Song of Solomon 2:5
Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Even in the midst of overwhelming love, the lover expresses a need for nourishment and comfort, suggesting that the intensity of affection, while wonderful, can also be exhausting and require support. This isn't just about romance; it's about finding sustenance and refreshment even when our emotions run high. It's a beautiful, raw honesty about the body's need for care, even when the spirit is soaring.
The bride is in a moment of overwhelming, almost debilitating, affection for her beloved, so much so that she feels weak and in need of sustenance. This declaration of love sickness comes right after she's described his loving gaze and her joyful response to being brought into his "banqueting house," where love's intimacy is celebrated. It's a raw, honest expression of how deeply love has affected her body and spirit.
Have you ever felt so deeply in love that it physically affected you? This verse describes a profound emotional state that impacts the body.
The bride in Song of Solomon expresses a powerful, almost overwhelming feeling of love. She's not just happy; she's 'sick with love.' This isn't a negative sickness, but rather an intense experience that leaves her depleted and in need of comfort and strength.
A Profound Emotional State
This 'sickness' speaks to the all-consuming nature of deep affection. It’s a vulnerability that opens one up to intense joy and, at times, a sense of being overwhelmed. The physical language emphasizes how powerful emotional experiences can be.
Seeking Refreshment
Her plea for sustenance ('sustain me') and refreshment ('refresh me') shows that even in the peak of love, there's a need for care and nourishment. Love, in its intensity, can leave us feeling weak and longing for comfort.
Why raisins and apples? These aren't just random snacks; they carry rich symbolism that speaks volumes about the nature of love and comfort.
The specific foods mentioned – raisins and apples – are not accidental. They were common in ancient Near Eastern culture and held connotations of sweetness, vitality, and luxury.
Sweetness and Comfort
Raisins, dried fruits, often symbolized sweetness and energy. They were a readily available source of quick nourishment. Asking for them suggests a desire for comfort and a boost to her flagging strength.
Refreshment and Vitality
Apples, or possibly pomegranates, were associated with beauty, health, and perhaps even fertility. They represent a desire for renewal and a return to a state of well-being. The bride isn't just looking for a temporary fix; she's seeking to be restored.
Understand the original words
samak · Hebrew Verb
To strengthen or support someone who is physically or emotionally weakened, often used in contexts of providing necessary nourishment or care to restore vitality.
cholah ahabah · Hebrew Adjective/Noun phrase
A state of overwhelming emotional intensity or longing for another, often manifesting in physical weakness due to the depth of passion or desire.
This psalm speaks of wine that gladdens the heart and food that sustains, echoing the Song of Solomon's imagery of refreshment and sustenance through good things.
Proverbs 5:19This proverb also uses the imagery of love and intoxication with references to embracing and being captivated by a wife's charms, suggesting a similar powerful, overwhelming emotion.
John 2:1-11Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana, turning water into wine, signifies abundance and joy, much like the desire for refreshment and sustenance expressed in the Song of Solomon.
Matthew 11:19Jesus is described as a glutton and a drunkard, eating and drinking, which contrasts with strict religious fasting and highlights His abundant provision and fellowship, mirroring the theme of joyful sustenance.
Even in the midst of overwhelming love, the lover expresses a need for nourishment and comfort, suggesting that the intensity of affection, while wonderful, can also be exhausting and require support. This isn't just about romance; it's about finding sustenance and refreshment even when our emotions run high. It's a beautiful, raw honesty about the body's need for care, even when the spirit is soaring.
The bride is in a moment of overwhelming, almost debilitating, affection for her beloved, so much so that she feels weak and in need of sustenance. This declaration of love sickness comes right after she's described his loving gaze and her joyful response to being brought into his "banqueting house," where love's intimacy is celebrated. It's a raw, honest expression of how deeply love has affected her body and spirit.
The bride is in a moment of overwhelming, almost debilitating, affection for her beloved, so much so that she feels weak and in need of sustenance. This declaration of love sickness comes right after she's described his loving gaze and her joyful response to being brought into his "banqueting house," where love's intimacy is celebrated. It's a raw, honest expression of how deeply love has affected her body and spirit.
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"Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love." — Even in the midst of overwhelming love, the lover expresses a need for nourishment and comfort, suggesting that the intensity of affection, while wonderful, can also be exhausting and require support…
