The Beauty of the Beloved
Study note
The bride calls herself a simple wildflower, but the bridegroom says she stands out among all other women like a lily among thorns. The bride then praises him as the best among all men, like a fruitful apple tree in a forest. She describes the joy and safety of being near him. His 'banner' over her is love, meaning love is the flag he flies over her for all to see. The daughters of Jerusalem are told not to force or rush love before its proper time.
1 I am nothing special, just a wildflower from Sharon's plain. I am an ordinary lily growing in a low valley. I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2 Compared to all the other young women, my love stands out like a lily blooming in the middle of a thorn patch. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
3 Compared to all the other young men, my beloved stands out like a fruit tree growing in the middle of a wild forest. I love resting in his shade, and his fruit is the sweetest thing I have ever tasted. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He took me to the place where celebration happens, and the banner he raised over me declared his love. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
5 Give me raisin cakes to strengthen me and apples to revive me, because love has overwhelmed me. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
6 His left hand rests gently under my head, and his right arm wraps around me. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
7 I ask you to promise, daughters of Jerusalem. By the deer and wild gazelles, do not rush love. Do not force it before it is ready. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
The Bridegroom's Invitation
Study note
The bride describes her beloved arriving quickly, leaping across the mountains like a young deer. He looks through the window and calls her to come out because winter has ended and spring has arrived. The 'voice of the turtledove' refers to the turtledove bird, a sign of spring in Israel. The fig trees and grapevines are blooming. This springtime scene is a powerful image of new life and fresh beginnings in a relationship.
8 Wait, I hear him! The voice of my beloved! Here he comes, leaping over the mountains and bounding across the hills. The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9 My beloved moves like a gazelle or a young deer. There he is, standing just outside our wall, looking through the windows, peeking through the lattice. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
10 My beloved called out to me, "Come on, my beautiful one, my love. Let us go together." My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11 "Winter is behind us now. The rainy season has passed and is over." For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
12 "Flowers have sprung up everywhere across the land. The season for singing has arrived, and the sweet call of the turtledove echoes through the countryside." The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13 "The fig trees are growing their first small figs, and the grapevines in bloom are filling the air with their perfume. Come along, my beautiful one, my love. Let us go!" The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
The Dove in the Cliffs
Study note
The bridegroom speaks tenderly, calling his bride a dove hiding in the rocky cliffs. He longs to see her face and hear her voice. Doves often nest in hidden places among the rocks. The 'little foxes' in verse 15 likely represent small problems or outside influences that could harm a young love, just as foxes would damage grapevines with young fruit.
14 "My dove, you are hiding in the gaps of the cliff, in the hidden places along the rocky wall. Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice. Your voice is like music, and your face is breathtaking." O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
15 Help us catch the little foxes. Those sneaky little foxes are wrecking the vineyards. Our grapevines are in tender bloom. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
Together Until Dawn
Study note
The bride declares with confidence that she and her beloved belong to each other. He is pictured feeding among the lilies, a symbol of beauty and delight. She asks him to stay with her until the morning comes and the darkness fades. The 'mountains of Bether' may mean 'mountains of separation,' expressing her wish that nothing separate them through the night.
16 My beloved belongs to me, and I belong to him. He tends his flock in the meadows of lilies. My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
17 Stay close to me until morning light breaks and the darkness melts away. Come to me, my beloved, swift as a gazelle or a young deer racing through the hills of Bether. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.