Song of Solomon 2:17Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart on the mountains of Bether.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Dawn approaches. A young woman watches from her window as her beloved prepares to leave for the day, asking him to return swiftly like a gazelle bounding over the hills near Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: tender longing mixed with confident expectation
The original word
tsvi (צְבִי) — gazelle, emphasizing grace, swiftness, and beauty in movement
Why it matters
Bether likely refers to the rugged hills near Bethlehem where gazelles still roam today
Read with care
What most readers miss in Song of Solomon 2:17
This isn't about permanent separation—it's the daily parting of lovers who work apart but reunite each evening
Common misconceptionMany think this is about permanent separation or death, but it's actually about the daily rhythm of parting and reunion in marriage—she's asking him to hurry back from work.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Song of Solomon 2:17
Bible Genome reading
Song of Solomon 2:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Song of Solomon 2:17 comes from the book of Song of Solomon, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Beloved. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the poetry genre of biblical literature. Key themes include longing, anticipation, desire. Notable phrases: until day is cool; shadows flee; like a roe. This verse is a prayer. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Song of Solomon 2:17 mean to you, today?
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