'Beloved' in the Bible

Of Benjamin he said,“May the beloved of the Lord dwell in safety by Him;He shields and covers him all the day long,And he dwells between His shoulders.”

“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely and friends in their lives,And in their death they were not separated;They were swifter than eagles,They were stronger than lions.

and He sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah (beloved of the Lord) for the sake of the Lord [who loved the child].

That Your beloved ones may be rescued,Save with Your right hand and answer us.

That Your beloved [ones] may be rescued,Save with Your right hand, and answer me!

It is vain for you to rise early,To retire late,To eat the bread of anxious labors—For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.

“My beloved is to me like a pouch of myrrhWhich lies all night between my breasts.

“My beloved is to me a cluster of henna flowersIn the [fragrant] vineyards of Engedi.”

(The Shulammite Bride)“Behold, how fair and handsome you are, my beloved;And so delightful!Our arbor is green and luxuriant.

(The Shulammite Bride)“Like an apple tree [rare and welcome] among the trees of the forest,So is my beloved among the young men!In his shade I took great delight and sat down,And his fruit was sweet and delicious to my palate.

(The Shulammite Bride)“Listen! My beloved!Behold, he comes,Climbing on the mountains,Leaping and running on the hills!

“My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.Behold, he is standing behind our wall,He is looking through the windows,He is gazing through the lattice.

“My beloved speaks and says to me,‘Arise, my love, my fair one,And come away.

(The Bridegroom)“O my dove, [here] in the clefts in the rock,In the sheltered and secret place of the steep pathway,Let me see your face,Let me hear your voice;For your voice is sweet,And your face is lovely.”

(The Shulammite Bride)“My beloved is mine and I am his;He pastures his flock among the lilies.

“Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,Return quickly, my beloved, and be like a gazelleOr a young stag on the mountains of Bether [which separate us].” Cross references: Song of Solomon 2:6 : Deut 33:27; Matt 28:20 Song of Solomon 2:8 : John 10:27 Song of Solomon 2:16 : Matt 10:32; Acts 4:12 end of crossrefs

(The Shulammite Bride)“Awake, O north wind,And come, south wind [blow softly upon my garden];Make my garden breathe out fragrance, [for the one in whom my soul delights],Let its spices flow forth.Let my beloved come into his gardenAnd eat its choicest fruits.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 4:7 : John 14:18; Eph 5:27 Song of Solomon 4:8 : 2 Cor 11:2, 3 Song of Solomon 4:10 : John 15:9; Rom 8:35 Song of Solomon 4:13 : John 15:5; Eph 5:9 Song of Solomon 4:15 : John 4:10; 7:37, 38 end of crossrefs

(The Shulammite Bride)“I was asleep, but my heart was awake.A voice [in my dream]! My beloved was knocking:‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,My dove, my perfect one!For my head is drenched with the [heavy night] dew;My hair [is covered] with the dampness of the night.’

“My beloved extended his hand through the opening [of the door],And my feelings were aroused for him.

“I arose to open for my beloved;And my hands dripped with myrrh,And my fingers with liquid [sweet-scented] myrrh,On the handles of the bolt.

“I opened for my beloved,But my beloved had turned away and was gone.My heart went out to him when he spoke.I searched for him, but I could not find him;I called him, but he did not answer me.

“I command that you take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,If you find my beloved,As to what you tell him—[Say that] I am sick from love [sick from being without him].”

(The Chorus)“What is your beloved more than another beloved,O most beautiful among women?What is your beloved more than another beloved,That you should so command us to take an oath?”

(The Shulammite Bride)“My beloved is exquisitely handsome and ruddy,Outstanding among ten thousand.

“His mouth is full of sweetness;Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable.This is my beloved and this is my friend,O daughters of Jerusalem.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 5:1 : John 16:33 Song of Solomon 5:2 : Job 11:13-15 Song of Solomon 5:3 : Is 32:9; Heb 3:15 Song of Solomon 5:8 : Ps 63:1 Song of Solomon 5:9 : John 10:26 Song of Solomon 5:10 : Ps 45:2; John 1:14 Song of Solomon 5:16 : Ps 92:15; Col 1:15 end of crossrefs

(The Chorus)“Where has your beloved gone,O most beautiful among women?Where is your beloved hiding himself,That we may seek him with you?”

(The Shulammite Bride)“My beloved has gone down to his garden,To the beds of balsam,To feed his flock in the gardensAnd gather lilies.

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,He who feeds his flock among the lilies.”

‘And your kisses like the best wine!’”

“Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country,Let us spend the night in the villages.

“The mandrakes give forth fragrance,And over our doors are all [kinds of] choice fruits,Both new and old,Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

(The Chorus)“Who is this coming up from the wildernessLeaning upon her beloved?”

(The Shulammite Bride)“Hurry, my beloved and come quickly,Like a gazelle or a young stag [taking me home]On the mountains of spices.”

Now let me sing for my greatly Beloved [Lord]A song of my Beloved about His vineyard (His chosen people).My greatly Beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile slope (the promised land, Canaan).

In that day [it will be said of the redeemed nation of Israel],“A vineyard of wine, sing in praise of it!

“What right has My beloved [to be] in My houseWhen she has done many vile things and acted treacherously [over and over again]?Can vows and the meat of your sacrifices remove your wickedness from you and cancel the consequences of your sin,So that you can [escape your judgment and] rejoice?”

“I have abandoned My house,I have given up My [precious] inheritance (Judah);I have given the [dearly] beloved of My lifeInto the hands of her enemies.

“Is Ephraim My dear son?Is he a darling and beloved child?For as often as I have spoken against him,I certainly still remember him.Therefore My affection is renewed and My heart longs for him;I will surely have mercy on him,” says the Lord.

At the beginning of your supplications, the command [to give you an answer] was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly regarded and greatly beloved. Therefore consider the message and begin to understand the [meaning of the] vision.

So he said to me, “O Daniel, you highly regarded and greatly beloved man, understand the words that I am about to say to you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And while he was saying this word to me, I stood up trembling.

He said, “O man, highly regarded and greatly beloved, do not be afraid. Peace be to you; take courage and be strong.” Now when he had spoken to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman (Gomer) who is beloved by her husband and yet is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love the raisin cakes [used in the feasts in pagan worship].”

Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,They will bear no fruit.Even though they give birth,I will slay the precious children of their womb.

In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of [the city of] Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo [over beloved King Josiah].