How could she seal her husband’s heart? (Song of Solomon 8:6)
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.
Song of Solomon 8:6
ESV - 6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.
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Asked December 10 2019
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
Tim Maas
Supporter
As I understand the narrative, the woman is not saying that she herself would seal the man's heart, but is asking the man to be the one to place her love as a seal upon his own heart and on his arm. To me, this is referring to the man being so committed to the woman as a result of her love for him that he will have no desire to stray from her. Nor will either partner threaten their relationship through jealousy. They will both be fully committed to each other.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
One commentator says "Seal/Signet" here in Song of Sol. 8:6 (only verse listed) symbolizes devotion. These lovers belonged to each other and needed to be true to each other. So the beloved, the man, asks his lover, the woman, to make him the seal on her heart and arm because a seal speaks of ownership (see 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Tim. 2:19) and protection. Their love brought them together and would keep them together. A couple of other commentators say that this is the bride talking to her husband. In either case, the image of the seal suggests sexual fidelity because "jealousy" is mentioned. The seal was saying: "My lover is mine and I am his" (Song of Solomon 2:16).
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