Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
Parallel translations
- WEB Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.
- BSB Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.
- NKJV Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, And the hair of your head is like purple; A king is held captive by your tresses.
- NASB “Your head crowns you like Carmel, And the flowing hair of your head is like purple threads; The king is captivated by your tresses.
- NLT Your head is as majestic as Mount Carmel, and the sheen of your hair radiates royalty. The king is held captive by its tresses.
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
Her head crowns her like Mount Carmel, and her flowing hair holds the king captive. Her beauty has a regal, captivating power.
Overview
Carmel was a lofty, luxuriant height, and the royal-purple hair suggests splendor. To say the king is 'held captive' in her tresses pictures love that gladly binds itself to the beloved. This image of willing captivity to love beautifully illustrates the devotion at the heart of covenant union.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Isa 35:2It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
- Song 4:1Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
- Song 1:17The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
- Mic 7:14Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
- Eph 1:22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
- Eph 4:15–16But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
- Col 2:19And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
- Col 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- Gen 32:26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
- Ps 87:2The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
- Ps 68:24They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
- Matt 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
- Matt 28:20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
- Rev 1:14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
- Song 5:11His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 7:5 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.