Text -- The Song of Songs 2:16 (NET)

Poetic Refrain: Mutual Possession

2:16 The Beloved about Her Lover: My lover is mine and I am his; he grazes among the lilies.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Sos 2:16

¹ sn This line may be translated either as “the one who grazes among the lilies” or as “the one who feeds [his flock] among the lilies.” The latter would picture him as a shepherd pasturing his flock among a bed of flowers which they were eating, while the former would be picturing him as a gazelle feeding among a bed of flowers. Because of the occurrence of the gazelle motif in the following verse, it is most likely that this motif is present in this verse as well. Although it seems likely that he is therefore being pictured as a gazelle eating these flowers, it is far from clear as to what this figurative picture denotes. It is possible that it conveys the peaceful nature of his relationship with her because she was earlier portrayed as a lily (e.g., 2:1).