Song Of Solomon / Question
She connects his “name” with pleasant fragrance, like perfume being poured out (Song of Solomon 1:3). The image explains why others are drawn to him (“therefore virgins love you”) (Song of Solomon 1:3).
In Song of Solomon 1:2–4 the woman voices urgent desire for her lover’s physical affection and explains why she values his love more than wine. She links attraction to sensory images: kisses, the scent of oils, and the power of his “name,” as if it spreads like perfume. These lines function as an opening burst of longing that sets the tone for the Song’s love poetry. The speaker is primarily the woman (“Let him kiss me…,” “Take me away…”), and her words move quickly from desire, to reasons for desire, to a pictured arrival in the king’s chambers.
This opening poem presents the woman as speaking first and most directly: she wants her lover’s kisses and calls his love “better than wine” (verse 2). The language is openly sensual, using taste (wine) and smell (fragrant oils) to communicate pleasure and attraction (verse 3).
A common mistake is to turn the wording into a slogan. The better reading keeps the phrase tied to the passage, the speaker, and the problem the book is addressing.
Start with Song of Solomon 1:3, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
3Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, Therefore the virgins love you.