'Beloved' in the Bible

“My beloved is to me like a pouch of myrrhWhich lies all night between my breasts.

“My beloved is to me a cluster of henna flowersIn the [fragrant] vineyards of Engedi.”

(The Shulammite Bride)“Behold, how fair and handsome you are, my beloved;And so delightful!Our arbor is green and luxuriant.

(The Shulammite Bride)“Like an apple tree [rare and welcome] among the trees of the forest,So is my beloved among the young men!In his shade I took great delight and sat down,And his fruit was sweet and delicious to my palate.

(The Shulammite Bride)“Listen! My beloved!Behold, he comes,Climbing on the mountains,Leaping and running on the hills!

“My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.Behold, he is standing behind our wall,He is looking through the windows,He is gazing through the lattice.

“My beloved speaks and says to me,‘Arise, my love, my fair one,And come away.

(The Bridegroom)“O my dove, [here] in the clefts in the rock,In the sheltered and secret place of the steep pathway,Let me see your face,Let me hear your voice;For your voice is sweet,And your face is lovely.”

(The Shulammite Bride)“My beloved is mine and I am his;He pastures his flock among the lilies.

“Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,Return quickly, my beloved, and be like a gazelleOr a young stag on the mountains of Bether [which separate us].” Cross references: Song of Solomon 2:6 : Deut 33:27; Matt 28:20 Song of Solomon 2:8 : John 10:27 Song of Solomon 2:16 : Matt 10:32; Acts 4:12 end of crossrefs

(The Shulammite Bride)“Awake, O north wind,And come, south wind [blow softly upon my garden];Make my garden breathe out fragrance, [for the one in whom my soul delights],Let its spices flow forth.Let my beloved come into his gardenAnd eat its choicest fruits.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 4:7 : John 14:18; Eph 5:27 Song of Solomon 4:8 : 2 Cor 11:2, 3 Song of Solomon 4:10 : John 15:9; Rom 8:35 Song of Solomon 4:13 : John 15:5; Eph 5:9 Song of Solomon 4:15 : John 4:10; 7:37, 38 end of crossrefs

(The Shulammite Bride)“I was asleep, but my heart was awake.A voice [in my dream]! My beloved was knocking:‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,My dove, my perfect one!For my head is drenched with the [heavy night] dew;My hair [is covered] with the dampness of the night.’

“My beloved extended his hand through the opening [of the door],And my feelings were aroused for him.

“I arose to open for my beloved;And my hands dripped with myrrh,And my fingers with liquid [sweet-scented] myrrh,On the handles of the bolt.

“I opened for my beloved,But my beloved had turned away and was gone.My heart went out to him when he spoke.I searched for him, but I could not find him;I called him, but he did not answer me.

“I command that you take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,If you find my beloved,As to what you tell him—[Say that] I am sick from love [sick from being without him].”

(The Chorus)“What is your beloved more than another beloved,O most beautiful among women?What is your beloved more than another beloved,That you should so command us to take an oath?”

(The Shulammite Bride)“My beloved is exquisitely handsome and ruddy,Outstanding among ten thousand.

“His mouth is full of sweetness;Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable.This is my beloved and this is my friend,O daughters of Jerusalem.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 5:1 : John 16:33 Song of Solomon 5:2 : Job 11:13-15 Song of Solomon 5:3 : Is 32:9; Heb 3:15 Song of Solomon 5:8 : Ps 63:1 Song of Solomon 5:9 : John 10:26 Song of Solomon 5:10 : Ps 45:2; John 1:14 Song of Solomon 5:16 : Ps 92:15; Col 1:15 end of crossrefs

(The Chorus)“Where has your beloved gone,O most beautiful among women?Where is your beloved hiding himself,That we may seek him with you?”

(The Shulammite Bride)“My beloved has gone down to his garden,To the beds of balsam,To feed his flock in the gardensAnd gather lilies.

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,He who feeds his flock among the lilies.”

‘And your kisses like the best wine!’”

“Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country,Let us spend the night in the villages.

“The mandrakes give forth fragrance,And over our doors are all [kinds of] choice fruits,Both new and old,Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

(The Chorus)“Who is this coming up from the wildernessLeaning upon her beloved?”

(The Shulammite Bride)“Hurry, my beloved and come quickly,Like a gazelle or a young stag [taking me home]On the mountains of spices.”