Song of Solomon 1:16
New International Version
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant.

New Living Translation
You are so handsome, my love, pleasing beyond words! The soft grass is our bed;

English Standard Version
Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful. Our couch is green;

Berean Standard Bible
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.

King James Bible
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

New King James Version
Behold, you are handsome, my beloved! Yes, pleasant! Also our bed is green.

New American Standard Bible
“How handsome you are, my beloved, And so delightful! Indeed, our bed is luxuriant!

NASB 1995
“How handsome you are, my beloved, And so pleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!

NASB 1977
“<,>How handsome you are, my beloved, And so pleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!

Legacy Standard Bible
“Behold, you are handsome, my beloved, Indeed, so pleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!

Amplified Bible
“Behold, how fair and handsome you are, my beloved; And so delightful! Our arbor is green and luxuriant.

Christian Standard Bible
How handsome you are, my love. How delightful! Our bed is verdant;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
How handsome you are, my love. How delightful! Our bed is lush with foliage;

American Standard Version
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: Also our couch is green.

Contemporary English Version
My love, you are handsome, truly handsome--the fresh green grass will be our wedding bed

English Revised Version
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our couch is green.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Look at you! You are handsome, my beloved, so pleasing to me! The leaf-scattered ground will be our couch.

Good News Translation
How handsome you are, my dearest; how you delight me! The green grass will be our bed;

International Standard Version
Look at you! You are handsome, my beloved, truly lovely. How lush is our couch.

Majority Standard Bible
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.

NET Bible
Oh, how handsome you are, my lover! Oh, how delightful you are! The lush foliage is our canopied bed;

New Heart English Bible
Look, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yes, pleasant: also our bed is green.

World English Bible
Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, you [are] beautiful, my love, indeed, pleasant, "" Indeed, our bed [is] green,

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, thou art fair, my love, yea, pleasant, Yea, our couch is green,

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold thee beautiful, my beloved, also pleasant: also our bed is green.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Bride to Groom: Behold, you are handsome, O my beloved, and graceful. Our bed is flourishing.

New American Bible
How beautiful you are, my lover— handsome indeed! Verdant indeed is our couch;

New Revised Standard Version
Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly lovely. Our couch is green;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yea, pleasant; also our bed is spacious.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, you are beautiful, my love, also you are sweet, and our bed is canopied
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; Also our couch is leafy.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, thou art fair, my kinsman, yea, beautiful, overshadowing our bed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Bride Confesses Her Love
15How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves. 16How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed. 17The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are fragrant firs.…

Cross References
Psalm 45:11
and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord.

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Revelation 19:7-8
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. / She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

2 Corinthians 11:2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

Matthew 9:15
Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Isaiah 62:5
For as a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

Hosea 2:19-20
So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion. / And I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.”

Jeremiah 2:2
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

Psalm 45:13-14
All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold. / In colorful garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions are brought before you.

Revelation 21:2
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Genesis 2:23-24
And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken.” / For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Proverbs 31:10-11
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. / The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, you are fair, my beloved, yes, pleasant: also our bed is green.

thou art

Song of Solomon 2:3
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Song of Solomon 5:10-16
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand…

Psalm 45:2
Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

also

Song of Solomon 3:7
Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

Psalm 110:3
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

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Song of Solomon 1
1. the church's love unto Christ
5. She confesses her deformity
7. and prays to be directed, to his flock
8. Christ directs her to the shepherd's tents
9. and showing his love to her
11. gives her gracious promises
12. the church and Christ congratulate one another














How handsome you are, my beloved!
This phrase reflects the admiration and affection the Shulammite woman has for her beloved, often interpreted as Solomon. In the context of ancient Near Eastern poetry, physical beauty was frequently celebrated as a reflection of inner qualities. The term "handsome" here not only refers to physical appearance but also to the character and virtues of the beloved. This admiration can be seen as a type of the believer's love for Christ, who is described as "altogether lovely" in Song of Solomon 5:16. The use of "my beloved" indicates a deep, personal relationship, echoing the intimate relationship between Christ and the Church.

Oh, how delightful!
The expression of delight suggests a sense of joy and satisfaction in the presence of the beloved. In biblical terms, delight often signifies a deep, spiritual joy that transcends mere physical attraction. This can be connected to Psalm 37:4, which speaks of delighting in the Lord. The delight here can be seen as a reflection of the joy found in a relationship with God, where the believer finds ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment.

The soft grass is our bed.
This imagery of a natural setting for their union suggests simplicity and purity, contrasting with the opulence often associated with Solomon's reign. The pastoral setting evokes the Garden of Eden, symbolizing innocence and unspoiled beauty. It also reflects the biblical theme of rest and peace found in God's creation, as seen in Psalm 23:2, "He makes me lie down in green pastures." The use of "our bed" indicates mutual belonging and shared intimacy, paralleling the unity between Christ and His Church. The natural setting may also symbolize the believer's rest in Christ, who provides spiritual rest and peace.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Beloved
The male figure in the Song of Solomon, often interpreted as King Solomon or a representation of Christ in allegorical readings. He is the object of affection and admiration.

2. The Shulammite
The female speaker in this verse, expressing her admiration and love for her beloved. She represents the bride or the church in allegorical interpretations.

3. The Bed
Symbolic of intimacy and rest, described as "verdant," suggesting freshness, life, and fertility. It represents the flourishing relationship between the beloved and the Shulammite.

4. The Setting
The pastoral imagery suggests a natural, lush environment, emphasizing the beauty and vitality of the relationship.
Teaching Points
The Beauty of Love
The verse highlights the beauty and admiration present in a loving relationship. In a Christian marriage, spouses should continually express appreciation and admiration for one another.

Symbolism of Verdancy
The verdant bed symbolizes a relationship that is alive and flourishing. Couples should strive to keep their relationship vibrant and growing through mutual respect and love.

Christ and the Church
This verse can be seen as a reflection of the love between Christ and the Church. Believers are called to maintain a vibrant and intimate relationship with Christ, characterized by admiration and devotion.

The Role of Nature in Scripture
The use of natural imagery in this verse reminds us of the beauty of God's creation and how it can symbolize spiritual truths. Believers are encouraged to see God's handiwork in the world around them.(16) Our bed is green.--The heroine replies in similar terms of admiration, and recalls "the happy woodland places" in which they were wont to meet.

Verse 16-ch. 2:1. - Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; also our couch is green. The beams of our house are cedars, and our rafters are firs. I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley. We take these three verses together as being, in all probability, the address of the bride to her royal husband. This was the view taken by the Masoretic editors and preserved in our present pointing of the Hebrew, as we see in the masculine form of the first word, הִגֶּך, which replies to the feminine form in ver. 15, הִגָּך. The seventeenth verse is apparently abrupt. Why should the bride pass so suddenly from the general address of affection, "Thou art fair, thou art pleasant," to a particular description of a rural scene? The explanation suggested by some of the critics is not farfetched, that Solomon whispers to her that she shall go back with him to her country life if she pleases, or she reminds him of his promise made at some other time. Undoubtedly the point of Shulamith's response lies in ch. 2:1, "I am not at ease in this palatial splendour; I am by nature a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley. Take me to the green couch, and let me lie under the cedars and the firs." The couch is the divan (cf. Amos 6:4), from a root "to cover over" (like "canopy" in Greek, κωνωπεῖον, so called from its protecting the person under it from the κώνεπες, or "gnats). It is not that the nuptial bed is particularly intended, or even the bridal bower, but the home itself as a bowery resting place. "Our home is a sweet country home; take me, there, beloved one." The word "green" is very suggestive in the Hebrew. It is said to "combine in itself the ideas of softness and juicy freshness, perhaps of bending and elasticity, of looseness and thus of overhanging ramification, like weeping willow." Beams, from a root "to meet," "to lay crosswise," "to hold together." But the meaning depends upon the idea of the whole description. Some would render "fretted ceilings," or "galleries;" but Dr. Ginsburg gives it, "our bower is of cedar arches," which excludes the idea of a formal structure made of cedar beams. The same meaning is conveyed in the last clause, "our rafters are firs." The word rendered "rafters" (יָחִיט) literally signifies "a place upon which one runs" (like שׁוּק, a "street"), i.e. a charming or pleasant spot. The beroth is the cypress tree, an Aramaic word, or one used in the north of Palestine. The meaning is, "our pleasant retreat is cypresses" - is beautiful and fragrant with the cypress tree. Delitzsch, however, and others would take it differently as describing the panels or hollows of a wainscoted ceiling, like φατναί, lacunae, lacunaria, and the LXX., φατνωμάτα: Symmachus, φατνωσεῖς: Jerome, laquearii (cf. Isaiah 60:13). But the concluding words would then be unfitting. The bride is not describing a splendid palace, but a country home. "I am a tender maiden," she says, "who has been brought up in retirement; take me to a forest palace and to the green, fragrant surroundings, where the meadow flower, the valley lily will be happy." We are so accustomed to the rendering of Song of Solomon 2:1, which our Revised Version has adopted from the Authorized, that it would be wrong to destroy the effect which it borrows from long familiarity unless it were absolutely necessary. The word chavatseleth, however, has been differently translated; it is literally any wild flower - rose, saffron crocus (Colchieum autumnale), tulip, narcissus, lily. The crocus is, perhaps, nearest . to the meaning, as the name is probably derived from a root "to form bulbs" or bulbous knolls. It occurs only once again, in Isaiah 35:1, where it is rendered "rose" in the Authorized Version; LXX., ἄνθος: Vulgate, flos. Some derive it from the root chavaz, "to be bright," with ל as termination. Sharon may be here a general denomination of the open field or plain, from יָרַשׁ, "to be straight, plain." There was a district called Sharon on the coast from Joppa to Caesarea. There was another Sharon beyond the Jordan (see 1 Chronicles 5:16). According to Eusebius and Jerome, there was yet another, between Tabor and Tiberias, and this, as being in the north, may be referred to. Aquila renders "a rosebud of Sharon." The lily (shoshannah) is only found as here in the feminine form in the Apocrypha. The red and white lily were both known. Some would derive the word from the numeral (shesh) "six," because the liliaceae are six-leaved, while the rosaceae are five-leaved; but it is probably akin to shesh, "byssus," shayish, "white marbles" (cf. Hosea 14:5, "He shall bloom as a lily"). Our Lord's reference to "the lilies of the field" reminds us that they were in Palestine both very beautiful and very abundant. Zockler thinks it is not the strongly scented white lily (Lilium candidam) to which reference is made, but the red lily (Lilium rubens); but either will convey the same idea of a flower of the field which is meant. "My beauty is the beauty of nature - artless and pure."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
How
הִנְּךָ֨ (hin·nə·ḵā)
Interjection | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

handsome [you are],
יָפֶ֤ה (yā·p̄eh)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3303: Fair, beautiful

my beloved!
דוֹדִי֙ (ḏō·w·ḏî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1730: To love, a love-token, lover, friend, an uncle

Oh, how
אַ֣ף (’ap̄)
Conjunction
Strong's 637: Meaning accession, yea, adversatively though

delightful!
נָעִ֔ים (nā·‘îm)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5273: Pleasant, delightful

The soft grass
רַעֲנָנָֽה׃ (ra·‘ă·nā·nāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7488: Verdant, new, prosperous

[is] our bed.
עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ (‘ar·śê·nū)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 6210: A couch, divan


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OT Poetry: Song of Solomon 1:16 Behold you are beautiful my beloved yes (Song Songs SS So Can)
Song of Solomon 1:15
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