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

1O, that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at my mother’s breasts. If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me. 2I would lead you and bring you into my mother’s house— she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink from the nectar of my pomegranate. O that his left hand were under my head, and his right hand embraced me. 4I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, Do not arouse or awaken love until it so delights. 5Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her lover? Under the apple tree I roused you. There your mother travailed with you. There she who was in labor 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