Song Of Solomon 7:3 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Song Of Solomon 7:3 kjv
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
Song Of Solomon 7:3 nkjv
Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle.
Song Of Solomon 7:3 niv
Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle.
Song Of Solomon 7:3 esv
Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
Song Of Solomon 7:3 nlt
Your breasts are like two fawns,
twin fawns of a gazelle.
Song Of Solomon 7 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Song 4:5 | Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle... | Similar imagery for breasts as graceful & identical |
| Song 6:6 | Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle... | Repetition emphasizes consistent beauty and admiration |
| Prov 5:18-19 | May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth... Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; may you be captivated by her love. | Joy and satisfaction found in marital intimacy |
| Gen 2:24 | Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. | Foundation of intimate union in marriage |
| Eph 5:28-29 | In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies... no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. | Love, nourishment, and care within marriage |
| 1 Cor 7:3-5 | The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband... for this present distress. | Mutual physical rights in marriage |
| Isa 66:11 | That you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breasts... | Breasts as source of comfort and satisfaction |
| Psa 22:9 | Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. | Breasts as symbols of initial sustenance & trust |
| Hos 9:14 | Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. | Opposite; lack of nurture as a curse |
| Joel 4:3 (ESV: Joel 3:3) | They have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine... | Prostitution as desecration of sexual intimacy |
| Lev 18:6 | None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. | Limits and purity for sexual relations |
| Song 1:15 | Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. | Expressing beauty through animal metaphors |
| Song 2:9 | My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. | Gazelle as symbol of beloved, grace, speed |
| Song 2:16 | My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies. | Belonging and tranquil setting with lilies |
| Song 4:13-14 | Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits... frankincense... myrrh and aloes. | Botanical imagery for beauty and fertility |
| Hos 14:5 | I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily... | Lily symbolizing growth, purity, and beauty |
| Matt 6:28-29 | Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow... even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | Lilies symbolize natural beauty and delicate purity |
| Gen 1:28 | Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth... | Command to procreate implies importance of human fertility |
| Heb 13:4 | Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled... | Honor and purity of marital relationship |
| 1 Tim 5:14 | So I would have younger widows marry, bear children... | Positive view of marital procreation |
Song Of Solomon 7 verses
Song Of Solomon 7 3 meaning
This verse portrays the Lover's affectionate admiration for his Beloved, the Shulamite, specifically her breasts. The comparison to "two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that feed among the lilies" evokes imagery of delicate beauty, graceful vitality, perfect symmetry, and a serene, nurturing purity. It highlights not only physical attractiveness but also the inherent gentleness, youthfulness, and potential for sustenance that her form suggests within the cherished bond of marital love.
Song Of Solomon 7 3 Context
This verse is an integral part of the Lover's impassioned poetic description of the Shulamite's beauty, found in Song of Solomon 7:1-9. This section presents a detailed, head-to-toe appreciation of her physical form, starting with her dancing feet and progressing upwards. Verse 7:3, specifically, focuses on her breasts, expressing admiration for their gentle contours, twin symmetry, and youthful vibrancy. This is not a detached or lustful observation, but rather an intimate and deeply affectionate compliment exchanged between two individuals who are married or committed to each other, celebrated within the sanctified boundaries of love and marital covenant. The setting is one of idyllic nature, reinforcing purity and natural beauty. Historically and culturally, such descriptions in the Ancient Near East celebrated women's beauty, often linking it with fertility, grace, and allure within a marital or betrothal context.
Song Of Solomon 7 3 Word analysis
- Your breasts (שָׁדַיִךְ - shadayich): The Hebrew word refers to the female breasts, always in the dual form, emphasizing symmetry. It represents a focal point of feminine beauty, potential for nurturing, and sensuous appeal. In the Bible, breasts are consistently associated with comfort, satisfaction, and the capacity for motherhood, as seen in texts referencing nursing or the promise of satisfaction (e.g., Prov 5:19, Isa 66:11).
- are like two fawns (עֻפָּרִים - `uppārîm): The term refers to young roes or gazelles. This metaphor conveys images of gentleness, delicate innocence, quick movement, and youthful vitality. It speaks to a pleasing fullness that is not heavy or crude, but light and lively, evoking admiration for their delicate form.
- twins of a gazelle (צְבִיָּה - tsbîyāh): The addition of "twins of a gazelle" reinforces the idea of perfect symmetry, harmonious proportion, and balanced beauty. Gazelles (tsbîyāh in feminine singular) are widely admired for their grace, speed, beautiful eyes, and slender form, elevating the comparison beyond mere size to one of elegant design. The twin aspect highlights the perfect match and equal beauty of each.
- that feed among the lilies (שֽׁוֹשַׁנִּים - shōwshanîm): This phrase completes the idyllic scene. "Feed" (ro`eh) suggests a natural, peaceful state of contentment and sustenance. "Among the lilies" places this delicate image in a setting of exquisite beauty, purity, and serenity. Lilies are symbolic of beauty, freshness, and purity throughout Scripture (Song 2:1, Hos 14:5), adding to the verse's emphasis on natural, unblemished beauty and a pleasant, flourishing environment.
- Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle: This composite image is a superlative compliment. It implies not just the physical form but also the endearing qualities of the animals – their delicate softness, energetic youth, graceful movement, and perfect balance. It suggests that her breasts are beautiful, vital, perfectly matched, and naturally appealing, viewed with deep tenderness.
- which feed among the lilies: This phrase paints a picture of peaceful coexistence and flourishing beauty. The "feeding" here metaphorically enhances the sense of healthy vitality and sustenance, possibly hinting at her life-giving potential, while "among the lilies" highlights an environment of purity, sweet fragrance, and lush loveliness, accentuating the natural and refined aspect of her beauty. It contributes to a serene and captivating portrait.
Song Of Solomon 7 3 Bonus section
The allegorical interpretation, prominent in both Jewish and Christian tradition, sometimes views the "two fawns" or "two breasts" as symbols for nurturing elements. In Christian interpretation, these could represent the Old and New Testaments, which provide spiritual nourishment and instruction to the Church. Alternatively, they symbolize the Church's two main doctrines or sacraments that spiritually sustain believers. The "lilies" can then represent the purity of faith or the pleasant pasture where spiritual truth is found. This dual layer of interpretation enriches the text, allowing for both a celebration of human, marital love and a spiritual application to the divine-human relationship or the Church's role in nurturing believers.
Song Of Solomon 7 3 Commentary
Song of Solomon 7:3 stands as a beautiful expression of the Lover's deep admiration for his Beloved. It celebrates the delicate and vital beauty of her breasts, using comparisons that evoke gentleness, symmetry, and serene natural grace. The imagery of "fawns, twins of a gazelle, that feed among the lilies" paints a picture of vibrant yet modest beauty, highlighting a captivating balance of fullness and agility, innocence and allure. This description, part of a broader hymn of praise, sanctifies physical intimacy and affection within marriage, presenting it as a gift to be cherished and admired without shame, within God's intended design for human love. It speaks to the delight and joy found in the partner's physical form, understood not as an object of base desire, but as an integral part of their cherished beloved, cherished with tenderness and poetic admiration.