Song of Solomon 1:13,14

TEXT 1:13, 14

b. Estimation of her Beloved Song of Solomon 1:13-14

13

A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night between my breasts.

14

My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 1:13, 14

39.

Is there a comparison made here with the spikenard of Song of Solomon 1:12? i.e., is myrrh compared with spikenard?

40.

In what sense was the shepherd a bundle of myrrh to the maid?

41.

Why mention the bundle of myrrh between her breasts all night?

42.

Are we to consider the myrrh and the henna flowers a keepsake from the shepherd to his shepherdess?

PARAPHRASE 1:13, 14

13

A sachet of myrrh is my beloved to me; It shall lie all night in my bosom.

14

My beloved is to me a posy of henna flowers culled in the vineyards of En-gedi.

COMMENT 1:13, 14

Exegesis Song of Solomon 1:13-14

The term my beloved here used twice by the bride-to-be is used by her twenty-five timeseach time in reference to her shepherd-lover (Clarke). This is a beautiful metaphorbut what does it mean? Are we to believe she is treasuring the bundle of myrrh left with her by her beloved? To keep his presence near, does she often lift his sachet of fragrance from her bosom to overpower the scent of the spikenard? It is interesting to contemplateespecially when we know that myrrh carries a bitter-sweet association. It is sweet in fragrance but bitter to the taste. We do associate certain persons with certain fragrances. She can turn in her sleep and catch a breath of myrrh and smile as she thinks not of Solomon, but of her shepherd.
Henna flowers were sometimes white and sometimes of pastel color of very light brown to beige. They were fragrant and most popular as flowers for the hair. In the far-off oasis of En-gedi in the desert by the Dead Sea has my love gathered the most beautiful and fragrant of these lovely bloomshe left a cluster of them with me just before I was stolen away by Solomon. More precious to me are his flowers than all the riches of Solomon.

Marriage Song of Solomon 1:13-14

If we have not fairly represented the captive of Solomon's chambers we do hope there is somewhere a girl like thiswhat a wife she would make! If we have given the girl we married the same care and devotion as the shepherd-lover we could expect the same responsebut not until, and only when we do. What keepsakes have we left with our wives? Something distinctively personal and full of fragrant beauty. In the midst of the multiplied tasks of the day and the sometimes overpowering pressures of life this dear girl we married wants, needs and deserves an oft given remembrance or two from you and me.

Communion Song of Solomon 1:13-14

Has our Lord left us anything by which we can remember Him? To ask is to answer. We could easily suggest His bread and His cupor His external words of love recorded in the gospels, or the Other Comforter. But we pause to contemplate how very lightly such dear sweet remembrances can be treated. It is our love, yea our deep, personal love for the One who gave them that impregnates His gifts with beauty and fragrance for us.

Would we overtax the figure to suggest that we could once again enter into a courtship with our Lord? Would you read again His love letters to yousometimes called the Gospels?

FACT QUESTIONS 1:13, 14

65.

How is the expression my beloved here used? What is meant by the metaphor of my beloved is a sachet of myrrh?

66.

Explain the figure of the henna flower.

67.

These verses have a most poignant application to marriage. Explain.

68.

There is in these verses a beautiful analogy as we relate them to our communion with our Lord. Discuss.