Song of Solomon 2:5 Commentary: Faint with Love, Strength in Longing

The verse follows the bride's entry into "the house of wine" (Song 2:4), a banquet setting where love is the banner. Into this scene of celebration, she cries out for simple, substantial food. Her request draws on the agricultural world of ancient Israel. Raisin-cakes (אֲשִׁישׁוֹת) were pressed cakes of dried grapes, a common food for travelers and gifts; David distributed them at the ark's procession (2 Samuel 6:19). They were sustaining, portable, and naturally sweet. The apple (תַּפּוּחַ) is likely a generic term for a fragrant fruit, apricot, quince, or citron, prized for its scent and taste. Ellicott notes that the apricot flourishes in the land, with golden fruit and perfume.

The verbs are in the plural, suggesting she addresses the "daughters of Jerusalem" or her attendants, not the beloved directly. This communal support fits the public, festive context. The Piel form intensifies the action: she needs more than a light snack, she needs to be propped up.

The "sickness" of love was a recognized motif in ancient Near Eastern poetry. The bride's condition echoes the love-sickness of Tamar (2 Samuel 13:2), though her context is joyful, not tragic. The KJV translation "flagons" followed rabbinic interpretations (Ibn Ezra) that understood אֲשִׁישָׁה as wine vessels, but modern lexicons connect it to the root אשׁשׁ ("to establish"), giving "raisin-cakes." The LXX and Vulgate read differently (with myrrh, with flowers), showing early translators also puzzled over the word. The verse thus captures a tension: a wealthy banquet hall, yet the bride asks not for wine but for raisins and apples, the simple fruit of the land and of love.

Whether read as human romance or the soul’s pursuit of God, this verse acknowledges that love, real, deep love, can bring us to our knees. It invites us to ask for help, to seek refreshment, until we can stand again in the presence of the one we love.

The Hebrew text of this verse is stable across manuscripts, with no significant variants. The main textual difficulty lies in the translation of אֲשִׁישָׁה (ashishah). The KJV's 'flagons' followed the rabbinic tradition (Ibn Ezra) that understood it as wine vessels, but modern scholarship connects it to the root אשׁשׁ 'to establish,' thus 'raisin-cakes' (so Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible). The LXX translates ἐν μύροις (with myrrh) and Vulgate has floribus (with flowers), indicating different interpretations in early versions.

Jewish tradition, represented in the Targum, interpreted the Song as an allegory of God's love for Israel. Early Christian writers such as Origen and later Bernard of Clairvaux read it as Christ and the Church or the soul. This verse, with its cry of being overmastered by love, became a locus for contemplative longing. The Reformers, including Luther, maintained an allegorical interpretation. In modern times, historical-critical scholars (e.g., Delitzsch) have emphasized the literal human love context, though they also recognize the poem's inclusion in the canon for its portrayal of God-given love. The verse has inspired hymns about the soul's longing for Christ, and it continues to console those who feel weak with love, love for God or for their spouse.

Three-point outline

1. The Cry of Overwhelming Love: The bride confesses she is faint with love, her heart is too full to bear. Love, whether human or divine, is not a tame emotion but a powerful force that shakes us physically and emotionally.
2. The Need for Simple Sustenance: She asks for raisin-cakes and apples, basic, natural foods. In moments of spiritual or emotional exhaustion, God often meets us through ordinary means: Scripture, prayer, fellowship, the Eucharist.
3. The Community of Support: The plural verbs indicate others are present to help. The Christian life is not lived alone; we are called to strengthen one another when love has drained us.

Five-point outline

1. The Setting, a wine house (v.4), a place of joy and abundance.
2. The Complaint, faint with love, the physical and emotional toll of deep love.
3. The Request, strengthen with raisin-cakes, refresh with apples: a plea for practical, tangible help.
4. The Response, his left hand under her head (v.6): the beloved’s embrace as the ultimate refreshment.
5. The Admonition, do not stir up love until it pleases (v.7): the sacred timing of love.

Illustration hooks

• A long-distance spouse receiving a care package from the loved one.
• A new parent exhausted by love for their child, yet unable to get enough.
• A soul on a spiritual retreat, overwhelmed by God’s presence, needing rest and prayer.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Is it wrong to feel emotionally weak because of love for God?
• How do we find refreshment when we are spiritually exhausted?
• What role does the church community play in supporting those overwhelmed by life or faith?

This verse captures a moment of intense vulnerability. The speaker is so overcome with love that she feels physically ill. This opens up questions about the nature of genuine love, whether for a spouse or for God, and how we respond when love consumes us. Read the verse aloud, then consider the questions below.

Discussion questions

1. Observation: What specific items does the speaker request? Why do you think she asks for these particular foods?
2. Observation: The phrase "faint with love" appears. What does this tell you about the condition of the speaker?
3. Interpretation: Some commentators say the "sickness" comes from longing (Cambridge Bible), others from excess of joy (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Keil & Delitzsch). Which view resonates more with your experience of love?
4. Interpretation: In the context of the poem, the bride is in a wine house (v.4). How does that setting affect the meaning of her request?
5. Interpretation: The verbs for "strengthen" and "refresh" are intensive in Hebrew. What does that convey about her need?
6. Application: Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by love, for a person, for God, that you needed support? What helped you?
7. Application: How can we, as a community, "strengthen with raisins" and "refresh with apples" for one another? Think of practical, everyday acts of support.