Song of Solomon 7:13 · Bible study
Song of Solomon 7:13 Commentary: The Fragrance of Devotion
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What do the mandrakes and stored fruits symbolize? A study of the bride's loving preparation and what it means for our devotion to Christ.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The bride’s loving preparation and invitation to her beloved, expressed through fragrance and stored fruits.
- Key words: Mandrakes (love plants, symbol of desire and fertility), precious fruits (new and old = full variety), stored up (intentional saving).
- Main debate: Whether the mandrakes refer to an aphrodisiac plant or simply a fragrant flower, and whether the poem is literal human love or allegory of Christ and the church.
- Theological theme: Devotion that is intentional, prepared, and generous, giving God the best of what we have, from every season of life.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of wholehearted love for God, or in marriage ministry to celebrate thoughtful affection.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The mandrakes send forth a fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, new as well as old, that I have treasured up for you, my beloved.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The mandrakes produce fragrance. At our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.
KJV King James Version 1769
The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The mandrakes give forth fragrance; And at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old, Which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The mandrakes have given fragrance, And at our openings all pleasant things, New, yea, old, my beloved, I laid up for thee!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The mandrakes yield fragrance; And at our gates are all choice fruits, new and old: I have laid them up for thee, my beloved.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The mandrakes give a smell. In our gates are all fruits: the new and the old, my beloved, I have kept for thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Las mandrágoras han dado olor, y á nuestras puertas hay toda suerte de dulces frutas, nuevas y añejas, que para ti, oh amado mío, he guardado.
As mandrágoras espalham seu perfume, e junto a nossas portas há todo tipo de excelentes frutos, novos e velhos; eu os guardei para ti, meu amado.
Dès le matin nous irons aux vignes,
Die Lilien geben den Geruch, und über unsrer Tür sind allerlei edle Früchte. Mein Freund, ich habe dir beide, heurige und vorjährige, behalten.
De dudaim geven reuk, en aan onze deuren zijn allerlei edele vruchten, nieuwe en oude; o mijn Liefste! die heb ik voor U weggelegd.
(H7-14) Le mandragole mandano profumo, e sulle nostre porte stanno frutti deliziosi d’ogni sorta, nuovi e vecchi, che ho serbati per te, amico mio.
Polne jabłuszka wydały wonność swoję, a przede drzwiami naszemi są wszystkie owoce wdzięczne, nowe i stare, którem tobie, miły mój! zachowała.
поутру пойдем в виноградники, посмотрим, распустилась ли виноградная лоза, раскрылись ли почки, расцвели ли гранатовые яблоки; там я окажу ласки мои тебе.
風茄 放 香，在 我們的門內 有各樣 新 陳 佳美的果子；我的良人，這都是我為你 存留的。
The mandrakes give out a sweet smell, and at our doors are all sorts of good fruits, new and old, which I have kept for my loved one.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse portrays the bride’s loving devotion expressed through natural gifts. The mandrakes, Hebrew dudaim, “love plants”, send out fragrance, and the bride has stored up all kinds of precious fruits, both new and old, for her beloved. Matthew Henry reads it as the church triumphing in her relation to Christ and offering Him the best she has. Gill and others see the mandrakes as symbols of the graces of the Spirit in lively exercise. The Cambridge Bible points out that the phrase “over our doors” suggests shelves above doorways in village houses where fruits were laid up. The bride’s statement “which I have laid up for thee” implies the old fruits were stored, while the new were just ripening, an act of thoughtful, long-term preparation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal human love poem: The bride speaks of her beloved with concrete, earthy images — mandrakes, fruits, doors. No explicit reference to God or covenant. The Song is part of wisdom literature affirming marital love.
- Allegory of Christ and the church: The New Testament uses marriage as a metaphor for Christ and the church (Eph 5:32). The church, as the bride, prepares herself and offers the fruits of the Spirit to Christ. Matthew 13:52 talks about bringing out new and old treasures, which connects to this verse.
- Both literal and allegorical (layered reading): The Song can be read on two levels: a celebration of God-given romantic love, and a picture of the relationship between God and His people. Neither reading excludes the other; both honor Scripture as the inspired Word.
What is clear: The bride expresses devoted love by offering her beloved the best she has, both freshly gathered and carefully saved — a gift of thoughtful, wholehearted preparation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of mandrakes | The Hebrew word <em>dudaim</em> refers to a fragrant plant associated with love (root 'dud'). The plant ripens in May and has a sweet smell. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill citing Pliny) argue that the <em>mandragora officinalis</em> known today has an offensive smell and cannot be the same; others (Dioscorides, Augustine, Mariti) affirm its pleasant fragrance. Some, like Ravius, suggest the word means 'branches' or 'sweet-smelling flowers' rather than mandrakes specifically. |
| Literal vs allegorical reading | Christians have long seen the Song of Songs as illustrating the love between God and His people. | Some traditions (Reformed, medieval) read the entire book as an allegory of Christ and the church. Others (many modern commentators, including the Cambridge Bible) read it as a celebration of human marital love. Both seek to honour Scripture, but they differ on how directly the verse speaks of spiritual devotion vs. romantic affection. |
| Interpretation of 'new and old' fruits | The bride offers both newly ripened fruits and those stored from previous seasons, showing her generosity and thoroughness. | Some, like Matthew Henry, see it as different graces of the Spirit and degrees of faith in believers. Others (e.g., Cambridge Bible) understand it simply as a realistic description: she has kept old fruits and now has new ones as well. There is no consensus on a deeper theological meaning for 'old' vs 'new'. |
| The bride's identity relative to Solomon | The bride is a Shulamite woman (likely from Shunem) who speaks to her beloved. | If the beloved is Solomon, the Cambridge Bible notes a difficulty: she says 'which I have laid up for thee' as if she has been home and able to store fruits for him, yet she was taken away to the palace. Some resolve this by seeing the beloved as a shepherd, not Solomon, the poem then celebrates a faithful love in the face of royal temptation. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The mandrake plant (Mandragora officinalis) grows in the eastern Mediterranean and ripens in May, during wheat harvest. Its fruit is about the size of a small apple, reddish, and has a strong but pleasant scent. Ancient authors like Dioscorides and Augustine describe it as sweet-smelling, though some modern varieties smell offensive. The Hebrew name dudaim comes from a root meaning “to love,” and mandrakes were associated with fertility and desire (Genesis 30:14, 16). In the Song, the fragrance signals the season of love and abundance.
The reference to “all kinds of precious fruits, new and old” reflects a rural custom. The Cambridge Bible suggests that in village houses, fruits were stored on shelves or in cupboards above doorways. The bride has been accumulating choice fruits, perhaps from the family orchard, and now presents them to her beloved as a gift of hospitality and devotion. This fits the broader context of the chapter, where the bride invites her beloved to leave the city and come with her to the countryside (vv. 11, 12). She longs for a simpler setting where she can give herself fully to him, untouched by the complications of court life.
Keil and Delitzsch note that she says “our vineyards” not “my vineyards,” indicating the family vineyards of her home region. The month Ijjar (May) matches the mandrake harvest. The bride’s desire to go early to the vineyards and check the blossoms (v. 12) is a heartfelt gesture: she wants to give her love in the place where nature itself is bursting with new life. The stored fruits are the tangible expression of that love, prepared ahead, saved up, offered freely.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across the major manuscript traditions. The only minor variation is in the translation of the prepositional phrase: 'at our doors' (WEB, KJV) vs 'over our doors' (Cambridge Bible, Keil & Delitzsch). The Hebrew ‘al pithchénu more naturally means 'over our doors' or 'above our doorways,' referring to shelves or hooks above the entrance. This detail does not change the overall sense of the verse.
Reception History
Early church and medieval interpreters read this verse as part of the allegory of Christ and the church. The mandrakes were seen as the fragrant virtues of the saints or the graces of the Holy Spirit. Origen’s commentary on the Song (though fragmentary for this chapter) set a pattern of reading every detail spiritually. The “new and old” fruits were linked to the Old and New Testaments, or to the law and the gospel, a view reflected in Matthew Henry (1710).
Reformation-era commentators like Luther and Calvin treated the Song as a celebration of God’s love for His people, though with more caution about excessive allegorizing. In the 19th century, historical-critical scholars (e.g., the Cambridge Bible, Delitzsch) focused on the literal setting: a rural love poem set in spring. Modern Christian readers often hold both perspectives together, seeing the human love as an image of divine love. The verse is sometimes used in wedding ceremonies, especially the phrase “I have stored up for you,” as a vow of intentional devotion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Fragrance that draws. The mandrakes emit their scent, an invitation. The bride’s love is not passive; it permeates the air, calling the beloved near. In our relationship with God, our devotion should have a similar attractive quality, drawing others (and ourselves) closer to Him.
- Fruit that is prepared. The bride has stored up precious fruits, both new and old. This shows intentionality. She has thought ahead, saving the best for her beloved. Our love for God requires preparation, not spontaneity only, but steady, deliberate offering of time, talents, and treasures.
- The gift of the whole self. New and old together represent the full range of what she has. Nothing is held back. Jesus says a disciple brings out of his treasure things new and old (Matthew 13:52). We are to give God our past (old, mature, learned) and our present (new, fresh, growing).
Five-point outline
- An invitation extended: The bride says “Come, my beloved” (v. 11). She initiates, she welcomes.
- A setting prepared: The mandrakes and fruits create a sensory experience, sight, smell, taste. She has thought of everything.
- A season observed: Springtime, new growth, but also fruits stored from previous seasons. She honours the past while embracing the present.
- An offering made: “Which I have laid up for thee.” She gives credit to herself for the preparation. It is her gift, her labour.
- A love satisfied: The verse ends with her address, “my beloved.” Her devotion is personal and relational, not merely dutiful.
Illustration hooks
- Preparing for a meal: A spouse spends the day cooking a favourite dish, choosing fresh ingredients and also using a treasured family recipe. The love is in the preparation.
- Finishing a craft project: Someone knits a blanket for a friend, using both new yarn and old buttons from their grandmother. Each part tells a story of love stored up over time.
- Planting a garden for a returning loved one: A person plants bulbs in autumn knowing a family member will visit in spring. The flowers are not accidental, they are anticipated gifts.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I am truly laying up treasures for God, or just going through religious motions?
- Is it right to think of Song of Solomon as a picture of Christ and the church, or is that forcing meaning into a human love poem?
- What are the “new and old” things I can offer God in this season of my life?
Leading a Discussion
In this verse, the bride describes a fragrant, fruitful environment and tells her beloved she has stored up every kind of fruit for him, new and old. The language is deeply personal and intentional. As you discuss, reflect on what this reveals about her devotion and how it might shape your own relationship with God.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the bride’s actions in this verse? What does she do, and what does she say she has done?
- The mandrakes are associated with love and fertility in the Old Testament (Genesis 30:14, 16). Why do you think the poet includes them here?
- The bride mentions “new and old” fruits. What might these represent? How does Jesus’s saying about new and old treasures (Matthew 13:52) connect?
- Why does the bride emphasize that she has “stored up” or “laid up” these fruits? What does that tell you about the nature of her love?
- How can you apply the idea of “storing up” to your own walk with God? What would it mean to offer Him both the fresh and the mature parts of your life?
- Some Christians read the Song as an allegory of Christ and the church; others read it as a celebration of human marital love. Which reading speaks to you, and how does it affect how you apply this verse?
- Think of a relationship where you have gone out of your way to prepare something ahead of time for the other person. How did that feel? How does that experience compare to what the bride is expressing here?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 30:14 | Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” |
| Song of Solomon 4:13 | Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits, henna with spikenard plants, |
| Song of Solomon 4:16 | Awake, north wind, and come, you south! Blow on my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and taste his precious fruits. |
| Song of Solomon 5:1 | I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved. |
| Isaiah 23:18 | Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to Yahweh. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before Yahweh, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. |
| Isaiah 60:6 | A multitude of camels will cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. All from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Yahweh. |
| Isaiah 60:7 | All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be accepted as offerings on my altar; and I will beautify my glorious house. |
| Matthew 13:52 | He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the mandrakes emit a scent and that various fresh and old fruits along with many flowers and herbs grow there. He believes the plain meaning of these descriptions differs from how most people understand them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the mandrakes are mentioned here because of their pleasant smell in May rather than as a love potion. It also explains that the phrase over our gates refers to fruit kept on shelves above doorways in village houses.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes sees these words as a description of a bride preparing her home for her lover. She has stored sweet fragrant items both new and old to create a pleasant atmosphere for him. You may find joy in the love of Christ who prepared a place for you in heaven.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the mandrakes as the graces of the Spirit in lively exercise, such as faith, hope, and love, rather than the literal plant. He reads the "pleasant fruits" as the abundant blessings and doctrines of both Old and New Testaments, laid up at the gates for Christ's honor.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes dudaim means love and is used only here and in Genesis 30. The gates refer to the entrance of a summer house. Christians have understood this passage to mean love stores the best things for its beloved.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch note the woman compares early spring visits to the vineyards with waiting through the night. She says she will give her love there along with fragrant mandrakes and preserved fruits.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the "dance of Mahanaim" as a reference to the angelic host that appeared to Jacob, not a literal dance. The ladies of the court call the Shulamite back to behold her angelic beauty and heavenly sublimity, comparing her to that glorious vision.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees this passage as the church speaking in response to Christ’s love. She declares herself his owned possession not her own and says his desire is toward her.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the Hebrew word for mandrakes refers to sweet pleasant flowers from another kind. He also says the various fruits mentioned represent different gifts of the Spirit and levels of grace among believers.