Song of Solomon 6:6-9 Meaning: The Constancy of the Beloved's Affection
6Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing, of which every one has twins; not one is bereaved among them.
7Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.
8There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.
9My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed. The queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.
6Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
7As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.
8There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
9My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
6Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes, Which are come up from the washing; Whereof every one hath twins, And none is bereaved among them.
7Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate Behind thy veil.
8There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number.
9My dove, my undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; Yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
6Thy teeth as a row of the lambs, That have come up from the washing, Because all of them are forming twins, And a bereaved one is not among them.
7As the work of the pomegranate is thy temple behind thy veil.
8Sixty are queens, and eighty concubines, And virgins without number.
9One is my dove, my perfect one, One she is of her mother, The choice one she is of her that bare her, Daughters saw, and pronounce her happy, Queens and concubines, and they praise her.
6Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep Which go up from the washing; Which have all borne twins, And none is barren among them.
7As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples Behind thy veil.
8There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number:
9My dove, mine undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother, She is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and they called her blessed; The queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does the lover repeat his praise of the beloved from chapter 4? This shows that true love remains unchanged after difficulty.
Context
These verses belong to a larger scene of renewed courtship. Earlier in the chapter, the Shulammite had been searching for her beloved after a painful separation. Now Solomon approaches her again, and he pours out fresh praise. He repeats words he used before, almost exactly, the same description of teeth, the same image of the pomegranate. This is not a failure of imagination. It is a deliberate choice. The repetition says: my love for you has not changed. You are still beautiful to me, even after what happened between us. The passage moves from physical praise to a grand statement of her uniqueness. Surrounded by many women, queens, concubines, young women without number, she stands alone. She is one, perfect, the only one. And everyone who sees her joins in the praise.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words carry the weight of verse 9. Echad, "one", is used twice. First it is a number: she is one woman among many, but she is the one he chooses. Then it becomes a quality: she is the one and only daughter of her mother, the favorite. The word signals both uniqueness and belonging. Then tam, "perfect" or "complete", describes her soundness, nothing missing. In a world of fractured relationships, to be called whole is a gift. And bar, "pure, sincere", tells us she is chosen not just for what she looks like, but for who she is. These three words together paint a portrait of a beloved who is fully known and fully treasured.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian readers have approached these verses in different ways. Some take the Song as a literal love poem celebrating the union of Solomon and a Shulammite woman, seeing here the king's loyal devotion to one wife despite having many. Others read it as an allegory of Christ's love for the Church: the repeated praise shows that Christ's affection for His people does not falter even when they fail. Jewish tradition has often seen it as God's love for Israel, with the queens and concubines representing other nations, and the Shulammite as the unique chosen people. All these readings honor the central point: there is a love that singles out one as precious above all others.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think the list of queens and concubines (sixty queens, eighty concubines, virgins without number) suggests that Solomon had many wives and this was normal or acceptable. In fact, the passage uses these numbers to create a contrast: though there are many, she is one. The focus is not on the harem but on the beloved's exclusive worth. The numbers are likely a poetic figure for "countless others," not a literal census. The point is that she surpasses them all in her lover's eyes.
Living This Out
This week, you might find yourself comparing your worth to others, at work, in your family, even among other Christians. The lover in this poem does not compare his beloved to other women to rank her among them. He brings them up only to say: you are not one of many. You are my one. That is the kind of love God has for you. You can stop trying to earn your place. You already hold it, fully and uniquely. Let that truth shape how you see yourself, and how you love the people around you.
Main takeaway: True love declares its beloved as one of a kind, and that declaration does not falter with time or trouble.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
The lover in this poem says to his beloved, "You are the only one for me." That means he loves her most of all, even though there are many other people in the world. God loves you like that too.
For ages 9, 12
In this poem, the man has many people around him, but he says the woman he loves is unique, like a dove that stands out. He repeats the same beautiful words he said before, to show that his love hasn't changed. This reminds us that real love is steady. God's love for you does not go away, even when you mess up or feel small.
Questions People Ask
Why does the lover describe the woman's teeth like sheep coming up from washing?
In ancient poetry, this was a compliment. Sheep that have been washed are clean and white. Twins show that nothing is missing, every tooth is in place, none lost. It is a way of saying her smile is perfect and complete.
What does 'my dove, my perfect one' mean?
Dove was a term of endearment, gentle and pure. Perfect one (tam) means complete, whole, with nothing lacking. Together they express tender affection and wholehearted approval.
Are the sixty queens and eighty concubines a real number from Solomon's harem?
Some commentators think so, but others see it as a poetic way of saying 'many others.' The point is contrast: no matter how many others there are, she is the only one for him.
Is Song of Solomon about human marriage or about God's love?
Christians differ on this. Some read it as a literal love poem celebrating marriage. Others see it as an allegory of Christ and the Church, or God and Israel. Both readings can be faithful to Scripture.
Why does he repeat the same description from chapter 4?
The repetition shows that his love has not changed, even after a time of distance. He sees her the same way he always did. This is a powerful sign of faithful love.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study