Song of Solomon 5:8-16

TEXT 5:8-16

Adjuration to Court Ladies, Song of Solomon 5:8 (third)

Court Ladies, Challenge, Song of Solomon 5:9 (ironical)

Shulammite, Description of her beloved, Song of Solomon 5:10-16

8.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

If ye find my beloved,
That ye tell him, that I am sick from love.

9.

What is thy beloved more than another beloved,

O thou fairest among women?
What is thy beloved more than another beloved,
That thou dost so adjure us?

10.

My beloved is white and ruddy,

The chiefest among ten thousand.

11.

His head is as the most fine gold; His locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

12.

His eyes are like doves beside the waterbrooks,

Washed with milk, and fitly set.

13.

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as banks of sweet herbs;

His lips are as lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

14.

His hands are as rings of gold set with beryl:

His body is an ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

15.

His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold:

His aspect is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

16.

His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely.

This is my beloved, and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 5:8-16

135.

The maiden seems to confuse her dream with reality. Has the shepherd ever truly been lost?

136.

She was lovesick from two causesread Song of Solomon 2:5 and compare with Song of Solomon 5:8what were these causes?

137.

The court ladies have not changed their attitude since Song of Solomon 1:8. What was it?

138.

What is meant by the expression white and ruddy?

139.

The chief among ten thousand would stand out in some conspicuous manner. What was it with the shepherd?

140.

What quality is suggested in describing his head as most fine gold?

141.

What is the meaning of the compliment as related to having bushy hair?

142.

His hair was black as compared to what other color?

143.

There is a beautiful figure of speech in verse twelve. Read it carefully and express it in your own words.

144.

Her beloved must have had a beardread verse thirteenhis lips were red anemoneswhat is represented by the myrrh?

145.

She describes his hands. What is the figure?

146.

His body is as a work in ivorybut morewhat is added?

147.

What is suggested by saying his legs are as pillars?

148.

His bearing is described in Song of Solomon 5:15 b. What was it?

149.

Is the sweetness of his mouth a reference to his kisseshis voice or his speech?

150.

She concludes by calling him more than her belovedhe is also my friend. What does this suggest?

PARAPHRASE 5:8-16

8.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem!

That if ye should find my beloved.
What shall ye tell him?
(Tell him) that I am lovesick.

Court Ladies:

9.

What is thy beloved more than another beloved,

O thou fairest among women?
What is thy beloved more than another beloved,
That thou dost so adjure us?

Shulammite:

10.

My beloved is clear-skinned and ruddy,

Outstanding as a standard-bearer in an army of ten thousand.

11.

His head is as the purest gold;

His locks are wavy and raven-black;

12.

His eyes are like doves by the water brooks,

Bathed in milk and fitly set like gems;

13.

His (bearded) cheeks are like a raised bed of balsams,

As clustered aromatic plants;
His lips are red as anemones,
And his words like flowing myrrh;

14.

His fingers are cylinders of gold set with topaz;

His body like polished marble veined with lapis lazuli;

15.

His legs are like alabaster pillars

Set upon bases of refined gold;
His bearing is as Lebanon, majestic as its cedars,

16.

His voice is melodious;

Indeed, all of him is surpassingly lovely,
This is my beloved, yes, this is my companion,
O daughters of Jerusalem!

COMMENT 5:8-16

Song of Solomon 5:8. All this (Song of Solomon 5:1-7) Shulamith dreamed; but the painful feeling of repentance, of separation and misapprehension which the dream left behind, entered as deeply into her soul as if it had been an actual external experience. Therefore her words to the daughters of Jerusalem are not out of place. (Delitzsch)

In contrast with the watchmenat least the daughters of Jerusalem will understand her need. They have had similar experiences. She carries a deep love-sorrow without him all of life is out of focus. I am love-sick.

Song of Solomon 5:9. Do these women ask because they want to know or only because they wish to needle their rival? We believe it is the latter reason.

Song of Solomon 5:10. If Solomon is the author of this song (and we believe he is) the words that follow would be the most exaggerated of self-praise if they referred to himselfhowever, put in the mouth of the Shulammite concerning her shepherd lover, they become far more believable. She calls into use the kingdom of nature and art in her praise of this one who is altogether lovely. Whatever is precious, lovely, and grand, is all combined in the living beauty of his person. (Ibid) The rosy whiteness of his skin suggests perfect health. The term chiefest among ten thousand refers to the one who carries the banner in war. She is saying to the ladies of the court or harem you could easily pick him out. It would be as easy as seeing the banner-bearer among ten thousand.

Song of Solomon 5:11. To say that his head is precious fine gold is to immediately associate it with beauty-value and honorperhaps the imposing nobility of bearing is the point in comparison. The locks of his hair appear as a terraced hillsideor a series of hills seen at a distance, hill upon hill. Seen from his neck upwards, his hair forms in undulating lines, hill upon hill. In color, these locks of hair are black as a raven. the raven-blackness of the hair contrasts with the whiteness and redness of the countenance, which shines forth as from a black ground, from a black border. (Delitzsch)

Song of Solomon 5:12. The eyes in their glancing moistness, and in the movement of their pupils, are like doves which sip at the water-brooks, and move to and fro beside them. That the eyes are like a precious stone in its casket, does not merely signify that they fill the sockets. but that they are not sunk like the eyes of one who is sick. they appear full and large as they pass forward from wide and open eyelids. (ibid)

Song of Solomon 5:13. His cheeks are like a soft, raised flower bed, the impression received upon seeing them is like the fragrance which flows from such a flower bed, planted as it is with sweet-scented flowers. This latter allusion is probably to the practice of perfuming the beard. (Cf. Psalms 133:2) His lips are as blood-red as the scarlet anemone. His speech is as fragrant and sweet as the smell of myrrh.

Song of Solomon 5:14. His handsgolden cylinders, filled with stones of Tarshish. The fingers, full, round, fleshy in mould are compared to rods or bars of gold formed like rollers garnished with stones from Tarshish, to which the nails are likened. The transparent horn-plates of the nails, with the white segment of a circle at their roots, are certainly, when they are beautiful, an ornament to the hand, and without any need of being stained are worthy to be compared to the gold-yellow of topaz. His body is an ivory work of art, covered with sapphires. The term covered over perhaps should be with sapphires. The well formed body over which are the branching blue veins under the white skin.

Song of Solomon 5:15. His legs are white marble columns, set on bases of fine gold. Strength and stability as well as beauty are here symbolized. His whole bearing is noble, the impression one gets upon looking at him is the same as when we stand at the base of a giant cedar tree and looks up.

Song of Solomon 5:16. His mouth (or speech) is most sweet, this is a reference to the manner by which he addresses otherswith true sweetness. (Cf. Proverbs 16:21)

To sum up her evaluation she can say he is altogether lovely. The women of the court wanted to know(or did they?) As she stands back before this full length portrait she can tell themThis (emphatically) is my beloved, and this is my friend.! She evidently had spent enough time with him in various circumstances so she could say she was describing not only his physical appearance, but his personality and character.

Marriage Song of Solomon 5:8-16

What a paragon of manhood! What hope is there for us poor, ordinary mortal husbands? Before we turn the page and look for more practical materialpause! Look again. The various parts of the body of the husband all relate to a quality of character we each can find in our lives as they relate to our wivesConsider: (1) A pure mind(refined gold)What a valuable, honorable, beautiful quality this is. A slavery to King Jesus by which He brings every thought into captivity is the answer here. Surely there is no greater gift we could offer our wives. (2) A single eyei.e., a healthy eyeThe eye is the window of the soul. A single resolute purpose in life is so important to marriage. If our Lord cannot supply such a purpose we shall never have it. (3) A pleasant faceit is possible to cultivate a happy cheerful expression on our face. An optimistic attitude in our general demeanor which is reflected on the face will be a very large help. Who can offer reason for such an expression? The fruit of His presence is joy. (4) Words of fragrant sweetness can be said. Many a bride wishes she were married to Barnabusi.e., the son of encouragement. One of the gifts of His presence is encouragement or exhortation. (5) Beautiful handsstrong and helpful. There are so many little areas of need where we can help. Show me your love apart from your works and I by my works will show thee my love. (6) A body like a work of artA work of art is only produced by the most careful cooperation and practice of the skills of an artist. Our whole person should be fashioned by the Master artist until we become like Him. Until we become in truth His own body, indwelt by His Spirit. (7) Strong legs by which and on which we stand.Our foundation is solid gold. Having done all to standto do that requires strong legs. He who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation can cause us to stand today. We stand in a beautiful, valuable place every time we let Him direct our posture.

So we can see with Him and through Him and because of Him we are altogether lovely. What wife wouldn-'t be delighted to share life with such a man?

Communion Song of Solomon 5:8-16

It is not at all difficult to see the application of this text to our heavenly husbandindeed, and in truth He is altogether lovely! We should like to attempt a paraphrase of the text as we relate it to our Lord: My beloved is pure and strong. The leader among all men. He carries the banner of His own conquest. He is the head of His body, the churchsuch a head is of value beyond estimate. He is eternally youthful and strong. His beauty is such a contrast to the environment in which He lives. What a refreshment it is to look into His eyes! His eyes are full of love and alive with interest in my life in all of it, all the time. He looks at me tenderlysoftly, -like doves beside the water brooks-'peaceful, restful, yet full of life. He always is able to see what no one else could. Everything moves into its proper place when I look long enough into His eyes. All the love and care of my Father is seen in the face of my Lord. To know that even now I have the fragrant words that came from His lips is startling! What beautiful strong hands does my Lord have. Today His hands are my hands. His help is my help in our world. The body of my Lord is indeed a work of artnot of men but of God. I stand in the strength of His might. His total bearing is one of the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords. This is my beloved and my nearest, dearest Friend. How inadequately we have represented HimHe is moremuch more than we were able to say.

FACT QUESTIONS 5:8-16

185.

There is a carryover of the dream of Song of Solomon 5:1-7 into verse eight. What is it?

186.

The daughters of Jerusalem are contrasted to the watchmen. How?

187.

Why do the women of Solomon's harem ask about the shepherd?

188.

It really does not seem sensible to think of these verses applying to Solomon as the groom. Why?

189.

What is meant by saying my beloved is white and ruddy?

190.

Explain the phrase the chiefest among ten thousand?

191.

Why say of his head: his head is as the most fine gold?

192.

Describe the hair of her beloved.

193.

His eyes are surely one of his most attractive features. Explain.

194.

Show how his cheeks were like a flower bed.

195.

What symbolism is used to describe his hands?

196.

What is taught by saying His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of gold?

197.

What does the bride say as she stands back to view the full length portrait she has just painted?

198.

Group the seven qualities of the husband here described and discuss three in one session and four in another as they relate to your husband-wife relationship.

199.

Please read over again our paraphrase in the description of our Lordnow make your own paraphrase by following the text and your own heart.