing myrrh.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.THE KEY
The lips’ “dropping” of myrrh uses נטף (nataf), meaning “to drip,” the same root that describes speech falling on listeners and prophetic utterance.
THE MEANING
The beloved’s cheeks are pictured as beds of spice and sweet blossoms, while lilies frame lips that let myrrh fall. His nearness reaches through scent and taste as well as sight.
THE ROOT
נֹטְפוֹת
notefot
GROWS FROM
נטף
nataf
To drip, drop, or let fall in drops.
“dripping” in this verse is notefot. The lips are described with the root נטף (nataf), meaning “to drip.” The same root can describe speech dropping upon listeners and prophetic utterance, so the image gives what comes from the mouth a tangible character: here, the fragrance of myrrh.
ALSO GROWS
notef: Dripping; one who drips.
נֹטֵף
This participle makes the root’s action vivid as something actively falling, like the myrrh from the beloved’s lips.
tattifu: Prophesy; literally, let speech drop.
תַּטִּיפוּ
Micah uses this form for prophetic speech, linking the root’s physical drops with words that descend upon their hearers.
THE PATTERN
What flows from the mouth is pictured as substance, carrying its character to those who receive it.
Your lips drip as the honeycomb, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; and the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon.After my words they added nothing, and my speech dripped upon them.If a man walks in breath and falsehood, and lies, saying, I will drip for you of wine and of strong drink, he shall be the prophet for this people.THE THREAD
After my words they added nothing, and my speech dripped upon them.Job uses נטף (nataf), meaning “to drip or drop,” for speech, the same root used here for myrrh falling from the beloved’s lips. The shared root lets speech carry texture and effect, settling on its hearers like fragrance.
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