They all hold swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night.
Parallel translations
- WEB They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.
- KJV They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
- BSB All are skilled with the sword, experienced in warfare. Each has his sword at his side prepared for the terror of the night.
- NASB “All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the terrors of the night.
- NLT They are all skilled swordsmen, experienced warriors. Each wears a sword on his thigh, ready to defend the king against an attack in the night.
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
The guards are skilled warriors, armed against danger in the night. It emphasizes the careful protection surrounding the king.
Overview
Each man is expert with the sword, ready against the night's terrors. The vigilance underscores how precious the king and his bride are. So the Lord surrounds His people with care, and believers are kept secure even amid the dangers of the night (Ps. 121:7-8; Eph. 6:11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 45:3Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty.
- 1 Th 5:6–8so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober.
- Neh 4:21–22So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.
- Isa 27:3I, Yahweh, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day.
- Eph 6:16–18above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
- Ps 91:5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day;
- Ps 149:5–9Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds.
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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 3:8 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
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