Song of Songs 8:3

Song of Songs 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
• New International Version (NIV)His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!
• New King James Version (NKJV)His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.

Context of Song of Songs 8:3

1If only I could treat you like my brother, one who nursed at my mother’s breasts, I would find you in public and kiss you, and no one would scorn me. 2I would lead you, I would take you, to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranate. May his left hand be under my head, and his right arm embrace me. 4Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you, do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. 5Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on the one she loves? I awakened you under the apricot tree. There your mother conceived you; there she conceived and gave you birth.

Song of Songs 8:3 word by word

שְׂמֹאלוֹ֙ תַּ֣חַת רֹאשִׁ֔י וִֽימִינ֖וֹ תְּחַבְּקֵֽנִי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• His left handשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• under my headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• and his right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• should embraceחָבַקchâbaq · to embraceH2263

Commentaries on Song of Songs 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3His left hand - See on Song of Solomon 2:6; (note). With the fourth verse the Sixth night of the marriage week is supposed to end.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3bring you to the house of my mother: Compare Song of Solomon 3:4.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. The "left and right hand," &c., occurred only once actually (So 2:6), and here optatively. Only at His first manifestation did the Church palpably embrace Him; at His second coming there shall be again sensible communion with Him. The rest in So 8:4, which is a spiritual realization of the wish in So 8:3 (1Pe 1:8), and the charge not to disturb it, close the first, second, and fourth canticles; not the third, as the bridegroom there takes charge…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Left hand
• Embrace

Commentaries on Song of Songs 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• 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