Song of Solomon 8:14

Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The speaker addresses her beloved directly in Song of Solomon 8:14, immediately after asking in 8:13 for him to speak so her companions can hear his voice.

The words — The Hebrew imperative בּרַח (be.Rach) translates literally as "hasten" or "come away," directed at דּוֹדִי (do.Di, "my beloved"). The verb דְמֵהּ (de.Meh, "be like") combines with צְבִי (tz.Vi, "gazelle") and עֹפֶר הָאַיָּלִים ('O.fer ha.'Ai.ya.Lim, "fawn of the stag") to depict swift, mountain-dwelling movement.

The thread — This exact phrasing and imagery recur in Song of Solomon 2:17, where the speaker issues the same command before the day breaks, and the urgent summons echoes the eschatological cry in Revelation 22:20 ("Come, Lord Jesus!").

Why it lands — The text commands the beloved to depart from his current location and move swiftly like a wild mountain animal, requiring the reader to acknowledge the demand for immediate presence rather than prolonged waiting.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בְּרַ֣ח׀be.Rachhasten דּוֹדִ֗יdo.D/iO lover/ my וּֽדְמֵה־u./de.meh-and/ be likeלְךָ֤le./Kha<for>/ yourselfלִצְבִי֙li/tz.Vi<to>/ a gazelle א֚וֹ'oor לְעֹ֣פֶרle./'O.fer<to>/ [the] fawn of הָֽאַיָּלִ֔יםha./'ai.ya.Limthe/ deer<s>עַ֖ל'alon הָרֵ֥יha.Reimountains of בְשָׂמִֽים׃ve.sa.Mimspices

King James Version

Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Cross-references

Song of Solomon 2:17 Before the day breaks and shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.
Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Song of Solomon 2:9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.
Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
Song of Solomon 4:6 Before the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will make my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
Luke 19:12 So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return.
Philippians 1:23 I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.