Song of Solomon 4:12-5:1

The Voice

¹²    You are a locked garden, my sister, my bride, open only to me;
        a spring closed up tight, a sealed fountain.
¹³    Your sprouts are an orchard of pomegranates and exotic fruits—
        with henna and nard,
¹⁴    With nard and saffron,
        calamus and cinnamon—
    With rows of frankincense trees
        and myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices.
¹⁵    My bride, you are a fountain in a garden,
        a well of life-giving water flowing down from Lebanon.

What does he mean by “my sister, my bride”? Is this a sudden revelation of an incestuous relationship? No. He is describing how sexual expression can bring two people intimately together, as close as two people can be; the man and woman are now family. This image would have been particularly meaningful in ancient Israelite society, where life was centered on familial relationships and calling someone “brother” or “sister” was a sign of deep intimacy and care. Blood relatives lived together, worked together, traded with each other, and were buried together. By calling the woman “sister,” he is declaring they are now blood relatives. In the covenant relationship called marriage, blood is drawn during consummation, bonding the two parties together as man and wife, as brother and sister, forever.

¹⁶Him (to the winds): Rise, you north wind;
        come, you south wind.
    Breathe on my garden,
        and let the fragrance of its natural spices fill the air.

Her: Let my love come into his garden
and feast from its choice fruits.

5 Him (to her): I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
        I have gathered my myrrh with its natural spices.
    I have tasted the honeycomb dripping with my honey
        and have drunk my wine and milk together.