King James Version

What Does Song of Solomon 8:6 Mean?

Song of Solomon 8:6 in the King James Version says “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave...” — study this verse from Song of Solomon chapter 8 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. cruel: Heb. hard”

Song of Solomon 8:6 · KJV

Love

Context

4

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please. that: Heb. why should ye stir up, or, why, etc

5

Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

6

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. cruel: Heb. hard

7

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

8

We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?

Read Song of Solomon 8 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The bride makes a profound declaration about love's nature: 'Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.' The seal imagery requests permanent, visible identification—seals in ancient Israel were signet rings or cylinder seals marking ownership, authority, and identity. 'Upon thine heart' indicates internal reality (affection, commitment), while 'upon thine arm' represents external action (visible demonstration, public identification). The bride desires to be inseparably identified with her beloved, both in his affections and his public life. The verse then provides three powerful comparisons describing love's characteristics: (1) 'Love is strong as death'—love possesses the same inexorable, irresistible power as death; neither can be escaped or negotiated with. (2) 'Jealousy is cruel as the grave'—the Hebrew qin'ah (קִנְאָה) means zealous, exclusive devotion that fiercely guards the relationship; like Sheol relentlessly retaining the dead, covenant love brooks no rivals. (3) 'Coals of fire... most vehement flame'—love burns with intense, consuming passion. The Hebrew shalhebetyah (שַׁלְהֶבֶתְיָה) may include the divine name (yah), meaning 'flame of the LORD'—suggesting divine origin and intensity.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient seals were crucial for authentication, ownership, and authority—impressed on clay or wax to seal documents, mark property, or authorize transactions. They were worn on rings or cords around the neck, kept close to the person. The imagery of being a seal on the heart and arm requests permanent, inseparable identification. Death was understood as the ultimate power—inescapable, impartial, inevitable (Ecclesiastes 9:5; Hebrews 9:27). Comparing love to death's strength elevates love to ultimate significance. Sheol (grave/realm of the dead) was pictured as relentlessly retaining its inhabitants, never releasing them (Proverbs 27:20; Habakkuk 2:5). The flame imagery suggests passionate intensity—fire was both precious (warmth, light, cooking) and dangerous (consuming, destroying) in ancient contexts. Church tradition immediately recognized the divine dimensions of this verse. Love with 'flame of the LORD' (if shalhebetyah includes the divine name) originates in God's own nature (1 John 4:8, 16). Augustine emphasized that authentic love participates in God's eternal love. The Reformers saw covenant love as reflecting and flowing from God's electing love. Modern readers recognize both the ideal for human marital love (permanent, exclusive, passionate) and the ultimate reality of Christ's love for His Church (eternal covenant, jealous devotion, consuming passion).

Reflection Questions

  1. What does it mean to be 'set as a seal' on Christ's heart and arm—permanently identified with Him in His affections and public demonstration?
  2. How does understanding that godly love is 'strong as death' and possesses divine intensity ('flame of the LORD') shape your commitment to covenant relationships?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
שִׂימֵ֨נִי1 of 18

“Set”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

כַּֽחוֹתָם֙2 of 18

“as a seal”

H2368

a signature-ring

עַל3 of 18
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

לִבֶּ֗ךָ4 of 18

“upon thine heart”

H3820

the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything

כַּֽחוֹתָם֙5 of 18

“as a seal”

H2368

a signature-ring

עַל6 of 18
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

זְרוֹעֶ֔ךָ7 of 18

“upon thine arm”

H2220

the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force

כִּֽי8 of 18
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

עַזָּ֤ה9 of 18

“is strong”

H5794

strong, vehement, harsh

כַמָּ֙וֶת֙10 of 18

“as death”

H4194

death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin

אַהֲבָ֔ה11 of 18

“for love”

H160

love

קָשָׁ֥ה12 of 18

“is cruel”

H7186

severe (in various applications)

כִשְׁא֖וֹל13 of 18

“as the grave”

H7585

hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates

קִנְאָ֑ה14 of 18

“jealousy”

H7068

jealousy or envy

רִשְׁפֵּ֕י15 of 18

“the coals”

H7565

a live coal; by analogy lightning; figuratively, an arrow, (as flashing through the air); specifically, fever

רִשְׁפֵּ֕י16 of 18

“the coals”

H7565

a live coal; by analogy lightning; figuratively, an arrow, (as flashing through the air); specifically, fever

אֵ֖שׁ17 of 18

“of fire”

H784

fire (literally or figuratively)

שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה׃18 of 18

“which hath a most vehement flame”

H7957

a flare of fire

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Song of Solomon. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Song of Solomon 8:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Song of Solomon 8:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Revelation 12:11Isaiah 49:16Philippians 1:20-23Jeremiah 22:24John 21:15-19Proverbs 6:34

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