SNG 8:3 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. שְׂמֹאל,וֹ
2. 405993,405994
3. Hand of his left
4. -
5. 8040
6. S-Ncmsc,Sp3ms
7. hand_of,his_left
8. S
9. Y-1014
10. 283452
1. תַּחַת
2. 405995
3. +is under
4. under
5. 8478
6. P-R
7. [is]_under
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283453
1. רֹאשִׁ,י
2. 405996,405997
3. my head
4. -
6. P-Ncmsc,Sp1cs
7. my=head
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283454
1. וִ,ימִינ,וֹ
2. 405998,405999,406000
3. and his right of hand
4. right
5. 3225
6. S-C,Ncfsc,Sp3ms
7. and,his_right_of,hand
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283455
1. תְּחַבְּקֵ,נִי
2. 406001,406002
3. it embraces me
4. embraces
5. 2263
6. VO-Vpi3fs,Sp1cs
7. it,embraces_me
8. -
9. Y-1014
10. 283456
2. 406003
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 283457

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 8:1–4 The woman longed for more intimacy with the man

In these verses, the woman continued to speak to the man. She told him that she longed to express her love for him openly. She wished that her beloved were like a brother so that she could kiss him in public without shame. The section ends with a refrain that is also found in 2:6–7 and 3:5. Here she was probably thinking of a time before they married.

8:3–4

Here the author repeated what he said in 2:6 and 2:7. You should translate in the same way here. See the notes on 2:6–7 for translation advice.

This repetition suggests that the author carefully planned the Song to have a special structure called a “chiasm.” It is not arranged like a story, which tells events in the order they happened.

8:3a

His left hand is under my head,

His left hand is under my head,
The left arm of my love/beloved is a pillow for my head,

His left hand is under my head: As in the Hebrew text for 2:6a, there is no verb in 8:3a. It is literally “his left hand under my head.” This clause probably indicates that the man supported the woman’s head with his left arm as she lay in his arms. Some other ways to translate it are:

His left arm/hand is the place where I rest my head

His left arm pillows my head

8:3b

and his right arm embraces me.

and he uses his right arm to embrace me.
and with his right arm he holds me close to him.

and his right arm embraces me: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as embraces can refer generally to any embrace or specifically to a sexual caress. Most English versions translate it in a general way. Use an appropriate expression in your language. Some other ways to translate it are:

his right arm is round me. (REB)

he holds me lovingly with his right arm.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.