Song of Solomon 1:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

As a cluster of camphire— As a cluster of cypress flowers; the New Translation. By cypress here, is not meant the trees so called, but an aromatic plant which, Sir Thomas Brown tells us, produces a sweet and odoriferous bush of flowers; out of which was made the oleum cyprinum. See his "Observations on Plants mentioned in Scripture." The vineyards at Engedi, near Jericho, were not so much for vines as aromatic shrubs. These the Jews cultivated for the sake of their gums, balsams, &c. in which they carried on a considerable commerce. Such shrubs were managed after the manner of vines. Hence the nurseries of them were called vineyards: see Bochart. Hieroz. tom. 2: p. 724. Hasselquist is of opinion, that Solomon here refers to a cluster of the Cyprus grape. See his Travels, p. 448.