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Song of
Solomon Chapter Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 3
In
this chapter an account is given of an adventure of the church
in quest of her
beloved; of the time when
and places where
and the persons of whom she sought
him; and of her success upon the whole; with a charge she give to the daughters
of Jerusalem
Song of Solomon 3:1;
by whom she is commended
Song of Solomon 3:6;
and then Christ
her beloved
is described by her; by his bed
and the guard
about it
Song of Solomon 3:7;
by the chariot he rode in
Song of Solomon 3:9;
and by the crown he wore on his coronation day
Song of Solomon 3:11.
Song of Solomon
3:1 The Shulamite By
night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him
but I did not find him.
YLT 1On my couch by night
I
sought him whom my soul hath loved; I sought him
and I found him not!
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth
.... The day
being not yet broke
the night of Jewish darkness still on the church
and the
shadow of the ceremonial law as yet stretched upon her; and having some
knowledge of Christ by types and prophecies
desires more
and seeks it in the
use of means: though the words may be taken in a more large sense
and
represent the state and condition of the church and of all true believers in
any age
and at one time as well as another; who
when their beloved is absent
it is "night" with them; as Christ's presence makes day
his absence
makes night; and it was now night with the Church
either of affliction
or of
darkness and desertion
and indeed of both. The word is plural
"by
nights"F9בלילות εν
νυξιν
Sept. "per noctes"
V. L. Junius &
Tremeilius
Piscator; "in noctibus"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine
versions
Marckius
Michaelis. ; one night after another
successively
she
sought her beloved; which both expresses the continuance of her state
and her
diligence and constancy in seeking Christ. The place where she sought him was
"her bed"; not the same as in Song of Solomon 1:16;
which was both Christ's and hers
and where a different word is used; but this
was purely her own: either a bed of affliction
when good men usually seek the
Lord
Isaiah 26:16
Hosea 5:15; or
rather of carnal ease and security
in which she continued
and rose not up
from it to seek her beloved; which shows the cold
lukewarm
lazy frame she was
in
and formal manner in which she sought him
and so succeeded not: however
he was stilt the person "whom her soul loved"
cordially and
sincerely
though not so fervently as she had done; true love
though it may be
abated
cannot be lost;
I sought him
but I found him not; because she sought him
not aright; not timely
nor fervently and diligently
nor in a proper place;
not in her closet
by prayer
reading
and meditation
nor in public
ordinances
she afterwards did; but on her bed.
Song of Solomon
3:2 2 “I
will rise now
” I said
“And go about the city; In the streets and in
the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him
but I did not find him.
YLT 2-- Pray
let me rise
and
go round the city
In the streets and in the broad places
I seek him whom my
soul hath loved! -- I sought him
and I found him not.
I will rise now
.... Perceiving she had taken a wrong
method
and therefore unsuccessful
she fixes on another; and
in the strength
of divine grace
determines to pursue it
and "now"
at once
immediately
without any delay
"rise" from her bed of sloth and
ease
and forego her carnal pleasures
in pursuit of her beloved; which showed
the sincerity of her love to him;
and go about the city; not the city of Jerusalem
though there may be an allusion to it; but the spiritual city
of which saints
are fellow citizens
where they dwell
and where the word is preached
and the
ordinances are administered: and "going about" it
as she proposed
showed her diligence and industry in seeking him: and the night being an
unseasonable time to walk about a city
especially for women
this is a further
proof of her great love to Christ
in that she not only exposed herself to
reproach and scandal
but to harm and danger also; but being fired with love
and fearless of dangerF11"Audacem faciebat amor". Ovid.
Metamorph. l. 4. Fab. 4.
and set on finding her beloved
she resolved to
proceed
whatever she suffered. Hence she sought him
in the streets
and in the broad ways; that is
of
the city
such as commonly are in cities; so Troy is describedF12Homer.
Iliad. 2. v. 29
66
141
329. & 14. v. 88. Odyss. 22. v. 230. as a city
having broad ways in it; and also AthensF13Ib. Odyss. 7. v. 80. :
meaning the public ordinances of the Gospel
where he takes his walks
and
often shows himself; in seeking him here
she was right
though she did not
succeed;
I will seek him whom my soul loveth; her love was still the
same
not abated
more likely to be increased through disappointment; nor was
she discouraged
but was determined to go on seeking
till she found him;
I sought him
but I found him not; this was to chastise her
for her former negligence; to try her faith
love
and patience; and to show
that even the best means
though to be used
are not to be depended on; and
that Christ has his own time and way to make himself known to his people
which
depends on his sovereign will.
Song of Solomon
3:3 3 The
watchmen who go about the city found me; I said
“Have you seen the one
I love?”
YLT 3The watchmen have found me
(Who are going round about the city)
`Him whom my soul have loved saw ye?'
The watchmen that go about the city found me
.... By whom
are meant the ministers of the Gospel; who are called watchmen
as the prophets
were under the Old Testament
Isaiah 52:8; in
allusion to watchmen in cities; and are so called in regard to themselves
it
being their duty to watch over themselves; and to their doctrine
and all
opportunities to preach it
and the success of it: their business with respect
to others is to give the time of night; to point out the state and condition of
the church; to give notice of danger to sinners in the broad road to destruction;
and to saints
through the prevalence of error
heresy
and immorality; all
which require sobriety
vigilance
prudence
courage
and faithfulness; and
show the necessity and utility of the Gospel ministry
and the awfulness of it;
and the care Christ takes of his churches
in providing such officers in them.
These are said to "go about the city"
denoting their industry and
diligence; and being in the way of their duty
they "found" the
church
fell upon her case in their ministry
and hit it exactly; which shows
the efficacy of the word under a divine direction; which finds out sinners
and
their sins; saints
and their particular cases
unknown to ministers; and the
church
having met with something suitable to her case under their ministry
to whom I said
took an opportunity privately to discourse
with them
and put this question to them
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? meaning Christ; who was
still the object of her love
and uppermost in her thoughts; whom she thus
describes
without mentioning his name
as if he was the only "Him"
in the world worthy of any regard; which shows how much he was in her mind
how
much the desires and affections of her soul were towards him
and that these
ministers needed no other description of him. No answer is returned to her
question that is recorded; not because they were not able to give one
nor
because they did not; and if they did not
it might be owing to her haste
not
waiting for one; and if they did
she not being able to apply it to her case
no notice is taken of it: however
though she did not find immediate relief by
them
yet she met with something from them that was of use to her afterwards
as appears by what follows.
Song of Solomon
3:4 4 Scarcely
had I passed by them
When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let
him go
Until I had brought him to the house of my mother
And into the chamber
of her who conceived me.
YLT 4But a little I passed on
from them
Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him
and let him
not go
Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother -- And the chamber of
her that conceived me.
It was but a little
that I passed from them
.... Either a small moment of time
as the Targum and Aben Ezra;
or a little distance of place
that is
from the watchmen or ministers
from
whom she passed; not through disrespect to them
much less contempt of them;
nor because she received no benefit at all from them; but her going on shows
she did not rest in means
but looked beyond them
and went on further in the
exercise of her faith
and hope of finding her beloved: and meeting with him a
little after she had passed from the ministers suggests that Christ is not far
from his ministers and ordinances; for it follows
but I found him whom my soul loveth; which she expresses with
the utmost exultation and pleasure
which meeting with him must give her
after
such long and fruitless searches
and so many disappointments; see John 1:41; and for
Christ to show himself
without which there is no finding him
is a proof of
the greatness of his love
and of the freeness and sovereignty of it; and that
means
though to be used
are not to be depended on; nor should we be discouraged
when they fail
since Christ can make himself known without them
as he did
here to the church; who says
I held him
and would not let him go; which on the
part of the church is expressive of her faith in him
signified by laying hold
on him
his person
righteousness
grace
and strength
Proverbs 3:18; and
of her strong affection to him
grasping and embracing him in her arms of faith
and love; and of her fear and jealousy lest he should depart from her again;
and of her steady resolution to hold him
whatever was the consequence of it:
and
on his part
it intimates a seeming offer to be gone; and a gracious
allowance to lay hold on him; and his wonderful condescension to be held by
her; and the delight and pleasure he took in the exercise of her faith upon
him; for it was not against but with his will he was held by her; and this she
determined to do
and not let go her hold
until
says she
I had brought him into my mother's house
and into the chambers of
her that conceived me; the allusion is to the tents and apartments women had in former
times
distinct from their husbands
Genesis 24:67; and
all this may be understood either of the visible church
and the ordinances of
it
the mother of all true believers
where they are born again
brought up and
nourished; and where Christ may be said to be brought
when his name is
professed
his Gospel is embraced
and his ordinances are submitted to; and
here the church is desirous of introducing Christ
that she with others might
magnify him
and praise him for all the instances of his grace and goodness
and have communion with him: or else the heart
and the inmost recesses of it
may be meant; where the incorruptible seed of divine grace is cast; where the
new creature; conceived
born
and brought up
until it becomes a perfect man;
and where Christ is desired to be
and to dwell by faith
and saints may have
uninterrupted communion with him: unless the heavenly mansions are intended
the house of the Jerusalem above
the mother of us all; where saints long to be
with Christ
enjoy him
and never lose his presence more; till then the church
resolves to hold him fast in the arms of faith
hope
and love
and not let him
go.
Song of Solomon
3:5 5 I
charge you
O daughters of Jerusalem
By the gazelles or by the does of the
field
Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.
YLT 5I have adjured you
daughters of Jerusalem
By the roes or by the hinds of the field
Stir not up
nor wake the love till she please!
I charge you
O ye daughters of Jerusalem
.... Which are
either the words of Christ
adjuring the young converts not to disturb the
church; who had now Christ in her arms
taking repose with him
being wearied
with running about in search of him: or they are the words of the church; who
having experienced a long absence of Christ
and having been at much pains in
search of him
and now had found him
was very unwilling to part with him; and
fearing these young converts should by any unbecoming word or action provoke
him to depart
she gives them a solemn charge;
by the roes and by the hinds of the field
that ye stir not up
nor awake my love
till he please; See Gill on Song of Solomon 2:7.
Song of Solomon
3:6 The Shulamite 6 Who is this coming
out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke
Perfumed with myrrh and
frankincense
With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
YLT 6Who [is] this coming up
from the wilderness
Like palm-trees of smoke
Perfumed [with] myrrh and
frankincense
From every powder of the merchant?
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness
.... This is
said by the daughters of Jerusalem
adjured in Song of Solomon 3:5;
who
upon the happy meeting of Christ and his church
saw a greater glory and
beauty in her than they had seen before; and therefore put this question
not
as ignorant of her
but as admiring at her. By the wilderness she is said to
"come out" of is meant either a state of nature
as Theodoret; in
which all the elect of God are before conversion
and out of which they are
brought by efficacious grace; called a wilderness
because of the barrenness
and unfruitfulness of persons in such a state; and because of the perplexed
ways and tracks in it
which bewilder a man that he knows not which to take;
and because of the want of spiritual provisions in it; and because of the
danger men are exposed unto through holes and pits
and beasts of prey: in such
a state God finds his people
convinces them of it
and brings them out of it;
which is an instance of surprising and distinguishing grace: or else the world
itself may be meant
the wilderness of the people
Ezekiel 20:35; so
called because of the roughness of the way
the many tribulations the saints
pass through in it; and because of the traps and snares that are in it
through
evil men
the lusts of the flesh
and the temptations of Satan; because of the
many evil beasts in it
ungodly men
false teachers
and Satan the roaring
lion; and because of the plentiful table God furnishes here for his people
feeding them in the wilderness with Gospel doctrines and spiritual ordinances
Revelation 12:14;
and because of the many windings and turnings of Providence in it
through all
which they are led in a right way to the city of their habitation: now though
they are in the world
they are not of it; they are called out of it
and quit
as much as may be the company and conversation of the men of it; and through
the grace of God are more and more weaned from it
and long after another and
better world; all which may be intended by their coming out of this: or else
this may design a state of sorrow and distress when under desertion
and
without the presence of Christ; which had lately been the case of the church
who had been in a bewildered condition
and not knowing where her beloved was
ran about here and there in quest of him
like one in a wood
seeking him and
calling after him; but now having sight of him
and some communion with him
is
represented as coming out of that state. She is further described as being
like pillars of smoke
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense; her heart
being inflamed with love to Christ
her affections moved upwards
heavenwards
and were set on things above; and which were sincere and upright
rose up in
the form of palm trees
as the wordF14כתימרות
"ut columnae ad formam palmae assurgntes"
Buxtorf; "ut
palmae"
Mercerus
Cocceius; "instar palmarum"
Tigurine
version
Michaelis. signifies
a very upright tree; and these moved steadily
towards Christ
and could not be diverted from him by the winds of temptation
affliction
and persecution; and though there might be some degree of dulness
and imperfection in them
hence called "pillars of smoke"; yet being
perfumed with the sweet smelling myrrh of Christ's sacrifice
and the incense
of his mediation
became acceptable to God. It is added
with all powders of the merchant: odorous ones
such are
the graces of the Spirit
which Christ the merchantman is full of; and makes
his people
their affections and prayers
of a sweet smelling savour with. Ben
Melech interprets it of garments perfumed with spices; see Psalm 45:8; Some
render the words
"above" or "more excellent than all powders of
the merchant"F15so Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Schmidt.
druggist or apothecaryF16רוכל μυρεψου
Sept.
"pigmentarii"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus; "pharmacopolae"
Tigurine version; "seplasiarii"
Mercerus
Cocceius;
"aromatarii"
Junius & Tremellius
Marckius. ; no such drug nor
spice to be found in their shops
that smell so sweet as Christ
his grace and
righteousness.
Song of Solomon
3:7 7 Behold
it is Solomon’s couch
With sixty valiant men around it
Of the
valiant of Israel.
YLT 7Lo
his couch
that [is]
Solomon's
Sixty mighty ones [are] around it
Of the mighty of Israel
Behold his bed which is Solomon's
.... Not
Solomon the son of David
and penman of this song
but a greater than he
the
antitype of him; so it is interpreted of the Messiah by many Jewish writersF17Targum
Aben Ezra
Jarchi
Kimchi
Ben Melech
and Abendana. : they were both sons of
David and sons of God
and kings and preachers in Jerusalem. Solomon was a type
of Christ in his wisdom and wealth
in the largeness and peaceableness of his
kingdom; in his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter
and in building the temple
a
figure of the church: and by his bed is meant the place where saints meet
together for religious worship
his church visible
which is his resting and
dwelling place; where souls are begotten and born again
and have fellowship
with Christ; and which he has a property in by gift and purchase: and a behold
is prefixed to it as a note of attention
directing the daughters of Jerusalem
to turn off the discourse from her
and from commendation of her
to consider
the greatness of Christ her beloved; who might conclude
that if his bed was so
stately as after described
bow great must he himself be; and as a note of
admiration
to show how much she was affected with the greatness of his grace
to her
and the privileges she enjoyed of having nearness to him
and
fellowship with him;
threescore valiant men are about it
of the valiant of
Israel; ministers of the Gospel
such as are Israelites indeed
faithful
and upright; and who are valiant
and heartily concerned for the good and
welfare of Christ's people
and are careful that nothing hurt them
nor disturb
their rest and repose. In the number of them
the allusion may be to the guard
about Solomon's bed; which might consist of so many
partly for the security of
his royal person
and partly for grandeur and majesty: and were just double the
number of his father's worthies
he excelling him in greatness and glory;
though it may be a certain number is put for an uncertain; and this is a
competent and sufficient one.
Song of Solomon
3:8 8 They
all hold swords
Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on
his thigh Because of fear in the night.
YLT 8All of them holding sword
taught of battle
Each his sword by his thigh
for fear at night.
They all hold swords
.... Or a
"sword"F18 ρομφαιαν
Sept. "gladium"
Pagninus
Junius & Tremellius
Cocceius. ; the
word is singular
which designs the word of God
called the sword of the
Spirit
and said to be sharper than a twoedged sword
Ephesians 6:17
Hebrews 4:12; which
everyone of the ministers of the Gospel hold in their hands; and which denotes
not only their apprehension
but their retention of it
and firm adherence to
it; it cleaves to them
and they to that; they and their sword cannot be
parted
as GussetiusF19Ebr. Comment. p. 23. observes the word
signifies; these ministers could not be prevailed upon to drop it
or part with
it
but retained it to the last; which shows them to be valiant men;
being expert in war; in military
straits
in the spiritual war against sin
Satan
and the world
in common with
other Christians; and in fighting the good fight of faith
against all opposers
of the doctrines of the Gospel; knowing how to use to the best advantage the
spiritual sword
the Scriptures of truth
to defend the Gospel
and refute
error;
every man hath his sword upon his thigh; as a
preparation for war
and an indication of readiness to engage in it
Psalm 45:3; for
being on the thigh
it is near
easy to come at
at once upon occasion
and so
always in a posture of defence; all which expresses the familiar acquaintance
ministers have with the word of God
its nearness
so that they can easily come
at it
and furnish themselves with a sufficient proof of truth
and with proper
arguments for the refutation of error. And this is done
because of fear in the night: when there is most
danger; hence Cyrus considering that men are most easily taken when eating and
drinking
and in the bath
and in bed
and in sleep
looked out for the most
faithful men to be his bodyguardF20Xenophon. Cyropaedia
l. 6. c.
29. . By "night" or "nights"F21בלילות "in noctibus"
Pagninus
Montanus
Piscator
Marckius
Michaelis. may be meant the nights of desertion
temptation
affliction
and persecution; when saints are in fear of their
spiritual enemies
and of being overcome and destroyed by them: now Christ has
provided a guard for his people
to prevent or remove these fears
and defend
them from such as would make inroads upon their faith and comfort; namely
his
ministers
that by their ministerings they may be a means of securing their
peace and comfort
and of freeing them from all terrible apprehensions of
things; which
as it shows the safety and security of the saints
so the tender
care and concern of Christ for them.
Song of Solomon
3:9 9 Of
the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King Made himself a palanquin:[a]
YLT 9A palanquin king Solomon
made for himself
Of the wood of Lebanon
King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. The word
translated chariot is only used in this place; some render it a bride chamberF21אפריון "thalamum sponsarum"
Montanus. ; others a
nuptial bedF23So Schmidt
Marckius
David de Pomis
Kimchi in Sopher
Shorash. rad. פרה & Ben Melech in loc.
such as
is carried from place to place; it is used in the MisnahF24Sotah
c.
9. s. 14. & Jarchi in ibid. for the nuptial
bed
or open chariot
in which
the bride was carried from her father's house to her husband's. The Septuagint
render it by φορειον
a word near in sound to that in the Hebrew text
and was the
"lectica" of the ancients
somewhat like our "sedan"; some
of which were adorned with gold and precious stones
and had silver feetF25Vid.
Alstorph. de Lecticis Veter. c. 3.
or pillars
as follows: it seems upon the
whole to be the nuptial chariot in which
according to PausaniasF26Vid.
Suidam in voce ζευγος.
three only were carried
the bride
who sat in the middle
then the
bridegroom
and then the friend of the bridegroom: something of this kind is
the "palki" or "palanquin" of the Indians
in which the
bride and bridegroom are carried on the day of marriage on four men's shouldersF1Agreement
of Customs between the East Indians and Jews
artic. 17. p. 68. : and by this
"chariot" may be meant either the human nature of Christ
in which he
descended and ascended to heaven; or his church
in which he shows himself to
his people in his ordinances
where he rides in triumph
conquering and to
conquer
by his Spirit and grace
in his word; or the covenant of grace
in
which Christ shows the freeness and sovereignty of his love in being the
Mediator
surety
and messenger of it; and in which his people are bore up and
supported under and carried through many trials and exercises in this life
and
are brought triumphantly to heaven; or rather the Gospel
and the ministration
of it
in which Christ shows himself as in a chariot
in the glory of his
person
offices
grace
and love; in this he is carried up and down in the
world
Acts 9:15; and by
it is conveyed to the souls of men; and in it he triumphs over his enemies
and
causes his ministers to triumph also: and he is the subject
sum
and substance
of it
and the alone author of it; for he is the Solomon here spoken of that
made it; it is not a device of men's
but a revelation of his
and therefore
called "the Gospel of Christ"; and which he gives to men to preach
a
commission to preach it
and qualifications for it: and this he does "for
himself"
to set forth the glories of his person and office
to display
the riches of his grace
and to show himself to be the only way of salvation to
host sinners: and this chariot being said to be "of the wood of
Lebanon"
cedar
which is both incorruptible and of a good smell; may
denote the uncorruptness of the Gospel
as dispensed by faithful ministers
and
the continuance and duration of it
notwithstanding the efforts of men and
devils to the contrary; and the acceptableness of it to the saints
to whom is
the savour of life unto life; and it being a nuptial chariot that seems
designed
it agrees with the Gospel
in the ministry of which souls are brought
to Christ
and espoused as a chaste virgin to him
2 Corinthians 11:2.
Song of Solomon
3:10 10 He
made its pillars of silver
Its support of gold
Its seat of
purple
Its interior paved with love By the daughters of Jerusalem.
YLT 10Its pillars he made of
silver
Its bottom of gold
its seat of purple
Its midst lined [with] love
By
the daughters of Jerusalem.
He made the pillars thereof of silver
.... The
truths and doctrines of the Gospel are the "pillars" of it; which
like pillars
are solid and substantial
and continue firm and immovable
and
are of great use to support the children of God under the several trials and
exercises they are attended with; and
for their utility
value
and duration
are said to be of "silver"
and are as carefully to be sought for and
into as that is
and even to be preferred to it
being of more worth than
"thousands of gold and silver"; the ministers of the Gospel are
sometimes compared to pillars
and the church itself is said to be the pillar
and ground of truth
Galatians 2:9;
the bottom thereof of gold; Christ
the golden
bottom of the Gospel
the sum and substance of it
the principal subject in it
to be insisted on; he is laid in it as the bottom
ground
and foundation of
faith and hope
and of everlasting life and salvation; and for its richness
firmness
and duration
may be said to be of gold
as the street of the New
Jerusalem
Revelation 21:21;
or its "pavement"F2רפידתו
"pavimentum ejus"
Vatablus
Grotius.
as the word here signifies.
The Septuagint render it
a "reclining"F3 ανακλιτον
Sept.
"reclinatorium ejus"
Arabic interpreter. place
to sit and rest
or
lean upon; such is Christ;
the covering of it of purple; or the top of it; the
word signifies a chariot itself: it may respect such doctrines of the Gospel
which relate to redemption
pardon of sin
and justification through the blood
of Christ; and all under the purple covering of the blood of Christ are secure
from wrath to come
and go safe to heaven;
the midst thereof being paved with love
for the daughters
of Jerusalem; the carpet wrought with lovely figures or with love stories: the
doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel are full of love
of God in Christ
in
providing Christ as a Saviour
and sending him to be one; and of the love of
Christ in assuming human nature
and suffering and dying in it for sinners
even for Jerusalem sinners; the Gospel sets forth the heart of Christ as
"inflamed"F4רצוף "succcensum"
Montanus
Marckius; "accensum
sive exustum"
some in Vatablus
so
Aben Ezra.
as the word here used signifies
with love to the daughters of
Jerusalem
his dear children
which moved him to do all he did and suffered for
them; and could his heart be looked into
the very images of these persons
would be seen upon it: the ordinances of the Gospel are designed both to set
forth
in the most striking manner
the love of Christ to his sons and
daughters
for whose sake he became man and suffered death
and to draw forth
their love to him; so the words may be rendered
"paved with love by the
daughters of Jerusalem"F5מבנות
"a filiabus"
Montanus
Cocceius; so Sept. "a puellis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
or "with the love of them"F6"Amore
foeminarum"
Tigurine version; "amore filiarum"
Vatablus
Mercerus. how delightful must it be to ride in such a chariot
or sit under
such a ministry
where there is nothing but love! moreover
the whole
description of the "bride chamber"
which some choose to render the
word for "chariot" by
well agrees with the New Jerusalem state
as
given in Revelation 21:1
where the church being as a bride prepared for her husband
will be introduced
the nuptial feast will be kept
and Christ will be seen by the daughters of
Zion in all his regal glory
with the royal diadem on his head
as he is
described in Song of Solomon 3:11.
Song of Solomon
3:11 11 Go
forth
O daughters of Zion
And see King Solomon with the crown With which his
mother crowned him On the day of his wedding
The day of the gladness of his
heart.
YLT 11Go forth
and look
ye
daughters of Zion
On king Solomon
with the crown
With which his mother
crowned him
In the day of his espousals
And in the day of the joy of his
heart!
Go forth
O ye daughters of Zion
.... The same with the
daughters of Jerusalem; the reason of the variation is
because Christ
here so
gloriously described
is King of Zion
and they his subjects; these the church
observing
being intent on looking at the bed and chariot she had described
calls them from those objects to look at a more glorious one; to whom Solomon
in all his glory
on his coronation or marriage day
to which the allusion is
was not equal; wherefore she invites them to "go forth" and look at
him
as people are forward to go out of their houses to see a crowned king pass
along the streets
especially on his coronation day; and men never see any
glory and excellency in Christ
until they go out of themselves
and look off
of every other object to him alone;
and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother
crowned him in the day of his espousals; alluding to a custom
with the JewsF7Misnah Sotah
c. 9. s. 14. and other nationsF8Vid.
Paschalium de Coronis. l. 2. c. 16. p. 126. & Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian
de Raptu Proserp. l. 2. v. 148. "Magnisque coronis conjugium fit"
Claudian. Laus Serenae
v. 189
190. στεφος
γαμηλιον
Bion. Idyl. 1.
prope finem.
to put nuptial crowns on the heads Of married persons
both men
and women
on the marriage day: Christ is undoubtedly here meant by Solomon
who is King of Zion
King of saints; See Gill on Song of Solomon 3:7;
by whose mother is meant either the church
the Jerusalem above
the mother of
us all
of Christ mystical; or else every believer
who is not only his brother
and sister
but his mother
Matthew 12:50; and
this may refer to the time when Christ is first made known unto and held by a
sensible sinner
in the glory of his person
and the fulness of his grace
as
sitting and riding in the chariot of the everlasting Gospel; when such honour
him
and crown him by venturing on him
and believing in him; for every act of
faith on Christ is putting the crown upon his head; and every submission to his
ordinances is an acknowledging him King of saints; and every ascription of
salvation to him and his grace by any
is casting their crowns at his and
setting one on his head; and such a time is the time of his open espousals to
them
when such consent to be his for ever
and give up their whole selves to
him; there was a secret espousal of all the elect to Christ
upon the Father's
grant of them to him in eternity; and there is an open espousal of them to him
personally
at their conversion under the ministry of the word
when they are
espoused as chaste virgins to Christ; at which time there is a large breaking
forth of Christ's love to them
and of theirs to him: hence it is called
"the love of their espousals"; see 2 Corinthians 11:2;
and here
the day of the gladness of his heart; when Christ
gladly and cheerfully receives such souls into his embraces
and rejoices over them
as the bridegroom over the bride: now the church would have the daughters of
"Jerusalem behold"
look at this glorious person with an eye of faith
and love
with attention and admiration; see Zechariah 9:9;
there being such astonishing
incomparable
and transcendent excellencies in
him
which require such looks as these;
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)