Song of Solomon 5:1-16

A Wonderful Song about Love

Song of Songs

Mark Kirkpatrick

Chapter 5

The Man

v1 I have come into my garden, my special young woman, my bride.

I have gathered my *myrrh and *spice.

I have eaten my honey.

I have eaten where the *bees store honey.

I have drunk my wine and milk.

Friends

Friends, eat and drink!

Drink until you are full of love!

Verse 8 We have another picture. The woman is high on the mountains. She is difficult to reach. She is more than just a person. She is a *virgin. This makes her very special. This is the first time that the writer uses the word ‘bride’. The *Hebrew word for ‘bride’ means ‘a woman who is complete’. In other words, at her wedding, the bride becomes perfect for her husband. The woman will soon be ‘complete’ because of her marriage (Isaiah 62:4-5). The word ‘bride’ appears six times in the Song (4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 5:1). Perhaps this passage describes the first night of a wedding. The wild animals are dangerous animals like the foxes in Song of Solomon 2:15. Perhaps the woman is still in danger. But when she is married, her husband will protect her.

Verse 9 The man calls the woman his ‘sister’. She is not his real sister. However, she is part of his family (or she soon will be). He called her his sister because they would soon live in the same home. ‘I want to love you with all of my heart’ might also mean ‘I am excited’. The man now feels weak because of his great love for her. It only needs ‘one look’ to do this.

Verses 10-11 The man has compared their love with different things. But now these things feel stronger and stronger. Her ‘*perfume’ makes him weak. The man uses more *symbols – milk and honey. These are liquids. They are also pleasant things to drink and eat. So they describe their love in a better way. The ‘smell of Lebanon’ probably refers to *cedars.

Verse 12 Gardens were important possessions in Israel. Ecclesiastes 2:4-6 describes a royal garden. There were *vineyards, fruit trees and pools of water. But someone has locked the woman’s garden. The woman only cares about the man. There is nobody else. She is like a fountain. But this fountain is only for her man. The good things in this garden are like the love that she offers. Once nobody could enjoy her love. But, at the wedding, she invites her husband to enjoy her love. And everyone will be happy because of their marriage.

Verse 13 The *Hebrew is difficult to understand. The word ‘plants’ might mean ‘roots’. It may refer to plants that grow in her garden.

There are many different plants. All these plants taste good. They all have a wonderful smell. Isaiah 16:8 is a similar verse. It is as if the woman’s roots will ‘spread’ into many places. In other words, many people will benefit because of her love for her husband. The garden is more than a simple garden. The *Hebrew means that it is a very beautiful garden

Verse 14 The *Hebrew has a list of plants. Many of them were expensive. Most people probably did not possess any of them. These plants were *symbols because they were rare and beautiful.

Verse 15 This verse is similar to Song of Solomon 4:12. Fountains are beautiful. Wells and fountains have water that comes from a spring. They do not become dry. The woman will always love her husband. Her love will not be like a spring that becomes dry.

Verse 16 In Song of Solomon 3:5, the woman asks that her friends do not ‘wake’ her love. But now the time is right. She must not stop herself any more. She is eager for love. The man should enter her garden. Then he can eat all the ‘fruit’ that he wants. In other words, he can enjoy everything that she offers him. They are now married. So now is the right time for them to have sex together.

Chapter 5 Verse 1 The woman is now no longer distant. She belongs to the man. He has a share of her honey, *myrrh and *spices. This means that their love is now perfect. They have waited until after their wedding. Their experience together felt wonderful. It was like a meal of the finest foods. Their friends were so happy because of their love for each other.

The Fourth Song

The Woman

v2 I slept but, in a dream, I awoke.

Listen! My lover is knocking.

‘Open to me, my special young woman, my *dear,

my *dove, my perfect young woman.

My head is wet with *dew.

My hair is damp because of the night.’

v3 I have taken off my dress,

I do not want to put it on again.

I have washed my feet.

I do not want to make them dirty.

v4 My lover put his hand through the opening.

I was excited because he was near.

v5 I got up to open (the door) for my lover.

*Myrrh was falling off my hands.

Liquid *myrrh was falling from my fingers.

It fell onto the handles of the lock.

v6 I opened for my lover.

But my lover had left. He had gone.

I was so sad because he had gone.

I looked for him but I could not find him.

I called for him but he did not answer.

v7 The guards found me as they walked round the city.

They hit me and they bruised me.

There were guards on the wall.

They took away my coat.

v8 Make a promise to me, women of Jerusalem.

If you find my lover,

Tell him that I am weak.

I am weak because of love.

Verse 2 The woman is probably not actually asleep. But these events are like a dream. The man in this Song tries to push a door. He does not want any delay. He wants to come into the woman’s room.

Verse 3 The woman in the Song hesitates.

Verse 4 The verse may have a *sexual meaning.

Verse 5 *Myrrh is expensive. The woman has a lot of it. But she seems to waste it because of her love. The ‘door’ is probably a *symbol. The woman goes to the door to let her man in. The woman’s ‘fingers’, the ‘liquid *myrrh’ and the ‘lock’ may have *sexual meanings.

Verse 6 The woman has ‘opened’ something. She has let the man come close to her. The next few lines are a surprise. The man has gone away from the woman! ‘Gone’ might mean ‘continued with his journey’. The woman does not want him to go. The verse is like Song of Solomon 3:2. The woman goes to search for the man again.

Verse 7 The woman looks for her man at night. The town’s guards find her. They take away her coat. The word might mean a *veil (see Isaiah 3:23). ‘Took away’ might mean that she has become naked.

Verse 8 The man has left his woman. The woman thinks that he has forgotten her. She needs the comfort of her friends. She has felt many emotions. She is weak now. But her friends will help her to become strong. Really, she wants more love.

The woman is no longer a *virgin. So she is a different woman. Her experience meant that she had some pain. But she could deal with this. She realises that he has not left her permanently. She still thinks that he is special. So she wants her friends to help her.

The Women of Jerusalem

v9 Beautiful woman, how is your lover different from other men?

Is your lover better than other lovers?

Is that why you ask us to make this promise?

The Woman

v10 My lover is fair and red.

He is noticeable among ten thousand men.

v11 His head is like the purest gold.

His hair has curves.

It is black like a *raven.

v12 His eyes are like *doves.

The *doves are by a stream.

The white part of his eyes is like milk.

It is as if someone has set his eyes like *jewels.

v13 His cheeks are like *spices in a garden.

Their flowers give a *perfume.

His lips are like *lotuses.

Liquid *myrrh seems to fall from his lips.

v14 His arms have a good shape.

They are like gold.

*Jewels cover his arms.

His stomach is like smooth *ivory.

He has covered it with *jewels.

v15 His legs are like *marble columns.

Someone has set them on a gold base.

He stands tall.

He is like the finest *cedar tree in Lebanon.

v16 Yes, women of Jerusalem, this is what my lover is like.

He has the sweetest mouth.

Everything about him is lovely.

Verse 9 The *Hebrew is difficult to understand. The woman has loved the man so much. It has been like a journey. Her friends want to be sure that he is the right man. So she will try to convince them.

Verse 10 David had red skin (1 Samuel 16:12). People thought that he was attractive. In ancient times, people preferred darker skin. ‘Ten thousand’ means ‘a great number’.

Verse 11 People notice this man in a crowd. The man’s face is beautiful. Daniel describes Nebuchadnezzar in a similar way (Daniel 2:32). The man must be young. He has no grey hair!

Verse 12 It seems that the man has beautiful eyes. He does not stare at her. Instead, when he looks at her, he appreciates her. The milk is a *symbol. Milk is full of good things. The *Hebrew for ‘set his eyes like *jewels’ is difficult. It might refer to the colour of the man’s eyes.

Verse 13 The *Hebrew is not clear in this verse. The flowers may be in large, high groups. So they are like round, high buildings. The woman is continuing to describe how special the man is. The man’s lips give much pleasure. The *lotus was a *symbol for life.

Verse 14 This verse could refer to many different *jewels. Perhaps he only had one *jewel in each hand. (The *Hebrew for ‘arms’ in this verse is the same as ‘hands’.)

Verse 15 The woman likes every part of the man. Even his legs are pretty. The higher part of his legs is pale. But his lower legs have a gold colour. There is a nice difference. The trees in Lebanon are both strong and beautiful.

Verse 16 The man’s kisses are a delight. This verse is similar to Song of Solomon 1:2. The *Hebrew for ‘lover’ might also be ‘friend’ (see Psalms 45:14).

myrrh ~ something that comes from trees; people use it in incense.
incense ~ a spice that produces a sweet smell.
spice ~ a special plant that has a strong smell and taste. People use spices to make incense and perfume.
perfume ~ a sweet smell.
spice ~ a special plant that has a strong smell and taste. People use spices to make incense and perfume.
incense ~ a spice that produces a sweet smell.
perfume ~ a sweet smell.
bee ~ a type of insect.
virgin ~ a woman who has never had sex.
Hebrew ~ the language that Song of Songs is written in.
perfume ~ a sweet smell.
symbol ~ something that represents something else; a sign of an object; something that actually means something else.
cedar ~ a type of tall tree, or wood from the cedar tree.
vineyard ~ a place where vines grow.
vine ~ a plant with fruit; grapes (a small, soft fruit) grow on them.
dear ~ someone that you love in a special way.
dove ~ a bird.
dew ~ small amounts of water that appear on the ground; this usually happens during the night.
myrrh ~ something that comes from trees; people use it in incense.
incense ~ a spice that produces a sweet smell.
spice ~ a special plant that has a strong smell and taste. People use spices to make incense and perfume.
perfume ~ a sweet smell.
sexual ~ about sex.
veil ~ a piece of cloth; a woman wears it over her face; it is possible to see through it.
raven ~ a black bird.
jewel ~ a precious stone.
lotus ~ a flower.
jewel ~ a precious stone.
ivory ~ part of an elephant (called the ‘tusk’). It is hard and white. People use ivory to make beautiful things.
marble ~ a very hard material; it is similar to stone; it can have colours.'

How to love God with all your heart

Song of Songs

Commentary: Keith Simons. Translation: Mark Kirkpatrick

Chapter 5

Solomon

v1 I have come into my garden, my special young woman, my bride.

I have gathered my *myrrh and *spice.

I have eaten my honey.

I have eaten where the *bees store honey.

I have drunk my wine and milk.

Friends

Friends, eat and drink!

Drink until you are full of love!