Song Of Solomon 3:3 kjv
The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
Song Of Solomon 3:3 nkjv
The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, "Have you seen the one I love?"
Song Of Solomon 3:3 niv
The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?"
Song Of Solomon 3:3 esv
The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"
Song Of Solomon 3:3 nlt
The watchmen stopped me as they made their rounds,
and I asked, "Have you seen the one I love?"
Song Of Solomon 3 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Song 3:3 | “The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him that my soul loveth?” | Ps 42:3 (Longing for God's presence) |
| Prov 6:4-5 (Urgency in relationships) | ||
| Song 5:7 (Similar experience with guards) | ||
| Jer 31:7 (Vigilance and distress) | ||
| Luke 11:9 (Asking, seeking, knocking) | ||
| John 20:15 (Mary seeking Jesus) | ||
| 1 Sam 17:29 (Concern for truth) | ||
| Neh 4:21 (Vigilance amidst opposition) | ||
| Isa 62:6 (Watchmen on walls) | ||
| Acts 16:25 (Paul and Silas praying in prison) | ||
| Lam 1:12 (Suffering and pain) | ||
| Hos 9:12 (Woe to them when I visit them) | ||
| Ezek 3:17 (Watchman's duty) | ||
| Heb 12:16 (Lack of self-control leading to suffering) | ||
| Rom 12:15 (Weep with those who weep) | ||
| Phil 3:13-14 (Pressing toward the goal) | ||
| 1 Thess 5:6 (Be watchful) | ||
| Rev 3:2 (What I have, I have kept) | ||
| Rev 16:15 (Watchful for salvation) | ||
| Gen 37:35 (Jacob's mourning) |
Song Of Solomon 3 verses
Song Of Solomon 3 3 Meaning
The verse expresses the profound distress and anxiety of the Shulammite woman. She describes sleepless nights, seeking her beloved without success. The patrol guards, encountering her in her search, inflict further pain by mistaking her for a common woman or intruder, exacerbating her emotional turmoil and sense of isolation in her love for the king.
Song Of Solomon 3 3 Context
Chapter 3 of the Song of Solomon portrays the deep yearning of the Shulammite woman for her beloved, the king. After sleepless nights spent searching for him, she recounts an encounter with the city's watchmen. This passage occurs after a dream-like sequence where she is separated from her beloved. The physical separation amplifies her emotional distress, and her desperate search leads her into a potentially dangerous situation within the city walls. The watchmen's response highlights her vulnerability and the intense pressure she feels due to the longing and the societal context.
Song Of Solomon 3 3 Word Analysis
- "The watchmen": (Hebrew: שֹּׁמְרִים, shomrim) - These are the guards of the city, responsible for maintaining order and security, particularly at night.
- "that go about the city": (Hebrew: הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר, hasovevim ba'ir) - Describes their patrolling duty, their movement throughout the urban landscape.
- "found me": (Hebrew: מְצָאוּנִי, metsa'uni) - They discovered her, highlighting her presence in an unusual or exposed situation.
- "to whom I said": (Hebrew: אֲמַרְתִּי, amarti) - She spoke to them, attempting to communicate her situation and intent.
- "Saw ye him": (Hebrew: הֲרְאִיתֶם, har'item) - A direct question, seeking confirmation or information about her beloved.
- "that my soul loveth": (Hebrew: אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־אָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי, et-asher-ahavah nafshi) - Emphasizes the deep, profound love she has for him, originating from her very being.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "The watchmen that go about the city found me": This phrase illustrates her exposed vulnerability as she seeks her beloved. The "watchmen" represent authorities or even societal norms that can be unaware of or even hostile to genuine love. Their finding her suggests she is transgressing some boundaries in her desperate search.
- "to whom I said, Saw ye him that my soul loveth?": Her direct question reveals her singular focus. All she cares about is her beloved. The watchmen, concerned with security, are less concerned with her emotional state and more with identifying her as a potential anomaly or threat.
Song Of Solomon 3 3 Bonus Section
The intensity of the Shulammite's love is mirrored in scriptural accounts of believers intensely seeking God, such as David's psalms ("As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." - Ps 42:1). The "watchmen" can also be interpreted metaphorically as spiritual guardians or even circumstances that test faith and loyalty in the pursuit of a divine relationship. The encounter can represent moments where one’s earnest pursuit of God leads to external scrutiny or misunderstanding from those who do not share the same spiritual fervor. Her interaction also touches on themes of identity and belonging – in her desperation, she is stripped of her status and is just a seeker.
Song Of Solomon 3 3 Commentary
This verse underscores the intense emotional journey of love, particularly in its absent phase. The Shulammite's distress is so palpable that she is found by those whose duty is to guard, yet her immediate concern is her absent lover. Her plea to the watchmen, "Saw ye him that my soul loveth?", reveals the depth of her affection and her desperate hope for any information. The watchmen's likely indifferent or even harsh response highlights how the intensity of personal love can sometimes be misunderstood or penalized by the more mundane and official aspects of life. It speaks to the personal, sometimes secretive, nature of deep affection and the potential challenges faced when pursuing it.