Song of Solomon 2:17
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
The verse is a lover's plea in warm Eastern poetry for the Beloved, who is the Saviour, to turn and come near and remain close. The breaking of the day is His triumphant second coming to reign in His kingdom and take His own to His side face to face, when the dark night ends forever. That dawn is the morning of endless day when sorrow, sin, death, fear and darkness end forever, the saints enter the New Jerusalem where there is no night, and creation's groaning is hushed and the captive set free. The time until the day breaks is also the sleep of the beloved in death, a temporary rest that lasts only until the morning of the resurrection when the sleeper awakes in Jesus. Until then the soul longs for Him as a refuge amid sadness, temptation and evil, watching and praying with patience and perseverance, sustained by the promise of a brighter future and comforted with courage and joy even in deep grief.
Poetry and Imagery
The book is an Oriental love poem in the warm figurative language of the East, read by many as a parable of Christ and His church. It sets forth His wonderful love and the church's answering love, which is often unfaithful and inconstant, possibly drawing on experiences in Solomon's life as types of Christ and the church, with chapter 2 giving a poetic picture of spring. The beloved is the Saviour, and the voice is longing for Him to come near and remain with the speaker until the day breaks and the shadows flee.
Going up to the mountain until the shadows flee pictures the believer waiting for the morning, asking the watchmen for signs that the long night is nearly over. It is watchful longing for the dawn, for the breaking of morning and the ending of darkness. That waiting looks for Christ's triumphant return, when He who died takes His own to His side and brings a bright and glorious day. Then sorrow and bondage end, creation's groaning is hushed, the captive is set free, bondage is turned into glorious liberty, and God's children are revealed in glory.
The hart or roe upon the mountains of Bether pictures the sorrowing saint, for whom the hope that Christ will soon come brings comfort, courage, and joy even in deep grief. The breaking of day and the fleeing of shadows are an image of waiting through darkness and hardship until morning comes. Then God brings light and guidance and a joyful future after a season of sorrow.
Coming Day and Waiting
The breaking day is the future time when Christ comes in His triumphant second coming to reign in His kingdom and to be seen face to face and unveiled, taking His own to His side. Then the present dark night ends forever, sorrow and bondage end, and God's children are revealed in glory. It is the bright and glorious day that hushes creation's groaning, sets the captive free, and turns bondage into glorious liberty, when the dark delay of waiting gives way to the Master's return. The day of deliverance draws near, and its nearness comforts believers and calls them to watch and wait like friends looking for a long-expected ship, to remember His coming when they partake of the emblems of His death, and to possess their souls in patience while seeing by faith the many signs of His coming.
That dawn is the morning of endless day when earth's shadows are gone forever and hopes are fulfilled and fears end. Present sorrow, trial, sin, death, fears, bondage, and darkness end forever when eternal life begins and the glad eternal day breaks with Christ unveiled with His children. Then the justified and sanctified enter the New Jerusalem, see God's face, and live where there is no night, and the waiting faithful receive their reward in the Father's kingdom. The rising day-star and coming morning bring the good heralded by the calamities before the end.
The time until the day breaks and the shadows flee is the sleep of the beloved in death until the dawn of the resurrection. Burial is a temporary rest marking the end of a faithful life and work, with darkness giving way to morning. Parting lasts only until the morning breaks and the shadows flee, when the sleeper awakes in Jesus and mourners meet again when mourning has passed.
Until that dawn the soul longs for the Saviour and asks for strength to work, with patience, grace, and perseverance in watching and praying. He is a refuge for His children amid sadness, death, temptation, and evil, keeping the believer and giving strength for daily duties and faithful service through hardship, with the promise of a brighter future sustaining those who spend themselves for God. The hope that Christ will soon come brings comfort, courage, and joy even in deep grief and sorrow. Believers go up to the mountain to wait until morning breaks and darkness ends, asking the watchmen for signs that the long night is nearly over.