Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
Parallel translations
- WEB Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?
- BSB Who is this who shines like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as the stars in procession?
- NKJV Who is she who looks forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Awesome as an army with banners? The Shulamite
- NASB ¶‘Who is this who looks down like the dawn, As beautiful as the full moon, As pure as the sun, As awesome as an army with banners?’
- NLT “Who is this, arising like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as an army with billowing banners?”
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
Onlookers marvel at the bride, radiant as dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, and majestic as a bannered army. Her beauty inspires wonder.
Overview
The cascading images of dawn, moon, sun, and army convey a beauty that is both lovely and awe-inspiring. The question 'Who is this?' expresses astonishment. The church has often applied such radiant language to the bride of Christ, who shines with a borrowed glory, reflecting the light of her Lord to a watching world.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Song 6:4Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
- Rev 12:1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
- Job 31:26If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
- 2 Sam 23:4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
- Song 3:6Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
- Isa 58:8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
- Eph 5:27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
- Matt 17:2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
- Rev 22:5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
- Rev 10:1And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
- Mal 4:2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
- Rev 21:23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
- Ps 14:5There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
- Matt 13:43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
- Rev 21:10–11And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
- Rom 8:37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
- Rev 22:16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
- Song 8:5Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
- Isa 63:1Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
- Job 11:17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
- Prov 4:18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
- Hos 6:5Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
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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 6:10 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.