Though in some Christian contexts this is one of the most frequently quoted verses from the Song, its meaning is far from certain.

He brought me to the banqueting house: if this were narrative prose rather than poetry, we might suppose there was a change of scene with this verse. In verse 3 the couple was under the trees, whereas in verse 4 the young woman speaks of going elsewhere. In poetry we expect these sudden changes as the poet uses various images and metaphors to paint a picture. Here the young woman describes herself being led off to some kind of festivity.

The banqueting house is not a restaurant. The Hebrew phrase is “house of wine” (Revised English Bible “wine garden”). It refers to a booth where wine was drunk. In the previous verse the young woman has told how she delights to “eat his fruit.” Now she says in effect “I drink his wine.” Both expressions have a sexual sense (see 7.9 for the relationship between kisses and wine). So to go to “the house of wine” is a euphemism. Whether we can translate it literally as most versions seem to do, or render the euphemism, will depend on the sensitivity of the local culture. Ginsburg’s “he led me into the bower of delight” hints at a sexual meaning. As Fox suggests, the “house of wine” here may be another way of referring to their “love nest” described in 1.16b-17. Thus the lovers remain under the trees in their secret meeting place, their tent of delight, feasting on love. This way of speaking is typical of Egyptian love songs also.

Mention of the “banquet hall” has been used by some commentators as evidence that the poem was used in marriage celebrations. This interpretation is improbable.

Because reference to a “house of wine” may lead readers to misunderstand the proper sense here, we may have to use a more dynamic translation. For example, we can try to combine the suggested images (drink, drunk, wine, love): “He took me to where we could drink deeply of our love,” “He took me to the house of pleasure,” or “He led me to where the wine of love flows freely.” Alternatively we can eliminate the reference to a location and focus on what is happening: “He made [or, let] me drunk with his wine [of love].”

His banner over me was love is a strange expression in English, reflecting our problem in interpreting the Hebrew text. Revised Standard Version banner is probably linked to a Hebrew root meaning “to cover,” “to shade.” This connects this verse directly to the description of the young man as “shade” in verse 3. In New American Bible and Good News Translation we find the translation “he raised the banner of love over me,” but this is as meaningless as the Revised Standard Version rendering. Pope and others have made a different and better suggestion; they link the noun banner with an Akkadian root meaning “wish,” “intend.” New Revised Standard Version reflects this new understanding with “his intention was…,” meaning “he intended [to make love to me].” Gordis suggests “he looked on me lovingly”—similar to New English Bible “gave me loving glances.” Contemporary English Version says “[you] showered me with love.” With all these choices it may be difficult to decide how to render this phrase. A simple solution that reflects current scholarship is to say “He covered me with his love.” That makes clear what took place and retains something of the original figure.

Combining both lines we suggest:

• He let me drink of his wine.
He covered me with his love.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Song of Songs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1998. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .