Song of Solomon 2 · Verse 15

Song of Solomon 2:15

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
Song of Solomon 2:15, King James Version

Song of Solomon 2:15 in other translations

BSBCatch for us the foxes— the little foxes that ruin the vineyards— for our vineyards are in bloom.
WEBCatch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.
ASVTake us the foxes, the little foxes, That spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in blossom.
YLTSeize ye for us foxes, Little foxes--destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.
DARBYTake us the foxes, The little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in bloom.
BBETake for us the foxes, the little foxes, which do damage to the vines; our vines have young grapes.
WebsterTake for us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

What does Song of Solomon 2:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. Transition to the vineyard, often formed in "stairs" (So 2:14), or terraces, in which, amidst the vine leaves, foxes hid. foxes--generic term, including jackals. They eat only grapes, not the vine flowers; but they need to be driven out in time before the grape is ripe. She had failed in watchfulness before (So 1:6); now when converted, she is the more jealous of subtle sins (Psa 139:23). In spiritual winter certain evils are frozen up, as well as good; in the spring of revivals these start up unperceived, crafty, false teachers, spiritual pride, uncharitableness, &c. (Psa 19:12; Mt 13:26; Lu 8:14; 2Ti 2:17; He 12:15). "Little" sins are parents of the greatest (Ec 10:1; 1Co 5:6). Historically, John the Baptist spared not the fox-like Herod (Lu 13:32), who gave vine-like promise of fruit at first (Mr 6:20), at the cost of his life; nor the viper-Sadducees, &c.; nor the varied subtle forms of sin (Lu 3:7-14).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Take us the foxes - That these were ruinous to vines all authors allow. They love the vine, and they are eaten in autumn in some countries, according to Galen, when they are very fat with eating the grapes. They abounded in Judea; and did most damage when the clusters were young and tender. It is likely that these are the words of the bridegroom to his companions, just as he was entering the apartment of his spouse. "Take care of the vineyard: set the traps for the foxes, which are spoiling the vines; and destroy their young as far as possible."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 2:14-17

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 at by the birds of prey. Christ calls her to come boldly to the throne of grace, having a great High Priest there, to tell what her request is. Speak freely, fear not a slight or a repulse. The voice of prayer is sweet and…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 2:14-17 →

Song of Solomon 2:15 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.

אֶֽחֱזוּ\־'e.che.zu-seizeH270
לָ֙נוּ֙la.nufor <the> us
שֽׁוּעָלִ֔יםshu.'a.LimfoxesH7776
שֽׁוּעָלִ֥יםshu.'a.LimfoxesH7776
קְטַנִּ֖יםke.ta.NimsmallH6996
מְחַבְּלִ֣יםme.cha.be.Lim[which] ruinH2254
כְּרָמִ֑יםke.ra.MimvineyardsH3754
וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּu.khe.ra.Mei.nuand vineyards ourH3754
סְמָדַֽר\׃se.ma.Dar[are] blossomH5563

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 2:15

  • Luke 13:32

    And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

  • 2 Peter 2:1-3

    But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

  • Song of Solomon 7:12

    Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.

  • Psalms 80:13

    The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

  • Ezekiel 13:4-16

    O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken? …

  • Revelation 2:2

    I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

  • 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the foxes.
Ps 80:13; Eze 13:4-16; Lu 13:32; 2Pe 2:1-3; Re 2:2
tender.
13; 7:12

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

Context

  • Song of Solomon 2:14

    O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

  • Song of Solomon 2:15

    Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

  • Song of Solomon 2:16

    My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

Read all of Song of Solomon 2

Song of Solomon 2:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Cazadnos las zorras, las zorras pequeñas, que echan á perder las viñas; pues que nuestras viñas están en cierne.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– Prenez-nous les renards, les petits renards qui ravagent les vignes, car nos vignes sont en fleur. –
German
Elberfelder 1871		Fanget uns die Füchse, die kleinen Füchse, welche die Weinberge verderben; denn unsere Weinberge sind in der Blüte!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Capite nobis vulpes parvulas quæ demoliuntur vineas: nam vinea nostra floruit.