TRV
Translation
King James Version
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
Complete Jewish Bible
My sister, my bride, you have carried my heart away! With just one glance, with one bead of your necklace you have carried my heart away.
Berean Standard Bible
You have captured my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your neck.
American Standard Version
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, mybride; Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, With one chain of thy neck.
World English Bible Messianic
You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck.
Geneva Bible (1599)
My sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded mine heart: thou hast wounded mine heart with one of thine eyes, and with a chaine of thy necke.
Young's Literal Translation
Thou hast emboldened me, my sister-spouse, Emboldened me with one of thine eyes, With one chain of thy neck.
See also
In the KJVVerse 17,592 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
LETTER 76.2
You should not grieve that you are destitute of those bodily eyes which ants, flies and creeping things have as well as do people. Rather you should rejoice that you possess that eye of which it is said in the Song of Songs, “You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one of your eyes.” This is the eye with which God is seen and to which Moses refers when he says, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight.”
JeromeAD 420
Against Jovinianus 1.30
Flee, he says, from the lions’ dens, flee from the pride of devils, that when you have been consecrated to me, I may be able to say unto you, “You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride, you have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck.” What he says is something like this—I do not reject marriage: you have a second eye, the left, which I have given to you on account of the weakness of those who cannot see the right. But I am pleased with the right eye of virginity, and if it is blinded, the whole body is in darkness. And that we might not think he had in view carnal love and bodily marriage, he at once excludes this meaning by saying, “You have ravished my heart, my bride, my sister.” The name sister excludes all suspicion of unhallowed love. “How fair are your breasts with wine,” those breasts concerning which he had said above, my beloved is mine, and I am his: “between my breasts shall he lie,” that is, in the princely portion of the heart where the Word of God has its lodging.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
FRAGMENTS IN THE COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS 4:9
Truly you inflamed us with desire for you by one word of confession, which you rightly possessed, seeing with your interior eyes. For you made a confession by your necklace. These things were said to the bride by friends of the bridegroom, that is, by angelic powers. For, since the power of the visual faculty is twofold, one sees the truth and another wanders astray after vanity. Because the pure eye of the bride is opened only toward the nature of the good but the other is idle, therefore the friends give praise only to one eye, calling her “sister” on account of their kinship with respect to freedom from passion but calling her “bride” on account of her marriage to the Word. Because he says that your eye is one, therefore, insofar as it beholds one thing, likewise is your soul one, insofar as it is not divided into many dispositions. And your necklace is perfect, given that you imposed the divine yoke upon yourself, for this necklace is surely the yoke of the Lord. For this reason, we confess that you created a heart for us by your wondrous dowry, which is to say that our souls and minds were brought to the contemplation of the light through you. For in you we contemplate the sun of justice as though in a mirror.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Songs
You have wounded my heart, my sister, etc. This statement can be understood simply, as he might have wished to express the greatness of the love he has toward the Church through the remembrance of the wounded heart. He rightly calls her his sister and bride, because he has joined her to himself with the bond of the heavenly bedchamber, and because he himself deigned to become a man and naturally exist as her brother. It can also be according to what Isaiah said: But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our transgressions (Isaiah 53). He then subsequently explains what is the chief cause of receiving this wound, saying:
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Songs
In one of your eyes, etc. We have already said that in the eyes of the Church, either her spiritual senses or those who are able to see and demonstrate her spiritualities, the teachers are understood: furthermore, in the hair, the multitude of people, who, although they cannot reach the height of that discourse in which the Lord says: If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me (Matthew 19), nonetheless they tend towards heavenly things by the way of good actions, of which He previously said: If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself (Ibid.). But there, while the eyes and the hairs are described in the plural number, indicating a multitude either of leaders or listeners; here, in one of the eyes, the unity of the teachers or of the spiritual knowledge, which they teach, is commended, of which it is written: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4). Also, in one strand of the neck, the unity of those who are accustomed to adhere to spiritual teachers with pious devotion is praised, covering them with reverential services, just as hairs cover the neck: for even in the neck of the Church the same teachers were shown above. Luke designates this unity of hair when he says: The multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul (Acts 4); nor did any say that anything of what they possessed was their own, but they had all things in common (Ibid.). What the neck, to which this same hair was attached, might do, he subsequently intimates, saying: With great power, the apostles gave testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord (Acts 6). He says, therefore: You have wounded my heart, my sister, my bride, you have wounded my heart in one of your eyes and in one strand of your neck. As if to say plainly, Indeed the whole form of your body, which spreads far and wide throughout the world, O Catholic Church, appears beautiful and spotless to me; but this is what remarkably arouses me above others to love you, because you are proven to have the unity of the same faith and love, both in your illustrious faithful and in your subjects. This is what led me to endure the wound of death in your behalf. Because I desired you to strive for unity in all your members, both in the greater and lesser, and the stronger and the more moderate, so that with one and undivided mind you may strive for that life in which the unity of true peace and glory reigns.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Song of Solomon 4:9 is a profound declaration from the beloved man to his bride, the Shulamite, expressing his utter and overwhelming captivation by her. He reveals that she has "ravished" or "taken his heart" not merely by her overall beauty, but with the captivating power of a single glance from her eyes and the simple elegance of an adornment on her neck. This verse powerfully conveys the deep, exclusive, and intense admiration within their marital bond, emphasizing how even seemingly small details of the beloved can have an immense, heart-transforming impact on the lover.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Song of Solomon 4:9 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey the intensity of the beloved's passion and the overwhelming nature of his captivation. The most prominent is Hyperbole, as the declaration that his heart is "ravished" by "one of thine eyes" or "one chain of thy neck" is an exaggeration used to emphasize the overwhelming power of her beauty and charm. It's not literally that only one eye or one chain is solely responsible, but that even these small details are sufficient to captivate him entirely, indicating the totality of her allure. The Repetition of the phrase "thou hast ravished my heart" (implied in the Hebrew structure through the verb libabtini appearing twice) serves to underscore and intensify the central theme of his utter captivation, driving home the profound emotional impact she has on him. Synecdoche and Metonymy are also skillfully at play: "one of thine eyes" uses a part (eye) to represent the whole person's captivating gaze, inner beauty, or enchanting presence, while "one chain of thy neck" uses an adornment (chain) to represent the elegance and allure of her neck and, by extension, her entire graceful being. These devices work in concert to paint a vivid and emotionally charged picture of profound, all-encompassing love and admiration that finds beauty in both the grand and minute aspects of the beloved.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Song of Solomon 4:9, with its passionate declaration of captivation and its unique address "my sister, my spouse," offers profound theological and thematic insights into the nature of love, marriage, and human relationships as ordained by God. It presents an ideal of marital love that is not merely physical but deeply emotional, intellectual, and relational, encompassing both profound friendship and exclusive intimacy. This verse underscores the divine design for marriage as a union where partners find deep delight and admiration in one another, celebrating the unique beauty and character of the beloved. The "ravishing" of the heart speaks to the powerful, God-given capacity for human love to be all-consuming and deeply satisfying within the covenant of marriage, reflecting the joy and delight God intends for such unions. It portrays a love that cherishes the whole person, finding beauty in both the grand and subtle aspects of their being.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Song of Solomon 4:9 serves as a beautiful and challenging mirror for our own relationships, particularly within marriage. It calls us to consider the depth of our admiration and appreciation for our beloved. The beloved man is not merely attracted to the Shulamite's overall appearance but is captivated by specific, even seemingly small, details – a glance, an adornment. This encourages us to cultivate an attentive and appreciative eye for our partners, recognizing and vocalizing the unique qualities and even subtle charms that make them special to us. It reminds us that genuine affection goes beyond superficiality, finding profound beauty and significance in the person themselves, leading to a heart that is truly "ravished" or won over. This verse challenges us to actively express our profound appreciation and acknowledge the powerful, even overwhelming, effect our beloved has on us, fostering a culture of deep devotion, honor, and delight within our relationships. In a world that often commodifies relationships, this passage invites us to a love that is deeply personal, attentive, and transformative.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "Thou hast ravished my heart" truly mean in this context?
Answer: The Hebrew word translated "ravished" (from lâbab', H3823) literally means "to take one's heart" or "to unheart." It conveys a powerful sense of being utterly captivated, enchanted, or having one's heart completely won over. It's a strong expression of being overwhelmed with love and affection, indicating that the beloved has profoundly impacted the speaker's innermost being, stealing his heart completely. It signifies an intense, almost irresistible, emotional attraction and devotion that transforms the lover's focus and affection.
Why does the beloved call his bride "my sister, my spouse"?
Answer: This dual address is rich with meaning and signifies the comprehensive nature of their bond. "Spouse" (Hebrew: kallâh, H3618) clearly denotes the marital relationship and its exclusive intimacy, highlighting her role as his covenanted wife. "Sister" (Hebrew: ʼâchôwth, H269) signifies a deep familial affection, purity, and close companionship. In ancient Near Eastern love poetry, calling one's beloved "sister" was a term of endearment that elevated the relationship, suggesting a bond of deep friendship, shared life, and perhaps even a sense of shared purity and respect that goes beyond mere physical desire. Together, "my sister, my spouse" portrays a comprehensive and holistic marital relationship, one that encompasses profound friendship and spiritual kinship alongside the physical and covenantal intimacy of marriage. It speaks to a bond that is both pure and passionate, intimate and enduring, reflecting the ideal of two becoming one in every sense, as described in Genesis 2:24.
Is this verse only about physical beauty?
Answer: While the verse certainly acknowledges physical attractiveness ("one of thine eyes," "one chain of thy neck"), it transcends mere superficial beauty. The "ravishing" of the heart suggests a deeper, holistic captivation. The beloved is not just looking at her, but his innermost being is deeply impacted. The mention of "eyes" can imply not just their physical appearance but the gaze, the expression, or even the soul reflected within them, which draws the lover in. The "chain of thy neck" could refer to her elegance, grace, or even her adornment as an extension of her cultivated person. Furthermore, the address "my sister, my spouse" indicates a relationship built on far more than just physical attraction, encompassing friendship, purity, and covenantal commitment. The verse, therefore, speaks to a profound admiration that finds beauty in the whole person – their character, their presence, and the way they carry themselves – not just their outward form. This aligns with a biblical understanding of beauty as something that reflects inner character and wisdom (e.g., Proverbs 31:30).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Song of Solomon 4:9, with its depiction of a beloved utterly captivated by his bride, serves as a beautiful earthly shadow of Christ's profound and unwavering love for His Church. Just as the Shulamite "ravished" the heart of her beloved, so too does the Church, the bride of Christ, captivate the heart of her divine Bridegroom. Christ's love for His Church is not based on her inherent perfection or merit, but on His gracious choice and transformative work, making her spotless and pure through His sacrifice (as described in Ephesians 5:25-27). He delights in her, seeing her not as she is in her fallen state, but as she is becoming through His grace – adorned with righteousness and holiness, a beautiful reflection of His glory. The "one of thine eyes" can symbolize the Church's singular devotion and faithful gaze upon Him, while "one chain of thy neck" might represent her obedience and the adornment of good works, which, though imperfect, are infinitely precious in His sight. Just as the earthly beloved finds every detail of his bride captivating, so Christ cherishes every believer, every act of faith, and every expression of love from His people. This verse foreshadows the ultimate marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9), where the Church, made ready by His grace, will be eternally united with her Bridegroom, who has always been "ravished" by her, having given Himself for her (as seen in 2 Corinthians 11:2). His love is the ultimate "ravishing" love, a self-sacrificial, covenantal, and eternally devoted affection that makes His bride beautiful and worthy in His eyes.