Song of Solomon 6:4 — Word Study
WLCיָפָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ רַעְיָתִי֙ כְּתִרְצָ֔ה נָאוָ֖ה כִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אֲיֻמָּ֖ה כַּנִּדְגָּלֽוֹת׃
BSAYouʼattâh [my love, my dear] are as beautifulyâpheh [fair, lovely] my darlingraʻyâh [female companion, maiden] as TirzahTirtsâh [the capital city of Israel] as lovelynâʼveh [comely, pleasant] as JerusalemYᵉrûwshâlaim [the city of peace] as majesticʼâyôm [terrible, awe-inspiring] as troops with bannersdâgal [an army, a battalion, flags, standards]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יָפָ֨ה | [are] beautiful | Adj |
| אַ֤תְּ | you | Pronoun |
| רַעְיָתִי֙ | O friend my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| כְּתִרְצָ֔ה | like Tirzah | Preposition, noun proper |
| נָאוָ֖ה | lovely | Adj |
| כִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | like Jerusalem | Preposition, noun proper |
| אֲיֻמָּ֖ה | majestic | Adj |
| כַּנִּדְגָּלֽוֹת׃ | like hosts with banners | Preposition, verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners. |
| KJV | ¶ Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. |
| ASV | Thou art fair, O my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as an army with banners. |
| YLT | Fair [art] thou, my friend, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Awe-inspiring as bannered hosts. |
| WEB | You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners. |
| BBE | You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, as fair as Jerusalem; you are to be feared like an army with flags. |
Where they part company is יָפָ֨ה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with several comparative phrases that enhance the description of the beloved's beauty.
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Song of Solomon 6:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Beauty of the Belovedgenerated
Song of Solomon 6:4 celebrates the beauty of the beloved, comparing her to Tirzah and Jerusalem, two cities known for their splendor. This verse highlights the admiration the speaker has for their beloved, using vivid imagery to convey her beauty and grace, much like the grandeur of an army with banners. The surrounding verses continue to explore the theme of love and beauty in relationships.
The Key Word — יָפָ֨ה, ya.Fahgenerated
The Hebrew word יָפֶה (yapheh) means 'beautiful' and is often used to describe things that are aesthetically pleasing. It is derived from the root יָפָה (yafah), which emphasizes fairness and loveliness. The parsing as an adjective indicates that it describes a quality of the subject, in this case, the beloved.
This word captures the essence of beauty in both literal and figurative contexts, reflecting how beauty can evoke joy and admiration. The use of יָפֶה here sets a tone of affection and appreciation within the poetic structure of the Song of Solomon.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB has beautiful, and so do the KJV and ASV: all three maintain the essence of יָפָ֨ה.
Where others part company with the BSB they part company over a real fork in the lexicon, not over style. Lovely (BSB, WEB) emphasizes attractiveness, while fair (ASV, KJV) leans towards an older sense of beauty. The translations agree on the beauty of the beloved, but differ in the nuances of how they express it.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains multiple clauses, with the main predicate being יָפָ֨ה (are beautiful) followed by a series of comparisons. The structure emphasizes the beauty of the beloved through similes, linking her to well-known cities and a military presence.
The word order places the subject אַ֤תְּ (you) first, highlighting the direct address to the beloved, while the predicates follow, creating a rhythm that enhances the poetic nature of the text.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָפָ֨ה as καλὴ (kalē), meaning 'beautiful.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the emphasis on aesthetic appeal.
The LXX also uses ιερουσαλημ for יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, reinforcing the connection to Jerusalem as a symbol of beauty and peace, consistent with the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Song of Solomon 6:4 describes the beloved as beautiful, comparing her to the cities of Tirzah and Jerusalem, and to majestic troops with banners. This verse highlights the admiration and affection the speaker has for their beloved, using rich imagery to convey her beauty.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Tirzah and Jerusalem are cities known for their beauty and significance, symbolizing the beloved's exceptional attractiveness and value.
This comparison emphasizes the strength and grandeur of the beloved, likening her beauty to the impressive sight of an army in formation.
The use of vivid and powerful imagery enhances the expression of love and admiration, illustrating the deep emotional connection between the speaker and the beloved.
Beauty in the Song of Solomon serves to celebrate love and attraction, highlighting the joy and delight found in romantic relationships.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see beauty in the people and places around me?
- How can I express admiration for those I love in my life?
- What does it mean to me to be compared to something beautiful or majestic?
- How do the images of cities and armies enhance my understanding of love?
The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.
You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.
You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.
My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as awe-inspiring as bannered armies!
Tyndale line
¶ Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Thou art fair, O my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as an army with banners.
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
Turne away thine eyes from me: for they ouercome mee: thine heare is like a flocke of goates, which looke downe from Gilead.
Strictly literal
Thou art fair, my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as troops with banners:
Fair [art] thou, my friend, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Awe-inspiring as bannered hosts.
You [are] beautiful, my friend, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, || Awe-inspiring as bannered hosts.
Thou art beautiful, O my beloved, like Thirzah, comely like Jerusalem, terrible as armies encamped round their banners.
You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my love, as lovely as Jerusalem, as awe-inspiring as an army with its banners.
From the Latin
Turn away thy eyes from me, for they have made me flee away. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from Galaad.
Simplified
You are beautiful, my darling, as pretty as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem—you look stunning!
You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, as fair as Jerusalem; you are to be feared like an army with flags.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording and meaning for this verse. Both texts convey the beauty of the beloved through vivid imagery, with no significant variations in the translation of key terms.
יָפָ֨ה אַ֤תְּ רַעְיָתִי֙ כְּתִרְצָ֔ה נָאוָ֖ה כִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אֲיֻמָּ֖ה כַּנִּדְגָּלֽוֹת׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Song of Solomon 6:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word יָפֶה (yapheh) means 'fair' or 'beautiful,' and can describe something that is aesthetically pleasing or attractive. It is derived from the root word יָפָה (yafah). The entries consistently emphasize its use in both literal and figurative contexts.
יָפֶה adj. fair, beautiful
base
H3303 יָפֶה fair, beautiful
3303 yapheh yaw-feh'
from 3302; beautiful (literally or figuratively):--+
beautiful, beauty, comely, fair(-est, one), + goodly,
pleasant, well.
see HEBREW for 03302
יָפֶה (ya.pheh) — beautiful.
fair, beautiful, handsome
Adj — AdjHAafsa
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2fs
רַעְיָה (ra'yah) is a feminine noun derived from רָעָה (ra'ah). It encompasses meanings such as companion, fellow, and darling, often referring to a female associate or attendant maidens. The entries highlight its relational aspect, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[רַעְיָה] n.f. companion
base
H7474 רַעְיָה
7474 ra`yah rah-yaw'
feminine of 7453; a female associate:--fellow, love.
see HEBREW for 07453
רַעְיָה (ra.yah) — darling.
attendant maidens, companion
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
תִּרְצָה (tir-tsah) refers to a name meaning 'favourable' and is associated with a woman from the tribe of Manasseh, the daughter of Zelophehad. It also denotes a Canaanite city that became the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, conquered by Joshua. The word is built from the root meaning 'delightsomeness'.
תִּרְצָה n.pr.f. et loc. (pleasure, beauty)
f. daughter of Ṣelophehad of Gilead
loc. old Can. city
base
H8656 תִּרְצָה
8656 Tirtsah teer-tsaw'
from 7521; delightsomeness; Tirtsah, a place in Palestine;
also an Israelitess:--Tirzah.
see HEBREW for 07521
תִּרְצָה (tir.tsah) — Tirzah.
A woman of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.26.33;
daughter of: Zelophehad (H6765);
sister of: Mahlah (H4244), Noah (H5270), Hoglah (H2295) and Milcah (H4435H)
§ Tirzah = "favourable"
1) one of the 7 daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher of the tribe of Manasseh
2) one of the kingdoms on the west of the Jordan conquered by Joshua and the Israelites
3) a Canaanite city, later capital of the northern kingdom of Israel
תִּרְצָה (tir.tsah) — Tirzah.
§ Tirzah = "favourable"
one of the kingdoms on the west of the Jordan conquered by Joshua and the Israelites
a Canaanite city, later capital of the northern kingdom of Israel
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
tur'-za (tirtsah; Thersa):
(1) A royal city of the Canaanites, the king of which was slain by Joshua (12:24). It superseded Shechem as capital of the Northern Kingdom (1Ki 14:17, etc.), and itself gave place in turn to Samaria. Here reigned Jeroboam, Nadab his son, Baasha, Elah and Zimri (1Ki 15:21,33; 16:6,8,9,15). Baasha was buried in Tirzah. Here Elah was assassinated while "drinking himself drunk" in the house of his steward; here therefore probably he was buried. Zimri perished in the flames of his palace, rather than fall into Omri's hands. In Tirzah Menahem matured his rebellion against Shallum (2Ki 15:14). The place is mentioned in So 6:4 the King James Version…
an ancient Canaanite city, whose king is enumerated among those overthrown in the conquest of the country. (Joshua 12:24) It reappears as a royal city, the residence of Jeroboam and of his successors, (1 Kings 14:17,18) and as the seat of the conspiracy of Menahem ben-Gaddi against the wretched Shallum. (2 Kings 15:16) Its reputation for beauty throughout the country must have been widespread. It is in this sense that it is spoken of in the Song of Solomon. Eusebius mentions it in connection with Menahem, and identifies it with a "village of Samaritans in Batanea." Its site is Telluzah , a place in the mountains north of Nablus .
Pleasant, So 6:4, a city of the Canaanites, Jos 12:24, and afterwards of the tribe of Manasseh or Ephraism; and the royal seat of the kings of Israel from the time of Jeroboam to the reign of Omri, who built the city of Samaria, which then became the capital of this kingdom, 1Ki 15:21,33 16:6,23 2Ki 15:14,16. Its exact location is unknown.
benevolent; complaisant; pleasing
נָאוֶה (na'veh) is an adjective meaning suitable, beautiful, or comely. It conveys a sense of attractiveness or appropriateness in appearance. The word is derived from roots that suggest beauty and suitability, but the lexicons do not provide specific verse references or significant disagreements.
נָאוֶה adj. comely, seemly
base
H5000 נָאוֶה
5000 na'veh naw-veh'
from 4998 or 5116; suitable, or beautiful:--becometh,
comely, seemly.
see HEBREW for 04998
see HEBREW for 05116
נָאוֶה (na.eh) — lovely.
1) comely, beautiful, seemly
1a) comely, beautiful
1b) seemly
Adj — AdjHAafsa
luv'-li ('ahabh, 'ahebh; prosphiles): "Lovely" occurs only 4 times. In 2Sa 1:23 it is the translation of 'ahebh, "to be loved" ("Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant (the King James Version margin "sweet") in their lives"), where it seems to mean "loving" or "lovable." Two other words are so translated in the Old Testament: machmadch, "desire" a "desirable thing" (So 5:16, "He is altogether lovely," that is, "lovable," "to be desired," literally, "all of him lovableness," or "desirableness"); `aghabhim "loves," or "charms" (Eze 33:32, "Thou art unto them as a very lovely song," the King James Version margin "a song of loves," the Revised Version margin "a love-song"; in 33:31 the same word is translated "much love," the…
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם (Yruwshalaim) refers to Jerusalem, the capital city of Palestine. The name is thought to derive from terms meaning 'founded peaceful' and is linked to its two main hills. It is described as the chief city of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem
base
H3389 יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם Jerusalem
3389 Yruwshalaim yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im
rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah'-yim}; a dual (in
allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of
the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from
(the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;
Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of
Palestine:--Jerusalem.
see HEBREW for 03390
see HEBREW for 03384
see HEBREW for 07999
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם (ye.ru.sha.laim) — Jerusalem.
§ Jerusalem = "teaching of peace"
the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
je-roo'-sa-lem:
I. THE NAME
1. In Cuneiform
2. In Hebrew
3. In Greek and Latin
4. The Meaning of Jerusalem
5. Other Names
II. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS
1. Geology
2. Climate and Rainfall
3. The Natural Springs
III. THE NATURAL SITE
1. The Mountains Around
2. The Valleys
3. The Hills
IV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM
1. Description of Josephus
2. Summary of the Names of the Five Hills
3. The Akra
4. The Lower City
5. City of David and Zion
V. EXCAVATIONS AND ANTIQUITIES
1. Robinson
2. Wilson, and the Palestine Exploration Fund (1865)
3. Warren and Conder
4. Maudslay
5. Schick
6. Clermont-Ganneau
7. Bliss and Dickie
8. Jerusalem Archaeological Societies
VI. THE CITY'S WALLS AND GATES
1. The Existing Walls
2. Wilson's Theory
3. The Existing Gates
4. Buried Remains of Earlier Walls
5. The Great Dam of the Tyropoeon
6. Ruins of Ancient Gates
7. Josephus' Description of the Walls
8. First Wall
9. Second Wall
10. Third Wall
Jerusalem
Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the “city of God,” the “holy city;” by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning “the holy;” once “the city of Judah” (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means “possession of peace,” or “foundation of peace.” The dual form probably refers to the two mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or, as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the “upper” and the “lower city.” Jerusalem is a “mountain city enthroned on a mountain fastness” (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2; 122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines.
(the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46’ 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18’ 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samaria. "In several respects," says Dean Stanley, "its situation is singular among the cities of Palestine. Its elevation is remarkable; occasioned not from its being on the summit of one of the numerous hills of Judea, like most of the towns and villages, but because it is on the edge of one of the highest table-lands of the country. Hebron indeed is higher still by some hundred feet, and from the south, accordingly (even from Bethlehem), the approach to Jerusalem is by a slight descent. But from any other side the ascent is perpetual; and to the traveller approaching the city from the east or west it must always have presented the appearance beyond any other capital…
The chief city of the Holy Land, and to the Christian the most illustrious in the world. It is situated in 31 degrees 46’43" N. lat., and 35 degrees 13’ E. long. on elevated ground south of the center of the country, about thirty-seven miles from the Mediterranean, and about twenty-four from the Jordan. Its site was early hallowed by God’s trial of Abraham’s faith, Ge 22:1-24 2Ch 3:1. It was on the border of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, mostly within the limits of the former, but reckoned as belonging to the latter, because conquered by it, Jos 15:8 18:16,28 Jud 1:18. The most ancient name of the city was Salem, Ge…
The Hebrew word אָיֹם (ayom) is an adjective meaning 'terrible' or 'dreadful.' It is derived from an unused root that conveys the idea of frightening. The entries consistently emphasize its connotation of fearfulness.
אָיֹם adj. terrible, dreadful
base
H366 אָיֹם
366 'ayom aw-yome'
from an unused root (meaning to frighten);
frightful:--terrible.
אָיֹם (a.yom) — terrible.
terrible, dreadful
Adj — AdjHAafsa
דָּגַל (dagal) primarily means to look or behold, but it also denotes the act of raising a banner or standard, particularly in a military context. The entries indicate its use in both a literal sense of carrying a banner and a figurative sense of being conspicuous. Notably, it appears in Song of Solomon 5:10.
[דָּגַל] vb. look, behold Ct 5:10
ref
[דָּגַל] vb. denom. carry, or set up standard, banner
Qal set up standard in battle
Niph. bannered, supplied with standards
base
H1713a דָּגַל look, behold H1713b דָּגַל vb. denom. carry, or set up standard, banner .set up standard in battle
. bannered, supplied with standards
1713 dagal daw-gal'
a primitive root; to flaunt, i.e. raise a flag; figuratively,
to be conspicuous:--(set up, with) banners, chiefest.
דָּגַל (da.gal) — to look.
1) to look, behold
1a) (Qal) looked at, conspicuous (participle)
דָּגַל (da.gal) — to set a banner.
1) to carry a banner or standard, set up banner or standard
1a)(Qal) to set up standard (in battle)
1b) (Niphal) supplied with banners, bannered
Prep | V-Niphal — Preposition · verb niphal participle (active) feminine pluralHRd/VNrfpa