King James Version

What Does Song of Solomon 5:6 Mean?

Song of Solomon 5:6 in the King James Version says “I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, ...” — study this verse from Song of Solomon chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.”

Song of Solomon 5:6 · KJV

Context

4

My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. for him: or, (as some read) in me

5

I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. sweet: Heb. passing, or, running about

6

I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7

The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. that ye: Heb. what, etc

Read Song of Solomon 5 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone (patachti ani ledodi vedodi chamaq avar, פָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר)—this devastating moment teaches the cost of delayed response. The verb chamaq (חָמַק) means "turned away" or "slipped away." When the bride finally opened, the beloved had departed. Her hesitation cost her his immediate presence.

My soul failed when he spake (napshi yats'ah vedabro, נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ) suggests overwhelming grief—her soul "went out" in fainting despair. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer describes frantic searching that yields nothing. This teaches sobering reality: delayed obedience sometimes means missed opportunities. While God's love remains constant, specific moments of invitation may pass. The bride learns painfully that the Beloved's timing matters.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient courtship involved appointed times and places for meeting. Missing the beloved's visit meant missing precious fellowship. The bride's delay cost her immediate communion, though not ultimate relationship—he returns later. Early church fathers saw this as believers experiencing spiritual dryness after resisting divine invitations—God sometimes withdraws felt presence to teach the cost of complacency. Medieval mysticism called this "the dark night of the soul"—periods when God seems absent, teaching dependence and urgency. The Reformers distinguished between God's unchanging love and our variable experience of His presence. The Puritans taught that Christians sometimes experience divine withdrawal as discipline for lukewarmness—not abandonment but fatherly correction teaching vigilance. Modern readers recognize that spiritual seasons of seeking without finding often follow periods of taking God's presence for granted.

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you experienced the cost of delayed obedience—times when hesitation meant missed opportunity for fuller fellowship with Christ?
  2. How does this verse warn against presuming on God's grace, assuming His invitations will always remain available regardless of your response timing?
  3. What does the bride's desperate seeking (verses 6-8) teach about the proper response when you've missed Christ's immediate presence through your own delay?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
פָּתַ֤חְתִּֽי1 of 15

“I opened”

H6605

to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

אֲנִי֙2 of 15
H589

i

וְדוֹדִ֖י3 of 15

“but my beloved”

H1730

(figuratively) to love; by implication, a love-token, lover, friend; specifically an uncle

וְדוֹדִ֖י4 of 15

“but my beloved”

H1730

(figuratively) to love; by implication, a love-token, lover, friend; specifically an uncle

חָמַ֣ק5 of 15

“had withdrawn”

H2559

properly, to wrap; hence, to depart (i.e., turn about)

עָבָ֑ר6 of 15

“himself and was gone”

H5674

to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in

נַפְשִׁי֙7 of 15

“my soul”

H5315

properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment

יָֽצְאָ֣ה8 of 15

“failed”

H3318

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim

בְדַבְּר֔וֹ9 of 15

“when he spake”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֙יהוּ֙10 of 15

“I sought”

H1245

to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after

וְלֹ֣א11 of 15
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

מְצָאתִ֔יהוּ12 of 15

“him but I could not find”

H4672

properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present

קְרָאתִ֖יו13 of 15

“him I called”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

וְלֹ֥א14 of 15
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

עָנָֽנִי׃15 of 15

“him but he gave me no answer”

H6030

properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,

Study Guide

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 5:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Song of Solomon 5:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Song of Solomon 5:2Hosea 5:15Revelation 3:191 Samuel 28:6Matthew 26:75Psalms 30:7

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