While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
Parallel translations
- WEB While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
- BSB While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
- NKJV While the king is at his table, My spikenard sends forth its fragrance.
- NASB ¶“While the king was at his table, My perfume gave forth its fragrance.
- NLT The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
As the king reclines at his table, the bride's perfume fills the air. It pictures intimacy and the fragrance her love gives.
Overview
At the king's banquet her nard sends out its fragrance, conveying the sweetness she brings to their fellowship. The scene is warm and personal. Some read this of the believer whose devotion, like Mary's costly ointment poured on Christ, rises as a pleasing fragrance to the Lord (John 12:3; 2 Cor. 2:15).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- John 12:3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
- Rev 3:20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
- Mark 14:3And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
- Song 7:5Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
- Rev 8:3–4And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
- Matt 26:26–28And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
- Phil 4:18But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
- Ps 45:1My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
- Matt 25:34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
- Matt 22:11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
- Luke 24:30–32And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
- Song 4:13–16Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,
- Matt 22:4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The poetry of covenant love between bride and bridegroom pictures, at its highest, the love of Christ for his church — the Bridegroom who gave himself for his bride.
How Song of Songs 1:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.