In the context of the Bible, the term "roe" typically refers to a type of deer, specifically the roe deer, known for its grace and swiftness. The roe is mentioned in several passages, often symbolizing beauty, agility, and love. The Hebrew word for roe is "tsvi" or "tzvi," which can also be translated as "gazelle" or "antelope" in some contexts.

Biblical References:

1. Song of Solomon 2:9 · "My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice."
In this poetic book, the roe is used as a metaphor for the beloved's swiftness and desirability. The imagery of the roe highlights the beauty and grace of the beloved, drawing a parallel to the natural elegance of the animal.

2. Song of Solomon 2:17 · "Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether."
Here, the roe is again a symbol of youthful vigor and romantic pursuit. The comparison to a gazelle or young stag emphasizes the beloved's vitality and the urgency of love.

3. Proverbs 6:5 · "Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler."
In this proverb, the roe represents the need for quick and decisive action to escape danger. The imagery of the gazelle underscores the importance of agility and speed in avoiding life's traps.

4. 2 Samuel 2:18 · "The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle."
Asahel's comparison to a roe highlights his swiftness and prowess in battle. The roe's speed is a desirable trait, especially in the context of warfare and pursuit.

Symbolism and Themes:

The roe, as depicted in the Bible, is often associated with themes of love, beauty, and agility. Its frequent appearance in the Song of Solomon underscores its role as a symbol of romantic love and attraction. The roe's grace and speed are qualities that are admired and sought after, both in the context of personal relationships and in the broader scope of life's challenges.

In a spiritual sense, the roe can also represent the believer's pursuit of righteousness and the need to swiftly flee from sin and temptation. The imagery of the roe encourages believers to seek beauty and grace in their walk with God, striving to embody the virtues that the roe symbolizes.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern culture, the roe deer was a common sight and would have been familiar to the original audience of the biblical texts. Its characteristics made it an apt metaphor for various human qualities and experiences. The use of the roe in biblical literature reflects the broader cultural appreciation for the natural world and its ability to convey spiritual truths.

The roe's presence in Scripture serves as a reminder of the Creator's artistry and the lessons that can be drawn from observing His creation. Through the imagery of the roe, the Bible communicates enduring truths about love, freedom, and the pursuit of godly virtues.(Hebrews tsebi), properly the gazelle (Arab. ghazal), permitted for food (Deuteronomy 14:5; Comp. Deuteronomy 12:15, 22; 15:22; 1 Kings 4:23), noted for its swiftness and beauty and grace of form (2 Samuel 2:18; 1 Chronicles 12:8; Cant. 2:9; 7:3; 8:14).

The gazelle (Gazella dorcas) is found in great numbers in Palestine. "Among the gray hills of Galilee it is still `the roe upon the mountains of Bether,' and I have seen a little troop of gazelles feeding on the Mount of Olives close to Jerusalem itself" (Tristram).

The Hebrew word (`ayyalah) in Proverbs 5:19 thus rendered (R.V., "doe"), is properly the "wild she-goat," the mountain goat, the ibex. (See 1 Samuel 24:2; Psalm 104:18; Job 39:1.)

1. (n.) A roebuck. See Roebuck.

2. (n.) The female of any species of deer.

3. (n.) The ova or spawn of fishes and amphibians, especially when still enclosed in the ovarian membranes. Sometimes applied, loosely, to the sperm and the testes of the male.

4. (n.) A mottled appearance of light and shade in wood, especially in mahogany.

ROE; ROEBUCK

ro, ro'-buk: the King James Version has "roe" and "roebuck" for tsehi, tsebhiyah. the Revised Version (British and American) usually substitutes "gazelle" in the text (Deuteronomy 12:15, etc.) or margin (Proverbs 6:5, etc.), but retains "roe" in 2 Samuel 2:18 1 Chronicles 12:8; Songs 3:5; Songs 7:3. So the Revised Version (British and American) has "gazelle" for the King James Version "roe" in Sirach 27:20 (dorkas). the Revised Version (British and American) has "roe-buck" for yachmur (Deuteronomy 14:5 1 Kings 4:23), where the King James Version has "fallow deer." In the opinion of the writer, 'ayyal English Versions of the Bible "hart," should be translated "roe-buck," yachmur "fallow deer," and tsebhi "gazelle."

See DEER; GAZELLE.

Alfred Ely Day

3280. yaalah -- female mountain goat
... Word Origin fem. of yael Definition female mountain goat NASB Word Usage doe (1).
roe. Feminine of ya'el -- roe. see HEBREW ya'el. 3279, 3280. yaalah. 3281 > ...
/hebrew/3280.htm - 6k

6646. tsebiyyah -- female gazelle
... Word Origin fem. of tsebi Definition female gazelle NASB Word Usage gazelle (2).
roe. Feminine of tsbiy; a female gazelle -- roe. see HEBREW tsbiy. 6645, 6646 ...
/hebrew/6646.htm - 6k

6082. opher -- a young hart, stag
... young roe hart. From aphar; a fawn (from the dusty color) -- young roe (hart). see
HEBREW aphar. 6081, 6082. opher. 6083 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6082.htm - 6k

6643. tsbiy -- beauty, honor
... From tsabah in the sense of prominence; splendor (as conspicuous); also a gazelle
(as beautiful) -- beautiful(-ty), glorious, goodly, pleasant, roe(-buck). ...
/hebrew/6643.htm - 5k

My Beloved is Like a Roe or a Young Hart: Behold He Standeth ...
... 9. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold he standeth behind our wall;
he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/9 my beloved is like.htm

Until the Day Break and the Shadows Flee Away, Turn, My Beloved ...
... CHAPTER II. 17. Until the day break and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved,
and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. ...
/.../guyon/song of songs of solomon/17 until the day break.htm

Flee Away, My Beloved, and be Thou Like to a Roe or to a Young ...
... CHAPTER VIII. 14. Flee away, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to
a young hart upon the mountains of spices. The soul having ...
/.../guyon/song of songs of solomon/14 flee away my beloved.htm

Over the Mountains. "My Beloved is Mine, and I am His: He Feedeth ...
... Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be Thou like
a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether."" Song of Solomon ii. ...
/.../spurgeon/till he come/over the mountains my beloved is.htm

The Bride's Reminiscences
... My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He
looketh in at the windows, He sheweth himself through the lattice. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/vii the brides reminiscences.htm

Chapter ii.
... behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.9. My beloved
is like a roe or a young hart: behold he standeth behind our wall; he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/chapter ii.htm

Chapter viii.
... 14. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart
upon the mountains of spices.14. Flee away, my beloved, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/chapter viii.htm

On Proverbs. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs.
... [1228] He shows also, by the mention of the creature (the hind), the purity of that
pleasure; and by the roe he intimates the quick responsive affection of the ...
/.../on proverbs from the commentary.htm

S. Cyril's Writings.
... which Sir Tho. Roe, our first Ambassador from King James 1.to the Great Mogul, brought
from the East, and presented to the Bodleian Library. ... 4. C. Roe, Bibl. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/chapter xi s cyrils writings.htm

Unrestrained Communion
... Make haste, my Beloved,. And be Thou like to a roe or to a young hart. Upon the
mountains of spices! ... Turn, my Beloved, and be Thou like a roe or a young hart. ...
/.../taylor/union and communion/section vi unrestrained communion.htm

Roe (21 Occurrences)
... "Among the gray hills of Galilee it is still `the roe upon the ...ROE; ROEBUCK. ro,
ro'-buk: the King James Version has "roe" and "roebuck" for tsehi, tsebhiyah. ...
/r/roe.htm - 15k

Roe's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Roe's (1 Occurrence). Genesis 27:7 Go and get
some roe's meat and make me a good meal, so that I may be ...
/r/roe's.htm - 6k

Roebuck (5 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ROE; ROEBUCK. ro, ro'-buk: the King James
Version has "roe" and "roebuck" for tsehi, tsebhiyah. ...
/r/roebuck.htm - 9k

Deer (15 Occurrences)
... Arabic, 'ayyal and 'iyal, "deer" and 'ayil, "ram," and Latin caper and capra, "goat,"
caprea, capreolus, "wild goat," "chamois," or "roe deer")); yachmur ...
/d/deer.htm - 17k

Gazelle (12 Occurrences)
... gazelle" does not occur in the King James Version, where tsebhi and tsebhiyah, in
the 16 passages where they occur, are uniformly translated "roe" or "roebuck ...
/g/gazelle.htm - 13k

Zoology
... Wild Ox or Unicorn, Sinaitic Ibex (sv GOAT), Persian Wild Goat (sv CHAMOIS), Gazelle,
Arabian Oryx (sv ANTELOPE), Chamois (2) Cervidae, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Roes (12 Occurrences)
... Roes (12 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 2:18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab,
and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. ...
/r/roes.htm - 9k

Fawns (4 Occurrences)
... (WEB). Song of Songs 4:5 Your two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a
roe, which feed among the lilies. (WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/f/fawns.htm - 7k

Twins (9 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Song of Songs 4:5 Your two breasts are like
two fawns that are twins of a roe, which feed among the lilies. ...
/t/twins.htm - 8k

Ram (96 Occurrences)
... 1) The ordinary word is 'ayil, which is remarkably near to 'ayyal, "deer" (compare
Latin caper, capra, "goat," and capreolus, "wild goat" or "roe-buck"; also ...
/r/ram.htm - 41k

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