SNG 7:12 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:4–8:4: The man praised the woman and sang about springtime

In this section the man described the woman in two separate speeches (6:4–10 and 7:1–10). Some verses are difficult to understand, especially 6:11–13, and it is important to think about them carefully. The woman responded to the man in 7:11 and continued to speak to the end of the section at 8:4.

The verse numbering in the Hebrew text is different from the BSB and a majority of English versions. The Hebrew text begins chapter 7 where the BSB begins 6:13, so in chapter 7 the verses in the Hebrew text are one number higher than the verse numbers in the BSB. For example, 6:13–7:13 in the BSB is 7:1–14 in the Hebrew text (and also in the NJB and NJPS). It is helpful to be aware that some commentaries follow the Hebrew verse numbering. The Notes will follow the verse numbers in the BSB (along with the majority of English versions).

Paragraph 7:11–13 The woman invited the man to go with her to the fields and vineyards

In these verses the woman responded to the man’s praise (in 7:1–9a) by inviting him to go out into the fields and vineyards with her to enjoy the springtime. As trees and flowers were blooming, their love for each other was also growing. Here she invited him to go there, as he also invited her in 2:10–13.It is also interesting to notice that 8:2a–b is similar to 3:4e–f.

In 7:11–13, all the events are probably not arranged in the order that they happened (as is common in poetry). It is also possible that these verses describe the woman’s desires and feelings or a dream that she had before her wedding (3:6–5:1),Old Testament scholar, David Dorsey, takes a non-chronological approach to the Song. In his book, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament (1999) he proposes a thorough-going symmetrical chiastic structure for the book. (Also see his article, “Literary Structuring in the Song of Songs” in Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 46 (1990) 81–96.) The structure he proposes is a-b-c-d-cʹ-bʹ-aʹ where the central unit “d” describes the wedding day, the climactic portion of the Song. Some scholars differ on the details of his proposed chiastic structure while agreeing in principle with the chiastic approach, while other scholars question whether such a book-level chiastic structure is actually present. But in spite of the disagreements, viewing the book chiastically or cyclically does help to resolve some problems that chronological/narrative approaches tend to overlook. When we look at some of the material in the second half of the Song, much of it appears to be from a pre-wedding perspective (a wedding seems to be described in 3:6–5:1). A symmetrical chiastic or cyclical approach may provide us with a better vantage point for addressing such challenging issues. In the case of this unit, the similarities with 2:10–13 seems fairly clear. So it seems possible, if not likely, that this unit could also be viewed as part of a courtship poem. rather than an event that happened in her life. The exact meaning of 7:11–13 is difficult to determine, but the verses do seem to look forward to the future.

7:12

Grape buds and blossoms show that spring (the season of new growth) has come. This new growth symbolizes the new love that was “growing” between the man and woman. This theme is also found in 2:10–13.

7:12a

Let us go early to the vineyards

Let us get up early and go out to the vineyards, (NLT)
and early in the morning we will go out to the grape farm/field.

Let us go early to the vineyards: The Hebrew clause that the BSB translates as Let us go early to the vineyards is literally “let us rise early to the vineyards.” It indicates that the woman wanted the man to go with her to the vineyards early in the morning.

Some other ways to translate the clause are:

We will get up early and look at the vines (GNT)

Let’s go to the vineyards early. (GW)

Then early in the morning we can visit the grape farms.

early: The word early here refers to early in the morning, just after daybreak. Use an appropriate word in your language to refer to this time of day.

to the vineyards: A “vineyard” is a farm where people plant and cultivate grapes. They often use the grapes to make wine. The vineyard was a quiet place. There the man and woman could be alone together and enjoy a beautiful spring morning.

Some ways to translate 7:12a are:

in the early morning we will go to the vineyards… (NJB)

Let us get up early and go to the vineyards… (NLT)

7:12b

to see if the vine has budded,

to see if the vines have budded, (NIV)
We will look for new growth/buds

7:12c

if the blossom has opened,

to see if their blossoms have opened, (NET)
and blossoms/blooms on the vines.

7:12b–c

In 7:12b–c the woman listed two things for her and the man to enjoy looking for when they are in the countryside together. They will look at the grapevines to see the buds and blossoms on them. The buds and blossoms are beautiful. They develop into grapes that are sweet to eat and are also used to make wine.

to see if the vine has budded, if the blossom has opened: This clause is similar to 6:11c (“to see if the vines were budding”). It gives a purpose for going to the vineyards. The woman suggested that she and the man should go to where the grapevines were planted to see whether the vines had buds and whether some of the buds had blossoms. Another way to translate this purpose is:

We will see whether the vines have new growth/buds

the vine has budded: The word vine refers specifically to a grape vine. The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as has budded can refer generally to new signs of growth. The words budded and “blossom” (7:12c) refer to two stages that grapevines go through before they produce grapes. They produce small buds, and then the buds develop and open into blossoms. The woman wanted to see if the grapevines had new buds. Describe this in a natural way in your language.

Some translation options for 7:12c are:

to see if their blossoms have opened…. (NET)

to see whether the grapevines have blossomed yet.

7:12d

if the pomegranates are in bloom—

and the pomegranates are in bloom. (RSV)
We will see if the fruit trees are blooming.

if the pomegranates are in bloom: This clause tells another thing that the woman and the man can look at in the countryside. They can look at the pomegranate trees and see if they are blooming. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

We can also see if the pomegranate trees are blooming.

We can look for the first blooms on the pomegranate trees.

The phrase the pomegranates are in bloom is similar to 6:11d, and you may translate in a similar way in both places.

pomegranates: A “pomegranate” is a red fruit that grows on a small tree. In 4:3 and 6:7 the man compared the woman’s cheeks to this fruit. Here the mature fruit is not in focus, only its blossoms. The focus here is on springtime growth.

For a picture of pomegranate fruit, see the note on “pomegranates” in 4:3c.

7:12e

there I will give you my love.

There will I give my love to you. (NJPS)
While we are there, I will show you how much I love you.

there I will give you my love: The phrase there I will give you my love indicates that the woman will show her love to the man. She implied that they will enjoy love together there in the vineyards. Some other ways to translate 7:12e are:

There I will give my love to you. (NJPS)

I will show my love to you there.

uW Translation Notes:

נַשְׁכִּ֨ימָה֙