Song of Songs 5:9

Song of Songs 5:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
• New International Version (NIV)How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you so charge us?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us?
• New King James Version (NKJV)What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us?

Context of Song of Songs 5:9

7The night watchmen found me as they made their rounds. They beat and bruised me and stripped off my veil, those watchmen on the walls. 8Make this promise, O women of Jerusalem— If you find my lover, tell him I am weak with love. Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your lover so special that we must promise this? 10My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others! 11His head is finest gold, his wavy hair is black as a raven.

Song of Songs 5:9 word by word

מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד שֶׁכָּ֖כָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• thy belovedדּוֹדdôd dôd · belovedH1730
• O thou fairestיָפֶהyâpheh · beautifulH3303
• among womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• that thouכָּ֫כָהkâkâh · thusH3602
• dost so chargeשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650

Commentaries on Song of Songs 5:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9What is thy beloved more than another beloved - This question gives the bride an opportunity to break out into a highly wrought description of the beauty and perfections of her spouse.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-16Verses 9-16 Even those who have little acquaintance with Christ, cannot but see amiable beauty in others who bear his image. There are hopes of those who begin to inquire concerning Christ and his perfections. Christians, who are well acquainted with Christ themselves, should do all they can to make others know something of him. Divine glory makes him truly lovely in the eyes of all who are enlightened to discern spiritual things. He is white in the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9The woman asks the young women of Jerusalem to help find her lover. They ask her to describe him, leading to the second descriptive poem (wasf) of the Song (see study note on Song of Solomon 4:1–5:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Her own beauty (Eze 16:14), and lovesickness for Him, elicit now their enquiry (Mt 5:16); heretofore "other lords besides Him had dominion over them"; thus they had seen "no beauty in Him" (Is 26:13; 53:2).Read the comment
• Rashi on Tanakh · v. 9What is your beloved more than another beloved This is what the nations were asking Israel, “What is it about your God more than all the other gods, that you allow yourselves to be burned and hanged because of Him?”Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Answer
• Adjuration
• Song of Songs

Commentaries on Song of Songs 5

• 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