Song of Solomon 6:13 · Bible study
Song of Solomon 6:13 Commentary: The Shulammite’s Return and the Dance of Mahanaim
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does the call 'Return, O Shulammite' mean? The name, the dance of Mahanaim, and the bride's response in Song of Solomon.
Research Summary
- Meaning: An impassioned plea for the bride to return so her beauty can be admired; the title “Shulammite” ties her to Solomon, and the “dance of Mahanaim” evokes a joyful, public spectacle.
- Key words: Return (x4), Shulammite (feminine of Solomon or gentilic from Shunem), gaze/dance of Mahanaim (allusion to Gen 32:2).
- Main debate: Whether Shulammite is a derived name of peace or a place name; whether the dance refers to angelic hosts, a literal festival, or the union of two armies.
- Theological theme: The church as the bride of Christ, beautiful, communal, and drawing others to see her as a sign of God’s grace.
- Best use: Weddings, teaching on identity in Christ, exploring Old Testament poetry as a metaphor for divine love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you. Why do you look at the Shulammite, as on the dance of Mahanaim?
WEB World English Bible 2000
Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?
KJV King James Version 1769
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Return, return, O Shulammith! Return, return, and we look upon thee. What do ye see in Shulammith?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. — What would ye look upon in the Shulamite? — As it were the dance of two camps.
Translations in other languages (7 available)
Tórnate, tórnate, oh Sulamita; tórnate, tórnate, y te miraremos. ¿ Qué veréis en la Sulamita? Como la reunión de dos campamentos.
Moças : Volta! Volta, Sulamita! Volta! Volta, e nós te veremos! Ele : Por que quereis ver a Sulamita, como a dança de duas companhias?
[7:1] Kehre wieder, kehre wieder, o Sulamith! kehre wieder, kehre wieder, daß wir dich schauen! Was sehet ihr an Sulamith? Den Reigen zu Mahanaim.
Keer weder, keer weder, o Sulammith! Keer weder, keer weder, dat wij u mogen aanzien. Wat ziet gijlieden de Sulammith aan? Zij is als een rei van twee heiren.
(H7-1) Torna, torna, o Sulamita, torna, torna, che ti miriamo. Perché mirate la Sulamita come una danza a due schiere?
回來，回來，書拉密女；你回來，你回來，使我們得觀看 你。你們為何 要觀看 書拉密女，像觀看瑪哈念 跳舞的呢？
Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, so that our eyes may see you. What will you see in the Shulammite? A sword-dance.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the fourfold “Return, return” is an urgent, heartfelt plea. Gill notes that the repetition shows the chorus’s desperate desire to keep the bride with them. The name “Shulammite” is widely understood as a title of honor. Some, like Adam Clarke, derive it from Solomon, so the bride takes her husband’s name, just as Charlotte comes from Charles. Others, including Barnes and the Cambridge Bible, connect it to the village Shunem (modern Solam), making it a gentilic meaning “maiden of Shulam.” The phrase “the dance of Mahanaim” is agreed to echo Genesis 32:2, where Jacob named the place Mahanaim (“two camps”) after meeting God’s angels. The main interpretive puzzle is whether the dance refers to a celebrated local festival, to the angelic hosts, or to the joining of two groups (Jews and Gentiles, or the church militant and triumphant). There is also no consensus on who speaks the question “Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite?”, some assign it to the bride herself, others to the chorus. The verse captures both the attraction of the bride’s beauty and her own humble wonder at being observed.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Name from Solomon (peace/perfect): Derives the title from Solomon’s name, emphasizing the bride’s unity with her husband and her complete beauty.
- Place name (Shunem/Shulam): Connects the title to the village of Shunem, grounding the poem in a real geographical location and giving the bride a historical identity.
- Dance of Mahanaim as angelic hosts or festival: Takes the phrase as an allusion to Genesis 32:2, either celebrating the grace of angels in movement or referring to a known festive dance at that holy site.
What is clear: The verse is a passionate communal call for the bride to return and be seen, followed by a humble response that marvels at being the object of such admiration.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the name Shulammite | All agree the title belongs to the bride and carries a deep connection to Solomon. | Some (Clarke, Gill) see it as a direct feminine form of Solomon, meaning ‘daughter of peace’ or ‘perfect one.’ Others (Barnes, Cambridge Bible) treat it as a gentilic from Shunem, placing the bride’s origin in a real village. |
| The dance of Mahanaim | Commentators agree the phrase alludes to Genesis 32:2, where Jacob called the place Mahanaim after meeting God’s angels. | Interpretations differ widely: some read it as a well-known festive dance from that holy place; others as a reference to angelic hosts (a dance of angels); still others as symbolic of two armies, Jews and Gentiles, or the church militant and triumphant (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). |
| Who speaks the question in v. 13b? | The verse clearly contains a question and an answer; a change of speaker is required. | The Cambridge Bible and others assign the question (‘Why do you desire to gaze…?’) to the bride, with the chorus’s plea in the first half. Gill and Keil & Delitzsch see all of v. 13 as spoken by the chorus, with the second part as their own question about what they will see. |
Historical & Cultural Context
“Shulammite” is almost certainly a gentilic name from the town of Shunem, a village in the territory of Issachar near Little Hermon, overlooking the plain of Jezreel. The same word appears in the name of Abishag the Shunammite (1 Kings 1:3) and of Elisha’s kind hostess (2 Kings 4:8). The definite article in the Hebrew (ha-shulammit) indicates it is a term of origin, not a pure proper name, like “the Galilean” or “the Nazarene.”
Mahanaim was a city east of the Jordan, on the border between the tribes of Gad and Manasseh. It became a Levitical town (Joshua 21:38) and later a refuge for David during Absalom’s revolt (2 Samuel 17:24). The name derives from Jacob’s vision of God’s “camp” meeting his own encampment (Genesis 32:2). The “dance of Mahanaim” may refer to a well-known dance performed at a festival at that holy site, perhaps similar to the dances of Shiloh described in Judges 21:21. The chorus likely has in mind a graceful, celebrated dance that draws every eye.
The bride’s flight and the urgent call to return fit the context of a wedding procession moving from the garden to the palace (6:10-12). The repeated plea reflects the joy of the wedding party and their longing to keep beholding the bride’s radiance. Keil and Delitzsch picture the daughters of Jerusalem “entreating her earnestly, yea, with tears,” as she turns to leave.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Song of Solomon 6:13. The Hebrew text is stable, though the vocalization of הַשּׁוּלַמִּית (with the definite article) is notable because it marks the name as a gentilic rather than a pure proper name. The ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate) consistently render the name as a geographical designation.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, the Shulammite was often identified with Israel, and the dance of Mahanaim was linked to the angels at Sinai or the two camps of Israel and Judah. Early Christian commentators (e.g., Origen, Gregory of Nyssa) read the verse allegorically: the bride is the church (or the soul), and the call to return represents Christ’s invitation to draw near. The two armies became the Jews and Gentiles in one body, or the angels and the church. Medieval mystics used the image of the dance to describe the joyful communion of the saints. In more recent literal readings, the verse is seen as a simple moment in a human love story, poetic in its depiction of admiration. The verse is seldom used in formal liturgy but appears in some wedding homilies and marriage retreat material.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A new name, The bride is called “Shulammite,” linking her to Solomon, the prince of peace. Her identity is now bound up with his. In the church, believers receive Christ’s name and share his peace.
- A repeated call, The fourfold “Return” shows the community’s longing to have the bride stay. The church is called to be a place where people are sought after and valued, not abandoned.
- A dance that draws the eye, The “dance of Mahanaim” evokes a joyful, ordered movement that spectators cannot look away from. The bride’s life becomes a spectacle of grace, pointing to the beauty of union with Christ.
Five-point outline
- The name of peace, Shulammite as “daughter of peace” (from Solomon/shalom).
- The intensity of the call, Urgency and love in the repeated imperative.
- The desire to see, The chorus wants to gaze, not from idle curiosity but from genuine admiration.
- The humble question, The bride’s response (“Why do you desire to gaze?”) reveals her modesty and surprise at being cherished.
- The dance of two armies, Mahanaim suggests a coalition of two forces; in the church, Jews and Gentiles, or the church militant and triumphant, move together in one glorious dance.
Illustration hooks
- A bride leaving the reception only to be called back for one last photo, the party doesn’t want to let her go.
- A performer finishing a dance and the audience calling “encore” four times, unwilling to break the spell.
- When you are so moved by someone’s kindness or talent that you just want to keep looking, that moment of pure admiration.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the bride seem to want to leave? What does that mean for how we respond to God’s love?
- What does it mean to have a new name in Christ? Is my identity really changed?
- How can our church community become the kind of place that “longs” to see each other and calls people back?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a turning point in the Song, where the focus shifts from the bride’s search to her exaltation by the community. The fourfold call and the image of a dance invite us to think about identity, belonging, and the beauty of being seen and desired by others. Use these questions to guide your group’s discussion.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you most about the fourfold “Return, return”? What emotions does that repetition communicate?
- “Shulammite” is a name that links the bride to Solomon. How does your understanding of your own identity in Christ shape how you see yourself?
- Some say the dance of Mahanaim refers to angels; others to a joyful festival. What does it mean to you that the bride’s beauty is compared to a dance that everyone stops to watch?
- Who do you think asks the question in the second half of the verse, the bride or the chorus? How does that change how you hear her response?
- In what ways can the church today “call back” those who feel distant or ready to leave? What would that look like in practice?
- Why does the bride seem surprised that others want to gaze at her? How does humility factor into Christian community?
- This verse has been read both as a literal love song and as an allegory of Christ and the church. Which reading speaks more clearly to you, and why?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 32:2 | When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim. |
| Genesis 49:10 | The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. The obedience of the peoples will be to him. |
| Judges 21:21 | and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. |
| II Samuel 17:24 | Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. |
| Psalms 76:2 | His tabernacle is also in Salem. His dwelling place in Zion. |
| Song of Solomon 1:6 | Don’t stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven’t kept my own vineyard. |
| Song of Solomon 2:14 | My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside, let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely. |
| Isaiah 8:6 | “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the bride is compared to armed armies because her beauty makes her as strong as soldiers. He believes this chapter marks the end of the fifth night.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the chorus begs the bride not to leave, eager to keep gazing at her beauty. He identifies Shulamite as a woman from Shunem. He prefers the literal reading of “the dance of Mahanaim” as a sacred dance named after the place in Genesis, rather than as a dance of angelic choirs.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The bride explains she stopped to ask why those people stared at her as if she were a dance in Mahanaim. She believes they viewed her as a public spectacle rather than recognizing her as a person.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the repeated plea for the Shulamite to return reflects an intense desire for her company. He then offers two possible meanings for the "company of two armies": either a joyful, celebratory meeting between Christ and the church, or the ongoing internal war between flesh and Spirit within every believer.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
She accepts the name Shulamite as fitting for herself. But she says that though she is one person, she is actually two.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch treat the name Shulamith not as a proper name but as a gentilic meaning "from Shunem," linking her to Abishag and the Shunammite. They interpret the "dance of Mahanaim"
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that Shulamith’s answer about her lover’s garden is intentionally unclear rather than a joke. She uses farming images to show that other matters are more important to him than being with her. You may find hope in the resurrection hope shared by all Christians.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees Christ as staying close even when he seems far away. He cares for the soul as a gardener watching plants grow.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Christ's repeated call "Return" reveals both his intense love for the church and her hesitation to respond. The title Shulamite identifies her as Christ's bride, just as Solomon's wife bore his name. The "two armies" signify the union of Jews and Gentiles, showing the church's strength as a united host.