Song of Songs 2:17

Song of Songs 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on cleft mountains.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.

Context of Song of Songs 2:17

15“Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that spoil and ruin the vineyards [of love], While our vineyards are in blossom.” 16“My beloved is mine and I am his; He pastures his flock among the lilies. Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Return quickly, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether [which separate us].”

Song of Songs 2:17 word by word

עַ֤ד שֶׁיָּפ֙וּחַ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים סֹב֩ דְּמֵה־לְךָ֨ דוֹדִ֜י לִצְבִ֗י א֛וֹ לְעֹ֥פֶר הָאַיָּלִ֖ים עַל־הָ֥רֵי בָֽתֶר׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Until the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• breakפּוּחַpûach · to breatheH6315
• and the shadowsצֵלֶלtsêlel · shadowH6752
• flee awayנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• turnסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• my belovedדּוֹדdôd dôd · belovedH1730
• and be thou likeדָּמָהdâmâh · to resembleH1819
• a roeצְבִיtsebîy · gazelleH6643
• or a youngעֹ֫פֶר‛ôpher · fawnH6082
• hartאַיָּל'ayâl · deerH354
• upon the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• of Betherבֶּ֫תֶרbether · cleftH1336

Commentaries on Song of Songs 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Until the day break - Literally, until the day breathe; until the first dawn, which is usually accompanied with the most refreshing breezes. The shadows flee away - Referring to the evening or setting of the sun, at which all shadows vanish. The mountains of Bether - Translated also mountains of division, supposed to mean the mountains of Beth-horon. There was a place called Bithron, 2 Samuel 2:29, on the other side of Jordan; and as the name signifies…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-17Verses 14-17 The church is Christ's dove; she returns to him, as her Noah. Christ is the Rock, in whom alone she can think herself safe, and find herself easy, as a dove in the hole of a rock, when struck at by the birds of prey. Christ calls her to come boldly to the throne of grace, having a great High Priest there, to tell what her request is. Speak freely, fear not a slight or a repulse. The voice of prayer is sweet and acceptable to God; those who…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17be like a gazelle: The woman sees her lover as strong and fast like a gazelle. She describes his delay as if he is grazing in the countryside. Alternatively, the lover, like a gazelle, grazes among the lilies, which might represent the woman. This suggests their close relationship. The woman is often compared to a garden (see also Song of Solomon 4:12, 15–16; 5:1; 6:2). turn: Her desire to see him in the evening grows stronger by the hour.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Night--is the image of the present world (Ro 13:12). "Behold men as if dwelling in subterranean cavern" [Plato, Republic, 7.1]. Until--that is, "Before that," &c. break--rather, "breathe"; referring to the refreshing breeze of dawn in the East; or to the air of life, which distinguishes morning from the death-like stillness of night. Maurer takes this verse of the approach of night, when the breeze arises after the heat of day (compare Ge 3:8, Margin…Read the comment

Topics related to Song of Songs 2:17

• Bether

In the dictionaries

• Tender
• Bether
• Deer
• Gazelle
• Malobathron
• Palestine
• Roe, Roebuck

Commentaries on Song of Songs 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary