Song of Solomon 8:1
in Song of Solomon 8O that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Oh that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; Yea, and none would despise me.
KJV
O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.
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This verse in Song of Solomon 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseO that thou wert as my brother,.... Or, "who will give thee as a brother to me?" (q) an usual form of wishing, Deu 5:29, Psa 14:7. The church here not only requests that Christ would be like a brother to her, but appear to be really one, and to act the part of one towards her; with whom she might as freely converse as brother and sister may.
This site's exposition
O that you were to me like a brother
on Song of Solomon 8:1-4
She wishes he were like a brother, whom she could kiss outdoors and bring openly to her mother's house, as at 3:4. The fourth and last charge to the daughters falls here (2:7, 3:5, 5:8, 8:4): "Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right".
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Therefore she interceded so that he would go forth from the bosom of the Father, go out of doors like the bridegroom coming out from his chamber, and run his course. She interceded, too, that he would win those who were weak, would not linger on the distant throne of the Father and in that light, for those without strength cannot follow there. Instead he would be taken up and led into the dwelling of the bride and her chamber, that he would be out of doors for her but within for us, would be in our midst, even though unseen by us.
The church answers unto [God the Word], "Who will give you to me, my brother, you who did suck the breasts of my mother? If I find you outside I will kiss you, and indeed they will not despise me. I will take you, and bring you into the house of my mother; and into the secret chamber of her who conceived me. You shall teach me." You see how, delighted with the gifts of grace, she longs to attain to the innermost mysteries and to consecrate all her affections to Christ. She still seeks, she still stirs up his love, and asks of the daughters of Jerusalem to stir it up for her, and desires that by their beauty, which is that of faithful souls, her spouse may be incited to ever richer love for her.
Thus the God of all, after the manner of wise Solomon, distributes everything in time and season, to the end that, at the right time, the salvation of humankind should be everywhere spread abroad. In this way, "the Wisdom of God," our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ … "passed into holy souls, making them friends of God, and prophets."
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanCONSOLATION ON THE DEATH OF EMPEROR VALENTINIAN 75 · Written before 397.
proposed
What are the breasts of the church except the sacrament of baptism? And well does he say "sucking," as if the baptized were seeking him as a draught of snowy milk. "Finding you without," he says, "I shall kiss you," that is, finding you outside the body, I embrace you with the kiss of mystical peace. No one shall despise you; no one shall shut you out. I will introduce you into the inner sanctuary and hidden places of Mother Church, and into all the secrets of mystery, so that you may drink the cup of spiritual grace.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Robert of TombelaineCommentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 8 · Written in the 11th century.
proposed
Placed under the old Law, she awaited Christ, and ardently desired him who remained in the secret of the Father to come forth through the flesh to human eyes. Whence David too, in his longing, said: 'Arise, and do not reject us forever' (Ps. 43:23). …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And I will find you outside, etc. Surely he was within, because in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John I). But so that he might also be found outside, the Word became flesh and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is rather the wish of all believers for a more intimate communion with him, that they might receive the Spirit of sanctification, and so Christ must be as their brother, that is, that they might be as his brethren, which then they are when by grace they are made partakers of a divine nature, and he that sanctifies, and those that are sanctified, are both of one, Heb. ii.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It refers to the time after His resurrection, when the previous outward intimacy with Him was no longer allowed, but it was implied it should be renewed at the second coming (Joh 20:17). For this the Church here prays; meanwhile she enjoys inward spiritual communion with Him. The last who ever "kissed" Jesus Christ on earth was the traitor Judas.
O that thou wert as my brother - The bride, fearing that her fondness for her spouse might be construed into too great a familiarity, wishes that he were her little brother; and then she might treat him in the most affectionate manner, and kiss him even in the streets without suspicion, and without giving offense to any one.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Royal rank and splendor are grown wearisome. The king once called her “sister” and “sister-bride.” Would he were indeed as a “brother,” her mother’s own child whom she might meet, embrace, and welcome everywhere without restraint or shame. Her love for him is simple, sacred, pure, free from the unrest and the stains of mere earthly passion.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִ֤י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יִתֶּנְךָ֙ | yitenkha | will he give you | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| כְּאָ֣ח | keach | like a brother | H251 → | |
| לִ֔י | li | to me | ||
| יוֹנֵ֖ק | yonek | [the] suckling-child of | H3243 → | |
| שְׁדֵ֣י | shedei | [the] breasts of | H7699 → | 24 times |
| אִמִּ֑י | ʾimi | mother my | H517 → | 220 times |
| אֶֽמְצָאֲךָ֤ | ʾemtzaakha | I will find you | H4672 → | 455 times |
| בַחוּץ֙ | vachutz | on the outside | H2351 → | |
| אֶשָׁ֣קְךָ֔ | ʾeshakecha | I will kiss you | H5401 → | |
| גַּ֖ם | gam | also | H1571 → | |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָב֥וּזוּ | yavuzu | people will despise | H936 → | 12 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | <to> me |
מִ֤יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
יִתֶּנְךָ֙will he give you
yitenkhaH5414 →2011 times
כְּאָ֣חlike a brother
keachH251 →
לִ֔יto me
li
יוֹנֵ֖ק[the] suckling-child of
yonekH3243 →
שְׁדֵ֣י[the] breasts of
shedeiH7699 →24 times
אִמִּ֑יmother my
ʾimiH517 →220 times
אֶֽמְצָאֲךָ֤I will find you
ʾemtzaakhaH4672 →455 times
בַחוּץ֙on the outside
vachutzH2351 →
אֶשָׁ֣קְךָ֔I will kiss you
ʾeshakechaH5401 →
גַּ֖םalso
gamH1571 →
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָב֥וּזוּpeople will despise
yavuzuH936 →12 times
לִֽי׃<to> me
li
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of…
it leads to
- Matthew 21:4–7
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
- Zephaniah 3:14–15
Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
- John 12:13–16
They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
- Zechariah 2:10
“Shout for joy and be glad, O Daughter of Zion, for I am coming to dwell among you,” declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 23:5–6
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Matthew 21:4–7
Through
Galatians 4:26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:22
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 12:22
Through
Isaiah 60:14The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy…
it leads to
- Revelation 3:9
Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know…
- Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
- Revelation 3:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this chapter
About Song of Solomon
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, On Isaac and the Soul 8.69; Ambrose of Milan, On the Mysteries 7:40; Ambrose of Milan, CONSOLATION ON THE DEATH OF EMPEROR VALENTINIAN 75; Athanasius of Alexandria, FESTAL LETTERS 1:1; Bede, Commentary on the Song of Songs; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Robert of Tombelaine, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Chapter 8.