Song of Solomon · Chapter 2 · Love
Song of Solomon 2:16 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies."
KJV · King James Version
"My beloved1730 is mine, and I am his: he feedeth7462 among the lilies7799."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses feedeth, while the WEB renders these as browses. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Song of Solomon 2:16 in Song of Solomon 2
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Song of Solomon 2:16 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Song of Solomon 2. Read the full chapter →
- v.14 My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
- v.15 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.
- v.16 My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.
- v.17 Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.
Book background
About the Book of Song of Solomon
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Hebrew poetry
- Author
- Solomon (traditional)
- Date written
- c. 970–930 BC
- Audience
- Israel
- Chapters
- 8
The Song of Solomon — also called Song of Songs — celebrates the love between a bride and groom in unblushing poetic language. Read at its plain level, it is the Bible's most direct affirmation of romantic and married love. Read typologically, it has long been seen as a picture of Christ's love for the church.
Setting: A series of love poems celebrating marital love.
Key themes: love · beauty · marriage · desire · covenant
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Song of Solomon 2:16
Song of Solomon 2:16 contains 13 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
My beloved is mine
MBIM
- 2
and I am his
AIAH
- 3
He browses among the lilies.
HBATL
Frequently asked
FAQ about Song of Solomon 2:16
What does Song of Solomon 2:16 say?
Song of Solomon 2:16 reads: "My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies." — from the Old Testament, Song of Solomon (Hebrew poetry). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Song of Solomon 2:16 in?
Song of Solomon 2:16 is in the book of Song of Solomon, traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional) and written around c. 970–930 BC. Song of Solomon is hebrew poetry in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Israel. Best known for "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine".
What is Song of Solomon 2:16 about?
Song of Solomon 2:16 is primarily a Bible verse about Love, with related themes including Marriage. Within Song of Solomon, The Song of Solomon — also called Song of Songs — celebrates the love between a bride and groom in unblushing poetic language. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Song of Solomon 2:16 in WEB and KJV?
Song of Solomon 2:16 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "My beloved1730 is mine, and I am his: he feedeth7462 among the lilies7799.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Song of Solomon 2:16?
Song of Solomon 2:16 is 13 words in the WEB translation (62 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.
How can I memorise Song of Solomon 2:16?
To memorise Song of Solomon 2:16, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Song of Solomon 2:16 matter in Song of Solomon?
The Song of Solomon — also called Song of Songs — celebrates the love between a bride and groom in unblushing poetic language. Read at its plain level, it is the Bible's most direct affirmation of romantic and married love. Read typologically, it has long been seen as a picture of Christ's love for the church. Song of Solomon 2:16 sits within this larger story — Song of Solomon as a whole emphasises love, beauty, marriage.
How can I apply Song of Solomon 2:16 today?
Many readers use Song of Solomon 2:16 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Song of Solomon 2:16 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not pr…”
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Matthew 22:39
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
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John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
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1 Corinthians 13:13
“But now faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love.”
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
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Deuteronomy 6:5
“You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
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