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

15Catch the foxes for us! Our vines now have flowers and they will soon give us fruit. So catch the little foxes before they destroy our vineyards. 16My lover belongs to me, and I belong to him. He moves among the lilies with his sheep. Turn back to me, my lover. Stay until dawn comes and the shadows have gone, Be like a gazelle or a young male deer that plays among the mountains' rocks.

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