Song of Solomon 4:9

Thou hast ravished my heart This clause is represented by one word in Heb., a denom. Piel verb, formed from the noun lçbhâbh= -heart." According to usage this might mean either -thou hast heartened me," i.e. as R.V. marg., given me courage, or -thou hast disheartened me," or stolen my heart away. The latter is the view of the A.V. and the preferable view. The translation, ravish, with its primary meaning -to carry off by violence," and its secondary one -to enchant" or -charm," exactly corresponds to the Heb.

my sister, my spouse R.V. my bride. The double name, as Budde remarks, can hardly have any other signification than an increase of tenderness, cp. Song of Solomon 8:1, "O that thou wert my brother." My sister brideoccurs only in this chap. and in ch. Song of Solomon 5:1, but, as Budde observes, in the ancient Egyptian love-songs, edited by Maspéro and Spiegelberg, -my sister" and -my brother" are the standing names for the lovers.

with one of thine eyes From the use of the prep. min=-from," with eyeshere, and from the fact that in the text achaih, the masculine form of the numeral, stands, it is probable that some word such as -glance" should be understood. Then we should translate, with oneglance of thine eyes.

with one chain of thy neck Chainhere means a part of the necklace, but whether it means a single chain of the necklace, or a pearl or pendant is uncertain. Usage, in the only passages where the word occurs again, Judges 8:26, and Proverbs 1:9, certainly is in favour of chain.