I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Song of Solomon 2:1 ROSE. If applied to Jesus Christ, it, with the white lily (emblem of His lowliness), answers to "white and ruddy" ROSE. If applied to Jesus Christ, it, with the white lily (emblem of His lowliness), answers to "white and ru... [ Continue Reading ]
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. AS THE LILY AMONG THORNS, SO (IS) MY LOVE - Jesus Christ to the Bride (). "Thorns," i:e., the wicked (). DAUGHTERS - of men, not of God; not "the virgins," answering in parallelism to "thorns." 'If thou art the lily of Jesus Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. APPLE - generic term; including the golden citron, pomegranate, and orange apple (). He combines the shadow and fragrance of the ci... [ Continue Reading ]
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. HE BROUGHT ME TO THE BANQUETING HOUSE - Hebrew, 'house of wine.' Historically fulfilled in the joy of Simeon and Anna in the temple over the infant Saviour, and that of Mary too (cf. ); typified. ; also in the erection of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love. FLAGONS. Maurer prefers the translation ( 'ªshiyshowt (H809)) 'dried raisin cakes,' from the Hebrew root ['eeysh] fire-namely, dried by heat. But the 'house of wine' (margin, Song of Solomon 2:4) favours "flagons" (so the Hebre... [ Continue Reading ]
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. HIS LEFT HAND. The "stay" she prayed for () is granted (; ; ; ). None can pluck from that embrace (John 10:28). His hand keeps us from falling (Matthew 14:30): to it we may commit ourselves (). HIS RIGHT HAND. The "left" is the... [ Continue Reading ]
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. I CHARGE YOU ... STIR NOT UP ... MY LOVE. Not an oath "by the roes," but a solemn charge to act as cautiously as the hunter would with the wild roes, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. THE VOICE - an exclamation of joyful surprise, evidently after a long silence. The restlessness of sin () and the fickleness on her part had disturbed His rest with her, which she had professed not to... [ Continue Reading ]
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. HE STANDETH - after having bounded over the intervening space like a roe. He often stands near when our unbelief hides Him from us (Genesis 28:16; R... [ Continue Reading ]
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. MY BELOVED SPAKE ... COME AWAY. Loving re-assurance given by Jesus Christ to the bride, lest she should think that He had ceased to love her, on account of her unfaithfulness, which had occasioned His temporary with... [ Continue Reading ]
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; FLOWERS - tokens of anger past, and of grace come. 'The summoned bride is welcome,' say some Fathers: 'to weave from them garlands of beauty, wherewith she may adorn herse... [ Continue Reading ]
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. PUTTETH FORTH - rather, ripens; literally, makes red [ chaanªTaah (H2590)]: or else seasons. The unripe figs, which grow in winter, begin to ripen in earl... [ Continue Reading ]
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. O MY DOVE - here expressing endearment: and the defenseless innocence of the Church (). Doves are noted for... [ Continue Reading ]
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. Transition to the vineyard, often formed in "stairs" () or terraces, in which, amidst the vine leaves, foxes hid. FOXES - generic term, including jackals. They eat only grapes, not the vine flowers; but... [ Continue Reading ]
My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. MINE ... HIS - rather, 'is for me ... for Him.' , where, as here, there is the assurance of indissoluble union, in spite of temporary absence. Next verse, entreating Him to return, shows that He has gone, perhaps through her want of... [ Continue Reading ]
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. DAY BREAK ... SHADOWS FLEE AWAY. Night is the image of the present world (). 'Behold men as if dwelling in, a subterranean cavern' (Plato, 'Republic,' 7: 1). UN... [ Continue Reading ]