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. Ver. 1. _Behold thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair._] Thou art, thou art; and I am much taken with it, so that I cannot bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy teeth [are] like a flock [of sheep that are even] shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none [is] barren among them. Ver. 2. _Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep, &c._] Handsome teeth set forth a woman very well, and they are then held handsome when they are ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy lips [are] like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech [is] comely: thy temples [are] like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks._ Ver. 3. _Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet._] Which hath two comely properties, _small_ and _ruddy._ A thin lip is a sign of eloquence; Job 12:20 Pitho sits u... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy neck [is] like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. Ver. 4. _Thy neck is like the tower of David,_] _i.e._ Fair and forcible - _erectum et celsum,_ upright and lofty. It betokeneth the invincible courage and comfortable ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy two breasts [are] like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies. Ver. 5. _Thy two breasts are like two young roes, &c._] From the neck he descendeth to the breasts, and by these descriptions of beauty in all parts (for the rest are to be understood, though not here specified)... [ Continue Reading ]
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. Ver. 6. _Until the day break, and the shadows flee away,_] _i.e., _ Till that last and great day of the Lord dawn, that "day of refreshing," Act 3:19 that day of consolation, as... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou [art] all fair, my love; [there is] no spot in thee. Ver. 7. _Thou art all fair, my love._] Christ, having graciously answered his spouse's petition with a promise of his gracious presence with her and providence over her, proceeds in her commendation. A perfection of parts he here grants her,... [ Continue Reading ]
Come with me from Lebanon, [my] spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards. Ver. 8. _Come with me from Lebanon, &c._] Or, Thou shalt come with me - by way of promise. And it is doubled for mor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, [my] spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck._ Ver. 9. _Thou hast ravished mine heart, &c._] Thou hast caught it, and carried it from me, so that I am least master of it; for _Animus est potius ubi amat, quam ub... [ Continue Reading ]
How fair is thy love, my sister, [my] spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Ver. 10. _How fair is thy love._] Heb., _Loves,_ in the plural, noting not only their multitude, but excellence also, such as do far preponderate all carnal affecti... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy lips, O [my] spouse, drop [as] the honeycomb: honey and milk [are] under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments [is] like the smell of Lebanon. Ver. 11. _Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as an honeycomb._] Heb., Drop the honeycomb. So Christ calls the doctrines and prayers of the Church, her than... [ Continue Reading ]
A garden inclosed [is] my sister, [my] spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Ver. 12. _A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse._] Fair and sweet he had before affirmed her; now, because “ _Lis est cum forma magna pudicitae._ ” The quarrel is with her great form of modesty. Fair women hav... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy plants [are] an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Ver. 13. _Thy plants are as an orchard of pomegranates._] By plants are to be understood either particular churches or several saints. These are those shoots or sprouts _a_ that spread abroad God's paradise... [ Continue Reading ]
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: Ver. 14. _Nard._] Called in John 12:3, "spikenard very costly," or rather, as some learned men will have it, nard of Opis, a town near Babylon, where grew the most precious spike... [ Continue Reading ]
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. Ver. 15. _A fountain of gardens, a well, &c._] Or, O fountain of the gardens, &c. For they do best in mine opinion that make this to be the Church's speech to Christ, grounded upon his former commendation of her. And it is as... [ Continue Reading ]
_Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, [that] the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits._ Ver. 16. _Awake, O north wind; come, thou south, &c._] These winds she supposeth to be asleep, because they blew not. Rupertus... [ Continue Reading ]