What Does Song of Solomon 7:5 Mean?

(5) **Carmel.**—Marg., *crimson, *from reading *charmîl, *which preserves the parallelism with the next clause better. But the whole passage deals in the author’s favourite figures from localities; and certainly the comparison of a finely-set head to a mountain is at least as apt as that in the preceding verse, of the nose to a “tower in Lebanon.” Besides, there may be a play on words, which in turn may have suggested the allusion to *purple *in the next clause, or possibly the vicinity of *Carmel *to *Tyre *may have led to the thought of its famous dyes. **Hair.**—Heb. *dallath, *most probably = flowing tresses. For comparison— “Carmine purpurea est Nisi coma.” “Et pro purpureo dat pœnas Scylla capillo. (Comp. πορφύρεος πλόκαμος in Lucian., and πορφυρᾶι χᾶιται in Anacreon.) So Collins:— “The youths whose locks divinely spreading, Like vernal hyacinths in sullen hue.” *Ode to Liberty.* **The king is held **(Marg., *bound*) **in the galleries.**—For *galleries, *see Note on Song of Solomon 1:17. Translate “A king caught and bound by thy tresses,” *i.e., *they are so beautiful that a monarch would be caught by them. (Comp.— “When I lie tangled in her hair And fettered in her eye.”)