Section 2:8–3:5

The man called the woman, but later she could not find him

The author began this scene at a different place and time from the ending of the preceding section (1:1–2:7). At the end of that section, the woman and man were together, but at the beginning of this section (2:8) the woman was in her room at home, and the man was coming to her over the hills.

There are two poems in Section 2:8–3:5. In the first poem (2:8–17) the man came and stood outside the woman’s room. She quoted what he said as he invited her to come out with him and enjoy a beautiful spring day. The second poem (3:1–5) describes a time when the woman searched for her beloved at night. This second poem has much in common with Section 5:2–6:3. See the discussion of similarities at the beginning of that section.

Both parts of this section (2:8–17 and 3:1–5) may describe what the woman imagined or what she dreamed. The descriptions may not refer to actual events in the poem.

Poem 2:8–17

This beautiful poem (2:8–17) describes springtime. In springtime, new plants begin to grow, flowers bloom, and fruit trees begin to blossom. In these lines springtime symbolizes that love was growing between the woman and the man. The woman first spoke to herself, but then she quoted the man as he invited her to come out of her house and go away with him.

This poem begins and ends in a similar way. At the beginning (2:8–9) the man came to the woman over the mountains like a gazelle or stag. At the end (2:17) he again roamed on the mountains like a gazelle or stag.

In these lines the woman spoke. However, from 2:10b through 2:14 she quoted what the man said. Then she continued speaking in 2:15–17.

2:8–10a The woman described the coming of her beloved

2:8a–10a

Here the woman began the section by saying that she heard the voice or sound of her beloved (2:8a). In 2:8b–2:9e she described how he came to her family’s home where she lived. Then in 2:10a she introduced what he said to her.

2:8a

Listen! My beloved approaches: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Listen has different meanings in different contexts. Here it may refer specifically to the beloved’s voice or more generally to the sound of his coming. Some ways to translate it are:

• Refer to the voice of the beloved. For example:

I hear my beloved’s voice. (God’s Word)

• Refer more generally to the sound of his coming. For example:

Ah, I hear my lover coming! (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Listen! My beloved is coming!

The author uses the same Hebrew word in this way in 2:14 when the man wants to hear his beloved’s voice. Use a natural way in your language to communicate excitement in this context.

My beloved: Suggestions for translating My beloved are given in the notes on 1:13a–b.

2:8b–9e

There is parallelism in 2:8b–9e. In the following example, the similar phrases are indicated in similar ways:

8a Listen! My beloved approaches.

8b
Look! Here he comes,

8c
leaping across the mountains,

8d
bounding over the hills.

9a
My beloved is like a gazelle,

9b
or a young stag.

9c
Look, he stands behind our wall :

9d
gazing through the windows,

9e
peering through the lattice.

The phrase “ Look! Here he comes” (2:8b) is parallel to “Look, he stands behind our wall” (2:9c). After 2:8b, there are two more parallel phrases “leaping across the mountains” (2:8c) and “bounding over the hills” (2:8d). These phrases have almost the same meaning. Line 2:9c is followed by two more parallel lines “gazing through the windows” and “peering through the lattice” (2:9d–e).

In some languages it is more natural to combine the parallel lines that follow each other. See the General Comment on 2:9d–e following the notes for 2:9e for an example.

comes…leaping…bounding…stands…gazing…peering: The Hebrew verb forms that the Berean Standard Bible translates as comes, leaping, bounding, stands, gazing, and peering do not indicate when these actions happened. The verb forms help people imagine the actions happening as they read about them. That makes the action seem more vivid and exciting. Use a natural way in your language to do that.

2:8b

Look! Here he comes: The phrase Look! Here he comes is an exclamation. It indicates that the woman was excited and happy that her beloved was approaching her. It implies that she wanted others to share her excitement that he was coming.

Some ways to translate this exclamation are:

Behold, he comes… (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Here he comes… (New Century Version)
-or-
He’s coming!

Many languages have special ways to express excitement like this. Sometimes there is a special exclamation or form of the verb. For example:

Oh listen! I hear him coming!

Indicate the woman’s excitement or surprise in a natural way in your language.

Look!: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Look calls attention to the statement, word, or phrase that follows it. In this context, it also communicates excitement. Consider how you call attention to a word or phrase in your language. You may be able to use an exclamation word like “Behold!” or “Listen!” or you may be able to communicate the excitement by making the sentence itself more emphatic or exciting.

Look occurs four times in the Song. Three of these are in this section (2:8, 9, 11). In each context translate its function in a natural way in your language.

2:8c–9e

In these lines there is a complex simile that continues for several lines. It describes a gazelle or stag, and it also describes the man whom the woman loves. The author used verbs that can refer to both the man and to an animal, but the actions are more like an animal’s actions. It is easy to imagine a lively animal running to the window to gaze into it. The woman implied that her beloved did that. The tone of the simile can be described as “playful.”

Other places in the OT that mention the leaping and swift running of gazelles or stags are 2 Samuel 2:18, 1 Chronicles 12:8, Psalm 18:33, and Isaiah 35:6.

2:8c–d

leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills: The two phrases leaping across the mountains and bounding over the hills have similar meanings. leaping and bounding describe the way the man hurried toward the woman. It emphasizes that he was eager to see her. It also implies her excitement as she saw him jump across the hills and rush toward her. Translate this excited description in a natural and poetic way in your language. For example:

running over the mountains,

racing across the hills to me. (Good News Translation)

The two parallel lines have the same meaning. In some languages it may be more natural to combine them. For example:

Oh, look! He’s coming toward me, bounding over the mountains!
-or-
He runs and leaps on the mountains and hills!

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