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Song of Songs 2:17

WEBKJVBSBESVNKJVNASBNLT
“Until the cool of the day, when the shadows flee, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”
Song of Songs 2:17 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.
  • KJV Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
  • BSB Before the day breaks and shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.
  • NKJV Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.
  • NLT Before the dawn breezes blow and the night shadows flee, return to me, my love, like a gazelle or a young stag on the rugged mountains.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

She bids her beloved return swiftly until the day breaks. It expresses longing for his presence and reunion.

Overview

As the day cools and shadows flee, she calls him to turn and come like a swift gazelle over the hills. The verse voices the ache of separation and the desire for renewed nearness. The longing for the beloved's return resonates with the believer's hope for the day when shadows flee and the Lord is fully present (Song 8:14; Rev. 21:23-25).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • Song 4:6Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, to the hill of frankincense.
  • Song 2:8–9The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
  • Heb 8:5who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he said, “See, you shall make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.”
  • 2 Pet 1:19We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:
  • Rom 13:12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.
  • Luke 1:78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
  • Song 8:14Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!
  • Heb 10:1For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

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Christ at the center

The poetry of covenant love between bride and bridegroom pictures, at its highest, the love of Christ for his church — the Bridegroom who gave himself for his bride.

How Song of Songs 2:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.

Until the dayיוֹםbreakפּוּחַand the shadowsצֵלֶלflee awayנוּסturnסָבַבmy belovedדּוֹדand be thou likeדָּמָהa roeצְבִיor a youngעֹפֶרhartאַיָּלupon the mountainsהַרof Betherבֶּתֶר
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