Song of Solomon 2 · Verse 9

Song of Solomon 2:9

My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
Song of Solomon 2:9, King James Version

Song of Solomon 2:9 in other translations

BSBMy beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.
WEBMy beloved is like a roe or a young deer. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.
ASVMy beloved is like a roe or a young hart: Behold, he standeth behind our wall; He looketh in at the windows; He glanceth through the lattice.
YLTMy beloved is like to a roe, Or to a young one of the harts. Lo, this--he is standing behind our wall, Looking from the windows, Blooming from the lattice.
DARBYMy beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart. Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, Glancing through the lattice.
BBEMy loved one is like a roe; see, he is on the other side of our wall, he is looking in at the windows, letting himself be seen through the spaces.
WebsterMy beloved is like a roe, or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice.

What does Song of Solomon 2:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. he standeth--after having bounded over the intervening space like a roe. He often stands near when our unbelief hides Him from us (Ge 28:16; Re 3:14-20). His usual way; long promised and expected; sudden at last: so, in visiting the second temple (Mal 3:1); so at Pentecost (Ac 2:1, 2); so in visiting an individual soul, Zaccheus (Lu 19:5, 6; Joh 3:8); and so, at the second coming (Mt 24:48, 50; 2Pe 3:4, 10). So it shall be at His second coming (1Th 5:2, 3). wall--over the cope of which He is first seen; next, He looks through (not forth; for He is outside) at the windows, glancing suddenly and stealthily (not as English Version, "showing Himself") through the lattice. The prophecies, types, &c., were lattice glimpses of Him to the Old Testament Church, in spite of the wall of separation which sin had raised (Joh 8:56); clearer glimpses were given by John Baptist, but not unclouded (Joh 1:26). The legal wall of partition was not to be removed until His death (Ep 2:14, 15; He 10:20). Even now, He is only seen by faith, through the windows of His Word and the lattice of ordinances and sacraments (Lu 24:35; Joh 14:21); not full vision (1Co 13:12); an incentive to our looking for His second coming (Is 33:17; Tit 2:13).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 He standeth behind our wall - This may refer to the wall by which the house was surrounded, the space between which and the house constituted the court. He was seen first behind the wall, and then in the court; and lastly came to the window of his bride's chamber.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 2:9 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.

דּוֹמֶ֤הdo.Meh[is] likeH1819
דוֹדִי֙do.Dilover myH1730
לִצְבִ֔יlitz.Vi<to> a gazelleH6643
א֖וֹ'oorH176
לְעֹ֣פֶרle.'O.fer<to> [the] fawn ofH6082
הָֽאַיָּלִ֑יםha.'ai.ya.Limthe deer<s>H354
הִנֵּה\־hi.neh-there!H2009
זֶ֤הzehthisH2088
עוֹמֵד֙o.Med[is] standingH5975
אַחַ֣ר'a.CharbehindH310
כָּתְלֵ֔נוּka.te.Le.nuwall ourH3796
מַשְׁגִּ֙יחַ֙mash.Gi.ach[is] gazingH7688
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הַֽחֲלֹּנ֔וֹתha.cha.lo.Notthe windowsH2474
מֵצִ֖יץme.Tzitz[is] peeringH6692
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים\׃Ha.cha.ra.Kimthe latticesH2762

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 2:9

  • Song of Solomon 8:14

    Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

  • Song of Solomon 2:17

    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.

  • Ephesians 2:14-15

    For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

  • Colossians 2:17

    Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

  • Hebrews 10:1

    For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

  • John 5:39

    Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

  • 2 Corinthians 3:13-18

    And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. …

  • 2 Samuel 2:18

    And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

  • 1 Peter 1:10-12

    Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

  • Hebrews 10:19-20

    Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

  • John 5:46

    For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

  • John 12:41

    These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
like.
17; 8:14
he standeth.
1Co 13:12; 2Co 3:13-18; Eph 2:14,15; Col 2:17; Heb 9:8,9
Heb 10:1,19,20
shewing. Heb. flourishing.
Lu 24:35; Joh 5:39,46; 12:41; 1Pe 1:10-12; Re 19:10

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

Context

  • Song of Solomon 2:8

    The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

  • Song of Solomon 2:9

    My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

  • Song of Solomon 2:10

    My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Read all of Song of Solomon 2

Song of Solomon 2:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mi amado es semejante al gamo, ó al cabrito de los ciervos. Helo aquí, está tras nuestra pared, mirando por las ventanas, mostrándose por las rejas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mon bien-aimé est semblable à la gazelle, ou au faon des biches. Le voici, il se tient derrière notre mur, il regarde par les fenêtres, il regarde à travers les treillis.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Mein Geliebter gleicht einer Gazelle, oder einem Jungen der Hirsche. Siehe, da steht er hinter unserer Mauer, schaut durch die Fenster, blickt durch die Gitter.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Similis est dilectus meus capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum. En ipse stat post parietem nostrum, respiciens per fenestras, prospiciens per cancellos.