¶‘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?’
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?
- KJV Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible 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
- 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 6:4You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.
- Rev 12:1A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
- Job 31:26if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
- 2 Sam 23:4shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’
- Song 3:6Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?
- Isa 58:8Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you; and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.
- Eph 5:27that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.
- Matt 17:2He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
- Rev 22:5There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.
- Rev 10:1I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
- Mal 4:2But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
- Rev 21:23The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
- Ps 14:5There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.
- Matt 13:43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
- Rev 21:10–11He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
- Rom 8:37No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
- Rev 22:16I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.”
- Song 8:5Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.
- Isa 63:1Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? Who this who is glorious in his clothing, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
- Job 11:17Life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning.
- Prov 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
- Hos 6:5Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.
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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.