Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.

SONG OF SOLOMON 6:5KJV
Know the Bible

Song of Solomon 6:5 (KJV)

What does Song of Solomon 6:5 mean?

Song of Solomon 6:5 describes a lover asking his beloved to turn her eyes away from him because her gaze is overwhelming, and then he praises her hair by comparing it to a flock of goats coming down from Gilead. The verse uses poetic imagery to express the powerful effect the beloved has on her lover and to highlight her beauty in a vivid, memorable way.

In this verse, the man is speaking to the woman, likely in the context of a romantic conversation or a moment of admiration. The phrase about her eyes "overcoming" him suggests that her look is so captivating it makes him feel weak or undone. The comparison of her hair to goats from Gilead draws on the image of long, flowing, dark hair cascading down, much like a herd of goats moving down a hillside, which would have been a familiar and beautiful sight in ancient Israel.

The Hebrew behind Song of Solomon 6:5

  • "overcome" (רָהַב, rāhav): This word carries the sense of being overwhelmed or made powerless, showing that the lover is deeply affected by her gaze, not just noticing it but almost undone by it.
  • "hair" (שַּׂעַר, saʿar): The word here refers specifically to the hair of the beloved, which is being praised for its beauty and compared to a natural, graceful scene.
  • "flock" (עֵדֶר, ʿeder) and "goats" (עֵז, ʿez): These words together create the image of a group of goats, which in the region of Gilead would have been known for their glossy, dark coats, making the comparison to the beloved’s hair both specific and evocative.
  • "Gilead" (גִּלְעָד, Gilʿad): Gilead was a region east of the Jordan River known for its lush hills, so the mention of goats from Gilead adds a sense of richness and abundance to the description.

Why Song of Solomon 6:5 matters

  • This verse helps clear up the idea that ancient love poetry was stiff or formal; instead, it shows a playful and deeply emotional exchange using everyday images from nature.
  • The verse emphasizes how beauty is described through familiar scenes, connecting physical attraction to the natural world in a way that would resonate with its original audience.
  • Song of Solomon 6:5 fits into the wider passage by continuing the theme of mutual admiration and delight between the lovers, showing both the power of attraction and the creativity of their expressions of love.

Where else these words appear

“appear” Hebrew H1570 · used in 2 verses

  • Song of Solomon 4:1 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.

“overcome” Hebrew H7292 · used in 4 verses

  • Psalms 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
  • Proverbs 6:3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
  • Isaiah 3:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

“hair” Hebrew H8181 · used in 27 verses

  • Genesis 25:25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
  • Leviticus 13:30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.
  • Judges 16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

“flock” Hebrew H5739 · used in 34 verses

  • Genesis 29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
  • Proverbs 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
  • Jeremiah 31:10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.