English Standard Version
Song of Songs 1:7
7Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions?
Song of Songs 1:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
- New International Version (NIV)Tell me, you whom I love, where you graze your flock and where you rest your sheep at midday. Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your friends?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself By the flocks of your companions?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you rest your sheep at noon? For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks?
Context of Song of Songs 1:7
5I am very dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. 6Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has looked upon me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept! Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions? 8If you do not know, O most beautiful among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats beside the shepherds' tents. 9I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots.
Read all of Song of Songs 1Song of Songs 1:7 word by word
הַגִּ֣ידָה לִּ֗י שֶׁ֤אָהֲבָה֙ נַפְשִׁ֔י אֵיכָ֣ה תִרְעֶ֔ה אֵיכָ֖ה תַּרְבִּ֣יץ בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם שַׁלָּמָ֤ה אֶֽהְיֶה֙ כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה עַ֖ל עֶדְרֵ֥י חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- me, O thou whom my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- lovethאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- where thou feedestרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- whereאֵיךְ'êyk 'êykâh 'êykâkâh · how?H349
- to restרָבַץrâbats · to stretchH7257
- at noonצֹ֫הַרtsôhar · middayH6672
- forמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- why should I be as one that turneth asideעָטָה‛âţâh · to enwrapH5844
- by the flocksעֵ֫דֶר‛êder · flockH5739
- of thy companionsחָבֵרchâbêr · companionH2270
Commentaries on Song of Songs 1:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Tell me - where thou feedest - This is spoken as if the parties were shepherds, or employed in the pastoral life. But how this would apply either to Solomon, or the princes of Egypt, is not easy to ascertain. Probably in the marriage festival there was something like our masks, in which persons of quality assumed rural characters and their employments. See that fine one composed by Milton, called Comus. To rest at noon - In hot countries the shepherds and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7Verse 7 ,8 Observe the title given to Christ, O Thou whom my soul loveth. Those that do so, may come to him boldly, and may humbly plead with him. Is it with God's people a noon-time of outward troubles, inward conflicts? Christ has rest for them. Those whose souls love Jesus Christ, earnestly desire to share in the privileges of his flock. Turning aside from Christ is what gracious souls dread more than anything else. God is ready to answer prayer…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8pasture your sheep: In this dramatic view, the woman's lover and his friends are actual shepherds. This is not a job or group you would link with King Solomon at any point in his life. like a veiled woman: Prostitutes wore veils to hide their identities (Genesis 38:14–16). Since Solomon has claimed the woman as a concubine, she has a reason to cover herself and stay discreet. She wants to avoid asking everyone around her where her loved one is (Song of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. my soul loveth--more intense than "the virgins" and "the upright love thee" (So 1:3, 4; Mt 22:37). To carry out the design of the allegory, the royal encampment is here represented as moving from place to place, in search of green pastures, under the Shepherd King (Psa 23:1-6). The bride, having first enjoyed communion with him in the pavilion, is willing to follow Him into labors and dangers; arising from all absorbing love (Lu 14:26); this…Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 7Tell me, you whom my soul loves The Divine Spirit repeatedly compares her to the flock that is beloved to the shepherd. The congregation of Israel says before Him as a woman to her husband, “Tell me, You Whom my soul loves, where do You feed Your flock among these wolves in whose midst they are, and where do You rest them at noon, in this exile, which is a distressful time for them, like noon, which is a distressful time for the flock?”Read the comment
Topics related to Song of Songs 1:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Song of Songs 1
- 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
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries