Song of Solomon 1 · Verse 16

Song of Solomon 1:16

Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
Song of Solomon 1:16, King James Version

Song of Solomon 1:16 in other translations

BSBHow handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.
WEBBehold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.
ASVBehold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: Also our couch is green.
YLTLo, thou art fair, my love, yea, pleasant, Yea, our couch is green,
DARBYBehold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; Also our bed is green.
BBESee, you are fair, my loved one, and a pleasure; our bed is green.
WebsterBehold, thou art fair, my beloved, yes, pleasant: also our bed is green.

What does Song of Solomon 1:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Reply of the Bride. She presumes to call Him beloved, because He called her so first. Thou callest me "fair"; if I am so, it is not in myself; it is all from Thee (Psa 90:17); but Thou art fair in Thyself (Psa 45:2). pleasant--(Pr 3:17) towards Thy friends (2Sa 1:26). bed ... green--the couch of green grass on which the King and His bride sit to "rest at noon." Thus her prayer in So 1:7 is here granted; a green oasis in the desert, always found near waters in the East (Psa 23:2; Is 41:17-19). The scene is a kiosk, or summer house. Historically, the literal resting of the Babe of Beth-lehem and his parents on the green grass provided for cattle (Lu 2:7, 12). In this verse there is an incidental allusion, in So 1:15, to the offering (Lu 2:24). So the "cedar and fir" ceiling refers to the temple (1Ki 5:6-10; 6:15-18); type of the heavenly temple (Re 21:22).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Also our bed is green - ערס eres, from its use in several places of the Hebrew Bible, generally signifies a mattress; and here probably a green bank is meant, on which they sat down, being now on a walk in the country. Or it may mean a bower in a garden, or the nuptial bed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 1:9-17

The Bridegroom gives high praises of his spouse. In the sight of Christ believers are the excellent of the earth, fitted to be instruments for promoting his glory. The spiritual gifts and graces which Christ bestows on every true believer, are described by the ornaments then in use, Song 1:10,11. The graces of the saints are many, but there is dependence upon each other. He who is the Author, will be the Finisher of…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 1:9-17 →

Song of Solomon 1:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הִנְּךָ֨hi.ne.Khahere youH2005
יָפֶ֤הya.Peh[are] beautifulH3303
דוֹדִי֙do.DiO lover myH1730
אַ֣ף'afalsoH637
נָעִ֔יםna.'ImpleasantH5273
אַף\־'af-alsoH637
עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ'ar.Se.nubed ourH6210
רַעֲנָנָֽה\׃ra.'a.na.Nah[is] luxuriantH7488

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Song of Solomon 1:16

  • Song of Solomon 2:3

    As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

  • Psalms 45:2

    Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

  • Zechariah 9:17

    For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

  • Revelation 5:11-13

    And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

  • Song of Solomon 5:10-16

    My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. …

  • Song of Solomon 3:7

    Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

  • Philippians 3:8-9

    Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

  • Psalms 110:3

    Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou art.
2:3; 5:10-16; Ps 45:2; Zec 9:17; Php 3:8,9; Re 5:11-13
also.
3:7; Ps 110:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Song of Solomon 1:15

    Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.

  • Song of Solomon 1:16

    Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

  • Song of Solomon 1:17

    The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Read all of Song of Solomon 1

Song of Solomon 1:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He aquí que tú eres hermoso, amado mío, y suave: nuestro lecho también florido.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Voici, tu es beau, mon bien-aimé; oui, tu es agréable! oui, notre lit est verdoyant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, du bist schön, mein Geliebter, ja, holdselig; ja, unser Lager ist frisches Grün.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tigna domorum nostrarum cedrina, laquearia nostra cypressina.