Song of Songs 3

The original text is written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 11 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century),^[a] and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[6] Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls: 4Q106 (4QCant^a); 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 3–5, 7–11), 4Q107 (4QCant^b); 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 1–2, 5, 9–11), and 4Q108 (4QCant^c); 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 7–8).^[7][8][9]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century).^[10]

Structure

New King James Version (NKJV) groups this chapter into:

• Song 3:1–5 = A Troubled Night
• Song 3:6–11 = The Coming of Solomon

Female: Search and seizure (3:1-5)

The first part of this chapter is "a tightly constructed song" of the female protagonist, describing how she looks for her lover at night (or in a dream) in the city streets, until she finds him and brings him into her mother's house.^[11] The setting of this poem progresses from the woman's bed (verse 1) to the public areas of the city (verses 2-4b) and finally to the privacy of her mother's bedroom (verses 4c-5).^[12] It closes with the second appeal to the 'daughters of Jerusalem'.^[11]

Verse 1

On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not.^[13]

"By night" (Hebrew: בלילות, ba-lê-lō-wṯ^[14]) can be read as "nightly" or "night after night":^[15][16] the word "refers to more nights than one".^[17] The woman had expected her lover to return "before dawn";^[18] Hudson Taylor notes that she might have regretted "lightly dismiss[ing] Him, with the thought: A little later I may enjoy His love ... Poor foolish bride!"^[19]

Verse 5

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

By the gazelles or by the does of the field,

Do not stir up nor awaken love

Until it pleases.^[20]

• Cross references:
  8:4^[15]
• "Charge" or "adjure"[21]

The names of God are apparently substituted with similar sounding phrases depicting 'female gazelles' (צְבָא֔וֹת, tseḇā’ōṯ) for [God of] hosts (צבאות tseḇā’ōṯ), and 'does of the field'/'wild does/female deer' (אילות השדה, ’ay-lōṯ ha-śā-ḏeh) for God Almighty (אל שדי, ’êl shaddai).^[22]

Male: Marriage scene (3:6-11)

This section starts a poetic exposition of love and marriage which form the core of the book (Song 3:6-5:1).^[23] Hess applies these six verses to the man,^[24] whereas Fox prefers the daughter of Jerusalem as the speakers,^[25] and the New King James Version assigns them to "the Shulamite" (= the woman).^[26]

• Jerusalem
• Zion
• Related Bible parts: Song of Songs 2

Notes

References