דּוֹד

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.”

If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered the nakedness of his uncle. They will bear their sin; they shall die childless.

…either his uncle or cousin or any close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.

Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to cousins on their father’s side.

Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” “To look for the donkeys,” Saul replied. “When we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”

“Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?”

And Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.

Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

David’s uncle Jonathan was a counselor; he was a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended to the sons of the king.

And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.

Take me away with you—let us hurry! May the king bring me to his chambers. We will rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. It is only right that they adore you.

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-gedi.

How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

Listen! My beloved approaches. Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.

My beloved calls to me, “Arise, my darling. Come away with me, my beautiful one.

My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.

Before the day breaks and shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.

How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! Your love is much better than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than all spices.

Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind. Breathe on my garden and spread the fragrance of its spices. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choicest fruits.

I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.

I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

My beloved put his hand to the latch; my heart pounded for him.

I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.

I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you, if you find my beloved, tell him I am sick with love.

How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Which way has he turned? We will seek him with you.

My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens and to gather lilies.

I belong to my beloved and he belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies.

…and your mouth like the finest wine. May it flow smoothly to my beloved, gliding gently over lips and teeth.

I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.

Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside; let us spend the night among the wildflowers.

Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vine has budded, if the blossom has opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom—there I will give you my love.