His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
Parallel translations
- WEB His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.
- KJV His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
- NKJV His head is like the finest gold; His locks are wavy, And black as a raven.
- NASB “His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven.
- NLT His head is finest gold, his wavy hair is black as a raven.
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
The bride likens her beloved's head to pure gold and his hair to a raven's black, picturing his nobility and youthful vigor. Love delights to dwell on every detail of the beloved.
Overview
This verse begins a head-to-foot portrait (a 'wasf') celebrating the beloved's worth. Gold connotes preciousness and royalty, while dark, full hair signals strength and youth. The lavish imagery shows that godly love honors and esteems its object; believers similarly find Christ supremely precious and worthy of every praise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Dan 7:9As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
- Eph 1:21–22far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
- Song 5:2I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
- Rev 1:14The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
- Song 7:5Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.
- Dan 2:37–38You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 5:11 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.