Lexical Summary merqach: Mixture, ointment, spice mixture Original Word: מֶרְקָח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sweet From raqach; a spicy herb -- X sweet. see HEBREW raqach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raqach Definition spice, perfume NASB Translation sweet-scented herbs (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מֶרְקָח] noun [masculine] spice, perfume (of cheeks); plural מֶרְקָחִים Songs 5:13 (see also מִגְדָּל 3). Topical Lexicon Aromatic Heritage in Israelite Life Fragrant oils and spices permeated covenant life—healing wounds (Jeremiah 8:22), celebrating royal joy (Psalm 45:7-8), and sanctifying priestly service (Exodus 30:25). מֶרְקָח stands within this aromatic world as one of the choice balsamic compounds prized for its concentrated scent and soothing properties. Such perfumes were prepared with painstaking skill, blended from rare botanicals, and sealed in alabaster flasks to preserve their potency for palace, temple, and bridal chamber alike. Historical and Commercial Background Ancient writers locate the most coveted balsam groves around En-gedi and Gilead, regions watered by desert springs and guarded by kings because the resin fetched far more than its weight in silver. Caravan routes through Judah carried these vials toward Egypt and the wider Mediterranean. Their fragrance testified to Israel’s God-given land: hills yielding “all kinds of balsam and honey, olive oil and dates” (cf. Ezekiel 27:17). When the bride in Songs 5:13 likens her beloved to “towers of perfume,” the imagery evokes an aroma at once regal, luxurious, and immediately recognizable to every Israelite household. Occurrence and Literary Context Song of Solomon 5:13 is the single canonical occurrence of מֶרְקָח: “His cheeks are like beds of spice—towers of perfume. His lips are lilies dripping with flowing myrrh.” Here the term crowns a cascade of sensory metaphors. The Shulammite’s language reaches beyond mere attractiveness; she pictures strength (“towers”) suffused with fragrance, suggesting a beauty that is both protective and pervasive. Because the Song’s nuptial poetry is widely understood as portraying the covenant love between Yahweh and His people—and by extension Christ and His Church—מֶרְקָח becomes emblematic of the Bridegroom’s irresistible allure. Symbolic Theological Themes 1. Delightful Presence. Fragrance cannot be hidden; its diffusion mirrors the way divine favor surrounds the faithful (Psalm 23:6). Foreshadowing in Redemptive History Old Covenant anointings point forward to the Messiah, the Anointed One, whose very name “Christ” carries the idea of oil poured out. The costly perfume that Mary poured on Jesus at Bethany (John 12:3) and the nard brought by the women to His tomb (Mark 16:1) echo the rare balsam of Songs 5:13, declaring His worth and anticipating His burial and resurrection. The sweet savor climaxes at Calvary, where the atoning sacrifice rises “as a fragrant offering” (Ephesians 5:2). Ministry Application • Worship: Corporate praise should carry the “sweet incense” of pure devotion, free from admixture (Isaiah 1:13). Conclusion מֶרְקָח, though mentioned only once, distills a theology of fragrance that spans Scripture—from the garden spices of the Song to the “tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit” in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2). Its scent invites believers to behold the Beloved, rejoice in His healing, and spread His pleasing aroma to the ends of the earth. Forms and Transliterations מֶרְקָחִ֑ים מרקחים mer·qā·ḥîm merkaChim merqāḥîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Songs 5:13 HEB: הַבֹּ֔שֶׂם מִגְדְּל֖וֹת מֶרְקָחִ֑ים שִׂפְתוֹתָיו֙ שֽׁוֹשַׁנִּ֔ים NAS: Banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips KJV: of spices, [as] sweet flowers: INT: of balsam Banks of sweet-scented his lips are lilies 1 Occurrence |
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