Song of Solomon 3
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By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
9 King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Song of Solomon 3:1-11
The Bride’s Dream
1On my bed by night
I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not.
2I will rise now and go about the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but found him not.
3The watchmen found me
as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4Scarcely had I passed them
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
until I had brought him into my mother’s house,
and into the chamber of her who conceived me.
5I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.
Solomon Arrives for the Wedding
6What is that coming up from the wilderness
like columns of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?
7Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!
Around it are sixty mighty men,
some of the mighty men of Israel,
8all of them wearing swords
and expert in war,
each with his sword at his thigh,
against terror by night.
9King Solomon made himself a carriage
from the wood of Lebanon.
10He made its posts of silver,
its back of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior was inlaid with love
by the daughters of Jerusalem.
11Go out, O daughters of Zion,
and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Song of Songs 3:1-11
1All night long on my bed
I looked for the one my heart loves;
I looked for him but did not find him.
2I will get up now and go about the city,
through its streets and squares;
I will search for the one my heart loves.
So I looked for him but did not find him.
3The watchmen found me
as they made their rounds in the city.
“Have you seen the one my heart loves?”
4Scarcely had I passed them
when I found the one my heart loves.
I held him and would not let him go
till I had brought him to my mother’s house,
to the room of the one who conceived me.
5Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.
6Who is this coming up from the wilderness
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from all the spices of the merchant?
7Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,
escorted by sixty warriors,
the noblest of Israel,
8all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.
9King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11come out,
and look, you daughters of Zion.
Look on King Solomon wearing a crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
the day his heart rejoiced.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
This chapter contains the first of a pair of dreams by the Shulamite, one (verses 1-6) occurring before and the other (5:2-8) after her wedding. Here she dreams that she is searching anxiously for her lover, and finally finds him. The “absence-presence” theme is thus highlighted in the Song. As with the first couple in the Garden of Eden, lovers need each other to be complete and whole! Here and elsewhere in the Song we find evidence of an equal relationship in which the woman is as active as the man in taking the initiative in building the relationship.
In its spiritual application, these verses portray the ardent love that God longs for us to have for Him, a love that seeks Him and will not let Him go!
The Song of Solomon actually provides a “Biblical Guide to Married Love,” with practical principles pertaining to each stage of the love relationship. Particular emphasis is given to the various kinds of intimacy that God longs for us to experience in our marriages. These include: physical, emotional, intellectual, appreciating beauty, creative, recreational, work, crisis, conflict, commitment, spiritual, and communication.
Richard M. Davidson
Professor of Old Testament Interpretation
Andrews University Theological Seminary
