Song of Solomon 4:11
Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Honey was Israel's premier natural sweetener—the Promised Land flowed with "milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), representing abundance and blessing. Fresh honeycomb was prized delicacy. The combination "honey and milk" represented optimal nourishment and pleasure. Lebanon's cedar forests and spice gardens produced legendary fragrance—expensive and exotic. The beloved celebrates the bride's speech as both delightful and nourishing, her presence as naturally fragrant. Early church fathers saw the Church's "honey and milk" as sound doctrine—sweet truth that nourishes believers. Christ gave the Great Commission to a Church whose words would carry gospel honey to the nations. The Reformers emphasized that gospel preaching should be both sweet (attractive, compelling) and nourishing (substantive, truth-filled). The Puritans taught that gracious speech—encouraging, wise, truthful—beautifies a person beyond physical appearance.
Questions for Reflection
- Do your words "drop as honeycomb"—bringing sweetness, encouragement, and spiritual nourishment—or do they spread bitterness and poison?
- How can the Church ensure her message contains both "honey" (attractive gospel grace) and "milk" (nourishing biblical truth)?
- What spiritual disciplines help cultivate speech that is consistently gracious, wise, and life-giving?
Analysis & Commentary
Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb (nopheth titopha siphteykha kalah, נֹפֶת תִּטֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ כַּלָּה)—the image of lips dripping honeycomb celebrates the bride's words as supremely sweet and desirable. Nopheth (נֹפֶת) refers to fresh honey dripping from the comb, the purest and sweetest honey. The bride's speech brings pleasure, nourishment, and delight.
Honey and milk are under thy tongue (devash vechalav tachat leshonekh, דְּבַשׁ וְחָלָב תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנֵךְ) suggests abundant sweetness in her speech—not just surface pleasantness but deep, nourishing wisdom. Honey represents sweetness; milk represents nourishment. And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon compares her fragrance to Lebanon's cedars and spices—fresh, clean, naturally beautiful. This verse celebrates comprehensive beauty: sweet speech, nourishing wisdom, and pleasant presence. The Church's words, when filled with gospel truth, are honey and milk to hungry souls (1 Peter 2:2-3).