Charles Ellicott Commentary Song Of Solomon 2:14

"O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, In the covert of the steep place, Let me see thy countenance, Let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely." — Song Of Solomon 2:14 (ASV)

O my dove ... in the clefts of the rock. —The rock pigeon (Columba livia), the origin of the domestic races, invariably selects the lofty cliffs and deep ravines (Ezekiel 7:16) for its roosting places, and avoids the neighborhood of men. The modesty and shyness of his beloved are thus prettily indicated by the poet. For the expression “clefts of the rock,” see note, Obadiah 1:3.

The stairs — that is, steep places (compare Ezekiel 38:20, margin), from a root meaning to go up.