King James Version

What Does Song of Solomon 2:12 Mean?

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;”

Context

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(12) **The time of the singing**—Heb., *zamîr·—*may mean *pruning *(so LXX. and Vulg.), but parallelism requires *singing-time *(a meaning which analogy will certainly allow us to give to the Hebrew word *zamîr*)*. *Nor can the correctness of our version in inserting *of birds *be questioned, since from the context it is plainly “the untaught harmony of spring,” and not the voices of men intended. It is true there is no authority for this beyond the context, and the allusions to the singing of birds are besides very few in Scripture; but travellers say that different species of warbless (*Turdidœ*)*, *especially the *bulbul *and the *nightingale. *abound in the wooded valleys, filling the air in early spring with the rich cadence of their notes (Tristram’s *Nat. Hist. of the Bible, *p. 160). **Turtle.**—Heb., *tôr *(*turtur*)*, *from its plaintive note. Three species are found in Palestine, but the one intended is doubtless our own turtle-dove (*Turtur auritus*)*. *It is migratory, and its advent marks the return of spring (Jeremiah 8:7). “Search the glades and valleys even by sultry Jordan at the end of March, and not a turtle-dove is to be seen. Return in the second week of April, and clouds of doves are feeding on the clovers of the plain.” “The turtle, immediately on its arrival, pours forth from every garden grove and wooded hill its melancholy yet soothing ditty from early dawn till sunset” (Tristram’s *Nat. Hist. of the Bible, *p. 219).

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Song of Solomon. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Song of Solomon 2:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.