Song of Solomon – Chapter 3

Old Testament11 Verses

Chapter Summary

"In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not." — so begins Song of Solomon 3. Solomon stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 11 verses, two threads run through the text: love and charity and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not.

2I will rise, and will go about the city: in the streets and the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and I found him not.

3The watchmen who keep the city, found me: Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth?

4When I had a little passed by them, I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me.

5I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and the harts of the fields, that you stir not up, nor awake my beloved, till she please.

6Who is she that goeth up by the desert, as a pillar of smoke of aromatical spices, of myrrh, and frankincense, and of all the powders of the perfumer?

7Behold threescore valiant ones of the most valiant of Israel, surrounded the bed of Solomon?

8All holding swords, and most expert in war: every man's sword upon his thigh, because of fears in the night.

9King Solomon hath made him a litter of the wood of Libanus:

10The pillars thereof he made of silver, the seat of gold, the going up of purple: the midst he covered with charity for the daughters of Jerusalem.

11Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see king Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousal, in the day of the joy of his heart.

Important Verses in Song of Solomon 3

In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not.

Song of Solomon 3:1

When I had a little passed by them, I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me.

Song of Solomon 3:4

Behold threescore valiant ones of the most valiant of Israel, surrounded the bed of Solomon?

Song of Solomon 3:7

Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see king Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousal, in the day of the joy of his heart.

Song of Solomon 3:11

Historical Context

Song of Solomon addresses israel and the Church, invited into covenant intimacy with God within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 3 of 8 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 11 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Solomon, the principal figures named in this chapter. It opens with the line: "In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not." The final verse reads: "Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see king Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his…" In terms of historical background, The Song of Songs is a poem of spousal love between bride and bridegroom. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Traditionally linked to Solomon (10th century BC); final form possibly after the exile.

Who Wrote It

Attributed to Solomon

When It Was Written

Traditionally linked to Solomon (10th century BC); final form possibly after the exile

Catholic Commentary

Read at the narrative level, this chapter describes real persons, decisions, and consequences within divine love expressed through spousal imagery. A pivotal line is verse 1: "In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not." The passage repeatedly touches on love and charity.

Catholic exegesis reads Song of Solomon 3 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. the Church sees this as an allegory of Christ's love for the Church (CIC 1602). St. Athanasius and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 74).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: Love of God and love of neighbor sum up the whole law and reveal the very nature of God.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • Love of God and love of neighbor sum up the whole law and reveal the very nature of God.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.

People in This Chapter

Solomon3 mentions

Reflection for Today

The central section of Song of Solomon—Chapter 3 of 8—opens a particular moment in the story of divine love expressed through spousal imagery.

According to Catholic teaching, the Church sees this as an allegory of Christ's love for the Church (CIC 1602). This chapter especially highlights care for the poor and vulnerable, a theme the Catechism develops in relation to the whole of revelation (CIC 618).

Let Song of Solomon Chapter 3 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Song of Solomon Chapter 3 about?

Song of Solomon 3 contains 11 verses. It opens with "In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not." and closes with "Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see king Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his…". The book as a whole is lyric love poetry.

What is a key verse in Song of Solomon 3?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "In my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and found him not." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Song of Solomon Chapter 3?

This chapter mentions Solomon.

Who wrote Song of Solomon and when?

Attributed to Solomon. Traditionally linked to Solomon (10th century BC); final form possibly after the exile.

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