Song Of Solomon 8:4 kjv
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
Song Of Solomon 8:4 nkjv
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.
Song Of Solomon 8:4 niv
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
Song Of Solomon 8:4 esv
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
Song Of Solomon 8:4 nlt
Promise me, O women of Jerusalem,
not to awaken love until the time is right.
Song Of Solomon 8 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Song 8:4 | "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." | Expresses desire for love's natural progression |
| Psalm 30:5 | "For his anger is but for a moment, his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." | Parallel with timely joy after sorrow, applied to love |
| Eccl 3:1 | "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" | Underlines the importance of timing in all things, including love |
| John 2:4 | "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.'" | Jesus' reference to "His hour" signifies appointed timing |
| Song 2:7 | "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." | Earlier similar plea, showing a consistent theme |
| Song 3:5 | "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." | Another instance of the same adjuration |
| 1 Thess 5:6 | "so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober." | Application to spiritual vigilance, akin to guarding love |
| Prov 4:23 | "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." | The principle of guarding what is precious, applicable to love's blossoming |
| 1 Cor 13:4-7 | "Love is patient, love is kind..." | Defines the mature characteristics of love that would naturally await |
| Gal 5:22-23 | "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." | Self-control as a component of true love |
| Prov 27:18 | "Whoever guards his fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who is faithful in that which is committed to him will be repaid." | Parallels guarding and waiting for fruit in a relationship |
| Ruth 1:16 | "But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'" | Expresses commitment and dedication akin to deep, settled love |
| Psalm 42:1 | "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for you, O God." | Expresses deep longing, which needs proper timing |
| Prov 6:27-28 | "Can a man carry fire on his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be seared? So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her will not be innocent." | Warns against uncontrolled passion leading to destruction |
| Jer 17:5-8 | "Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man... he is like a shrub in the desert... But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord... He is like a tree planted by water...'" | Contrasts misplaced trust (and implied rushed actions) with reliance on the Lord for growth |
| Matt 13:23 | "As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it: he indeed bears fruit and produces, now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty." | The concept of fruitfulness coming in due time and proportion |
| Song 8:5 | "Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?" | The natural consequence of love that has been allowed to mature |
| Heb 12:15 | "See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled." | The potential for uncontrolled desires to cause defilement or bitterness |
| Phil 1:9-10 | "and it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent..." | Prays for love to abound with discernment and approval of what is excellent |
| Isa 5:20 | "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" | Caution against misjudging or prematurely forcing outcomes, blurring what is good |
| Amos 5:24 | "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." | Highlights the natural, unstoppable flow of what is right and just, applicable to love's rightful expression |
Song Of Solomon 8 verses
Song Of Solomon 8 4 Meaning
This verse expresses a tender plea from the Shulamite woman to her beloved, asking him to act as a protector and identifier of her love for him. It’s a plea against premature stirring of love or arousal before it can naturally progress to the desired intimacy and commitment, emphasizing a desire for love to unfold at its appointed time and to be deeply recognized and cherished by the beloved.
Song Of Solomon 8 4 Context
This verse appears in the latter part of the Song of Solomon, where the intimacy between the lover and beloved has reached a profound depth. It is set in an idyllic, almost pastoral landscape. The plea is addressed to the "daughters of Jerusalem," representing perhaps those who might witness or influence burgeoning relationships, or even internal voices of desire or societal pressure. It’s a call to protect the sanctity and purity of nascent love, ensuring it develops naturally and with mutual consent, rather than being prematurely stirred to passion. This caution is reiterated, underscoring its importance within the narrative of mature, committed love. The broader context of the Song itself is one of celebrating romantic love, interpreted by many Jewish and Christian traditions as an allegory for the relationship between God and Israel, or Christ and the Church.
Song Of Solomon 8 4 Word Analysis
"I adjure" (Hebrew: Shevu'ah - שְׁבוּעָה - Shava'ti)
- Root meaning relates to an oath, a binding promise, or a solemn charge.
- It implies a strong, serious command.
- Similar usage occurs in Judges 11:30 (Jephthah’s vow) and 1 Samuel 14:24 (Saul’s curse).
- It’s a plea with an oath, demonstrating the weight of her concern.
"you, O daughters of Jerusalem"
- Direct address to a specific group.
- The "daughters of Jerusalem" often represent watchers, those who are sensitive to the progress of love.
- It could also refer to the community or younger women who might be inexperienced in matters of love.
- They are the ones susceptible to impulsivity regarding emotions.
"that you not stir up"
- Hebrew: 'Ur - עוּר ('ur) - meaning to rouse, awaken, excite, provoke.
- Refers to bringing about a premature awakening of intense feelings.
- It suggests an external or premature stimulation.
- This action is portrayed as something to be restrained or prevented.
"or awaken"
- Hebrew: Qits - קוּץ (qûṣ) - meaning to awake, to be roused up, to excite.
- Often used for waking from sleep.
- Here, it’s parallel to 'ur, emphasizing the dual aspect of initiating and intensifying.
- The combination stresses the total prevention of an untimely arousal of love.
"love" (Hebrew: Dód - דּוֹד (dod))
- A term of endearment, referring to a beloved, an uncle, or loved one.
- In Song of Solomon, it signifies romantic or passionate love, affection, and intimate relationship.
- It is the precious emotion that requires careful guarding.
"until it pleases"
- Hebrew: Khefaṭs - חָפֵץ (ḥāp̄eṣ) - meaning to take delight in, desire, be pleased with.
- Refers to the opportune moment, the time when the love naturally wishes to manifest its deeper dimensions.
- This highlights consent, timing, and ripeness in a relationship.
- It signifies waiting for love’s own will or natural progression towards full expression.
Word-group analysis
- "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases."
- This is a powerful triple adjuration (pronounced "ad-jure"), a solemn pledge or oath, forbidding interference.
- The prohibition is specific: not to rouse or awaken the emotion prematurely.
- The qualifier "until it pleases" sets the boundary, indicating a respect for the natural timing and disposition of love itself.
- The Hebrew words 'ur and quṣ both speak to arousing from a state of dormancy or sleep, implying that love, in its early stages, is to be carefully nurtured, not violently or artificially stimulated.
Song Of Solomon 8 4 Bonus Section
This verse can be seen as a pre-emptive appeal against any force, external or internal, that might precipitate sexual intimacy or overt romantic gestures before emotional readiness or communal recognition (in a cultural sense) is established. The repeated adjuration (found in similar forms in earlier chapters) suggests this is a principle the Shulamite holds paramount for the preservation of genuine, uncorrupted affection. It’s a commitment to a pure and patient approach to love, allowing it to bloom rather than forcing it. This careful waiting aligns with wisdom found throughout Scripture concerning emotional self-control and the sanctity of intimacy within committed relationships.
Song Of Solomon 8 4 Commentary
The Shulamite's plea is a profound statement about the sacredness of love and the importance of letting it mature. It speaks to a spiritual and emotional discipline required in relationships. Rushing love or artificially stimulating passion can corrupt its purity and undermine its genuine growth. The verse calls for patience, discernment, and respect for the natural season of affection, ensuring that love’s deeper expressions occur at an appropriate and consensual time. This cautionary advice extends beyond romantic love, applying to the cultivation of all precious emotional and spiritual connections, urging a responsible stewardship of the heart’s deepest stirrings.