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Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Song of Solomon 2:17

At midday the heat is overpowering—All round the coast the languid air did swoon, Breathing like one that hath a weary dream.' But at sunset the day 'breathes' (RM); a cool breeze blows, and the shadows gradually disappear (Genesis 3:8; Job 14:2). The gazelles (RM) descend at night to the plains to feed; they leap and run safely on the mountains of Bether. The meaning of the last word is not clear: it may be the name of a locality not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture; it may signify 'the cloven mountains'; it may be the same as the besamim (= spices) of Song of Solomon 8:14, or, as RM suggests, the spice malobathron.

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See also Song of Solomon 2:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 17. _UNTIL THE DAY BREAK_] Literally, _until the day breathe_; until the first dawn, which is usually accompanied with the most refreshing _breezes_. _THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY_] Referring to the _...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The bride relates to the chorus a visit which the beloved had paid her some time previously in her native home. He on a fair spring morning solicits her company. The bride, immersed in rustic toils, r...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 2 The voice of the bride is heard again in the opening verses of this chapter; some understand it as meaning the Messiah speaking of Himself as the Rose and the Lily of the valley, but it is r...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    SONG OF SOLOMON 2:8 contains one of the most beautiful poems in the whole book; it breathes the air of the fresh spring-time, when, according to our own poet, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thou...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    UNTIL THE DAY BREAK. When the day cools. This is clear from the words which follow. TURN. return. BETHER. separation. See note on Song of Solomon 8:14....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Song of Solomon 2:8-17. The Beloved comes The scene is evidently changed from Jerusalem to some royal residence in the country. The lover, like the Shulammite herself, belongs to the northern hills;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Alarmed for his safety, she now exhorts her lover to depart till the evening when he might return with greater safety. _Until the day break_ R.V. UNTIL THE DAY BE COOL, lit. _until the day blow_, i.e....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    UNTIL THE DAY BREAK, &C.— _Until the day breathe,_ or, _till the day blow fresh,_ for this is the literal meaning of the original. This is a local beauty; for in those hot countries the dawn of the da...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT 2:15-17 b. Intervention of the Brothers Song of Solomon 2:15-17 Their behest, Song of Solomon 2:15; Her avowal, Song of Solomon 2:16; Her request to the shepherd,

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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. DAY BREAK ... SHADOWS FLEE AWAY. Night is the image of the pr...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    2:17 Turn, (f-10) Or 'Return.' Bether. (g-26) Meaning, cloven, or full of ravines....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    UNTIL THE DAY BREAK. — Heb., _breathe, i.e., becomes cool,_ as it does when the evening breeze sets in. The time indicated is therefore evening, “the breathing blushing hour” (Campbell). (Comp. Genesi...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    עַ֤ד שֶׁ יָּפ֨וּחַ֙ הַ יֹּ֔ום וְ נָ֖סוּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    TRUE LOVE TESTED SONG OF SOLOMON 1:1; Song of Solomon 2:1; Song of Solomon 3:1; Song of So

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    B. The Betrothal (Song of Solomon 2:8; Song of Solomon 3:1; Song of Solomon 4:1; Song of Solomon

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Until the day shall break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a (k) roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. (k) The church desires Christ to be most ready to help...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Break. Or "yield a refreshing air," ( aspiret) in the morning, (Haydock) and evening, when she begs he will return, (Theodoret) as she could not enjoy his company in the day-time, chap. i. 1., and iv....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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. The church in this verse is looking to her beloved with great con...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The first six Verses (omitting the second) of chapter 2 (Song of Solomon 2:1; Song of Solomon 2:3-6) appear to me to be the voice of the bride. They have been differently understood, but (I think) wro...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    UNTIL THE DAY BREAK, AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY,.... Which may be connected with Song of Solomon 2:16; either with the former part, "my beloved is mine", c. Song of Solomon 2:16 and then the sense is,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 17. _Until the day break, and the shadows flee away._] Unti...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Until the day-break_ Until the morning of that blessed day of the general resurrection, when all the shadows, not only of ignorance, and sin, and calamity, but even of all ordinances, and outward adm...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Until the day break, namely, that of eternity, AND THE SHADOWS, those of this present world with its manifold troubles, FLEE AWAY, TURN, MY BELOVED, to visit and remain with the bride, AND BE THOU LIK...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE MUTUAL CALL OF LOVE...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    OF BETHER: Or, of division...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    14-17 The church is Christ's dove; she returns to him, as her Noah. Christ is the Rock, in whom alone she can think herself safe, and find herself easy, as a dove in the hole of a rock, when struck a...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    UNTIL THE DAY BREAK, AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY; until the morning of that great and blessed day of the general resurrection and judgment, when all the shadows, not only of ignorance, and sin, and cala...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Song of Solomon 2:17 day H3117 breaks H6315 (H8799) shadows H6752 away H5127 (H8804) Turn H5437 (H8798

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Song of Solomon 2:17 Whatever the first use and intent of this phrase, it describes a waiting and a joy to come; a waiting under darkness and shadow, and a joy to come with the light. And so the word...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Here we have a dialogue of love between the Lord Jesus and his people. Song of Solomon 2:1. _I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys._ Amongst all flowers, there is none that can be com...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The Bridegroom speaks concerning himself and his Bride. The Bride speaks remembering her satisfaction in her beloved. CHARACTERS: Solomon, Bride (Christ, Church). CONCLUSION: Humble souls...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Song of Solomon 2:1. _Sharon_ was a fertile district not far from Nazareth. 1 Chronicles 27:29; Isaiah 33:9; Isaiah 65:10....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Until the day break, and the shadows flee away._ DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN The spouse sings, “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away,” so that the beloved of the Lord may be in the dark. A ch...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The voice of my Beloved._ THE VOICE OF THE BELOVED I. When Christ is away from the soul of the believer, he sits alone. Whatever he the mountains of Bether that have come between his soul and Christ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON SONG OF SOLOMON 2:17 Presumably the woman wants her BELOVED to TURN toward her rather than away from her....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    NOTES Song of Solomon 2:15: _Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines_. שֻׁעָלִים (_shualim_) foxes. So the old translators. Sometimes also used for _jackals_, as Judges 15:4; Psalms...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION SONG OF SOLOMON 2:2 AS A LILY AMONG THORNS, SO IS MY LOVE AMONG THE DAUGHTERS. The king responds, taking up the lovely simile and giving it a very apt and charming turn, "My love is beyond...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1). The bridegroom responds. As the lily among the thorns, so is my love among the daughters (Song of Solomon 2:2). The bride...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 8:5; Luke 1:78; Romans 13:12;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Until — Until the morning of that blessed day of the general resurrection, when all the shadows, not only of ignorance, and sin, and calamity, but even of outward administrations, shall cease. Turn —...

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