Passage Overview · Free · Song of Solomon 1:9–14
A Mare, Gold, Myrrh, and Henna
The man compares the woman to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots, then praises her jewelry. She answers with perfume: nard, myrrh, and henna. The rapid movement between horses, gold, silver, royal dining, fragrance, breasts, and the vineyards of En-gedi is characteristic of the Song’s lush metaphorical world.
The horse comparison sounds strange to modern ears, but its force is splendor, energy, and overwhelming attraction. Egyptian royal chariot imagery gives the metaphor a high-status setting; ancient love poetry also freely compared lovers with animals, plants, fragrance, and luxury goods.