Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me. New Living Translation Then scarcely had I left them when I found my love! I caught and held him tightly, then I brought him to my mother’s house, into my mother’s bed, where I had been conceived. English Standard Version Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me. Berean Standard Bible I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me. King James Bible It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. New King James Version Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who conceived me. New American Standard Bible “Hardly had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the room of her who conceived me.” NASB 1995 “Scarcely had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the room of her who conceived me.” NASB 1977 “Scarcely had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the room of her who conceived me.” Legacy Standard Bible Scarcely had I passed them by When I found him whom my soul loves; I seized him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the chamber of her who conceived me.” Amplified Bible “Scarcely had I passed them When I found him whom my soul loves. I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the chamber of her who conceived me.” Christian Standard Bible I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held on to him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house — to the chamber of the one who conceived me. Holman Christian Standard Bible I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held on to him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house— to the chamber of the one who conceived me. American Standard Version It was but a little that I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, Until I had brought him into my mother's house, And into the chamber of her that conceived me. Contemporary English Version Right after that, I found him. I held him and would not let go until I had taken him to the home of my mother. English Revised Version It was but a little that I passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. GOD'S WORD® Translation I had just left them when I found the one I love. I held on to him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother's house, into the bedroom of the one who conceived me. Good News Translation As soon as I left them, I found him. I held him and wouldn't let him go until I took him to my mother's house, to the room where I was born. International Standard Version I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and wouldn't let him go until I brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me. Majority Standard Bible I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother?s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me. NET Bible Scarcely had I passed them by when I found my beloved! I held onto him tightly and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother's house, to the bedroom chamber of the one who conceived me. New Heart English Bible I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, into the chamber of her who conceived me. Webster's Bible Translation It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. World English Bible I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBut I passed on a little from them, "" Until I found him whom my soul has loved! I seized him, and did not let him go, "" Until I brought him to the house of my mother—And the chamber of her that conceived me. Young's Literal Translation But a little I passed on from them, Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him, and let him not go, Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother -- And the chamber of her that conceived me. Smith's Literal Translation As a little I passed from them till I found him my soul loved: I held him fast, and I shall not let him go till I brought him into my mother's house, and to the chamber of her conceiving me. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWhen I had a little passed by them, I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me. Catholic Public Domain Version When I had passed by them a little, I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not release him, until I would bring him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who bore me. New American Bible Hardly had I left them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of her who conceived me. New Revised Standard Version Scarcely had I passed them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleScarcely had I passed by them, when I found him whom my soul loves; I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother's house and into the chamber of her that bore me. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated When I passed from them a little until I found him whom my soul loved, I seized him and I did not let go of him until I brought him to the house of my mother to the bedroom of her who bore me OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Scarce had I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, Until I had brought him into my mother's house, And into the chamber of her that conceived me. Brenton Septuagint Translation It was as a little while after I parted from them, that I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and did not let him go, until I brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Bride's Dream…3I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city: “Have you seen the one I love?” 4I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me. 5O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.… Cross References 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. Psalm 45:10-11 Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house, / and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord. Isaiah 54:5 For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. 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 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion. 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. 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. 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. Revelation 19:7-9 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. / Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 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 Corinthians 6:17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit. 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. Isaiah 62:4-5 No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride. / 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. Matthew 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ... John 15:9 As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. Treasury of Scripture It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. but Song of Solomon 6:12 Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Isaiah 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. i held Song of Solomon 7:5 Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. Genesis 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Proverbs 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. i had Psalm 49:14-18 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling… Psalm 54:1-3 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength… Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. Jump to Previous Chamber Conceived Face Found Hands Heart Held House Love Loves Mother Mother's Passed Room Scarce Scarcely Seized Soul WayJump to Next Chamber Conceived Face Found Hands Heart Held House Love Loves Mother Mother's Passed Room Scarce Scarcely Seized Soul WaySong of Solomon 3 1. the church's fight and victory in temptation6. The church glories in Christ I had just passed them This phrase suggests a sense of urgency and determination in the search. The "them" likely refers to the watchmen mentioned earlier in the chapter, symbolizing those who guard the city. In a spiritual sense, this can represent the soul's search for Christ, passing through worldly distractions or obstacles to find true love and fulfillment in Him. when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the chamber of the one who conceived me. Persons / Places / Events 1. The Shulammite WomanThe speaker in this verse, often interpreted as the bride or beloved in the Song of Solomon. She represents the soul's longing and fulfillment in love. 2. The Beloved The one whom the Shulammite woman loves, often seen as a representation of Christ in allegorical interpretations, or Solomon in the literal sense. 3. The Watchmen Mentioned earlier in the chapter, they are the ones the Shulammite passes by in her search. They symbolize those who guard or oversee, possibly representing spiritual leaders or guides. 4. Mother’s House A place of origin and safety, symbolizing intimacy and familial connection. It represents a return to foundational relationships and security. 5. The Chamber A private, intimate space, symbolizing deep personal connection and union, often interpreted as the inner sanctum of one's heart or spiritual life. Teaching Points The Pursuit of LoveJust as the Shulammite actively seeks her beloved, believers are called to pursue a deep and personal relationship with Christ. This pursuit requires intentionality and perseverance. The Joy of Finding The joy and fulfillment found in Christ surpass all other pursuits. When we find Him, we experience a profound sense of peace and belonging. Holding Fast to Christ Like the Shulammite who holds onto her beloved, we are encouraged to cling to Christ, especially in times of uncertainty or trial. This involves a commitment to spiritual disciplines and community. Returning to Foundations Bringing the beloved to her mother’s house symbolizes returning to foundational truths and relationships. In our spiritual journey, we must often return to the basics of faith and the community that nurtures us. Intimacy with God The chamber represents the intimate space we create for God in our hearts. Cultivating this space requires time, effort, and a willingness to be vulnerable before God.(4) I held him . . .--Bossuet, following Bede, regards this as prophetic of Mary Magdalen (type of the Church) on the morning of the Resurrection.Verse 4. - It was but a little that I passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. This verse plainly points to the search referred to in the previous verse being limited to the neighbourhood of Shulamith's home. The lover was not far off, though he had delayed his coming. Possibly it is a real occurrence which is related. In that case we must suppose that the night was not very far advanced. But the hypothesis of a dream is the most natural explanation. The word cherer, which is used of the house, denotes the inner part, penetralia. The modesty of the last clause is very beautiful. The mother would, of course, at that time be in her sleeping chamber. There alone would the maiden receive her lover at such a time. The mother would gladly welcome the young man, and thus the love which Shulamith declares is set upon the ground of perfect chastity and homely purity. The object of this little episode introduced by the bride into her song as she lies in the arms of Solomon is to show that, ecstatic and intense as her devotion is, it is not the lawless affection of a concubine, but the love of a noble wife. The religious emotions are always presented to us in Scripture, not as wild fanaticism or superficial excitement, but as pure offering of the heart which blends with the highest relations and interests of human life, and sanctifies home and country with all their ties and obligations. The mother and the child are one in the new atmosphere of bridal joy. No religion is worthy of the name which does not bring its object into the chamber of her who conceived us. We love all that are bound with us in life not the less, but the more, because we love Christ supremely. We revere all that is just and holy in the common world the more, and not the less, because we worship God and serve the Lord. What a rebuke to asceticism, monasticism, and all unsocial religion! Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew I had justכִּמְעַט֙ (kim·‘aṭ) Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few passed שֶׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי (še·‘ā·ḇar·tî) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on them מֵהֶ֔ם (mê·hem) Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They when עַ֣ד (‘aḏ) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while I found שֶֽׁמָּצָ֔אתִי (šem·mā·ṣā·ṯî) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present the one אֵ֥ת (’êṯ) Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case I נַפְשִׁ֑י (nap̄·šî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion love. שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה (še·’ā·hă·ḇāh) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 157: To have affection f I held him אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ (’ă·ḥaz·tîw) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 270: To grasp, take hold, take possession and would not וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no let go אַרְפֶּ֔נּוּ (’ar·pen·nū) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 7503: Sink, relax until עַד־ (‘aḏ-) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while I had brought שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ (še·hă·ḇê·ṯîw) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go him to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to my mother’s אִמִּ֔י (’im·mî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 517: A mother, ) house, בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1004: A house to וְאֶל־ (wə·’el-) Conjunctive waw | Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the chamber חֶ֖דֶר (ḥe·ḏer) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 2315: A chamber, room of the one who conceived me. הוֹרָתִֽי׃ (hō·w·rā·ṯî) Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 2029: To conceive, become pregnant Links Song of Solomon 3:4 NIVSong of Solomon 3:4 NLT Song of Solomon 3:4 ESV Song of Solomon 3:4 NASB Song of Solomon 3:4 KJV Song of Solomon 3:4 BibleApps.com Song of Solomon 3:4 Biblia Paralela Song of Solomon 3:4 Chinese Bible Song of Solomon 3:4 French Bible Song of Solomon 3:4 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Song of Solomon 3:4 I had scarcely passed from them when (Song Songs SS So Can) |
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