This book is a poetic love song that celebrates the beauty and passion of romantic love, using vivid and sensual imagery. These verses contain several powerful metaphors and images that convey the strength and durability of love. The woman is asking her lover to set her as a seal on his heart and his arm, which suggests a deep and permanent connection between them. In ancient times, seals were used to indicate ownership or authority, so the woman's request suggests a desire to be recognized as her lover's rightful partner.
The woman also compares love to death, emphasizing its strength and intensity. She then pairs love with jealousy, which she describes as cruel as Sheol. Because the two stand in parallel, many read this jealousy as the fierce, exclusive devotion of love itself; others see a warning that jealousy can be cruel and can undermine and even destroy relationships.
The woman then goes on to say that love is like a flame of Yahweh, which cannot be extinguished by water or floods. This image suggests that love is divine in nature and is imbued with the power of God. The woman's reference to water and floods may also be interpreted as a metaphor for the challenges and difficulties that couples may face in their relationships. Despite these obstacles, the woman insists that love can endure and even thrive.
Finally, the woman states that if a man were to offer all the wealth of his house for love, he would be scorned. This suggests that love cannot be bought or sold, and that it is a priceless and irreplaceable treasure.
These verses gather up the whole poem. Earlier the woman said, "My beloved is mine, and I am his" (Song of Solomon 2:16), and now she asks for that belonging to be sealed for good. In verse 6 the word "jealousy" stands in parallel with "love." Many interpreters therefore read it as the fierce, exclusive devotion of love, the sense in which Scripture says, "Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:14); others take it as a warning about the destructive power of jealousy. Either way, the text presents love as no weak or passing feeling. Verse 7 adds that such love cannot be bought. The New Testament says the same of God's love in Christ, from which nothing "will be able to separate us" (Romans 8:38-39), and of the love that "never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8).
Overall, Song of Solomon 8:6-7 is a powerful and poetic expression of the strength and durability of love. The woman's use of metaphors and imagery emphasizes the deep emotional and spiritual nature of love, and underscores the importance of recognizing and valuing the love between partners. These verses are often cited at weddings and other romantic occasions, as a testament to the enduring power of love.
See also: vs. 6
Song of Solomon 8:6-7. Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh. Many waters can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.