2:7 The woman spoke to the women of Jerusalem

This verse (2:7) is a refrain, which occurs at a major section break. Similar refrains are also found in 3:5 and 8:4.

2:7

The speaker in this verse is probably the woman (as indicated by most English versions).

2:7a–b

I adjure you by the gazelles and does of the field: The verb adjure means “to urge (someone) to swear an oath.” The woman urged the women of Jerusalem to swear an oath to her. This oath was a serious promise. Breaking the oath would cause harmful results.

In the Hebrew culture, people usually swore oaths in God’s name. Such an oath implies that God will punish the person who does not do what he swore to do. The oath is a poetic way to say that the women must keep their promise. In this context, the woman asked the Jerusalem women to swear by gazelles and does. These animals probably symbolize love. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

swear to me by the gazelles or by the does in the field (God’s Word)
-or-
promise me by the power of deer and gazelles (Contemporary English Version)

Consider the ways that people make promises or swear oaths in your language. Use a natural way to translate the meaning of the woman’s request.

2:7a

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: In this verse the woman spoke to the Jerusalem women. In some languages it is more natural to begin the sentence with the phrase O daughters of Jerusalem. For example:

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you…

The phrase O daughters of Jerusalem was also used in 1:5b. You may translate it in the same way here.

2:7b

the gazelles and does: gazelles and does are gentle animals that live wild in forests, mountains, or plains. They eat grass and other plants. They run fast, and they are graceful and beautiful. In the Song they symbolize grace and beauty, and they especially symbolize love.

gazelles: The “gazelle” is a member of the antelope family. It is a fairly small animal (2 or 3 feet tall at the shoulder). It is known for its grace and beauty.