Song Of Solomon 4:1 kjv
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
Song Of Solomon 4:1 nkjv
Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove's eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, Going down from Mount Gilead.
Song Of Solomon 4:1 niv
How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.
Song Of Solomon 4:1 esv
Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.
Song Of Solomon 4:1 nlt
You are beautiful, my darling,
beautiful beyond words.
Your eyes are like doves
behind your veil.
Your hair falls in waves,
like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead.
Song Of Solomon 4 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Song of Songs 1:15 | Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are fair; | Strong admiration |
| Song of Songs 4:7 | You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. | Unqualified beauty |
| Psalm 50:2 | Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. | Divine perfection |
| Isaiah 62:5 | as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. | Divine delight in people |
| Matthew 5:28 | But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. | Purity of gaze |
| 1 Peter 3:3-4 | Let not adornment be external... but let it be the hidden person of the heart... which is of great worth in God's sight. | Inner and outer beauty |
| Ephesians 5:25-27 | Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church... that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing... | Christ's love for the church |
| Romans 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... | Transformation |
| Song of Songs 1:9 | I compare you, my love, to a mare with the chariots of Pharaoh. | Metaphorical praise |
| Song of Songs 2:2 | Like a lily among brambles, so is my love among the maidens. | Distinction |
| Song of Songs 5:12 | His eyes are like doves by the rivers of water, bathed in milk, and fitly set. | Comparison of eyes |
| Song of Songs 6:8 | There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins countess, but my dove, my perfect one, is the only one. | Uniqueness of beloved |
| Psalm 119:9 | How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. | Purity |
| 1 Corinthians 7:34 | ...an unmarried woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please God, in body and in spirit. But a married woman is anxious about the things of the world, how to please her husband. | Devotion |
| Song of Songs 7:1 | How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a skilled craftsman. | Appreciation of features |
| 1 Timothy 2:9 | likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with sobriety and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire. | Modesty |
| Song of Songs 2:14 | O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep, let me see your face; let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. | Desire to see her fully |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... full of grace and truth. | Divine revelation |
| Ephesians 1:4 | even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. | Chosen for holiness |
| Song of Songs 6:10 | Who is this that looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the night, radiant as the moon, brilliant as the sun, terrible as an army with banners? | Divine glory |
| Colossians 1:22 | yet now he has reconciled you in his body by his flesh—to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. | Reconciliation and holiness |
| Hebrews 12:23 | ...to the spirits of the just made perfect | Perfection in Christ |
Song Of Solomon 4 verses
Song Of Solomon 4 1 Meaning
The beloved addresses the one he cherishes, exclaiming, "Behold, you are beautiful, my love!" He then immediately follows this declaration of beauty with the declaration, "Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves behind your veil." This emphasizes his profound admiration and captivated gaze upon her, highlighting specific features with poetic imagery.
Song Of Solomon 4 1 Context
This verse opens the second great speech of the Shulamite woman to Solomon. The preceding chapter concludes with Solomon's effusive praise of the Shulamite. Chapter 4, verse 1 is the beginning of Solomon's reciprocal praise. It sets the tone for a deeply intimate and admiring dialogue between the lovers. Culturally, such poetic expressions of beauty and devotion were common in ancient Near Eastern love poetry, reflecting societal appreciation for physical and inner qualities in a partner.
Song Of Solomon 4 1 Word Analysis
Behold (Hebrew: ראה, ra'ah): "To see," "to look at," "to perceive." This is an imperative, calling for attention, to stop and truly observe. It indicates a heightened awareness and a desire for the other to acknowledge what is being seen.
You are (Hebrew: את, att): "You" (feminine singular) and "are" (implied verb 'to be'). Directly addresses the beloved.
Beautiful (Hebrew: יָפָה, yaphah): "Beautiful," "lovely," "fair." This describes attractiveness and comeliness.
My love (Hebrew: רַעְיָתִי, ra'yati): "My companion," "my friend," "my beloved." A term of deep affection and intimacy.
Your eyes (Hebrew: עֵינַיִךְ, einayikh): "Your eyes" (feminine plural). A direct focus on a specific, striking feature.
Doves (Hebrew: יוֹנִים, yonim): "Doves" (plural). Doves were symbols of innocence, gentleness, and purity in the ancient world. They also often appear in pairs, symbolizing devotion.
Behind your veil (Hebrew: מֵעֵבֶר לְצַמֹּתֵךְ, me'ever le-tzammatayikh): "From beyond your veil," "behind your curtains." This suggests a partial reveal, adding a sense of mystery and alluring hiddenness to her beauty. The veil often signified modesty and respectability.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Behold, you are beautiful" (Hebrew: הִנָּךְ יָפָה, hinnekh yaphah): This repetition amplifies the intensity of the admiration. The speaker is not just stating a fact but expressing a profound emotional reaction to her appearance.
- "Your eyes are doves": This is a striking simile. It compares the gentleness, innocence, and perhaps the tender gaze of her eyes to those of doves.
- "behind your veil": This phrase enhances the beauty by implying that even a partially seen beauty is captivating, hinting at a deeper, unveiled beauty that is precious and protected.
Song Of Solomon 4 1 Bonus Section
The imagery of doves is significant in biblical literature. They are often associated with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16) and the innocence of believers. In this context, the "eyes like doves" also speaks to the gentleness and purity of her character. The veil, while a cultural element of modesty and concealment, also points towards a sacred unveiling of beauty that is reserved for the eyes of her beloved. This captures the essence of intimate, pure love where beauty is appreciated in its fullest, uncorrupted form. The way Solomon sees her reflects God's perfect, unblemished view of His people when seen through Christ.
Song Of Solomon 4 1 Commentary
Solomon's opening declaration of the Shulamite's beauty is fervent and emphatic, reinforced by repetition. The focus then shifts to her eyes, comparing them to doves. This imagery conveys gentleness, purity, and a shy, tender innocence. The reference to her eyes being seen "behind your veil" adds layers of meaning. The veil represents modesty and a protective covering, suggesting that her true beauty is not ostentatious but rather demure and perhaps glimpsed, making it all the more precious and alluring. It evokes a sense of sacredness around her beauty, like seeing something divine partially revealed. This is not a casual observation but an appreciative, spiritual insight into her inner and outer loveliness, mirroring Christ's view of the church, which he sees as beautiful and pure.