Song-of-solomon 7:5
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Your head on you is like Carmel, and the hair of your head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Your head on you is like Carmel, and the hair of your head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, And the hair of thy head like purple; The king is held captive in the tresses thereof .
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Your head is like Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple, in whose net the king is prisoner.
Webster's Revision
Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
World English Bible
Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.
English Revised Version (ERV)
Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof.
Clarke's Song-of-solomon 7:5 Bible Commentary
Shine head - like Carmel - Rising majestically upon thy neck, and above thy shoulders, as Mount Carmel does in its district. Carmel was the name of the mountain where Elijah had his contest with the prophets of Baal. See 1 Kings 18:19, etc.
The hair of thine head like purple - Ornamented with ribbons and jewellery of this tint.
The king is held in the galleries - Or is detained in the antechamber. His heart is captivated by thy person and conduct. Some understand the ringlets of the bride's hair.
Barnes's Song-of-solomon 7:5 Bible Commentary
Compare and contrast with Sol 5:15. The rendering in the margin takes "Carmel" as the name of a color, equivalent to "carmine" (rendered "crimson" in 2 Chronicles 2:7, 2 Chronicles 2:14; 2 Chronicles 3:14). This interpretation is favored by the parallelism with "purple," but removes a beautiful image.
Purple - A deep violet black.
The king ... - Rather, "A king is bound in the tresses or windings of thy hair." These last words indicate the king's approach.
Wesley's Song-of-solomon 7:5 Bible Commentary
7:5 Carmel - Eminent and pleasant to the eye, and fruitful as mount Carmel was. Which may denote that her mind was replenished with knowledge, and other excellent gifts of the Holy Ghost. Purple - Which colour was anciently much esteemed. Is held - In which he walks, and having once espied thee, is unable to take off his eyes from thee.