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Selected Verse: Song of solomon 7:7 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
So 7:7	Strong Concordance	This thy stature [06967] is like [01819] to a palm tree [08558], and thy breasts [07699] to clusters [0811] of grapes.
	King James	This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
palm tree-- (Psa 92:12). The sure sign of water near (Exo 15:27; Joh 7:38). clusters--not of dates, as MOODY STUART thinks. The parallelism (Sol 7:8), "clusters of the vine," shows it is here clusters of grapes. Vines were often trained (termed "wedded") on other trees.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

palm tree-- (Psa 92:12). The sure sign of water near (Exo 15:27; Joh 7:38).

clusters--not of dates, as MOODY STUART thinks. The parallelism (Sol 7:8), "clusters of the vine," shows it is here clusters of grapes. Vines were often trained (termed "wedded") on other trees.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
When Solomon now looks on the wife of his youth, she stands before him like a palm tree with its splendid leaf-branches, which the Arabians call ucht insn (the sisters of men); and like a vine which climbs up on the wall of the house, and therefore is an emblem of the housewife, Psa 128:3. 7 Thy stature is like the palm tree; And thy breasts clusters. 8 I thought: I will climb the palm, Grasp its branches; And thy breasts shall be to me As clusters of the vine, And the breath of thy nose like apples, Shulamith stands before him. As he surveys her from head to foot, he finds her stature like the stature of a slender, tall date-palm, and her breasts like the clusters of sweet fruit, into which, in due season its blossoms are ripened. That קומתך (thy stature) is not thought of as height apart from the person, but as along with the person (cf. Eze 13:18), scarcely needs to be remarked. The palm derives its name, tāmār, from its slender stem rising upwards (vid., under Isa 17:9; Isa 61:6). This name is specially given to the Phoenix dactylifera, which is indigenous from Egypt to India, and which is principally cultivated (vid., under Gen 14:7), the female flowers of which, set in panicles, develope into large clusters of juicy sweet fruit. These dark-brown or golden-yellow clusters, which crown the summit of the stem and impart a wonderful beauty to the appearance of the palm, especially when seen in the evening twilight, are here called אשׁוכלות (connecting form at Deu 32:32), as by the Arabians 'ithkal, plur. 'ithakyl (botri dactylorum). The perf. דּמתה signifies aequata est = aequa est; for דּמה, R. דם, means, to make or to become plain, smooth, even. The perf. אמרתּי, on the other hand, will be meant retrospectively. As an expression of that which he just now purposed to do, it would be useless; and thus to notify with emphasis anything beforehand is unnatural and contrary to good taste and custom. But looking back, he can say that in view of this august attractive beauty the one thought filled him, to secure possession of her and of the enjoyment which she promised; as one climbs (עלה with בּ, as Psa 24:3) a palm tree and seizes (אחז, fut. אחז, and אאחז with בּ, as at Job 23:11) its branches (סנסנּים, so called, as it appears, (Note: Also that סנסן is perhaps equivalent to סלסל (זלזל, תלתל), to wave hither and thither, comes here to view.) after the feather-like pointed leaves proceeding from the mid-rib on both sides), in order to break off the fulness of the sweet fruit under its leaves. As the cypress (sarwat), so also the palm is with the Moslem poets the figure of a loved one, and with the mystics, of God; (Note: Vid., Hfiz, ed. Brockhaus, II p. 46.) and accordingly the idea of possession is here particularly intended. ויהיוּ־נא denotes what he then thought and aimed at. Instead of בּתּמר, Sol 7:9, the punctuation בּתּמר is undoubtedly to be preferred. The figure of the palm tree terminates with the words, "will grasp its branches." It was adequate in relation to stature, but less so in relation to the breasts; for dates are of a long oval form, and have a stony kernel. Therefore the figure departs from the date clusters to that of grape clusters, which are more appropriate, as they swell and become round and elastic the more they ripen. The breath of the nose, which is called אף, from breathing hard, is that of the air breathed, going in and out through it; for, as a rule, a man breathes through his nostrils with closed mouth. Apples present themselves the more naturally for comparison, that the apple has the name תּפּוּח (from נפח, after the form תּמכוּף), from the fragrance which it exhales.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

When Solomon now looks on the wife of his youth, she stands before him like a palm tree with its splendid leaf-branches, which the Arabians call ucht insn (the sisters of men); and like a vine which climbs up on the wall of the house, and therefore is an emblem of the housewife, Psa 128:3.

7 Thy stature is like the palm tree;

And thy breasts clusters.

8 I thought: I will climb the palm,

Grasp its branches;

And thy breasts shall be to me

As clusters of the vine,

And the breath of thy nose like apples,

Shulamith stands before him. As he surveys her from head to foot, he finds her stature like the stature of a slender, tall date-palm, and her breasts like the clusters of sweet fruit, into which, in due season its blossoms are ripened. That קומתך (thy stature) is not thought of as height apart from the person, but as along with the person (cf. Eze 13:18), scarcely needs to be remarked. The palm derives its name, tāmār, from its slender stem rising upwards (vid., under Isa 17:9; Isa 61:6). This name is specially given to the Phoenix dactylifera, which is indigenous from Egypt to India, and which is principally cultivated (vid., under Gen 14:7), the female flowers of which, set in panicles, develope into large clusters of juicy sweet fruit. These dark-brown or golden-yellow clusters, which crown the summit of the stem and impart a wonderful beauty to the appearance of the palm, especially when seen in the evening twilight, are here called אשׁוכלות (connecting form at Deu 32:32), as by the Arabians 'ithkal, plur. 'ithakyl (botri dactylorum). The perf. דּמתה signifies aequata est = aequa est; for דּמה, R. דם, means, to make or to become plain, smooth, even. The perf. אמרתּי, on the other hand, will be meant retrospectively. As an expression of that which he just now purposed to do, it would be useless; and thus to notify with emphasis anything beforehand is unnatural and contrary to good taste and custom. But looking back, he can say that in view of this august attractive beauty the one thought filled him, to secure possession of her and of the enjoyment which she promised; as one climbs (עלה with בּ, as Psa 24:3) a palm tree and seizes (אחז, fut. אחז, and אאחז with בּ, as at Job 23:11) its branches (סנסנּים, so called, as it appears,

(Note: Also that סנסן is perhaps equivalent to סלסל (זלזל, תלתל), to wave hither and thither, comes here to view.)

after the feather-like pointed leaves proceeding from the mid-rib on both sides), in order to break off the fulness of the sweet fruit under its leaves. As the cypress (sarwat), so also the palm is with the Moslem poets the figure of a loved one, and with the mystics, of God;

(Note: Vid., Hfiz, ed. Brockhaus, II p. 46.)

and accordingly the idea of possession is here particularly intended. ויהיוּ־נא denotes what he then thought and aimed at. Instead of בּתּמר, Sol 7:9, the punctuation בּתּמר is undoubtedly to be preferred. The figure of the palm tree terminates with the words, "will grasp its branches." It was adequate in relation to stature, but less so in relation to the breasts; for dates are of a long oval form, and have a stony kernel. Therefore the figure departs from the date clusters to that of grape clusters, which are more appropriate, as they swell and become round and elastic the more they ripen. The breath of the nose, which is called אף, from breathing hard, is that of the air breathed, going in and out through it; for, as a rule, a man breathes through his nostrils with closed mouth. Apples present themselves the more naturally for comparison, that the apple has the name תּפּוּח (from נפח, after the form תּמכוּף), from the fragrance which it exhales.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Palm - tree - Tall and strait, or upright. And he seems to mention the palm - tree, rather than any other, because it is constantly green and flourishing, and grows upward in spite of all pressures.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Like to a palm tree - Which is remarkably straight, taper, and elegant. And thy breasts to clusters of grapes - Dates are the fruit of the palm tree; they grow in clusters; and it is these, not grapes, which are intended.

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⁸ I said [0559], I will go up [05927] to the palm tree [08558], I will take hold [0270] of the boughs [05577] thereof: now also thy breasts [07699] shall be as clusters [0811] of the vine [01612], and the smell [07381] of thy nose [0639] like apples [08598];

³⁸ He that believeth [4100] on [1519] me [1691], as [2531] the scripture [1124] hath said [2036], out of [1537] his [846] belly [2836] shall flow [4482] rivers [4215] of living [2198] water [5204].

²⁷ And they came [0935] to Elim [0362], where were twelve [08147] [06240] wells [05869] of water [04325], and threescore and ten [07657] palm trees [08558]: and they encamped [02583] there by the waters [04325].

¹² The righteous [06662] shall flourish [06524] like the palm tree [08558]: he shall grow [07685] like a cedar [0730] in Lebanon [03844].

⁹ And the roof of thy mouth [02441] like the best [02896] wine [03196] for my beloved [01730], that goeth [01980] down sweetly [04339], causing the lips [08193] of those that are asleep [03463] to speak [01680].

¹¹ My foot [07272] hath held [0270] his steps [0838], his way [01870] have I kept [08104], and not declined [05186].

³ Who shall ascend [05927] into the hill [02022] of the LORD [03068]? or who shall stand [06965] in his holy [06944] place [04725]?

³² For their vine [01612] is of the vine [01612] of Sodom [05467], and of the fields [07709] of Gomorrah [06017]: their grapes [06025] are grapes [06025] of gall [07219], their clusters [0811] are bitter [04846]:

⁷ And they returned [07725], and came [0935] to [0413] Enmishpat [05880], which is Kadesh [06946], and smote [05221] all the country [07704] of the Amalekites [06003], and also the Amorites [0567], that dwelt [03427] in Hazezontamar [02688].

⁶ But ye shall be named [07121] the Priests [03548] of the LORD [03068]: men shall call [0559] you the Ministers [08334] of our God [0430]: ye shall eat [0398] the riches [02428] of the Gentiles [01471], and in their glory [03519] shall ye boast [03235] yourselves.

⁹ In that day [03117] shall his strong [04581] cities [05892] be as a forsaken [05800] bough [02793], and an uppermost branch [0534], which they left [05800] because [06440] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478]: and there shall be desolation [08077].

¹⁸ And say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Woe [01945] to the women that sew [08609] pillows [03704] to all armholes [0679] [03027], and make [06213] kerchiefs [04555] upon the head [07218] of every stature [06967] to hunt [06679] souls [05315]! Will ye hunt [06679] the souls [05315] of my people [05971], and will ye save [02421] the souls [05315] alive [02421] that come unto you?

³ Thy wife [0802] shall be as a fruitful [06509] vine [01612] by the sides [03411] of thine house [01004]: thy children [01121] like olive [02132] plants [08363] round about [05439] thy table [07979].