INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 6 The discourse between the church and the daughters of Jerusalem is continued in this chapter: they inquire whither her beloved was gone, in order to seek him with her, Song of Solomon 6:1; she tells them where he was gone, and for what purpose he went thither, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHITHER IS THY BELOVED GONE, O THOU FAIREST AMONG WOMEN?.... The title is the same used by them, and by Christ before them, Song of Solomon 1:8; and here repeated, to assure her that they were serious in asking this question, and that it was in great respect to her they put it; and which, to the sam... [ Continue Reading ]
MY BELOVED IS GONE DOWN INTO HIS GARDEN,.... Which may be said by Solomon, in allusion to what he himself was wont to do, as Josephus q relates; who used to go very early in a morning in great pomp to Etham, about two miles from Jerusalem, a pleasant place, abounding with gardens and flows of water:... [ Continue Reading ]
I [AM] MY BELOVED'S, AND MY BELOVED [IS] MINE,.... Expressive of interest in Christ, and union to him, and of her faith therein; which still continued, notwithstanding her unbecoming behavior toward Christ, and her many infirmities, Song of Solomon 5:2. Aben Ezra connects the words with the precedin... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU [ART] BEAUTIFUL, O MY LOVE, AS TIRZAH,.... These are the words of Christ, who had been absent for some time, and till now silent; but, like another Joseph, could not refrain any longer, but makes himself known to his church, and bursts out in strong expressions of love to her, and in high comme... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN AWAY THINE EYES FROM ME,.... Her eyes of faith and love; not through dislike of them, but as ravished with them; his passions were so struck by them, and his heart pierced with them, that he could stand it out no longer against her; see Song of Solomon 4:9. Some render the words, "turn about th... [ Continue Reading ]
THY TEETH [ARE] AS A FLOCK OF SHEEP WHICH GO UP FROM THE WASHING, WHEREOF EVERYONE BEARETH TWINS, AND [THERE IS] NOT ONE BARREN AMONG THEM]. Song of Solomon 4:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A PIECE OF A POMEGRANATE [ARE] THY TEMPLES WITHIN THY LOCKS. The same descriptions are given in Song of Solomon 4:3; Song of Solomon 4:3; and these are repeated, to show the reality of the church's beauty, and for the sake of confirmation; and that it still continued the same, notwithstanding he... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE ARE THREESCORE QUEENS, AND FOURSCORE CONCUBINES, AND VIRGINS WITHOUT NUMBER. In this verse and Song of Solomon 6:9 the church is commended as she stood related to others; and is compared with them, and preferred to them. The words may be considered either as an assertion, "there are", c. or as... [ Continue Reading ]
MY DOVE, MY UNDEFILED, IS [BUT] ONE,.... Of these titles, see Song of Solomon 2:14. Christ's church is called one, in distinction from the many before mentioned; and either designs her small number, in comparison of the nations of the world, and of false churches, like one to sixty or eighty, and ev... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS SHE [THAT] LOOKETH FORTH AS THE MORNING?.... These words may be connected with the preceding, by a supplement of the word "saying"; and so may express what the daughters said, when they blessed and praised the church, wondering at her beauty, it being like the rising morning; so Helena is sai... [ Continue Reading ]
I WENT DOWN INTO THE GARDEN OF NUTS,.... This is very properly taken notice of in this song of love; it being usual for newly married persons to get nuts, and throw them among children, to make pastime; to signify, among other things, that they now renounced childish things u. These are the words of... [ Continue Reading ]
OR EVER ONE WAS AWARE, MY SOUL MADE ME [LIKE] THE CHARIOTS OF AMMINADIB. These are either the words of the church or of Christ, saying, "I know not" y as the first clause may be rendered: if the words of the church, the sense may be, that though she knew not where her beloved was gone, when he went... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN, RETURN, O SHULAMITE; RETURN, RETURN,.... By whom the church is meant, so called from her being the spouse of Christ, the true Solomon; it being common for the wife to have the same name with her husband; thus, with the Romans, if the man's name was Caius, the woman's name was Caia: is the na... [ Continue Reading ]