Deuteronomy 4:48-49

4:48 Their territory extended ¹  from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon valley as far as Mount Siyon ²  – that is, Hermon – 4:49 including all the Arabah of the Transjordan in the east to the sea of the Arabah, ³  beneath the watershed ⁴  of Pisgah.)

Psalms 29:6

29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf

and Sirion ⁵  like a young ox. ⁶ 

Psalms 89:12

89:12 You created the north and the south.

Tabor and Hermon ⁷  rejoice in your name.

Psalms 133:3

133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, ⁸ 

which flows down upon the hills of Zion. ⁹ 

Indeed ¹⁰  that is where the Lord has decreed

a blessing will be available – eternal life. ¹¹ 

The Song of Songs 4:8

The Wedding Night: Beautiful as Lebanon

4:8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,

come with me from Lebanon.

Descend from the crest of Amana,

from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon,

from the lions’ dens

and the mountain haunts of the leopards.

¹ tn The words “their territory extended” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 47-49 are all one sentence, but for the sake of English style and readability the translation divides the text into two sentences.

² sn Mount Siyon (the Hebrew name is שִׂיאֹן [si’on], not to be confused with Zion [צִיּוֹן, tsiyyon]) is another name for Mount Hermon, also called Sirion and Senir (cf. Deut 3:9).

³ sn The sea of the Arabah refers to the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea in OT times (cf. Deut 3:17).

⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term אַשְׁדֹּת (’ashdot) is unclear. It is usually translated either “slopes” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) or “watershed” (NEB).

⁵ sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).

⁶ sn Lebanon and Sirion are compared to frisky young animals (a calf…a young ox) who skip and jump. The thunderous shout of the Lord is so powerful, one can see the very mountains shake on the horizon.

⁷ sn Tabor and Hermon were two of the most prominent mountains in Palestine.

⁸ sn Hermon refers to Mount Hermon, located north of Israel.

⁹ sn The hills of Zion are those surrounding Zion (see Pss 87:1; 125:2). The psalmist does not intend to suggest that the dew from Mt. Hermon in the distant north actually flows down upon Zion. His point is that the same kind of heavy dew that replenishes Hermon may also be seen on Zion’s hills. See A. Cohen, Psalms (SoBB), 439. “Dew” here symbolizes divine blessing, as the next line suggests.

¹⁰ tn Or “for.”

¹¹ tn Heb “there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forever.”