Song of Solomon 6 · Verse 13

Song of Solomon 6:13

Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.

Song of Solomon 6:13, King James Version

Song of Solomon 6:13 in other translations

BSB	Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you. Why do you look at the Shulammite, as on the dance of Mahanaim?
WEB	Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?
ASV	Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?
YLT	Return, return, O Shulammith! Return, return, and we look upon thee. What do ye see in Shulammith?
DARBY	Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. — What would ye look upon in the Shulamite? — As it were the dance of two camps.
BBE	Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, so that our eyes may see you. What will you see in the Shulammite? A sword-dance.
Webster	Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.

What does Song of Solomon 6:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. Entreaty of the daughters of Jerusalem to her, in her chariot-like flight from them (compare 2Ki 2:12; 2Sa 19:14). Shulamite--new name applied to her now for the first time. Feminine of Solomon, Prince of Peace; His bride, daughter of peace, accepting and proclaiming it (Is 52:7; Joh 14:27; Ro 5:1; Ep 2:17). Historically, this name answers to the time when, not without a divine design in it, the young Church met in Solomon's porch (Ac 3:11; 5:12). The entreaty, "Return, O Shulamite," answers to the people's desire to keep Peter and John, after the lame man was healed, when they were about to enter the temple. Their reply attributing the glory not to themselves, but to Jesus Christ, answers to the bride's reply here, "What will ye see" in me? "As it were," &c. She accepts the name Shulamite, as truly describing her. But adds, that though "one" (So 6:9), she is nevertheless "two." Her glories are her Lord's, beaming through her (Ep 5:31, 32). The two armies are the family of Jesus Christ in heaven, and that on earth, joined and one with Him; the one militant, the other triumphant. Or Jesus Christ and His ministering angels are one army, the Church the other, both being one (Joh 17:21, 22). Allusion is made to Mahanaim (meaning two hosts), the scene of Jacob's victorious conflict by prayer (Ge 32:2, 9, 22-30). Though she is peace, yet she has warfare here, between flesh and spirit within and foes without; her strength, as Jacob's at Mahanaim, is Jesus Christ and His host enlisted on her side by prayer; whence she obtains those graces which raise the admiration of the daughters of Jerusalem.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13 Return, O Shulamite - This appears to be addressed to the bride, as now the confirmed, acknowledged wife of Solomon; for שולמית shulammith, appears to be a feminine formed from שלמה shelomoh, or Nwmlv shelomon, as we form Charlotte from Charles; Henrietta, from Henry; Janette, from John, etc. The company of two armies - Or the musicians of the camps. She is as terrible as hosts of armed men, on the ground of what is said on Sol 6:4, Sol 6:5. The two armies may refer to the choirs of the bride's virgins, and the bridegroom's companions; but the similitude is not very perceptible. The Targum explains it of "the camps of Israel and Judah:" as if the bridegroom should say, "My beloved possesses all the perfections both of the Israelitish and Jewish women." But how little satisfaction do the best conjectures afford! With this chapter the fifth night is supposed to end.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Song of Solomon 6:11-13

In retirement and in meditation the Christian character is formed and perfected. But not in the retirement of the idle, the self-indulgent, or the trifler. When the Christian is released from the discharge of his duties in life, the world has no attractions for him. His prayer is, that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow within him, and around him. Such are the interesting cares and employments of…

Read the full comment on Song of Solomon 6:11-13 →

Song of Solomon 6:13 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.

שׁ֤וּבִיShu.vireturnH7725

שׁ֙וּבִי֙shu.vireturnH7725

הַשּׁ֣וּלַמִּ֔יתha.Shu.la.MitO Shulammite [woman]H7759

שׁ֥וּבִיShu.vireturnH7725

שׁ֖וּבִיShu.vireturnH7725

וְנֶחֱזֶה\־ve.ne.che.zeh-so we may lookH2372

בָּ֑ךְBakhon you

מַֽה\־mah-why?H4100

תֶּחֱזוּ֙te.che.Zuwill you lookH2372

בַּשּׁ֣וּלַמִּ֔יתba.Shu.la.Miton the Shulammite [woman]H7759

כִּמְחֹלַ֖תkim.cho.Latlike [the] dance ofH4246

הַֽמַּחֲנָֽיִם\׃Ha.ma.cha.Na.yimthe two groupsH4264

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

Cross references for Song of Solomon 6:13

Genesis 32:2
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
John 9:7
And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Romans 3:29
Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Ephesians 6:10-19
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. …
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Jeremiah 3:12-14
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Song of Solomon 1:6
Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
Ephesians 2:14-17
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; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Luke 7:44
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Isaiah 8:6
Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;
Genesis 49:10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Hebrews 7:2
To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

return.
2:14; Jer 3:12-14,22; Ho 14:1-4
What.
1:6; Lu 7:44; 15:10; 2Th 1:10
Shulamite.
Ge 49:10; Ps 76:2; Isa 8:6; Joh 9:7; Heb 7:2
As.
Joh 10:16; Ro 3:29; Eph 2:14-17
two armies. or, Mahanaim.
Ge 32:2; Ro 7:23; Ga 5:17; Eph 6:10-19

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

Context

Song of Solomon 6:12
Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
Song of Solomon 6:13
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.

Read all of Song of Solomon 6

Song of Solomon 6:13 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Tórnate, tórnate, oh Sulamita; tórnate, tórnate, y te miraremos. ¿Qué veréis en la Sulamita? Como la reunión de dos campamentos.
German Elberfelder 1871	Kehre um, kehre um, Sulamith; kehre um, kehre um, daß wir dich anschauen! Was möget ihr an der Sulamith schauen? Wie den Reigen von Machanaim.