Song of Solomon 2: Rise Up and Come Away
Spring arrives and the Beloved calls the Bride out to himself, as she rests in his love and asks that love not be awakened too soon.
Song of Solomon 2 (WEB)
1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Lover
2 As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Beloved
3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love.
5 Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am faint with love.
6 His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.
7 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.
8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young deer. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke, and said to me, “Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
11 For, behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give out their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.” Lover
14 My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom. Beloved
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.
17 Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.
Song of Solomon 2 (KJV)
1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
7 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.
8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
Song of Solomon 2 (ASV)
1 I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.
2 As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
3 As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting-house, And his banner over me was love.
5 Stay ye me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am sick from love.
6 His left handisunder my head, And his right hand doth embrace me.
7 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.
8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh, Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: Behold, he standeth behind our wall; He looketh in at the windows; He glanceth through the lattice.
10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11 For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone;
12 The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;
13 The fig-tree ripeneth her green figs, And the vines are in blossom; They give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, In the covert of the steep place, Let me see thy countenance, Let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, That spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in blossom.
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: He feedeth his flock among the lilies.
17 Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart Upon the mountains of Bether.
Summary
The lovers continue to praise one another with tender images. The Bride calls herself a rose of Sharon and a lily of the valleys, and the beloved answers that she is a lily among thorns, while she likens him to a fruitful apple tree among the trees of the wood, in whose shade she delights. He brings her to the banquet hall, and his banner over her is love; faint with love, she rests as his left hand cradles her head and his right embraces her. Then comes the first of the Song's solemn refrains: she charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up or awaken love until it pleases. The mood turns to springtime joy as she hears her beloved coming, leaping over the mountains like a young deer, calling her to rise and come away, for winter is past, the flowers appear, and the time of singing has come. He asks to see her face and hear her voice in the clefts of the rock, urges that the little foxes spoiling the vineyards be caught, and she answers with the Song's great confession: my beloved is mine, and I am his.
Main Characters
- The Bride (the Beloved) — The young woman who rests in her beloved's love, charges the daughters not to awaken love too soon, and confesses that he is hers and she is his.
- The Bridegroom (the Lover) — The beloved who comes leaping over the mountains, calls the Bride away into the joy of spring, and longs to see her face and hear her voice.
- The daughters of Jerusalem — The chorus charged by the Bride not to stir up or awaken love until the time is right.
Key Verse
Song of Solomon 2:16 (WEB)
My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.
Lessons Learned
- Love finds rest and security in the embrace of the beloved.
- Love has its proper time and should not be awakened before it pleases.
- Love calls us out of winter into the joy and renewal of springtime.
- Mutual belonging is the heart of covenant love.
- Love offers rest and protection. “His banner over me is love” (Song 2:4, WEB), and his arms cradle and embrace her. The beloved's love is a place of safety and delight.
- Love keeps its season. “That you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires” (Song 2:7, WEB). Patience guards love until its right and proper time.
- Love calls us into new life. “The winter is past… Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away” (Song 2:11-13, WEB). Love invites us out of barrenness into renewal.
- Guard against small spoilers. “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards” (Song 2:15, WEB). Small neglected things can ruin a flourishing love.
- What images do the lovers use to praise one another at the start of the chapter, and what do they convey?
- What does the Bride mean when she charges the daughters not to awaken love until it pleases (2:7)?
- How does the beloved's springtime invitation picture the renewing power of love?
- What might the “little foxes” that spoil the vineyards represent in a relationship (2:15)?
- Where in your own life is patience needed to let love or a relationship unfold in its right time?
- She is a rose and a lily; he is a fruitful apple tree in whose shade she rests, and his banner over her is love (2:1-4). The images speak of beauty, nourishment, security, and delight, painting love as both tender and life-giving.
- The refrain warns against forcing or prematurely awakening love and desire. It commends patience and restraint, that intimacy flourishes in its proper covenant and season. Help the group see this as protection rather than prohibition.
- The beloved declares winter past and the time of singing come, calling her to rise and come away (2:10-13). Love draws us out of cold and barrenness into warmth, growth, and joy—a renewal felt in every flourishing relationship.
- The little foxes are small, easily overlooked things that quietly damage a relationship—neglect, harsh words, unguarded habits. Encourage the group to name and address the small spoilers before they ruin the vineyard of love.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider where they are tempted to rush or force what needs to unfold in God's timing. As leader, keep the discussion gentle and unhurried, modeling the very patience the verse commends.