dod denotes a beloved person in intimate address, a male relative such as an uncle, and in plural forms love or intimate affection.

The term most often identifies a beloved person in the intimate speech and descriptions of Song of Songs. Elsewhere it identifies an uncle or other male family connection, while plural forms occur in clauses concerning love, desire, or intimate relations.

1. Beloved person in intimate address · dominant

   Singular construct forms repeatedly identify the person addressed or sought in the love dialogue. In Song of Songs 2:16 the APB renders a mutual belonging clause, "My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him," and in Song of Songs 5:6 it renders the speaker's search after the one who had gone.

   Song of Songs 1:13Song of Songs 2:16Song of Songs 5:2Song of Songs 5:6Song of Songs 6:3Song of Songs 7:11
2. Uncle or male family connection · common

   Singular construct forms identify family relations in genealogical, narrative, and legal settings. In 1 Samuel 10:14 the APB renders Saul's relative as "Saul's uncle," while Leviticus 25:49 places an uncle and an uncle's son among those who may redeem a family member.

   1 Samuel 10:141 Samuel 14:50Leviticus 10:4Leviticus 25:49Esther 2:7Jeremiah 32:7
3. Love or intimate affection · occasional

   Plural forms occur in clauses about love and sexual intimacy rather than naming a particular relative. In Song of Songs 1:2 the APB renders a comparison in which "your loves are better than wine," while Ezekiel 23:17 places the plural form in the clause rendered "the bed of beloved ones."

   Song of Songs 1:2Song of Songs 1:4Song of Songs 4:10Proverbs 7:18Ezekiel 16:8Ezekiel 23:17

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the singular form as "beloved" in Song of Songs and as "uncle" in family contexts; plural contexts are rendered with expressions such as "loves" or "love." Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these renderings only indicate the surrounding clause's presentation.