Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, November 26th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Song of Solomon 6:4

O my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, Lovely as Jerusalem, Awesome as an army with banners!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jerusalem;   Standard;   Tirzah;   Thompson Chain Reference - Banners;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies;   Jerusalem;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Tirzah;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Banner;   Tirza;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baasha;   Canticles;   ;   Israel;   Omri;   Tirzah (2);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Song of Solomon;   Tirzah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Banner, Ensign, Standard;   Song of Songs;   Tirzah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Amazement;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Song of Solomon;   Tirzah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Banner;   Flock;   Kedar;   Shulamite;   Tirzah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ba'asha;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Banner;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Banner;   Comeliness;   Israel, Kingdom of;   Song of Songs;   Tirzah;   Wisdom of Solomon, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hair;   Mishnah;   Tirzah;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation

Young Man

You are beautiful, my darling, like the lovely city of Tirzah. Yes, as beautiful as Jerusalem, as majestic as an army with billowing banners.
Update Bible Version
You are fair, O my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as an army with banners.
New Century Version
My darling, you are as beautiful as the city of Tirzah, as lovely as the city of Jerusalem, like an army flying flags.
New English Translation

The Lover to His Beloved:

My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as awe-inspiring as bannered armies!
Webster's Bible Translation
Thou [art] beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as [an army] with banners.
World English Bible
You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, Lovely as Jerusalem, Awesome as an army with banners.
Amplified Bible
"You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, As lovely as Jerusalem, As majestic as an army with banners!
English Standard Version

He

You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Mi frendesse, thou art fair, swete and schappli as Jerusalem, thou art ferdful as the scheltrun of oostis set in good ordre.
English Revised Version
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Berean Standard Bible
You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as an army with banners.
Contemporary English Version
He Speaks: My dearest, the cities of Tirzah and Jerusalem are not as lovely as you. Your charms are more powerful than all of the stars in the heavens.
American Standard Version
Thou art fair, O my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as an army with banners.
Bible in Basic English
You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, as fair as Jerusalem; you are to be feared like an army with flags.
Complete Jewish Bible

[He]

You are as beautiful as Tirtzah, my love, as lovely as Yerushalayim, but formidable as an army marching under banners.
Darby Translation
Thou art fair, my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as troops with banners:
Easy-to-Read Version
My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, as pleasant as Jerusalem, as awesome as the stars in the sky.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
King James Version (1611)
Thou art beautifull, O my loue, as Tirzah, comely as Ierusalem, terrible as an armie with banners.
New Life Bible
I am my love's, and my love is mine, he who feeds his flock among the lilies." "You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my love, as beautiful as Jerusalem. You are to be feared as an army with flags.
New Revised Standard
You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou art beautifull, my loue, as Tirzah, comely as Ierusale, terrible as an army with baners.
George Lamsa Translation
You are beautiful and desirable, O my beloved, comely as Jerusalem, and esteemed as one chosen among beauties.
Good News Translation

The Man

My love, you are as beautiful as Jerusalem, as lovely as the city of Tirzah, as breathtaking as these great cities.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
HEBeautiful, art thou, my fair one, as Tirzah, comely, as Jerusalem, - majestic as bannered hosts!
Douay-Rheims Bible
(6-3) Thou art beautiful, O my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army set in array.
Revised Standard Version
You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thou are beautifull O my loue as is [the place] Thirza, thou art faire as Hierusalem, fearefull as an armie of men with their banners.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Turn away thine eyes from before me, for they have ravished me: thy hair is as flocks of goats which have appeared from Galaad.
Christian Standard Bible®
You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,lovely as Jerusalem,awe-inspiring as an army with banners.
Hebrew Names Version
You are beautiful, my love, as Tirtzah, Lovely as Yerushalayim, Awesome as an army with banners.
King James Version
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Lexham English Bible
You are beautiful, my beloved, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, overwhelming as an army with banners.
Literal Translation
O My love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as bannered armies.
Young's Literal Translation
Fair [art] thou, my friend, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Awe-inspiring as bannered hosts.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou art pleasaunt (o my loue) euen as louelynesse itself, thou art fayre as Ierusalem, glorious as an armye of men with their baners
THE MESSAGE
The Man Dear, dear friend and lover, you're as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights, Lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams, the ravishing visions of my ecstasy. Your beauty is too much for me—I'm in over my head. I'm not used to this! I can't take it in. Your hair flows and shimmers like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine. Your smile is generous and full— expressive and strong and clean. Your veiled cheeks are soft and radiant.
New American Standard Bible
"You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, As lovely as Jerusalem, As awesome as an army with banners.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, As lovely as Jerusalem, As awesome as an army with banners.
Legacy Standard Bible
"You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,As lovely as Jerusalem,As majestic as an army with banners.

Contextual Overview

4 O my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, Lovely as Jerusalem, Awesome as an army with banners! 5 Turn your eyes away from me, For they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats Going down from Gilead. 6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep Which have come up from the washing; Every one bears twins, And none is barren among them. 7 Like a piece of pomegranate Are your temples behind your veil. 8 There are sixty queens And eighty concubines, And virgins without number. 9 My dove, my perfect one, Is the only one, The only one of her mother, The favorite of the one who bore her. The daughters saw her And called her blessed, The queens and the concubines, And they praised her. 10 Who is she who looks forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Awesome as an army with banners?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

beautiful: Song of Solomon 6:10, Song of Solomon 2:14, Song of Solomon 4:7, Song of Solomon 5:2, Ezekiel 16:13, Ezekiel 16:14, Ephesians 5:27

as Tirzah: 1 Kings 14:17, 1 Kings 15:21, 1 Kings 15:33

comely: Psalms 48:2, Lamentations 2:15, Revelation 21:2

terrible: Song of Solomon 6:10, Numbers 24:5-9, Psalms 144:4-8, Zechariah 12:3, 2 Corinthians 10:4, Revelation 19:14-16

Reciprocal: Numbers 24:2 - abiding Psalms 45:11 - So shall Song of Solomon 1:8 - O thou Song of Solomon 1:9 - O my Song of Solomon 2:4 - his banner

Cross-References

Genesis 6:15
And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
Genesis 6:20
Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.
Genesis 6:21
And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them."
Genesis 6:22
Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.
Genesis 11:4
And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
Numbers 13:33
33 There we saw the giants [fn] (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
Numbers 16:2
and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.
Deuteronomy 3:11
For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. [fn] Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.
1 Samuel 17:4
And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou [art] beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah,.... These are the words of Christ, who had been absent for some time, and till now silent; but, like another Joseph, could not refrain any longer, but makes himself known to his church, and bursts out in strong expressions of love to her, and in high commendations of her; for, notwithstanding her behavior toward him, she was his love still, and as "beautiful" and as comely in his sight as ever: and for which he compares her here to Tirzah; which is either the name of some beautiful woman, well known in those times; so one of the daughters of Zelophehad is called by this name, Numbers 27:1; but whether from her beauty is nowhere said: or rather a city of this name is here meant, since, in the next clause, the church is compared to the city of Jerusalem for the same reason. There was a city in the land of Canaan, called Tirzah, formerly the seat of one of the ancient kings of Canaan, and, in later times, of Jeroboam and some of his successors; and which, no doubt, was a very pleasant and delightful place, as its name imports, either from its situation or buildings, Joshua 12:24. Adrichomius x says, it was an heroic city, situated on a high mountain. In some of the Greek versions, it is read as an appellative, and tendered, as "good will" or "good pleasure" y, and so may respect the sweetness of her temper and disposition; which is heightened by using the abstract, she was all good nature and good will; not only sweet, as the Vulgate Latin version, but "sweetness" itself, as she says of him, Song of Solomon 5:16; and this may be said of her, as she was the object of God's good will and pleasure in election, of Christ's in redemption, and of the Spirit's in effectual calling; and as she was the subject of good will, bearing one to God, to Christ, to his people, word, worship, ways, and ordinances. The word comes from a root which signifies to be "grateful [and] accepted": and so Jarchi interprets the word here "acceptable": and so some ancient writings of the Jews z: and may denote the acceptableness of the church in Christ, with whom God is well pleased in him for his righteousness's sake, in which she appears exceeding fair and lovely. And for the same reason is said to be

comely as Jerusalem; the metropolis of Judea, and seat of the kings of it; and, as Pliny a says, was far the most famous of any of the cities of the east; it was a city well built and compact together, beautiful for situation, very rich in Solomon's time, the place of divine worship, and was strongly fortified by nature and art: and hence the church of God often bears this name, both in the Old and New Testament, Isaiah 40:2, being the city of the great King, built on Christ, the Rock; consisting of saints, fitly and closely united together; rich with the unsearchable riches of Christ; where the several parts of spiritual and evangelic worship are performed; possessed of many privileges, and well secured by the power and salvation of God. Yet

terrible as [an army] with banners; to her enemies, though so lovely to Christ. This shows that not a single person is meant all along, who could not with propriety be compared to an army; but a collective body, as the church is: and that the church on earth is militant, and, like a well disciplined army, in good order, and provided with proper officers and suitable armour, and in a posture of defence, and ready to fight when attacked; and so "terrible" to her enemies, Satan and his principalities, wicked men and false teachers; who are terrified by their having such a General at the head of them as Christ, and being under such banners as his, and provided with such good weapons of warfare, as are mighty through God; by their close union to one another; and by the constancy, undauntedness, and invincibleness of their faith; and are awed by their pious conversation and good examples. Perhaps some respect may be had by Christ to the church's courage and constancy in seeking after him; the force of whose faith and love he felt, which he could not withstand, and therefore says as follows:

x Theatrum Terrae Sanctae, p. 74. y כתרצה ως ευδοκια, Sept. ευδοκητη, Symmachus. z Siphri in Jarchi, & Shir Hashirim Rabba in loc. a Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 14.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The section might be entitled, “Renewed declaration of love after brief estrangement.”

Song of Solomon 6:4

Tirzah ... Jerusalem - Named together as the then two fairest cities of the land. For Jerusalem compare Psalms 48:2. “Tirzah” (i. e., “Grace” or “Beauty “)was an old Canaanite royal city Joshua 12:24. It became again a royal residence during the reigns of Baasha and his three successors in the kingdom of the ten tribes, and may well therefore have been famed for its beauty in the time of Solomon.

Terrible as ... - Awe-inspiring as the bannered (hosts). The warlike image, like others in the Song, serves to enhance the charm of its assured peace.

Song of Solomon 6:5

Even for the king the gentle eyes of the bride have an awe-striking majesty. Such is the condescension of love. Now follows Song of Solomon 6:5-7 the longest of the repetitions which abound in the Song, marking the continuance of the king’s affection as when first solemnly proclaimed Song of Solomon 4:1-6. The two descriptions belong, according to some (Christian) expositors, to the Church of different periods, e. g. to the primitive Church in the splendor of her first vocation, and to the Church under Constantine; other (Jewish) expositors apply them to “the congregation of Israel” under the first and second temples respectively.

Song of Solomon 6:9

The king contrasts the bride with the other claimants for her royal estate or favor Song of Solomon 6:8. She not only outshines them all for him, but herself has received from them disinterested blessing and praise.

This passage is invaluable as a divine witness to the principle of monogamy under the Old Testament and in the luxurious age of Solomon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Song of Solomon 6:4. Beautiful - as Tirzah — This is supposed to be the address of Solomon to the bride. Tirzah was a city in the tribe of Ephraim, (Joshua 12:24,) and the capital of that district. It appears to have been beautiful in itself, and beautifully situated, for Jeroboam made it his residence before Samaria was built; and it seems to have been the ordinary residence of the kings of Israel, 1 Kings 14:17; 1 Kings 15:21; 1 Kings 16:6. Its name signifies beautiful or delightful.

Comely as Jerusalem — This was called the perfection of beauty, Psalms 48:2-3; Psalms 50:2. And thus the poet compares the bride's beauty to the two finest places in the land of Palestine, and the capitals of the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Terrible as an army with banners. — This has been supposed to carry an allusion to the caravans in the East, and the manner in which they are conducted in their travels by night. The caravans are divided into companies, called cottors, according to Thevenet; and each company is distinguished by the form of the brazier in which they carry their lights. After night, these braziers are placed on the ends of long poles, and carried by a person who walks at the head of the company. Some have ten or twelve lights, and are of different forms; some triangular, or like an N; some like an M, by which each pilgrim readily knows his own company, both by night and day. A whole caravan, composed of many thousands of hadgees or pilgrims, divided into various cottors or companies, each having its own distinguishing brazier or light, must necessarily produce a very splendid, if not a terrible, appearance.


 
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