Song of Solomon 7:3 — Word Study
WLCשְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תָּאֳמֵ֥י צְבִיָּֽה׃
BSAnavelshôrer△ vesselʼaggân roundnessçahar△ notʼal to lackchâçêr mixturemezeg△ bellybeṭen heapʻârêm wheatchiṭṭâh to fenceçûwg△ lilyshûwshan
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שְׁנֵ֥י | [the] two | |
| שָׁדַ֛יִךְ | breasts your | Noun common masculine dual construct, suffix |
| כִּשְׁנֵ֥י | [are] like two | Preposition |
| עֳפָרִ֖ים | fawns | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| תָּאֳמֵ֥י | twins of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| צְבִיָּֽה׃ | a gazelle | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. |
| KJV | Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins. |
| ASV | Thy two breasts are like two fawns That are twins of a roe. |
| YLT | Thy two breasts as two young ones, twins of a roe, |
| WEB | Your two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a roe. |
| BBE | Your two breasts are like two young roes of the same birth. |
Where they part company is in the translation of עֳפָרִ֖ים — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a descriptive prepositional phrase, emphasizing the beauty of the beloved.
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Song of Solomon 7:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Beauty of the Belovedgenerated
Song of Solomon 7:3 is part of a series of poetic praises exchanged between lovers, celebrating physical beauty and romantic affection. The speaker uses vivid imagery to convey admiration, comparing the beloved's features to graceful animals, enhancing the sensuality of the text. This section highlights the intimate and playful nature of their relationship, as seen in the surrounding verses that continue to describe the beloved's beauty.
The Key Word — עֳפָרִ֖ים, 'o.fa.Rimgenerated
The word עֹ֫פֶר (opher) refers specifically to a young deer or fawn, emphasizing youth and grace. This term is often used in biblical poetry to evoke tenderness and beauty, suggesting a delicate and agile creature.
In this verse, the comparison serves to highlight the beloved's physical allure, suggesting that her breasts are not only beautiful but also evoke a sense of vitality and liveliness, akin to the playful nature of fawns.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle,' which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is led by the subject שָׁדַ֛יִךְ, your breasts, followed by a simile introduced by כִּשְׁנֵ֥י, like two, which sets up the comparison to the fawns.
The structure emphasizes the beauty of the beloved through a clear and direct comparison, with the imagery of 'two fawns' acting as a vivid descriptor that enhances the sensuality of the statement.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֹ֫פֶר as μὴ, which does not carry the same connotation of youth and grace as the Hebrew. This choice may reflect a broader interpretation or a different emphasis in the Greek context.
The translation choices indicate a potential shift in focus from the specific beauty of the fawns to a more general representation, which may alter the impact of the imagery.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Song of Solomon 7:3 describes the beloved's breasts as being like two fawns, emphasizing their beauty and grace. This poetic imagery reflects the intimate admiration between the lovers, enhancing the romantic tone of the passage.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The comparison to fawns suggests grace, beauty, and youth, highlighting the beloved's physical allure.
The mention of twins emphasizes the idea of duality and perfection in beauty, suggesting that the beloved's features are not only beautiful but also harmonious.
This verse is part of a larger dialogue celebrating romantic love and physical beauty, showcasing the intimate relationship between the lovers.
The verse employs simile and vivid imagery to create a sensual and affectionate portrayal of the beloved.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does the imagery in this verse enhance your understanding of romantic love?
- In what ways can you appreciate beauty in the people around you, similar to the speaker's admiration?
- What other comparisons in literature evoke strong imagery like this verse?
- How can the themes of beauty and admiration in this verse apply to your relationships?
The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
Your two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a roe.
Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
Tyndale line
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
Thy two breasts are like two fawns That are twins of a roe.
Thy two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a roe.
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
Thy two breastes are as two young roes that are twinnes.
Strictly literal
Thy two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle;
Thy two breasts as two young ones, twins of a roe,
Your two breasts as two young ones, twins of a roe,
(7:4) Thy two breasts are like two fawns, the twins of the roe.
Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
From the Latin
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
Simplified
Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
Your two breasts are like two young roes of the same birth.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text presents the verse as שְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תָּאֳמֵ֥י צְבִיָּֽה׃, while the Septuagint matches five of the six words, indicating a close correspondence. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration, suggesting some differences in wording but maintaining the overall theme.
שְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תָּאֳמֵ֥י צְבִיָּֽה׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[שרר׳ך] [אגן] [הסהר] [אל] [יחסר] המזג בטנ׳ך [ערמת] [חטים] [סוגה] [בשושנים]
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 9 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Song of Solomon 7:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
HAcbdc — HAcbdc
too.
See NUMBER.
שַׁד (shad) refers to the female breast, applicable to both humans and animals. The term can also be associated with the variant שֹׁד (shod), which carries the same meaning. The entries indicate that the word is likely derived from another root, but they do not provide further detail on its usage in specific verses.
[שַׁד] n.m. female breast
base
שֹׁד n.m. id. [v.bh.ab]
base
H7699a שַׁד female breast H7699b שֹׁד id. [7699a]
7699 shad shad
or shod {shode}; probably from 7736 (in its original sense)
contracted; the breast of a woman or animal (as
bulging):--breast, pap, teat.
see HEBREW for 07736
שַׁד (shad) — breast.
1) breast, bosom, (female) breast
1a) breast (of woman)
1b) breast (of animal)
1c) breast (of both human and animal)
Also means: shod (שֹׁד "breast" H7699B)
שֹׁד (shod) — breast.
1) breast, bosom, (female) breast
1a) breast (of woman)
1b) breast (of animal)
1c) breast (of both human and animal)
HNcmdc/Sp2fs — Noun common masculine dual construct · suffixHNcmdc/Sp2fs
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
HR/Acbdc — PrepositionHR/Acbdc
too.
See NUMBER.
עֹ֫פֶר (opher) refers to a young hart or stag, often described as having a dusty color. It is derived from the root word for dust, indicating its appearance. The term is consistently used across various lexicons to denote a fawn or young deer.
עֹ֫פֶר n.m. young hart, stag
base
H6082 עֹ֫פֶר
6082 `opher o'-fer
from 6080; a fawn (from the dusty color):--young roe (hart).
see HEBREW for 06080
עֹ֫פֶר (o.pher) — fawn.
deer, fawn, stag, young hart
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
תּוֹאָם (ta'owm) means 'twin' and is used only in the plural form. It is derived from the root word for 'to be double' and is referenced in various contexts, though specific verses are not provided in the entries.
[תּוֹאָם] n.m. twin
base
H8380 [תּוֹאָם] twin
8380 ta'owm taw-ome'
or taom {taw-ome'}; from 8382; a twin (in plural only),
literally or figuratively:--twins.
see HEBREW for 08382
תּוֹאָם (ta.om) — twin.
twin
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
צְבִיָּה (tsbiyah) refers to a female gazelle or roe. It is derived from the masculine form צְבִי (tzvi), which also means gazelle. The entries consistently identify this word as a feminine noun related to the animal.
צְבִיָּה n.f. id. [r.ah.ab]
base
H6646 צְבִיָּה
6646 tsbiyah tseb-ee-yaw'
feminine of 6643; a female gazelle:--roe.
see HEBREW for 06643
צְבִיָּה (tse.viy.yah) — gazelle.
gazelle, doe
Another spelling of tse.vi (צְבִי "gazelle" H6643B)
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
ga-zel' (tsebhi, and feminine tsebhiyah; compare Tabeitha (Ac 9:36), and Arabic zabi; also Arabic ghazal; Dorkas (Ac 9:36); modern Greek zarkadi):
The word "gazelle" does not occur in the King James Version, where tsebhi and tsebhiyah, in the 16 passages where they occur, are uniformly translated "roe" or "roebuck." In the Revised Version (British and American) the treatment is not uniform. We find "gazelle" without comment in De 12:15,22; 14:5; 15:22; 1Ki 4:23. We find "roe," with marginal note "or gazelle," in Pr 6:5; So 2:7,9,17; 4:5; 8:14;
See ROE.