1:9–11 The man spoke to the woman

In these lines the author introduces new comparisons that use Pharaoh’s chariot horses and jewelry. The man expressed his admiration for the woman. He focused especially on her face adorned with jewelry.

1:9a–b

I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots: In this verse the man compared the woman to a female horse (mare) among the horses that pulled the king’s chariots. Those horses were famous for their beauty and majesty. When the man compared the woman with a chariot horse, he implied that she was beautiful and majestic. It does not imply that the woman actually looked like a horse.

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate how the woman and the horse were alike. For example:

You are as ⌊beautiful⌋ as a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses
-or-
You are ⌊majestic⌋ like the horses that pull the king’s chariots

The word chariots probably refers here to the horses that pulled the chariots, not to the chariots themselves. In many languages chariots are unknown, and the term may be distracting here. If that is true in your language, you may refer only to the horses without mentioning chariots, as several English versions do. For example:

I compare you to a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions. (God’s Word)

1:9a

my darling: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as my darling literally means “my friend” or “my companion.” But in a context like the Song, it has a romantic sense. This word is the most common way the man referred to the woman in the Song. It is a different term than the one used in 1:7. Use an appropriate term of affection in your language. Some other ways to translate it in English are:

my love (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
my dearest friend

In some languages it may be more natural to put this direct address in a different place in the sentence, for example:

My true love, I compare you… (God’s Word)
-or-
You, my love… (Good News Translation)
-or-
To a mare…I compare you, my love

In some languages it may be more natural not to use direct address. For example:

You are my true love. I compare you to…

1:9b

a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots: There are two ways to interpret the word mare in the phrase a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots :

(1) The author used the word for female horse, mare, because he compared the woman to a horse. It does not imply a contrast with male horses. For example:

I liken you, my darling, to a mare harnessed to one of the chariots of Pharaoh. (New International Version)

(2) He used the word mare to imply a contrast with male horses. Usually, chariots were pulled by male horses. If a female horse came among the males, they would become excited. The contrast implies that the woman was exciting to men. For example:

You, my love, excite men as a mare excites the stallions of Pharaoh’s chariots. (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Verses 10–11 focus on the woman’s beautiful jewels, not on the way she affected men.

a mare: This feminine form of “horse” occurs only here in the Old Testament. There are two ways to interpret the exact meaning of the form:

(1) It means “a mare.” For example:

I compare you, my love, to a mare of Pharaoh’s chariots. (Revised Standard Version)

(2) It means “my mare.” For example:

I compare you, my love, to my mare harnessed to Pharaoh’s chariot. (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), since it fits this context better. Also, most English versions and Bible scholars follow it.

Pharaoh’s: The word Pharaoh is a title that the people of Egypt gave to their king. It is not a personal name. Some ways to translate it are:

king
-or-
ruler
-or-
chief

chariots: A “chariot” is a cart that has wheels and is pulled by horses. Pharaoh’s chariots probably held two or three men. Such chariots were often used in war and sometimes for royal processions. Other ways to translate it are:

war carts
-or-
vehicles

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