Bible/Song of Solomon/3

Song of Solomon 3:8

3:7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

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They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man has his sword on his thigh because of fear in the night.

3:9 King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. a chariot: or, a bed

What does Song of Solomon 3:8 mean?

Song of Solomon 3:8 is a verse in the book of Song of Solomon, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אָחַז (ʼâchaz), חֶרֶב (chereb), לָמַד (lâmad). It connects to 9 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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They
all
holdאָחַזʼâchaz/aw-khaz'/H270to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
swords,חֶרֶבchereb/kheh'-reb/H2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
being
expertלָמַדlâmad/law-mad'/H3925properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive)
in
war:מִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh/mil-khaw-maw'/H4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)
every
manאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
hath
his
swordחֶרֶבchereb/kheh'-reb/H2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
upon
his
thighיָרֵךְyârêk/yaw-rake'/H3409the thigh (from its fleshy softness); by euphemistically the generative parts; figuratively, a shank, flank, side
because
of
fearפַּחַדpachad/pakh'-ad/H6343a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared, by implication, the feeling)
in
the
night.לַיִלlayil/lah'-yil/H3915properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity

Commentary on Song of Solomon 3:8

HENRY_FULL · Song of Solomon 3:8
last to eternity as we must. The glory of man is but as the flower of the grass. 2. Of the fulness of the word of God, and its sufficiency for our satisfaction: But thy commandment is broad, exceedingly broad. The word of God reaches to all cases, to all times. The divine law lays a restraint upon the whole man, is designed to sanctify us wholly. There is a great deal required and forbidden in every commandment. The divine promise (for that also is commanded) extends itself to all our burdens, wants, and grievances, and has that in it which will make a portion and happiness for us when we have seen an end of all perfection. 13. MEM. 97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Here is, 1. David's inexpressible love to the word of God: O how love I thy law! He protests his affection to the word of God with a holy vehemency; he found that love to it in his heart which, considering the corruption of his nature and the temptations of the world, he could not but wonder at, and at that grace which had wrought it in him. He not only loved the promises, but loved the law, and delighted in it after the inner man. 2. An unexceptionable evidence of this. What we love we love to think of; by this it appeared that David loved the word of God that it was his meditation. He not only read the book of the law, but digested what he read in his thoughts, and was delivered into it as into a mould: it was his meditation not only in the night, when he was silent and solitary, and had not

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Deuteronomy 4:6

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

Deuteronomy 4:8

And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

1 Samuel 18:5

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. behaved: or, prospered

1 Samuel 18:14

And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. behaved: or, prospered

1 Samuel 18:30

Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by. set by: Heb. precious

Proverbs 2:6

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Song of Solomon 3:11

Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

James 1:25

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. deed: or, doing

Topics

Beds

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Song of Solomon 3:8.

Isaiah 2:4

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. pruninghooks: or, scythes

Isaiah 21:15

For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. from the swords: or, for fear, etc: Heb. from the face, etc

Isaiah 22:2

Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

Isaiah 3:25

Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. mighty: Heb. might

Psalms 144:1

A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: strength: Heb. rock to war: Heb. to the war, etc

Frequently asked questions

What does Song of Solomon 3:8 say?

Song of Solomon 3:8 (King James Version) reads: "They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night."

Is Song of Solomon 3:8 in the Old or New Testament?

Song of Solomon 3:8 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Song of Solomon.

Reflect

As you read Song of Solomon 3:8, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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