Song of Solomon 3 · Verse 8

Song of Solomon 3:8

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
Song of Solomon 3:8, King James Version

Song of Solomon 3:8 in other translations

BSBAll are skilled with the sword, experienced in warfare. Each has his sword at his side prepared for the terror of the night.
WEBThey all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.
ASVThey all handle the sword, and are expert in war: Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, Because of fear in the night.
YLTAll of them holding sword, taught of battle, Each his sword by his thigh, for fear at night.
DARBYThey all hold the sword, Experts in war; Each hath his sword upon his thigh Because of alarm in the nights.
BBEAll of them armed with swords, trained in war; every man has his sword at his side, because of fear in the night.
WebsterThey all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

What does Song of Solomon 3:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. hold--not actually grasping them, but having them girt on the thigh ready for use, like their Lord (Psa 45:3). So believers too are guarded by angels (Psa 91:11; He 1:14), and they themselves need "every man" (Ne 4:18) to be armed (Psa 144:1, 2; 2Co 10:4; Ep 6:12, 17; 1Ti 6:12), and "expert" (2Co 2:11). because of fear in the night--Arab marauders often turn a wedding into mourning by a night attack. So the bridal procession of saints in the night of this wilderness is the chief object of Satan's assault.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 They all hold swords - They are swordsmen. Every man has a sword, and is well instructed how to use it.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 3:6-11

A wilderness is an emblem of the world; the believer comes out of it when he is delivered from the love of its sinful pleasures and pursuits, and refuses to comply with its customs and fashions, to seek happiness in communion with the Saviour. A poor soul shall come up, at last, under the conduct of the Comforter; like a cloud of incense ascending from the altar, or the smoke of the burnt-offerings. This signifies…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 3:6-11 →

Song of Solomon 3:8 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.

כֻּלָּם֙ku.Lamall of themH3605
אֲחֻ֣זֵי'a.Chu.zei[are] grasped ofH270
חֶ֔רֶבChe.reva swordH2719
מְלֻמְּדֵ֖יme.lu.me.Dei[are] trained ofH3925
מִלְחָמָ֑הmil.cha.MahwarfareH4421
אִ֤ישׁ'isheach oneH376
חַרְבּוֹ֙char.Bosword hisH2719
עַל\־'al-[is] onH5921
יְרֵכ֔וֹye.re.Khothigh hisH3409
מִפַּ֖חַדmi.Pa.chadfrom dreadH6343
בַּלֵּילּֽוֹת\׃\ \סba.lei.Lotin the nightsH3915

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 3:8

  • Psalms 45:3

    Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

  • Ephesians 6:16-18

    Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

  • Psalms 149:5-9

    Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; …

  • Isaiah 27:3

    I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.

  • Nehemiah 4:21-22

    So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8

    Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

  • Psalms 91:5

    Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
all.
Ps 45:3; 149:5-9; Isa 27:3; Eph 6:16-18
because.
Ne 4:21,22; 1Th 5:6-8

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

Context

  • Song of Solomon 3:7

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

  • Song of Solomon 3:8

    They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

  • Song of Solomon 3:9

    King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

Read all of Song of Solomon 3

Song of Solomon 3:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Todos ellos tienen espadas, diestros en la guerra; cada uno su espada sobre su muslo, por los temores de la noche.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		tous tiennent l’épée et sont exercés à la guerre, ayant chacun son épée sur sa cuisse à cause des frayeurs de la nuit.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie alle führen das Schwert, sind geübt im Kriege; ein jeder hat sein Schwert an seiner Hüfte, zum Schutz vor dem Schrecken in den Nächten. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		omnes tenentes gladios, et ad bella doctissimi: uniuscujusque ensis super femur suum propter timores nocturnos.