Song of Solomon 8:5 · Bible study
Song of Solomon 8:5 Commentary: Study: Coming from the Wilderness
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegetical study of Song of Solomon 8:5, exploring the identity of the speaker, the significance of the apple tree, and the reference to the mother's labor.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The bride emerges from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved, who recalls awakening her love under an apple tree, the place of her origin and first love.
- Key words: Wilderness (H4057, open pastureland), leaning (H7514, to support oneself), apple tree (H8598, probably apricot), raised/awakened (H5782, polel: to arouse), was in labor (H2254, to travail).
- Main debate: Whether the bride or the bridegroom speaks the second half, turning on Hebrew vowel pointing (masculine or feminine suffixes).
- Theological theme: Redemption from barrenness, intimacy with Christ, the place of initial grace, and the cost of spiritual birth.
- Best use: Preaching on dependence on Christ, the memory of salvation, or the mysterious interplay of divine and human love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Beloved Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee: There thy mother was in travail with thee, There was she in travail that brought thee forth.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Who is this coming from the wilderness, Hasting herself for her beloved? Under the citron-tree I have waked thee, There did thy mother pledge thee, There she gave a pledge that bare thee.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awoke thee under the apple-tree: There thy mother brought thee forth; There she brought thee forth [that] bore thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who is this that cometh up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I raised thee up: there thy mother was corrupted, there she was defloured that bore thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ Quién es ésta que sube del desierto, recostada sobre su amado? Debajo de un manzano te desperté: allí tuvo tu madre dolores, allí tuvo dolores la que te parió.
Outras pessoas : Quem é esta, que sobe da terra desabitada, reclinada sobre seu amado? Ela : Debaixo de uma macieira te despertei; ali tua mãe te fez nascer com dores; ali te fez nascer aquela que te gerou.
Qui est celle qui monte du désert,
Wer ist die, die heraufsteigt von der Wüste und lehnt sich auf ihren Freund? Unter dem Apfelbaum weckte ich dich; da ist dein genesen deine Mutter, da ist dein genesen, die dich geboren hat.
Wie is zij, die daar opklimt uit de woestijn, en liefelijk leunt op haar Liefste? Onder den appelboom heb ik u opgewekt, daar heeft u uw moeder met smart voortgebracht, daar heeft zij u met smart voortgebracht, die u gebaard heeft.
Chi è colei che sale dal deserto appoggiata all’amico suo? Io t’ho svegliata sotto il melo, dove tua madre t’ha partorito, dove quella che t’ha partorito, s’è sgravata di te.
Któraż to jest, co występuje z puszczy, podparłszy się miłego swego? Pod jabłonią wzbudziłam cię, tam cię poczęła matka twoja, tam cię poczęła rodzicielka twoja.
Кто это восходит от пустыни, опираясь на своего возлюбленного? Под яблоней разбудила я тебя: там родила тебя мать твоя, там родила тебя родительница твоя.
那 靠著 良人 從 曠野 上來的 是誰呢？我在蘋果樹 下 叫醒你。你母親 在那裡 為你劬勞；生養你的 在那裡 為你劬勞。
Who is this, who comes up from the waste places, resting on her loved one? It was I who made you awake under the apple-tree, where your mother gave you birth; there she was in pain at your birth.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Song of Solomon 8:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Song 8:5 depicts the bride returning from the uncultivated countryside, leaning on her beloved. The first half is likely spoken by the daughters of Jerusalem (or a chorus), expressing wonder at the intimate sight. The second half recalls a specific location, a fruit tree, that holds personal significance for the couple. The reference to the mother's labor places the scene at or near the bride's birthplace. Opinions diverge on who speaks the second half: the Masoretic tradition assigns the masculine pronouns 'I aroused you' to the bride, while many Christian fathers and most modern commentators assign them to the bridegroom (Barnes, Cambridge Bible). The apple tree itself echoes Song 2:3, where the beloved is compared to an apple tree, and likely symbolizes the place where love was first awakened.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Bride speaks: Masoretic vowel pointing assigns masculine suffixes, implying the bride addresses her beloved.
- Bridegroom speaks: Syriac and many church fathers read feminine suffixes; also fits the context of the bridegroom pointing out places to her.
- Narrator speaks: The phrase could be an authorial aside, though this is less common in the poetic structure.
What is clear: The scene pictures a woman coming from open country, physically supported by her beloved, and the second half recalls a significant past encounter under a fruit tree tied to her birthplace.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker of the second half (vs. 5b) | The words 'Under the apple tree I awakened you' refer to a meaningful past encounter between the lovers. | The Masoretic tradition assigns the speech to the bride (feminine suffixes changed by vowel pointing), while most Christian fathers and modern commentators (Barnes, Keil) assign it to the bridegroom. The consonantal text permits either reading. |
| The wilderness imagery | The wilderness represents a place of barrenness or transition, not a permanent home. | Some see it as the literal pastureland around the bride's village (Cambridge); others as a symbol of the sinful world or spiritual desolation (Gill, Matthew Henry). Both readings engage the same text. |
| Apple tree significance | The apple tree is a symbol of shade, fruit, and intimacy, echoing Song 2:3. | Catholic tradition (Douay-Rheims) connects it to the Tree of the Fall; Protestant commentators typically see it as the site of first love or conversion (Clarke, Wesley). The tree may also evoke the cross in some allegorical readings. |
| Reference to the mother's labor | The phrase ties the love story to the bride's physical origin, her birthplace and birth-crisis. | Some read it as literal geography and family history (Cambridge). Others allegorize it to the labor of the Church or of Eve (Clarke). The Jewish tradition focuses on the mother's travail bringing forth the people of God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The final chapter of Song of Songs returns to the setting of the bride's home village. In ancient Near Eastern marriage customs, the groom would often fetch the bride from her family's home and escort her back to his own dwelling. The question 'Who is this coming up from the wilderness?' deliberately echoes Song 3:6, where Solomon himself first appeared from the wilderness in royal splendor. Here the bride replaces the king, and the focus shifts from power to intimacy.
The Hebrew word midbar ('wilderness') does not necessarily mean a desert; it refers to open pastureland, the uncultivated spaces around a village where flocks grazed. The bride emerges from these humble surroundings, leaning on her beloved. The verb mitrapeqet ('leaning') appears only here in the Old Testament and carries the sense of supporting oneself, as a weary traveler might lean on a companion. In Arabic cognates the root suggests mutual help or hospitality.
The apple tree (or apricot, common in ancient Israel) provided deep shade and sweet fruit, a trysting spot for lovers. Later Jewish wedding customs sometimes involved the groom placing a fruit tree near the bride's home as a token. The mention of the mother's labor underscores the physical reality of birth; some commentators (e.g., Adam Clarke) note that the mother may have labored in distress, making the place doubly significant as both the site of pain and the beginning of life.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant manuscript variants for Song 8:5. The primary textual question involves the pronoun suffixes in the second half: the consonantal text is identical for masculine and feminine forms, but the Masoretic vowel pointing reads the suffixes as masculine ('I awakened you [masc.],' 'your [masc.] mother'), suggesting the bride addresses the bridegroom. The Syriac tradition reads feminine suffixes, making the bridegroom the speaker. The early Greek translation (LXX) and Jerome's Vulgate took different paths, with the Vulgate unfortunately importing a sexualized reading not present in the Hebrew. The original Hebrew is clean and consistent across surviving manuscripts.
Reception History
Christian interpretation of Song of Songs has long read this verse as an allegory of the church (the bride) coming from the wilderness of the world into the promised land, leaning on Christ. Origen and later Bernard of Clairvaux focused on the intimacy of the soul with God, with the apple tree symbolizing the cross where humanity was awakened from sin. The Geneva Bible (1599) retained the Masoretic reading, making the bride the speaker. In the Jewish tradition, the verse was linked to Israel's journey from Egypt through the desert, leaning on the divine presence, and the apple tree to the Torah. Since the 19th century, the literal romantic interpretation has gained ground, valuing the poem's celebration of human love as itself godly. Across traditions, the image of leaning in weakness upon strength has made this a favorite verse of comfort.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Coming from the Wilderness, The bride emerges from barren ground, reminding us that God calls his people out of desolate places (cf. Hosea 2:14). The wilderness is not the destination but the passage.
- Leaning on Her Beloved, The bride does not walk alone; she rests her full weight on her lover. Faith is not self-sufficient strength but conscious dependence on Christ.
- Remembering the Apple Tree, The beloved points back to the place where love began. Spiritual memory roots us in God's past faithfulness and anchors present intimacy.
Five-Point Outline
- Who is this?, The church as the bride, seen and admired by angels and the world.
- From the wilderness, Redemption from spiritual barrenness.
- Leaning on her beloved, Grace-driven reliance, not works.
- Under the apple tree, The scene of initial awakening (conversion or first love).
- Your mother's labor, The cost of birth, both natural and spiritual. The cross as the birthplace of the church.
Illustration Hooks
- A married couple returning to the park bench where they first said 'I love you.' The place holds memory and meaning.
- A patient being helped down a hospital corridor after surgery, leaning on a nurse's arm, total dependence.
- A child being shown the house where she was born; the parents recall the struggle of labor and the joy of the first cry.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Who is actually speaking in the second half of the verse? Does it matter?
- Why does the Bible mention the mother's labor in a love poem?
- Is this verse about human romantic love, or is it an allegory of Christ and the church?
Leading a Discussion
This verse invites us to consider the journey of faith and the places where God has met us. The bride is not ashamed to be seen leaning entirely on her beloved, she is weak, yet supported. The second half of the verse points to a specific location, the apple tree, that holds personal history. As you discuss, think about the 'apple trees' in your own spiritual journey and what it means to lean wholly on Christ.
Discussion Questions
- What does the 'wilderness' represent in your own experience? How have you seen God bring you out of it?
- Describe a time when you had to lean on someone else for support. What makes it hard to depend on others?
- Who is speaking in verse 5b? What difference does it make whether the bride or the bridegroom speaks?
- Why do you think the apple tree is mentioned? What might it symbolize from previous chapters (compare Song 2:3)?
- The verse ends with the mother's labor and birth. Why include that detail? What does it add to the love story?
- How does remembering past places of God's faithfulness strengthen your current walk with him?
- In what ways might this verse encourage someone who feels spiritually weak or weary?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Chronicles 32:8 | An arm of flesh is with him, but Yahweh our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. |
| Psalms 45:10 | Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father’s house. |
| Psalms 45:11 | So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord. |
| Psalms 63:8 | My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up. |
| Psalms 107:2 | Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, |
| Psalms 107:8 | Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men! |
| Song of Solomon 2:3 | As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste. |
| Song of Solomon 3:4 | I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). 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 phrase refers to a specific place where the bride’s mother gave birth to her. He believes some read this as describing a real event involving sleep and awakening.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes the king speaks the words about waking her beneath the apple tree. He believes the bride did not say them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains that the word for wilderness refers to open pastureland around the village. He also states that the pronouns in the verse are likely feminine meaning the bridegroom is being addressed.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes sees this verse as a poetic account describing the birthplace of the beloved woman. It states that the speaker placed her under an apple tree where her mother conceived and gave birth to her.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to a rare Hebrew word for "leaning" and explores its range of possible meanings: casting oneself on, joining to, rejoicing in, or strengthening oneself by the beloved. He sees all these as pictures of faith, the believer's total dependence on Christ for acceptance, justification, and daily supply. He also reads "under the apple tree" as the place of ordinances, where the church's prayers rouse Christ to grant intimate communion.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The commentary sees these words as spoken by churches in Judea to Paul after his return from Arabia. It also views them as Jesus speaking to the Church since his ascension.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the Hebrew pronouns should be changed from masculine to feminine. With this correction, the verse becomes Solomon reminding Shulamith that he awakened her first love under the apple tree, not that she was born there. This reading avoids forced allegories and fits the narrative of the couple nearing her home.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees these words as spoken by the city’s women praising the bridegroom’s beloved for trusting him fully. He also believes the Jewish church and individual believers rose from a difficult state by relying on Christ’s grace.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the bridegroom as the speaker here, noting his use of the third person as a Hebrew idiom. He interprets "raised up under the apple tree" as a spiritual resurrection from death in sin, with the tree representing the church where the believer is brought forth to new life.