Song of Solomon 4:8-16

TEXT 4:8 to Song of Solomon 5:1

SECOND MEETING (Jerusalem); Prolepsis, Song of Solomon 4:8 to Song of Solomon 5:1

(Chronologically coming between Song of Solomon 8:4 and Song of Solomon 8:5?)

Dialogue:

Shepherd, Song of Solomon 4:8-16 a

Shulammite, Song of Solomon 4:16 b

Shepherd, Song of Solomon 5:1 a

Comment:

Remarks of Wedding Guests or Shepherd's Companions, Song of Solomon 5:1 b

8.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon; Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, From the lions dens, From the mountains of leopards.

9.

Thou has ravished my heart, my sister, my bride;

Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, With one chain of thy neck.

10.

How fair is thy love, my sister, my bride!

How much better is thy love than wine!
And the fragrance of thine oils than all manner of spices!

11.

Thy lips, O my bride, drop as the honeycomb:

Honey and milk are under thy tongue;
And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

12.

A garden shut up is my sister, my bride;

A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

13.

Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants,

14.

Spikenard and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon,

with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes,
with all the chief spices.

15.

Thou art a fountain of gardens,

A well of living waters,

And flowing streams from Lebanon.

16a. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south;

Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:8-16a

104.

What is meant by suggesting in the above outline that this section of scripture is a prolepsis?

105.

How did the bride get so far north as the Lebanon mountains?

106.

What mountains are alluded to with the names of Amana, Senir and Hermon?

107.

Is the shepherd describing the house of the bride with his reference to lions and leopards? Why go there? Or is he asking her to leave it?

108.

The poor shepherd was overcome with one look of her lovely eyesshe has caught him and held him in a chainis this the meaning of verse nine?

109.

The shepherd returns the compliment of the Shulammite (cf. Song of Solomon 1:2), but he adds something. What is it?

110.

Why refer to her as his sister as well as his bride?

111.

Cf. Song of Solomon 1:3 with Song of Solomon 4:10 b and show the likeness and difference.

112.

Is the shepherd speaking of the kisses of his bride in Song of Solomon 4:11? Cf. Song of Solomon 5:1.

113.

If speech is intended as what comes from the lips of the maid, how shall we describe what she says?

114.

There is a beautiful figure of speech in verse twelve. Discuss its meaning and application.

115.

The shoots of Song of Solomon 4:13 a are enumerated through the fourteenth verse. List them.

116.

The maiden is a paradise to the shepherd. Explain.

117.

Pomegranates were a very special fruit to the Hebrews. Why? (Cf. Deuteronomy 8:8; Exodus 28:33-34; 1 Kings 7:18-20)

118.

Define each of these words: henna; spikenard; saffron; Calamus; cinnamon; frankincense; myrrh; aloes.

119.

How was she compared to a flowing spring which formed a river from Mount Lebanon?

120.

Why ask for the north and south wind? Why is the meaning of the figure used here?

PARAPHRASE 4:8-16a

Shepherd (chronologically after Song of Solomon 8:4?)

8.

Come with me from Lebanon, O bride,

With me from Lebanon come away!
Depart from the top of Amana,
From the top of Senir and Hermon;
From the dens of lions,
From the mountains of panthers.

9.

Thou hast stolen my heart, O my sister-bride!

With one glance of thine eyes, with one turn of thy neck
Thou hast captured it.

10.

How delightful are thy endearments, O my sister-bride!

How much better than wine are thy endearments,
And the fragrances of thy perfumes than all spices!

11.

Thy lips, O bride, drip virgin honey;

Honey and milk flow from under thy tongue.
The odor of thy garments is like pinescented air from Lebanon.

12.

An enclosed garden is my sister-bride;

A spring locked up, a fountain sealed.

13.

Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates and other luscious fruits.

With henna and spikenard plants,

14.

Spikenard and saffron,

Calamus and cinnamon with all incense woods;
Myrrh and aloes with all the chief spices.

15.

The garden fountain is a well of spring waters,

And its streams flow down from Lebanon.

16.

Awake, O north wind, and come thou south!

Blow upon my garden that the sweet odors may be wafted abroad.

COMMENT 4:8-16a

Exegesis Song of Solomon 4:8-16 a

If we consider carefully the content of these verses we will immediately recognize they are not in chronological order or time sequence. We must conclude this paragraph relates to the end of the storyi.e., between Song of Solomon 7:11 and Song of Solomon 8:14. There are examples of this literary devise in several books of the Bibleparticularly with Revelation and Ezekielbut even in the gospels. If this interpretation is correct, this passage contains the response of the shepherd to the maiden's request that he take her back to her country home. The writer of the Song is anticipating the closing scenes. The purpose would seem to be to build suspense. Because of the length of this section we will indicate the verses related to our comments:

Song of Solomon 4:8. We believe Lebanon is used in a figurative sense. The shepherd is asking his beloved to leave the giddy heights of the court of Solomon and share true love with him. It is an invitation to escapebut also it becomes an insistent claim of the shepherd for the person of Shulammite. Perhaps it would be better to translate the phrase look from to depart from. The whole passage we believe is symbolicbut the mountains used in the symbolism are real mountainsi.e., they are peaks in the Lebanon chain which carry these names. He is saying in effectcome with me from the dangerous position you are inleave the high dignitaries and the ravenous wild beasts of Solomon's court.

Song of Solomon 4:9. Here begins a description of the attractive qualities of his beloved. He is wounded to the heart with one look and he is enchained by one turn of her head. A physical feature, not an ornament, is intended. All figures used in verses nine thru eleven refer to graces of gesture and speech as indicative of inward character rather than to mere outward physical attractions. (Clarke)

Song of Solomon 4:10. Berkley has translated this verse as: How sweet is your love, my sister, my bride; How much more delicious is your love than wine; and the fragrance of your ointments than all the spices. We like very much the expression of Walter F. Adeney in the Exposition of the Bible (p. 532):

His language is entirely different from that of the magnificent monarch. He does not waste his breath in formal compliments, high-flown imagery, wearisome lists of the charms of the girl he loves. That was the clumsy method of the king; clumsy, though reflecting the finished manners of the court, in comparison with the genuine outpourings of the heart of a country lad. The shepherd is eloquent with the inspiration of true love; his words throb and glow with genuine emotion; love of his bride has ravished his heart. How beautiful is her love! He is intoxicated with it more than with wine. How sweet are her words of tender affection, like milk and honey! She is so pure, there is something sisterly in her love that she is almost like a part of himself, as his own sister. This holy and close relationship is in startling contrast to the only thing known as love in the royal harem. It is as much more lofty and noble as it is more strong and deep than the jaded emotions of the court. The sweet, pure maiden is to the shepherd like a garden the gate of which is barred against trespassers, like a spring shut off from casual access, like a sealed fountainsealed to all but one, and, happy man, he is that one. To him she belongs, to him alone. She is a graden, yes, a most fragrant garden, an orchard of pomegranates full of rich fruit, crowded with sweet-scented plantshenna and spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon and all kinds of frankincense, myrrh and aloes and the best of spices. She is a fountain in the garden, sealed to all others, but not stinted towards the one she loves. To him she is as a well of living waters, like the full fed streams that flow from Lebanon.
The maiden is supposed to hear the song of love. She replies in fearless words of welcome, bidding the north wind awake, and the south wind too, that the fragrance of which her lover has spoken so enthusiastically may flow out more richly than ever. For his sake she would be more sweet and loving. All she possesses is for him. Let him come and take possession of his own.

Verses eleven through Song of Solomon 4:16 a are very well discussed in the above quotation.

Marriage Song of Solomon 4:8-16 a

Surely this passage can be appreciated most by those who are married or who are engaged to be married. Adeney makes an interesting suggestion. He says:

What lover could turn aside from such a rapturous invitation? The shepherd takes his bride; he enters his garden, gathers his myrrh and spice, eats his honey and drinks his wine and milk, and calls on his friends to feast and drink with him. This seems to point to the marriage of the couple and their wedding feast; a view of the passage which interpreters who regard Solomon as the lover throughout for the most part take, but one which has this fatal objection, that it leaves the second half of the poem without a motive. On the hypothesis of the shepherd lover it is still more difficult to suppose the wedding to have occurred at the point we have now reached, for the distraction of the royal courtship still proceeds in subsequent passages of the poem. It would seem then, that we must regard this as quite an ideal scene. It may, however, be taken as a reminiscence of an earlier passage in the lives of the two lovers. It is not impossible that it refers to their wedding, and that they had been married before the action of the whole story began. In that case we should suppose that Solomon's officers had carried off a young bride to the royal harem. The intensity of the love and the bitterness of the separation apparent throughout the poem would be the more intelligible if this were the situation. It is to be remembered that Shakespeare ascribes the climax of the love and grief of Romeo and Juliet to a time after their marriage.
As interesting and instructive as is the above information we yet need application of the principles in the text to our marriages. We see two or three obvious lessons in the text; (1) The safety and comfort of our wife should be of very great concern to every husband. Surely this is how our Lord loved the church. It is not at all enough to issue verbal warnings as edicts from the head of the house. Please note that the text suggests the groom is to accompany the wife and lead by example and companionship. It would suggest, of course, that he knows where he is going. The lover is very much aware of the dangers and also of the nature of the one in danger. This kind of solicitious attention is most welcome when the bride is in love with her spouse. (2) Communicated admiration and respect is such an important part of marriage. We might carry a deep loveadmirationrespect for our wifebut if it is not communicated to her she will not know it. If she does not know itor is but vaguely aware of it, we are hurting her deeply. Self-image is so importantif she does not know and that real oftenthat we admire her greatly what difference will it make what others say about her? It could make a great deal of difference to us if we bottle-up our admiration and never verbalize it in appreciation. (3) Our wives are our gardens. These gardens or fountains are indeed closed to othersbut what we want to say is that we can and should find our enjoyment in this our gardenWe can and should find our refreshment from this our fountain. Gardens do respond to cultivation. Consider what a variety of good things can be continually grown here. Pomegranates and precious fruitall manner of spice and fragrance; but only if we find ourselves often in the garden. Only if we give the careful thought and effort to develop this lovely harvest.

Communion Song of Solomon 4:8-16 a

The call of our Lord to His bride to leave the heights of this world is very realbut it comes from One who not only loves us but admires us. He sees in us all the beauty described and ascribed in verses nine through sixteen. It is the mercies of God that become the motive for presenting our bodies to the bridegroom. Of course, we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, but we must be moved to set our mind upon the things that are above by a knowledge that He believes we can and loves us in our attempts as much as in our accomplishments. We could delineate these verses one by one and point out each of the qualities our Lord sees in uspotential and actual; we will not develop these thoughts because of the lack of spacejust a list of what He sees in me: (1) One look upwardone move of my heart toward Him is immediately met with an eager interest (verse nine). (2) My companionship and communion in prayer with Him is a high joy to Himindeed He created me to walk and talk with Him (verse ten). (3) How pleasing are my words to Him when I praise Him or speak of Him (Song of Solomon 4:11). (4) I am His alone and He is mineI want to be a garden in which He can walk with me in the cool of the day. I am a spring of living water not only because of Him but for Him (Song of Solomon 4:12). (5) My prayers are a sweet smelling incense to Himsupplicationsintercessionsthanksgivingspetitionsare all the varying fragrances of my praying (Song of Solomon 4:13-15). (6) He bids me to spread His praises to the ends of the earthmay the wind of heaven blow to all His lovely fragrance through me (Song of Solomon 4:16 a).

FACT QUESTIONS 4:8-16a

157.

What is meant by saying that these verses are not in chronological order?

158.

This passage contains a response of the shepherd to the maiden's request. What was that request?

159.

How is the term Lebanon used? What does it mean?

160.

What is meant by the reference to the three peaks mentioned in verse eight?

161.

All figures used in verses nine through eleven refer to what?

162.

Show how the language of the shepherd is different than that of the magnificent monarch.

163.

Describe the details of the genuine emotion and fine wholesome passion expressed by the shepherd.

164.

There is a startling contrast here. What is it?

165.

How does the maid reply to this song of love?

166.

How does the lover respond to the rapturous invitation?

167.

This section offers an argument in favor of the shepherd hypothesis. What is it?

168.

Please discuss the three areas of application of this text to present day marriage.

169.

Discuss three-at-a-time the six areas of application of this text to our communion with our Lord.

TEXT 4:16bSong of Solomon 5:1

Shulammite, Song of Solomon 4:16 b

Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his precious fruits.

Shepherd, Song of Solomon 5:1 a

I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk.

Comment:

Remarks of wedding guests or shepherd's companions, Song of Solomon 5:1 b

Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:16bSong of Solomon 5:1

121.

It would seem the marriage is consummated and the story is overbut such is not truewhat has happened?

122.

What is the force of addressing her as both his sister and his bride?

123.

This seems to be past tensethere are no regretsnothing but very pleasant memories and present satisfaction. Why?

124.

Is the shepherd recommending his action to all? What is the import of Song of Solomon 5:1 b?

PARAPHRASE 4:16bSong of Solomon 5:1

Shulammite:

Song of Solomon 4:16 b. Let my beloved come into his garden, and partake of its pleasant fruits.

Shepherd:

Song of Solomon 5:1

I will come into my garden, my sister-bride;

I will gather my myrrh with my spice;
I will eat my honeycomb with my honey;
I will drink my wine with my milk.

Wedding Guests:

Song of Solomon 5:1 b Eat, O friends; Drink! Drink deeply of love's endearments.

(This closes the first half of the Song, the second part beginning retrospectively.)

COMMENT 4:16b5:1

Exegesis Song of Solomon 4:16 bSong of Solomon 5:1

Previous comments have discussed these verses but a few more remarks are needed. Readers of our comments will perhaps be inclined to think that the identity of the speakers and the emphasis we have given their words is a very clear and easy matter. It is not. We have struggled with many conflicting interpretations. We only say of our efforts that we have tried to offer a consistent pattern of understanding throughout the text.
The last two lines of chapter four we attribute to the Shulammite, she uses the same figure of speech and invites her lover to enjoy the luscious fruits that his own loving care had produced. This is also a rebuff to Solomon. She opens the door of her heart to her lover and in the same gesture closes it on the King.

The comments of Arthur G. Clarke are very good on verse Song of Solomon 5:1. (Song of Songs, p. 71).

Chapter Song of Solomon 5:1. Ignore the chapter division. Here is the shepherd's immediate and eager response. The verbs are in the perfect tense and best understood in the modified sense known to grammarians as the perfect of confidence or certainty, anticipating in time the fulfillment of some purpose or cherished hope. Many examples are to be found in the Old Testament, notably in Psalms 2:6. This devise gives the future tense a more expressive form. Read, I will come. will gather. will eat. will drink. Dr. A Harper so understands the passage. Note the eight times my is repeated in this one verse. Honey was once of far greater importance than it is today since the introduction of sugar. with milkMilk is said to have been sometimes mingled with wine to cool its taste. Eat, O friends. These words clearly break in upon the narrative following the conversation of the two lovers and were introduced by the poet probably as a fitting close to the first half of the Song. The conversation was not necessarily overheard. Among many opinions offered by expositors the most satisfactory, we believe, is the third one suggested in the paragraph heading, namely, that they are the words of encouragement uttered by guests at the wedding celebrations. The lines could be paraphrased, You lovers! eat and drink (to the point of intoxication) of love's caresses. For similar language. see Genesis 43:34, RSV rendering.

Marriage Song of Solomon 4:16 bSong of Solomon 5:1

It is true that women think more often about their relationship with men than men do with womenyour wife is more anxious for you to share the joys of married life with her than you are. However, she must be assured with all the preparation and commitment of yourself that such a union is a continuing one. Such assurance we are glad to give. We want no other relationship. When this is true these verses can and do describe our marriage union.

Communion Song of Solomon 4:16 bSong of Solomon 5:7

Are we as anxious for our Lord to have access to our innermost thoughts and motivations as was the maiden in her marriage? It would be easy to give an easy agreementbut it could mean no more than many superficial marriages mean to those involved. We all have a tremendous capacity for ignoring what we do not like and of avoiding the unpleasant. Since our Lord lives in the same house with us (our bodies) I wonder if He shares this same capacity?

FACT QUESTIONS 4:16b5:1

170.

In one gesture the maiden accomplishes two things. What are they?

171.

What does the verb tense have to do with our understanding of the thought of Song of Solomon 5:1?

172.

Does this text suggest that someone should get drunk? Discuss.

173.

These verses can or should refer to our marriagebut conditions must be metwhat are they?

174.

Discuss the meaning of these verses to our fellowship with our heavenly groom.