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Song of Songs 6:13

WEBKJVBSBESVNKJVNASBNLT
Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you. Why do you look at the Shulammite, as on the dance of Mahanaim?
Song of Songs 6:13 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?
  • KJV Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
  • NKJV Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon you! The Shulamite What would you see in the Shulamite— As it were, the dance of the two camps?
  • NASB ¶“Come back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, so that we may look at you!” “Why should you look at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two armies?
  • NLT Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam. Come back, come back, that we may see you again. Why do you stare at this young woman of Shulam, as she moves so gracefully between two lines of dancers?

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

Others call the Shulammite to return so they may gaze on her, and the question is raised why they would stare. Her beauty draws admiring attention.

Overview

Here the bride is named 'the Shulammite,' likely linking her to Solomon or to her home village. The onlookers long to behold her in the dance, while a voice gently questions such gazing. The verse highlights the bride's loveliness and the desire of others to admire her, even as the love poem keeps her beauty ultimately for her beloved.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • Gen 32:2When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
  • Jer 3:22“Return, O faithless children, and I will heal your faithlessness.” “Here we are. We come to You, for You are the LORD our God.
  • Judg 21:21and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
  • 2 Sam 17:24Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
  • Song 2:14O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your countenance is lovely.
  • Song 1:6Do not stare because I am dark, for the sun has gazed upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have neglected.
  • Isa 8:6“Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoiced in Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
  • Hos 14:1–4Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.
  • Luke 7:44And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
  • Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
  • Gal 5:17For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
  • Eph 6:10–19Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
  • Eph 2:14–17For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility
  • 2 Th 1:10on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.
  • Heb 7:2and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
  • Gen 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
  • Ps 76:2His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion.
  • John 9:7Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.
  • John 10:16I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
  • Rom 7:23But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
  • Jer 3:12–14Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be angry forever.
  • Rom 3:29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

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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 6:13 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.

ReturnשׁוּבreturnשׁוּבO Shulamiteשׁוּלַמִּיתreturnשׁוּבreturnשׁוּבthat we may lookחָזָהupon thee. What will ye seeחָזָהin the ShulamiteשׁוּלַמִּיתAs it were the companyמְחֹלָהof two armiesמַחֲנֶה
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