My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
Parallel translations
- WEB My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.
- KJV My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
- NKJV My beloved is white and ruddy, Chief among ten thousand.
- NASB ¶“My beloved is dazzling and reddish, Outstanding among ten thousand.
- NLT My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!
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 bride answers the daughters of Jerusalem by praising her beloved as radiant and surpassing all others. Her love treasures him above everyone.
Overview
Having been asked what makes her beloved special (5:9), the bride begins an extended description of his beauty. 'White and ruddy' suggests health and vigor, and 'best among ten thousand' (or 'chiefest') marks him as unique. Christians have long heard in such language a foretaste of the church's praise of Christ, who alone is 'altogether lovely' (5:16) and chief above all.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 45:2You are the most handsome of men; grace has anointed your lips, since God has blessed you forever.
- Song 2:1I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley.
- Ps 45:17I will commemorate your name through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.
- Phil 2:9–11Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
- Deut 32:31For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies concede.
- Col 1:18And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
- Heb 7:26Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
- Heb 2:10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God, for whom and through whom all things exist, to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
- 1 Sam 16:12So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
- Isa 59:19So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
- Isa 10:18The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man.
- Isa 66:19I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
- Rom 9:5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.
Resources, by level
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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 5:10 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.