Turn My Beloved - Song of Songs 2:17

In the book of Song of Songs, Solomon shared how the bride's brothers said, “take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes”, and the bride said, “My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies”. In chapter two and verse seventeen of Song of Songs, Solomon shared how the bride said, “turn, my beloved” where we read,

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved,

and be you like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

The verse begins, “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, ...” Solomon began with the words, “until the day break” or “even till and up to the early morning light or dawn”, “or the shadows flee away” which means “and the shade take flight, depart and disappear”, “turn, my beloved” or “change direction and course my, the bride's, well-loved groom”. Solomon shared how the bride knew her well-loved groom would be browsing in the midst of the “lilies” till dawn came and the shade was gone, so she appealed to him to change his direction. 

The verse continues, “... and be you like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.” Solomon added the words, “and be you like a roe” or “and exist you, the groom, similar and in likeness to a roebuck or gazelle” “or a young hart” which means “or a youthful fawn or deer” “upon the mountains” or “on the risings above the plain” “of Bether” which means “belonging to Bether whose name means cleft and was a craggy place in Palestine”. Solomon shared how the bride desired that her groom exist similar to a roebuck or youthful deer on the risings above the plains which belonged to the craggy place in Palestine known as “Bether”.

When we consider Solomon's words in this verse, we learn how the bride knew her groom would be actively browsing in the midst of the “lily” flowers till the dawn appeared and the shade departed. She wanted him to return to her and exist like the roebuck or gazelle and the youthful deer that dwelt on the risings of the plains in the craggy place known as “Bether”. Rather than go away from her, she wanted him active and close. We should desire the same from God, and He wants to be close to us. He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a desire for Him to be close to us and us to be close to Him all the time and in every place. 

Next time we begin a new chapter and see the bride say, “by night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".