Song of Solomon 5 · Verse 3

Song of Solomon 5:3

I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
Song of Solomon 5:3, King James Version

Song of Solomon 5:3 in other translations

BSBI have taken off my robe— must I put it back on? I have washed my feet— must I soil them again?
WEBI have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?
ASVI have put off my garment; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
YLTI have put off my coat, how do I put it on? I have washed my feet, how do I defile them?
DARBY— I have put off my tunic, how should I put it on? I have washed my feet, how should I pollute them? —
BBEI have put off my coat; how may I put it on? My feet are washed; how may I make them unclean?
WebsterI have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

What does Song of Solomon 5:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Trivial excuses (Lu 14:18). coat--rather, the inmost vest, next the skin, taken off before going to bed. washed ... feet--before going to rest, for they had been soiled, from the Eastern custom of wearing sandals, not shoes. Sloth (Lu 11:7) and despondency (De 7:17-19).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I have put off my coat - The bride must have been in a dream or in much disorder of mind to have made the frivolous excuses here mentioned. The words relate to the case of a person who had gone to take rest on his bed. As they wore nothing but sandals, they were obliged to wash their feet previously to their lying down. I have washed my feet, taken off my clothes, and am gone to bed: I cannot therefore be disturbed. A Hindoo always washes his feet before he goes to bed. If called from his bed, he often makes this excuse, I shall daub my feet; and the excuse is reasonable, as the floors are of earth; and they do not wear shoes in the house - Ward.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 5:2-8

Churches and believers, by carelessness and security, provoke Christ to withdraw. We ought to notice our spiritual slumbers and distempers. Christ knocks to awaken us, knocks by his word and Spirit, knocks by afflictions and by our consciences; thus, Rev. 3:20. When we are unmindful of Christ, still he thinks of us. Christ's love to us should engage ours to him, even in the most self-denying instances; and we only…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 5:2-8 →

Song of Solomon 5:3 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.

פָּשַׁ֙טְתִּי֙pa.Sha.tiI have taken offH6584
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כֻּתָּנְתִּ֔יku.ta.ne.Titunic myH3801
אֵיכָ֖כָה'ei.Kha.khahhow?H349
אֶלְבָּשֶׁ֑נָּה'el.ba.She.nahwill I put on itH3847
רָחַ֥צְתִּיra.Chatz.tiI have washedH7364
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
רַגְלַ֖יrag.Laifeet myH7272
אֵיכָ֥כָה'ei.Kha.khahhow?H349
אֲטַנְּפֵֽם\׃'a.ta.ne.Femwill I dirty themH2936

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 5:3

  • Luke 11:7

    And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

  • Romans 7:22-23

    For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

  • Proverbs 22:13

    The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

  • Matthew 26:38-43

    Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. …

  • Proverbs 3:28

    Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

  • Matthew 25:5

    While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

  • Proverbs 13:4

    The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
have put.
Pr 3:28; 13:4; 22:13; Mt 25:5; 26:38-43; Lu 11:7; Ro 7:22,23
I have washed.As the Orientals only wear sandals, they are obliged to wash their feet previously to their lying down. Hence a Hindoo, if called from his bed, often makes his excuse that he shall daub his feet.

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

Context

  • Song of Solomon 5:2

    I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

  • Song of Solomon 5:3

    I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

  • Song of Solomon 5:4

    My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.

Read all of Song of Solomon 5

Song of Solomon 5:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Heme desnudado mi ropa; ¿cómo la tengo de vestir? He lavado mis pies; ¿cómo los tengo de ensuciar?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– Je me suis dépouillée de ma tunique, comment la revêtirais-je? J’ai lavé mes pieds, comment les salirais-je? –
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich habe mein Kleid ausgezogen, wie sollte ich es wieder anziehen? Ich habe meine Füße gewaschen, wie sollte ich sie wieder beschmutzen? -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Expoliavi me tunica mea: quomodo induar illa? lavi pedes meos: quomodo inquinabo illos?