Song of Songs 3

{{Short description|Third chapter of the Song of Songs}} {{for|other uses of the abbreviation|Song 3}} {{Bible chapter|letname= Song of Songs 3 |previouslink= Song of Songs 2 |previousletter= chapter 2 |nextlink= Song of Songs 4 |nextletter= chapter 4 |book=[[Song of Songs]] |biblepart=[[Old Testament]] | booknum= 22 |category= [[Ketuvim]] | filename= Arthur Szyk (1894-1951). Visual History of Nations, Israel (1948), New Canaan, CT.jpg| size=250px |caption=<div style="width: 250px; text-align: center; line-height: 1em">Four thousand years of Jewish history come to life in Arthur Szyk's Visual History of Israel, completed in 1948, depicting, among others, King Solomon (top right), shown holding a copy of 'Song of Songs'.</div>}}

'''Song of Songs 3''' (abbreviated {{where|date=January 2023}} as '''Song 3''') is the third chapter of the [[Song of Songs]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]] or the [[Old Testament]] of the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Bible]].{{sfn|Halley|1965|p=278}}<ref name=Holman>Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.</ref> This book is one of the [[Five Megillot]], a collection of short books, together with [[Book of Ruth|Ruth]], [[Book of Lamentations|Lamentations]], [[Ecclesiastes]] and [[Book of Esther|Esther]], within the [[Ketuvim]], the third and the last part of the Hebrew Bible.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=429}} [[Jewish tradition]] views [[Solomon]] as the author of this book (although this is now largely disputed), and this attribution influences the acceptance of this book as a canonical text.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=429}} This chapter contains a female song about her search for her lover at night and the poem describing King Solomon's procession.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|pp=430-431}}

==Text== The original text is written in [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew language]]. [[Chapters and verses of the Bible|This chapter is divided into]] 11 verses.

===Textual witnesses=== Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew]] are of the [[Masoretic Text]], which includes the [[Aleppo Codex]] (10th century),{{efn|Since 1947 the current text of [[Aleppo Codex]] is missing Song of Songs 3:11, after the word {{lang|he|ציון}} ("Zion"), to the end.<ref>{{citation | author=P. W. Skehan | contribution=BIBLE (TEXTS) | title=[[New Catholic Encyclopedia]] | edition=2nd | volume=2 | publisher=Gale | year=2003 | pages=355–362}}</ref>}} and [[Leningrad Codex|Codex Leningradensis]] (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=36-37}} Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]]: [[4Q106|4Q106 (4QCanta)]]; 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 3–5, 7–11), [[4Q107|4Q107 (4QCantb)]]; 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 1–2, 5, 9–11), and [[4Q108|4Q108 (4QCantc)]]; 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 7–8).<ref>{{Cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | editor-link = Eugene Ulrich | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | pages = 740–742 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls |access-date= May 15, 2017 | isbn= 9789004181830}}</ref><ref name=generalinfo>[https://thewaytoyahuweh.com/dead-sea-scrolls/general-info/#song_of_songs Dead sea scrolls - Song of Songs].</ref><ref name=fitzmyer>{{Cite book|last = Fitzmyer|first = Joseph A. |title = A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature| authorlink = Joseph Fitzmyer | publisher = William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC | year = 2008 | pages = 42 |isbn = 9780802862419 | location = Grand Rapids, MI | access-date= February 15, 2019}}</ref>

There is also a translation into [[Koine Greek]] known as the [[Septuagint]], made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include [[Codex Vaticanus]] ('''B'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math>B; 4th century), [[Codex Sinaiticus]] ('''S'''; [[Biblia Hebraica (Kittel)|BHK]]: <math> \mathfrak{G}</math>S; 4th century), and [[Codex Alexandrinus]] ('''A'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math>A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}

==Structure== [[New King James Version|New King James Version (NKJV)]] groups this chapter into: *{{bibleverse|Song|3:1-5|NKJV}} = A Troubled Night *{{bibleverse|Song|3:6-11|NKJV}} = The Coming of Solomon

==Female: Search and seizure (3:1-5)== The first part of this chapter is "a tightly constructed song" of the female protagonist, describing how she looks for her lover at night (or in a dream) in the city streets, until she finds him and brings him into her mother's house.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=430}} The setting of this poem progresses from the woman's bed (verse 1) to the public areas of the city (verses 2-4b) and finally to the privacy of her mother's bedroom (verses 4c-5).{{sfn|Longman|2001|p=127}} It closes with the second appeal to the 'daughters of Jerusalem'.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=430}}

===Verse 1=== :''On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves;'' ::''I sought him, but found him not.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Song|3:1|MEV}} [[Modern English Version|MEV]]</ref> "By night" ({{langx|he|בלילות}}, ''ba-{{Strong-number|lê-lō-wṯ|H|3915}}''<ref name="Song3_1h">[https://biblehub.com/text/songs/3-1.htm Hebrew Text Analysis: Song of Solomon 3:1]. Biblehub</ref>) can be read as "nightly" or "night after night":{{sfn|Coogan|2007|p=962 Hebrew Bible}}<ref>{{bibleverse||Song of Songs|3:1|NCB}}: New Catholic Bible</ref> the word "refers to more nights than one".<ref>Harper, A. (1902), [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/songs/2.htm Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges] on Song of Solomon 3, accessed 12 January 2023</ref> The woman had expected her lover to return "before dawn";<ref>{{bibleverse|Song|2:17|TLB}}: Living Bible</ref> [[Hudson Taylor]] notes that she might have regretted "lightly dismiss[ing] Him, with the thought: A little later I may enjoy His love ... Poor foolish bride!"<ref>Taylor, H. (1893), [https://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Text.Only/pdfs/Union_And_Communion_Text.pdf Union and Communion, or Thoughts on the Song of Solomon], 1997 edition retyped by Kathy Sewell, page 15, accessed 12 January 2023</ref>

===Verse 5=== :''I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,'' :''By the gazelles or by the does of the field,'' :''Do not stir up nor awaken love'' :''Until it pleases.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Song|3:5|NKJV}} [[New King James Version|NKJV]]</ref> *Cross references: [[Song of Songs 2:7]]; [[Song 8:4|8:4]]{{sfn|Coogan|2007|p=962 Hebrew Bible}} *"Charge" or "adjure"<ref>Note [a] on Song 3:5 in NKJV</ref> The names of God are apparently substituted with similar sounding phrases depicting 'female gazelles' ({{lang|he|צְבָא֔וֹת}}, ''{{Strong-number|tseḇā’ōṯ|H|6643}}'') for [God of] hosts ({{lang|he|צבאות}} ''{{Strong-number|tseḇā’ōṯ|H|6635}}''), and 'does of the field'/'wild does/female deer' ({{lang|he|אילות השדה}}, ''{{Strong-number|’ay-lōṯ|H|355}} ha-{{Strong-number|śā-ḏeh|H|7704}}'') for God Almighty ({{lang|he|אל שדי}}, ''{{Strong-number|’êl|H|410}} {{Strong-number|shaddai|H|7706}}'').{{sfn|Bergant|2001|p=26}}

==Male: Marriage scene (3:6-11)== This section starts a poetic exposition of love and marriage which form the core of the book (Song 3:6-5:1).{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=36}} Hess applies these six verses to the man,{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=116}} whereas Fox prefers the daughter of Jerusalem as the speakers,<ref>Fox, ''Song'', p. 119,'' apud'' Hess 2005, p.116</ref> and the [[New King James Version]] assigns them to "the Shulamite" (= the woman).<ref>{{bibleverse|Song|3:6|NKJV}} NKJV</ref>

[[Solomon]] is the focus of this section, as his name is mentioned three times (verses 7, 9 and 11), and the suffix 'his' (''-o'') refers to him once in verse 7, another in verse 9 and four times in the second part of verse 11.{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=116}} The last word of this part is 'his heart' ({{Transliteration|he|libbo}}), referring directly to the essential aspect of King Solomon and the most relevant to the whole love poem.{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=116}} The mention of Solomon's mother in verse 11 is in line with the focus on mothers in the book, both the woman's ([[Song of Songs 1:6|1:6]]; {{bibleverse-nb|Song|3:4|KJV}}; {{bibleverse-nb|Song|6:9|KJV}}; {{bibleverse-nb|Song|8:1, 2|KJV}}) and the man's ([[Song 8:5|8:5]]).{{sfn|Exum|2005|p=141}}

==See also== * [[Jerusalem]] * [[Zion]] *Related [[Bible]] parts: [[Song of Songs 2]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== *{{cite book|last= Bergant |first= Dianne |author-link=Dianne Bergant |title= The Songs of Songs |series= Berit Olam (The Everlasting Covenant): Studies In Hebrew Narrative And Poetry |editor1-first=David W. |editor1-last= Cotter|editor2-first= Jerome T. |editor2-last= Walsh|editor3-first= Chris |editor3-last= Franke |publisher= Liturgical Press |date= 2001|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=xkwtwLQ_QCQC |isbn= 9780814650691}} *{{cite book|last= Brenner | first= Athalya |chapter = 21. The Song of Solomon | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John| editor-last1=Barton | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | date = 2007 | pages = 429–433 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ| access-date=February 6, 2019}} *{{cite book|last= Coogan|first = Michael David| authorlink= Michael D. Coogan |title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 |editor-last1=Coogan |editor-first1=Michael David |editor-first2=Marc Zvi |editor-last2= Brettler |editor-first3=Carol Ann |editor-last3= Newsom |editor-first4= Pheme |editor-last4= Perkins |edition= Augmented 3rd |publisher = Oxford University Press |year =2007 |isbn = 9780195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}} *{{cite book|last= Exum |first= J. Cheryl |title= Songs of Songs: A Commentary |series= Old Testament library |edition= reprint|publisher= Westminster John Knox Press |date= 2005 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=mLKBcC5ND30C |isbn= 9780664221904}} *{{cite book|last= Halley| first= Henry H.| authorlink= Henry Hampton Halley| title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)|publisher= Zondervan Publishing House |date= 1965 |url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr |url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}} *{{cite book|last= Hess |first= Richard S. |title= Songs of Songs |series= Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Series |publisher= Baker Academic |date= 2005 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AWoEZ2bWauAC |isbn= 9780801027123}} *{{cite book|last= Longman |first= Tremper |title= Songs of Songs |volume= 26 |series= The New International Commentary on the Old Testament |publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |date= 2001 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PDnMuOcIUjEC |isbn= 9780802825438}} *{{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | authorlink = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes |isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

==External links== * [[Judaism|Jewish]] translations: ** [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16447 Shir Hashirim - Song of Songs - Chapter 3 (Judaica Press)] translation [with [[Rashi]]'s commentary] at Chabad.org * [[Christianity|Christian]] translations: ** [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Song+3 ''Online Bible'' at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English) * [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=26&chapter=3&version=9 Song of Solomon Chapter 3 King James Version] * {{librivox book | title=Song of Solomon}} Various versions

{{DEFAULTSORT:Song 03}}  [[Category:Song of Songs chapters|03]]