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Passage: Song of Songs 5:2-8:4

Key verse: 5:16b

NIV

She

2 I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove,(A) my flawless(B) one.(C)
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?
4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,(D)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened for my beloved,(E)
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.(F)
    My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked(G) for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.
7 The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.(H)
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!
8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(I)—
    if you find my beloved,(J)
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.(K)

Friends

9 How is your beloved better than others,
    most beautiful of women?(L)
How is your beloved better than others,
    that you so charge us?

She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.(M)
11 His head is purest gold;
    his hair is wavy
    and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves(N)
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,(O)
    mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks(P) are like beds of spice(Q)
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies(R)
    dripping with myrrh.(S)
14 His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.(T)
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,(U)
    choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth(V) is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,(W) this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.(X)

Friends

6 Where has your beloved(Y) gone,
    most beautiful of women?(Z)
Which way did your beloved turn,
    that we may look for him with you?

She

2 My beloved has gone(AA) down to his garden,(AB)
    to the beds of spices,(AC)
to browse in the gardens
    and to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;(AD)
    he browses among the lilies.(AE)

He

4 You are as beautiful as Tirzah,(AF) my darling,
    as lovely as Jerusalem,(AG)
    as majestic as troops with banners.(AH)
5 Turn your eyes from me;
    they overwhelm me.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from Gilead.(AI)
6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin,
    not one of them is missing.(AJ)
7 Your temples behind your veil(AK)
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.(AL)
8 Sixty queens(AM) there may be,
    and eighty concubines,(AN)
    and virgins beyond number;
9 but my dove,(AO) my perfect one,(AP) is unique,
    the only daughter of her mother,
    the favorite of the one who bore her.(AQ)
The young women saw her and called her blessed;
    the queens and concubines praised her.

Friends

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,
    fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
    majestic as the stars in procession?

He

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees
    to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see if the vines had budded
    or the pomegranates were in bloom.(AR)
12 Before I realized it,
    my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.[b]

Friends

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
    come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!

He

Why would you gaze on the Shulammite
    as on the dance(AS) of Mahanaim?[c]

7 [d]How beautiful your sandaled feet,
    O prince’s(AT) daughter!
Your graceful legs are like jewels,
    the work of an artist’s hands.
2 Your navel is a rounded goblet
    that never lacks blended wine.
Your waist is a mound of wheat
    encircled by lilies.
3 Your breasts(AU) are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower.(AV)
Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon(AW)
    by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon(AX)
    looking toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.(AY)
    Your hair is like royal tapestry;
    the king is held captive by its tresses.
6 How beautiful(AZ) you are and how pleasing,
    my love, with your delights!(BA)
7 Your stature is like that of the palm,
    and your breasts(BB) like clusters of fruit.
8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree;
    I will take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine,
    the fragrance of your breath like apples,(BC)
9     and your mouth like the best wine.

She

May the wine go straight to my beloved,(BD)
    flowing gently over lips and teeth.[e]
10 I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire(BE) is for me.(BF)
11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.[f]
12 Let us go early to the vineyards(BG)
    to see if the vines have budded,(BH)
if their blossoms(BI) have opened,
    and if the pomegranates(BJ) are in bloom(BK)—
    there I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes(BL) send out their fragrance,
    and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
    that I have stored up for you, my beloved.(BM)

8 If only you were to me like a brother,
    who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
    I would kiss you,
    and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house(BN)—
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.(BO)
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.(BP)

Footnotes
  1. Song of Songs 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke
  2. Song of Songs 6:12 Or among the chariots of Amminadab; or among the chariots of the people of the prince
  3. Song of Songs 6:13 In Hebrew texts this verse (6:13) is numbered 7:1.
  4. Song of Songs 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-13 is numbered 7:2-14.
  5. Song of Songs 7:9 Septuagint, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew lips of sleepers
  6. Song of Songs 7:11 Or the henna bushes
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

She

2 I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is (A)knocking.
“Open to me, my (B)sister, my (C)love,
    my (D)dove, my (E)perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
    my (F)locks with the drops of the night.”
3 (G)I had put off my garment;
    how could I put it on?
I had (H)bathed my feet;
    how could I soil them?
4 My beloved put his hand to the latch,
    and my heart was thrilled within me.
5 I arose to open to my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with (I)liquid myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened to my beloved,
    but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he (J)spoke.
(K)I sought him, but found him not;
    (L)I called him, but he gave no answer.
7 (M)The watchmen found me
    as they went about in the city;
they beat me, they bruised me,
    they took away my veil,
    those watchmen of the walls.
8 I (N)adjure you, O (O)daughters of Jerusalem,
    if you find my beloved,
that you tell him
    (P)I am sick with love.

Others

9 What is your beloved more than another beloved,
    O (Q)most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
    that you thus (R)adjure us?

The Bride Praises Her Beloved

She

10 My beloved is radiant and (S)ruddy,
    (T)distinguished among ten thousand.
11 His head is the finest gold;
    (U)his locks are wavy,
    black as a raven.
12 His (V)eyes are like doves
    beside streams of water,
bathed in milk,
    sitting beside a full pool.[a]
13 His (W)cheeks are like (X)beds of spices,
    mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.
His lips are (Y)lilies,
    dripping (Z)liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold,
    set with (AA)jewels.
His body is polished ivory,[b]
    bedecked with (AB)sapphires.[c]
15 His legs are alabaster columns,
    set on bases of gold.
His appearance is like (AC)Lebanon,
    choice as the cedars.
16 His (AD)mouth[d] is most sweet,
    and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
    O (AE)daughters of Jerusalem.

Others

6 Where has your beloved gone,
    O (AF)most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned,
    that we may seek him with you?

Together in the Garden of Love

She

2 My beloved has gone down to his (AG)garden
    to (AH)the beds of spices,
to (AI)graze[e] in the gardens
    and to gather (AJ)lilies.
3 (AK)I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine;
    he grazes among the lilies.

Solomon and His Bride Delight in Each Other

He

4 You are beautiful as (AL)Tirzah, (AM)my love,
    (AN)lovely as (AO)Jerusalem,
    (AP)awesome as an army with banners.
5 Turn away your eyes from me,
    for they overwhelm me—
(AQ)Your hair is like a flock of goats
    leaping down the slopes of Gilead.
6 (AR)Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
    that have come up from the washing;
all of them bear twins;
    not one among them has lost its young.
7 (AS)Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate
    behind your veil.
8 There are (AT)sixty (AU)queens and eighty (AV)concubines,
    and (AW)virgins without number.
9 My (AX)dove, my (AY)perfect one, is the only one,
    the only one of her mother,
    pure to (AZ)her who bore her.
(BA)The young women saw her and called her blessed;
    (BB)the queens and (BC)concubines also, and they praised her.

10 (BD)“Who is this who looks down like the dawn,
    beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun,
    (BE)awesome as an army with banners?”

She

11 I went down to the nut orchard
    to look at (BF)the blossoms of the valley,
(BG)to see whether the vines had budded,
    whether the pomegranates were in bloom.
12 (BH)Before I was aware, my desire set me
    among (BI)the chariots of my kinsman, a prince.[f]

Others

13 [g] Return, return, O (BJ)Shulammite,
    return, return, that we may look upon you.

He

Why should you look upon (BK)the Shulammite,
    as upon (BL)a dance before (BM)two armies?[h]

7 How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
    O (BN)noble daughter!
Your rounded thighs are like (BO)jewels,
    the work of (BP)a master hand.
2 Your navel is a rounded bowl
    that never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
    encircled with (BQ)lilies.
3 (BR)Your two breasts are like two fawns,
    twins of a gazelle.
4 Your (BS)neck is like an ivory tower.
Your (BT)eyes are pools in (BU)Heshbon,
    by the gate of Bath-rabbim.
Your nose is like a tower of (BV)Lebanon,
    which looks toward (BW)Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like (BX)Carmel,
    and your (BY)flowing locks are like purple;
    a king is held captive in the tresses.

6 (BZ)How beautiful and (CA)pleasant you are,
    O loved one, with all your delights![i]
7 Your stature is like a palm tree,
    and your breasts are like its clusters.
8 I say I will climb the palm tree
    and lay hold of its fruit.
Oh may your breasts be like (CB)clusters of the vine,
    and the scent of your breath like apples,
9 and your (CC)mouth[j] like the best wine.

She

It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
    gliding over lips and teeth.[k]

10 (CD)I am my beloved's,
    (CE)and his desire is for me.

The Bride Gives Her Love

11 (CF)Come, my beloved,
    let us go out into the fields
    and lodge in the villages;[l]
12 let us go out early to the vineyards
    (CG)and see whether the vines have budded,
whether (CH)the grape blossoms have opened
    and the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.
13 (CI)The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
    and beside our doors are all choice fruits,
(CJ)new as well as old,
    which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

Longing for Her Beloved

8 Oh that you were like a brother to me
    who nursed at my mother's breasts!
If I found you outside, I would kiss you,
    and none would despise me.
2 I would lead you and (CK)bring you
    into the house of my mother—
    she who used to teach me.
I would give you (CL)spiced wine to drink,
    the juice of my pomegranate.
3 (CM)His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
4 I (CN)adjure you, O (CO)daughters of Jerusalem,
    (CP)that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

Footnotes
  1. Song of Solomon 5:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  2. Song of Solomon 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  3. Song of Solomon 5:14 Hebrew lapis lazuli
  4. Song of Solomon 5:16 Hebrew palate
  5. Song of Solomon 6:2 Or to pasture his flock; also verse 3
  6. Song of Solomon 6:12 Or chariots of Ammi-Nadib
  7. Song of Solomon 6:13 Ch 7:1 in Hebrew
  8. Song of Solomon 6:13 Or dance of Mahanaim
  9. Song of Solomon 7:6 Or among delights
  10. Song of Solomon 7:9 Hebrew palate
  11. Song of Solomon 7:9 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew causing the lips of sleepers to speak, or gliding over the lips of those who sleep
  12. Song of Solomon 7:11 Or among the henna plants
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. He is altogether lovely (5:2-6:3)

The title 'Beloved' indicates that the woman is speaking. She sleeps, but her heart is awake, waiting for her lover. Can we wait for our Lord like this? She hears a knock, but when she opens it, he has gone. Her heart sinks. She must find him, so she goes out into the night. She is not dissuaded from her search-- even when she is caught by the watchmen and beaten. She asks help in her search. Her description of him in verses 1

-16 is colored by her love. He is altogether lovely. We can learn from her how to search for Jesus, who is altogether lovely (Ps 45:2-3).

2. My dove, my perfect one is unique (6:4-8:4)

The title 'Lover' indicates that the man is speaking. He praised the beauty of his beloved. In verses 7:9b-8:4, she finds him and gives him her love.

Prayer: Lord, help me to love you and wait on you with a pure and single heart. And teach me to rejoice in your love.

One Word: Jesus is altogether lovely