I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me.
Parallel translations
- WEB I had scarcely passed from 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, into the room of her who conceived me.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who conceived me.
- NASB “Hardly had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the room of her who conceived me.”
- NLT Then scarcely had I left them when I found my love! I caught and held him tightly, then I brought him to my mother’s house, into my mother’s bed, where I had been conceived.
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
Soon after, she finds her beloved and holds him fast, bringing him home. It expresses the joy of reunion and the resolve not to lose him again.
Overview
Just past the watchmen she finds the one her soul loves, clings to him, and leads him to her mother's house. The relief and tenacity of reunion are vivid. Believers have applied this to the joy of finding the Lord after seeking and the resolve to hold fast to Him and not let go (Phil. 3:12; Heb. 10:23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Prov 8:17I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.
- Song 8:2I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
- Matt 7:7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Song 6:12Before I realized it, my desire had set me among the royal chariots of my people.
- Prov 4:13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
- Jer 29:13You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
- Isa 45:19I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.
- Isa 55:6–7Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Lam 3:25The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- Rev 3:11–12I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
- Isa 49:14–18But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; the Lord has forgotten me!”
- Hos 12:3–4In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
- Isa 54:1–3“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
- John 20:16–17Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
- Matt 28:9Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
- Gen 32:26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
- Gal 4:26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
- Song 7:5Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 3:4 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.