Song of Solomon 2 · Verse 12

Song of Solomon 2:12

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
Song of Solomon 2:12, King James Version

Song of Solomon 2:12 in other translations

BSBThe flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.
WEBThe flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
ASVThe flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;
YLTThe flowers have appeared in the earth, The time of the singing hath come, And the voice of the turtle was heard in our land,
DARBYThe flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;
BBEThe flowers are come on the earth; the time of cutting the vines is come, and the voice of the dove is sounding in our land;
WebsterThe flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

What does Song of Solomon 2:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. flowers--tokens of anger past, and of grace come. "The summoned bride is welcome," say some fathers, "to weave from them garlands of beauty, wherewith she may adorn herself to meet the King." Historically, the flowers, &c., only give promise; the fruit is not ripe yet; suitable to the preaching of John the Baptist, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand"; not yet fully come. the time of ... singing--the rejoicing at the advent of Jesus Christ. Gregory Nyssenus refers the voice of the turtledove to John the Baptist. It with the olive branch announced to Noah that "the rain was over and gone" (Ge 8:11). So John the Baptist, spiritually. Its plaintive "voice" answers to his preaching of repentance (Jr 8:6, 7). Vulgate and Septuagint translate, "The time of pruning," namely, spring (Joh 15:2). The mention of the "turtle's" cooing better accords with our text. The turtledove is migratory (Jr 8:7), and "comes" early in May; emblem of love, and so of the Holy Ghost. Love, too, shall be the keynote of the "new song" hereafter (Is 35:10; Re 1:5; 14:3; 19:6). In the individual believer now, joy and love are here set forth in their earlier manifestations (Mr 4:28).

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 2:8-13

The church pleases herself with thoughts of further communion with Christ. None besides can speak to the heart. She sees him come. This may be applied to the prospect the Old Testament saints had of Christ's coming in the flesh. He comes as pleased with his own undertaking. He comes speedily. Even when Christ seems to forsake, it is but for a moment; he will soon return with everlasting loving-kindness. The saints…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 2:8-13 →

Song of Solomon 2:12 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.

הַנִּצָּנִים֙ha.ni.tza.Nimthe blossomsH5339
נִרְא֣וּnir.'Uthey have appearedH7200
בָאָ֔רֶץva.'A.retzin the landH776
עֵ֥ת'et[the] time ofH6256
הַזָּמִ֖ירha.za.Mir<the> pruningH2159
הִגִּ֑יעַhi.Gi.a'it has arrivedH5060
וְק֥וֹלve.Koland [the] sound ofH6963
הַתּ֖וֹרha.Torthe turtle-doveH8449
נִשְׁמַ֥עnish.Ma'it has been heardH8085
בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ\׃be.'ar.Tze.nuin land ourH776

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 2:12

  • Isaiah 55:12

    For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

  • Psalms 89:15

    Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

  • Psalms 148:7-13

    Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: …

  • Jeremiah 8:7

    Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.

  • Colossians 3:16

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

  • Song of Solomon 6:11

    I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

  • Psalms 40:1-3

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

  • Ephesians 1:13-14

    In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

  • Isaiah 35:1-2

    The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

  • Hosea 14:5-7

    I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

  • Romans 15:9-13

    And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. …

  • Ephesians 5:18-20

    And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
flowers.
6:2,11; Isa 35:1,2; Ho 14:5-7
time.
Ps 40:1-3; 89:15; 148:7-13; Isa 42:10-12; 55:12; Eph 5:18-20
Col 3:16
of the turtle.
Ro 15:9-13; Eph 1:13,14

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

Context

  • Song of Solomon 2:11

    For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

  • Song of Solomon 2:12

    The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

  • Song of Solomon 2:13

    The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Read all of Song of Solomon 2

Song of Solomon 2:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hanse mostrado las flores en la tierra, el tiempo de la canción es venido, y en nuestro país se ha oído la voz de la tórtola;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		les fleurs paraissent sur la terre, la saison des chants est arrivée, et la voix de la tourterelle s’entend dans notre pays;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Blumen erscheinen im Lande, die Zeit des Gesanges ist gekommen, und die Stimme der Turteltaube läßt sich hören in unserem Lande.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra; tempus putationis advenit: vox turturis audita est in terra nostra;