Proverbs 7:17 — Word Study
WLCנַ֥פְתִּי מִשְׁכָּבִ֑י מֹ֥ר אֲ֝הָלִ֗ים וְקִנָּמֽוֹן׃
BSAI have perfumednûwph■ [sprinkled, waved back and forth, with sweet-smelling fragrances] my bedmishkâb [place of rest, intimate relationships] with myrrhmôr [a bitter resin] with aloesʼăhâlîym [aloe wood, used for perfume] and with cinnamonqinnâmôwn [a fragrant bark, used for flavoring]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נַ֥פְתִּי | I have sprinkled | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| מִשְׁכָּבִ֑י | bed my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| מֹ֥ר | myrrh | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| אֲ֝הָלִ֗ים | aloes | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְקִנָּמֽוֹן׃ | and cinnamon | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon. |
| KJV | I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| ASV | I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| YLT | I sprinkled my bed — myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| WEB | I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| BBE | I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices. |
The translations agree on the essence of the verse, maintaining the core imagery of perfuming the bed.
The sentence has a main clause with a single action and two phrases providing detail about the object and the means of preparation.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
verbנוּף
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 7:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Seduction Discoursegenerated
Proverbs 7:17 is part of a poetic warning against the dangers of seduction and infidelity. The speaker prepares her bed with enticing fragrances, creating an atmosphere of allure and temptation. This imagery is used to illustrate the seductive nature of the woman described in the passage, as she seeks to draw the listener into her embrace, echoing themes found in other wisdom literature such as Song of Solomon 3:6 and Isaiah 57:7-9.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Song of Solomon 3:6 | |
| 2 | Isaiah 57:7–9 | On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices. |
| 3 | Psalm 45:8 | All your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad. |
| 4 | Song of Solomon 4:13–14 |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נַ֥פְתִּי, Naf.tigenerated
The verb נוּף (nuwph) means 'to sprinkle' or 'to wave,' indicating a movement that can be both literal and ritualistic. In this context, it suggests the act of preparing the bed with fragrant substances, enhancing the intimate atmosphere. The first person perfect form indicates a completed action — the speaker has already done this.
This action of sprinkling is not merely decorative; it carries connotations of ritual and preparation for a significant encounter, emphasizing the importance of the setting in the context of desire and intimacy.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the essence of the verse, consistently conveying the act of perfuming the bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb נַ֥פְתִּי (Naf.ti, 'I have sprinkled') governs the entire clause, with a noun phrase acting as the object ('my bed') and another noun phrase providing adverbial detail ('with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon'). This structure highlights the action of preparation and its significance.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of sprinkling, followed by the object and the details of the fragrances used, creating a vivid image of the scene.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נַ֥פְתִּי as διέρραγκα, which conveys a sense of breaking or scattering. This choice may suggest a more dynamic action compared to the Hebrew, emphasizing the act of spreading fragrances rather than simply sprinkling them.
This translation choice highlights the sensory experience intended in the original Hebrew, aligning with the themes of allure and seduction.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 7:17 describes a woman who has prepared her bed with fragrant substances like myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. This act of perfuming the bed signifies her intentions for intimacy and allure, as she seeks to entice the listener.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Perfuming the bed symbolizes preparation for intimacy and the allure of seduction, indicating the speaker's desire for a romantic encounter.
The verse mentions myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon, all of which are known for their fragrant properties and have been used in perfumes and rituals.
This verse illustrates the seductive nature of the woman in Proverbs 7, serving as a warning against the dangers of infidelity and the allure of temptation.
Related passages include Song of Solomon 3:6, which also uses fragrant imagery, and Isaiah 57:7-9, which discusses idolatry and seduction.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways that I can guard against temptations that lead away from my commitments?
- How can I create an atmosphere of intimacy in my relationships that honors both partners?
- What lessons can I learn from the imagery of fragrance in this verse?
- In what ways can I be mindful of the influences that seek to seduce me away from my values?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Bede comments on this verse, interpreting it as a metaphor for consecrating hearts with heavenly virtues.
I have scented my bed with myrrh, etc. They promise that they have such fragrances of heavenly virtues, by which they consecrate their hearts and those of their followers as if in beautiful bedchambers;Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 7 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 7:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI have perfumed my bed,.... As she had made it entertaining to the senses of seeing and feeling, it being showy and gaudy, soft and easy; so to the sense of smelling; and all to provoke lust, and
Read John Gill on Proverbs 7 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. I have perfumed my bed. She appeals to every sense.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 7 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.Ver. 17. With myrrh, aloes, &c.] This might have minded the young man that he was going to his grave; for the bodies of the dead were so perfumed. Such a meditation would have much rebated his edge, cooled his courage. Jerusalem’ s filthiness was "in her skirts"; and why? "She remembered not her latter end" As the strokings of a dead hand, they say, cureth a tympany; and as the ashes of a viper applied to the part that is stung draws the venom out of it, so the serious thought of death will prove death to fleshly lusts. I meet with a story of one that gave a loose young man a ring with a death’ s head, with this condition…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 7 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. I have perfumed any bed with Myrrh] מר mor, "aloes," אהלים ahalim, and "cinnamon," קנמון kinnamon. We have taken our names from the original words; but probably the ahalim may not mean aloes, which is no perfume; but sandal wood, which is very much used in the East. She had used every means to excite the passions she wished to bring into action.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. perfumed] or sprinkled, R.V. marg.; διέῤῥαγκα, LXX.; aspersi, Vulg. No sensual gratification shall be wanting. For a similar perfuming of garments see Psalms 45:8; Son 3:6; Son 4:14.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 7 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe love of perfumes is here, as in Isaiah 3:24, a sign of luxurious vice. Cinnamon - The Hebrew word is identical with the English.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 7 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17. My bed — ξωׁ ?λαι, (mishkabhi;) meaning the place to sleep on, as the couch or sofa, of Proverbs 7:16, is the place to recline upon.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 7 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Tyndale line
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
Strictly literal
I have perfumed my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I sprinkled my bed — myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I sprinkled my bed [with] myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have sprinkled my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
From the Latin
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Simplified
I've sprinkled perfume on my bed—myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with four out of five words matching. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the essential meaning remains consistent across both texts.
נַ֥פְתִּי מִשְׁכָּבִ֑י מֹ֥ר אֲ֝הָלִ֗ים וְקִנָּמֽוֹן׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 7:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נוּף (nuwph) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of actions including to sprinkle, wave, and move to and fro. It can refer to various movements such as shaking a hand or waving an offering, often in a ritual context. The term has applications in both everyday actions and religious rites, particularly those involving offerings to God.
[נוּף] vb. move to and fro, wave, besprinkle
Qal I have besprinkled my couch with myrrh
Po‛lel he brandisheth his hand toward the mt.
Hiph.
wield, move to and fro in using it
Shake or wave the hand
swing to and fro, as a signal
Oft. term. techn. in P (H), of rite in which originally the priest lifted his share of offering and waved it, i.e. moved it toward altar and back, in token of its presentation to God and its return by him to priest
Shed abroad
Hoph. be waved
base
H5130a נוּף besprinkle H5130b נוּף move to and fro, wave, besprinkle .I have besprinkled my couch with myrrh
.he brandisheth his hand toward the mt.
. . wield, move to and fro in using it
. Shake or wave the hand
. swing to and fro, as a signal
. Oft. term. techn. in P (H), of rite in which originally the priest lifted his share of offering and waved it, i.e. moved it toward altar and back, in token of its presentation to God and its return by him to priest
. Shed abroad
. be waved
5130 nuwph noof
a primitive root; to quiver (i.e. vibrate up and down, or
rock to and fro); used in a great variety of applications
(including sprinkling, beckoning, rubbing, bastinadoing,
sawing, waving, etc.):--lift up, move, offer, perfume, send,
shake, sift, strike, wave.
נוּף (nuph) — to sprinkle.
1) to sprinkle
1a) (Qal) to besprinkle, sprinkle
נוּף (nuph) — to wave.
1) to move to and fro, wave
1a) (Qal) to move
1b) (Polel) to wave, brandish (in threat)
1c) (Hiphil) to swing, wield, wave
1c1) to wield
1c2) to wave or shake (the hand)
1c2a) to wave (hand)
1c2b) to shake or brandish against
1c2c) to swing to and fro
1c3) to wave (an offering), offer
1c4) to shed abroad
1d) (Hophal) to be waved
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
מִשְׁכָּב (mishkab) refers to a place of lying down, such as a bed or couch, and can also denote the act of lying, including sexual intercourse. It is derived from the root meaning to lie down. The term encompasses both literal and figurative uses, including references to sleep and bedrooms.
מִשְׁכָּב 46 n.m. place of lying, couch; act of lying
base
H4904 מִשְׁכָּב place of lying, couch; act of lying
4904 mishkab mish-kawb'
from 7901; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep;
by euphemism, carnal intercourse:--bed((-chamber)), couch,
lieth (lying) with.
see HEBREW for 07901
מִשְׁכָּב (mish.kav) — bed.
1) a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying
1a) couch, bed
1b) act of lying, lying down or sleeping room, bedroom
1c) lying down (for sexual contact)
Aramaic equivalent: mish.kav (מִשְׁכַּב "bed" H4903)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
מֹר (mor) refers to myrrh, a gum from a tree's bark, known for its bitter taste and used in sacred oil and perfume. The entries indicate that it is associated with distillation and has a connection to the Hebrew root for bitterness. It appears in contexts such as Song of Solomon 6:5.
מֹר, מוֹר n.m. Ct 6:5 myrrh (fr. bitter taste)
base
H4753 מֹר, מוֹר
4753 more mor
or mowr {more}; from 4843; myrrh (as distilling in drops, and
also as bitter):--myrrh.
see HEBREW for 04843
מֹר (mor) — myrrh.
1) myrrh
1a) an Arabian gum from the bark of a tree, used in sacred oil and in perfume
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
mur:
(1) (mor or mowr; Arabic murr]): This substance is mentioned as valuable for its perfume (Ps 45:8; Pr 7:17; So 3:6; 4:14), and as one of the constituents of the holy incense (Ex 30:23; see also So 4:6; 5:1,5,13). Mor is generally identified with the "myrrh" of commerce, the dried gum of a species of balsam (Balsamodendron myrrha). This is a stunted tree growing in Arabia, having a light-gray bark; the gum resin exudes in small tear-like drops which dry to a rich brown or reddish-yellow, brittle substance, with a faint though agreeable smell and a warm, bitter taste. It is still used as medicine (
Myrrh
Heb. mor. (1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was used in embalming (John 19:39), also as a perfume (Esther 2:12; Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17). It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion “wine mingled with myrrh” to produce insensibility. This drugged wine was probably partaken of by the two malefactors, but when the Roman soldiers pressed it upon Jesus “he…
This substance is mentioned in (Exodus 30:23) as one of the ingredients of the "oil of holy ointment:" in (Esther 2:12) as one of the substances used in the purification of women; in (Psalms 45:8; Proverbs 7:17) and in several passages in Canticles, as a perfume. The Greek occurs in (Matthew 2:11) among the gifts brought by the wise men to the infant Jesus and in (Mark 15:23) it is said that "wine mingled with myrrh" was offered to but refused by, our Lord on the cross. Myrrh was also used for embalming. See John 19;39 and Herod. ii. 86. The Balsamodendron myrrha…
A precious gum yielded by a tree common in Africa and Arabia, which is about eight or nine feet high; its wood hard, and its trunk thorny. It was of several kinds, and various degrees of excellence. The best was an ingredient in the holy ointment, Ex 30:23. It was also employed in perfumes, Es 2:12 Ps 45:8 So 4:6 5:5,13; and in embalming, to preserve the body from corruption, Joh 19:39. The magi, who came from the East to worship Christ, offered him myrrh, Mt 2:11.
אהל (ahal) refers to aloe, specifically the aloe tree, which is noted for its fragrant properties. The entries suggest it is a masculine noun, with a feminine plural form ahalowth. The word appears to be of foreign origin, and its usage is primarily associated with the scent of the aloe plant.
[אהל] n.[m.] odorif. tree, aloe (?)
base
H174 אהל
174 'ahaliym a-haw-leem'
or (feminine) ahalowth {a-haw-loth'} (only used thus in the
plural); of foreign origin; aloe wood (i.e. sticks):--(tree
of lign-) aloes.
אָהָל (a.ha.lim) — aloe.
1) aloes, aloe tree
1a) aloe tree
1b) aloe (perfume)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
Aloes
(Heb. ‘ahalim), a fragrant wood (Num. 24:6; Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17; Cant. 4:14), the Aquilaria agallochum of botanists, or, as some suppose, the costly gum or perfume extracted from the wood. It is found in China, Siam, and Northern India, and grows to the height sometimes of 120 feet. This species is of great rarity even in India. There is another and more common species, called by Indians aghil, whence Europeans have given it the name of Lignum aquile, or eagle-wood. Aloewood was used by the Egyptians for embalming dead bodies. Nicodemus brought it (pounded aloe-wood) to embalm the body of Christ (John 19:39); but…
Or more properly, ALOE, and East Indian tree, that grows about eight or ten feet high, and yields a rich perfume, Ps 45:8 Pr 7:17 So 4:14. This tree or wood was called by the Greeks Agallochon, and has been known to moderns by the names of Lign-aloe, aloe-wood, paradise-wood, eagle-wood, etc. Modern botanists distinguish two kinds: the one grows in Cochin China, Siam, and China, is never exported, and is of so great rarity in India, as to be worth its weight in gold. The tree is represented as large, with an erect trunk and lofty branches. The other or more common species is called garo in the East Indies, and is the wood of a tree growing in the Moluccas, the Excoecaria Agallocha of Linnaeus. The leaves are like those of a…
קִנָּמוֹן (qinnamown) refers to cinnamon, specifically the fragrant bark used as a spice. The word is thought to come from a foreign origin and is associated with the idea of upright rolls, possibly due to its form. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
קִנָּמוֹן n.m. cinnamon (prob. foreign wd., coming with the thing from remote E.)
base
H7076 קִנָּמוֹן
7076 qinnamown kin-naw-mone'
from an unused root (meaning to erect); cinnamon bark (as in
upright rolls):--cinnamon.
קִנָּמוֹן (qin.na.mon) — cinnamon.
1) cinnamon
1a) fragrant bark used as spice
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
sin'-a-mun (qinnamon; kinnamomon): Mentioned, like cassia, as a perfume. In Ex 30:23 it is one of the ingredients of the "holy anointing oil"; in Pr 7:17 it is, along with myrrh and aloes, a perfume for a bed; in So 4:14 it is a very precious spice. Cinnamon is (Re 18:13) part of the merchandise of "Babylon the great."
Cinnamon is the product of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, a laurel-like plant widely cultivated in Ceylon and Java. It has a profuse white blossom, succeeded by a nut from which the fragrant oil is obtained. The wood is the inner bark from branches which have reached a diameter of from 2 to 3 inches; the epidermis and pulpy matter are carefully scraped off before…
Cinnamon
Heb. kinamon, the Cinnamomum zeylanicum of botanists, a tree of the Laurel family, which grows only in India on the Malabar coast, in Ceylon, and China. There is no trace of it in Egypt, and it was unknown in Syria. The inner rind when dried and rolled into cylinders forms the cinnamon of commerce. The fruit and coarser pieces of bark when boiled yield a fragrant oil. It was one of the principal ingredients in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It is mentioned elsewhere only in Prov. 7:17; Cant. 4:14; Rev. 18:13. The mention of it indicates a very early and extensive commerce carried on between Palestine and the East.
a well-known aromatic substance, the rind of the Laurus cinnamomum , called Korunda-gauhah in Ceylon. It is mentioned in (Exodus 30:23) as one of the component parts of the holy anointing oil. In (Revelation 18:13) it is enumerated among the merchandise of the great Babylon.
One of the ingredients in the perfumed oil with which the tabernacle and its vessels were anointed, Ex 30:23 Pr 7:17 So 4:14. It is the inner bark of a tree growing about twenty feet high, and being peeled off in thin strips curls as it is found in market. It is of a dark red color, of a poignant taste, aromatic, and very agreeable. That of the finest quality comes from Ceylon, Re 18:13.