Song of Songs 3:5

5 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

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Song of Solomon 3:5 in Other Translations

KJV

5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

ESV

5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

NLT

5 Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right.

MSG

5 Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem, by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe - and you're ready.

Song of Songs 3:5 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 3:5

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem
Which are either the words of Christ, adjuring the young converts not to disturb the church; who had now Christ in her arms, taking repose with him, being wearied with running about in search of him: or they are the words of the church; who having experienced a long absence of Christ, and having been at much pains in search of him, and now had found him, was very unwilling to part with him; and fearing these young converts should by any unbecoming word or action provoke him to depart, she gives them a solemn charge; by the roes and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor
awake my love, till he please; (See Gill on Song of Solomon 2:7).

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Song of Songs 3:5 In-Context

3 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. “Have you seen the one my heart loves?”

4 Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me.

5 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant?

7 Look! It is Solomon’s carriage, escorted by sixty warriors, the noblest of Israel,

Cross References 2

1. S Song of Songs 2:7
2. Song of Songs 8:4