Song of Solomon 2:1
“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
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The Song of Solomon is a series of poems celebrating love between a bride and her beloved. Chapter 2 opens with words of mutual delight and admiration. This verse, with its imagery of flowers from the plain of Sharon and the valleys, expresses beauty, freshness, and the joy of being treasured in love.
What Does Song of Solomon 2:1 Mean?
Song of Solomon 2:1 is a tender self-description spoken within a love song: "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." The Song celebrates the beauty and devotion of love between a bride and her beloved, drawing freely on the imagery of the natural world. Sharon was a fertile coastal plain known for its wildflowers, and the valleys bloomed with lilies. To compare oneself to these is to speak of simple, fresh, natural beauty -- not the rare and cultivated, but the lovely flowers that fill the open country.
Read in its setting, the verse expresses the wonder of being cherished. The speaker delights to be lovely in the eyes of the one who loves her, and the surrounding verses show that the beloved treasures her even more highly, as a lily among thorns. The poetry honors the goodness of love and the joy of being known and adored. Across the centuries, readers have also heard in these images a deeper resonance, finding in the language of devoted love a picture of the love between God and His people. The Song invites us to delight in love rightly -- in marriage, and in the still greater love of God who calls His people beloved. Its tender words remind us that to be loved is to be seen as beautiful in the eyes of the one who cherishes us.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew chavatselet (a meadow flower, rendered rose) and shoshannah (lily) draw on the wildflowers of Sharon and the valleys to picture natural, cherished beauty.
Cross References
“As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.”
- Song of Solomon 2:2
“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”
- Isaiah 35:1
“I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.”
- Song of Solomon 6:3
Application
This verse celebrates the goodness of love and the joy of being cherished. Let it encourage you to honor love as a gift, and to receive the truth that you are treasured. Just as the beloved is precious in the eyes of the one who loves her, those who belong to God are dear and beautiful in His sight.