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Song of
Solomon Chapter Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 4
In
this chapter is contained a large commendation of the church's beauty by
Christ; first
more particularly
by an enumeration of several parts
as her
eyes
hair
teeth
lips
temples
neck
and breasts
Song of Solomon 4:1;
and more generally
Song of Solomon 4:7;
And having observed where he himself was determined to go
he invites her to go
with him; which he enforces
partly from the danger she was exposed unto where
she was Song of Solomon 4:6;
and partly from the comeliness of her person and graces in his esteem; with
which he was ravished
and therefore was extremely desirous of her company
Song of Solomon 4:9;
And then enters into some new descriptions of her; as a garden and orchard
as
a spring and fountain
Song of Solomon 4:12;
all which she makes to be owing to him
Song of Solomon 4:15;
And the chapter is closed with an order from Christ to the winds to blow on his
garden
and cause the spices of it to flow out; and with an invitation of the
church to Christ
to come into his garden
and relax there
Song of Solomon 4:16.
Song of Solomon
3:1 The Beloved Behold
you are fair
my love! Behold
you are fair! You have
dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats
Going
down from Mount Gilead.
YLT 1Lo
thou [art] fair
my
friend
lo
thou [art] fair
Thine eyes [are] doves behind thy veil
Thy hair
as a row of the goats That have shone from mount Gilead
Behold
thou art fair
my love; behold
thou art
fair
.... The same as in Song of Solomon 1:15;
here repeated by Christ
to introduce the following commendation; to express
the greatness of his love to his church; and show that he had the same opinion
of her
and esteem for her
notwithstanding what had passed between that time
and this;
thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks; the same
comparison; see Gill on Song of Solomon 1:15;
only with this difference
here her eyes are said to be "within her
locks": which
whether understood of the ministers of the Gospel; or of
the eyes of the understanding
particularly of
the eye of faith
as has been observed
on the above place; do not seem so much to design the imperfection of the sight
of the one or of the other
in the present state
as eyes within or under locks
and in some measure covered with them
hinder the sight of them; as the modesty
of either of them; locks being decently tied up
as the word signifiesF9לצמתך "intra ligamina tua"
some in Vatablus;
"vittam suam"
Cocceius; "constrictam comam tuam"
Michaelis
so Jarchi. Vid. Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 11. v. 23
24.
is a sign
thereof
as the contrary is a sign of boldness and wantonness. Doves' eyes
themselves are expressive of modesty and humility
and
this phrase added to
them
increases the idea; such ministers
who have the largest gifts
greatest
grace
light
and knowledge
are the most humble
witness the Apostle Paul; and
this phrase expresses the beauty of them
not only in the eyes of Christ
but
in the eyes of those to whom they publish the good tidings of salvation: and so
it may denote what an exceeding modest grace faith is
which receives all from
Christ
and gives him all the glory
and takes none to itself; and what a
beauty there is in it
insomuch that Christ is ravished with it
Song of Solomon 4:9;
and seems rather to be the sense here;
thy hair is as a flock of goats; like the hair
of goats
so Ben Melech. Hair adds much to the comeliness of persons
and is
therefore frequently mentioned
both with respect to the bride and bridegroom
in this song
Song of Solomon 5:1;
and so in all poems of this kindF11Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad
Claudian. Nupt. Honor. Ode 1. v. 12. ; and one part of the comeliness of women
lies in their hair;
"let
a woman
says ApuleiusF12Metamorph. l. 2.
be adorned with ever
such fine garments
and decked with gold and jewels
yet
without this
ornament
she will not be pleasing; no
not Verus herself.'
The
womenF13Juno
Iliad. 10. v. 5. Diana
Odyss. 20. v. 80. Minerva
Iliad. 6. v. 92. Latona
Iliad. 1. v. 36. & 19. v. 413. Circe
Odyss. 10.
v. 136
220
310. Calypso
Odyss. 5. v. 30. Helena
Iliad. 3. v. 329. &
passim; Thetis
Iliad. 18. v. 407. & 20. v. 207. Ceres
Odyss. 5. v. 125.
Nymphs and others
Odyss. 6. v. 222
238. & 12. v. 132. & 19. v. 542.
So Venus is described by Claudian. de Nupt. Honor. v. 99. "Casariem tunc
forte Venus subnixa corusco fingebat solio". in Homer
are described by their
beautiful hair; nor is it unusual to compare the hair of women
and represent
it as superior to a fleece of the choicest flockF14"Quae crine
vincit Boetici gregis vellus"
Martial. l. 5. Ep. 38. . And here the
church's hair is said to be like the hair of goats
for that is the sense of
the expression; and which is thought to be most like to human hair
1 Samuel 19:13; and
it is compared to that
not so much for its length and sleekness
as for its
colour
being yellowish; which
with women formerly
was in esteem
and
reckoned gracefulF15"Nondum illi flavum"
&c. Virgil.
Aeneid. 4. prope finem. Vid. Horat. Carmin. l. 1. Ode 5. v. 4. Martial. Epigr.
l. 5. Ep. 65. ; this being the colour of the hair of some of the greatest
beauties
as Helena
Philoxena
and others
whose hair was flaxen and yellow;
hence great care was taken to make it look so
even as yellow as goldF16"Aurea
Caesaries"
Virgil. Aeneid. 8. v. 659. Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian.
de Rapt. Proserp. l. 3. v. 86. : the Jewish women used to have their perukes
or false hair
of goats' hair
and still have in some places to this dayF17Vid.
Braunium de Vest. Sacerdot. l. 1. c. 9. p. 201. ; and it should seem the Roman
women also had
to which the poetF18"Hoedina tibi pelle"
&c. Martial. Epigr. l. 12. Ep. 38. refers. And the church's hair here is
said to be like the hair of a flock of goats
that appear from Mount Gilead; or rather "on Mount
Gilead"
as Noldius: Gilead was a mountain in the land of Israel
beyond
Jordan
famous for pasturage for cattle
where flocks of goats were fed
as was
usual on mountainsF19Theocrit. Idyll. 3. v. 1
2. ; and
being well
fed
their hair was long
smooth
neat
and glistering; and so to spectators
at a distance
looked very beautiful and lovely; especially in the morning at
sun rising
and
glancing on them with its bright and glittering rays
were
delightful. So R. Jonah
from the use of the word in the Arabic language
which
signifies the morning
interprets it
which "rise early in the
morning"; and which
as SchultensF20Animadv. in loc. observes
some render
"leading
to water early in the morning;'
the
Vulgate Latin version is
"that ascend from Mount Gilead"
from a
lower to a higher part of it; which is approved of by BochartF21Hierozoic.
par. 1. l. 2. c. 5. col. 628. . Now the hair of the church may be interpreted
either of believers
the several members of the church of Christ; the hairs of
the head are numerous
grow upon the head
and have their nourishment from it;
are weak in themselves
but depend upon the head
and are an ornament to it: so
the saints
though few in comparison of the world
yet by themselves are a
great number
which no man can number; these grow upon Christ
the Head of the
church
and receive their nourishment from him; and
though weak in themselves
have strength from him
and have their dependence on him; and are an ornament
and crown of glory to him; and who are cared for and numbered by him
so that
no one can be lost; see Ezekiel 5:1. Or
rather it may be interpreted of the outward conversation of the saints; hair is
visible
is a covering
and an ornament
when taken care of
and managed
aright
and has its dependence and is influenced by the head: the good
conversation of the church and its members is visible to all
as the hair of
the head
and as a flock of goats on Mount Gilead; and is a covering
though
not from divine justice
yet from the reproaches of men; is ornamental to
believers
and to the doctrine they profess; especially when their conversation
is ordered aright
according to the weird of God
and is influenced by grace
communicated from Christ
the Head.
Song of Solomon
3:2 2 Your
teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep Which have come up from the
washing
Every one of which bears twins
And none is barren among them.
YLT 2Thy teeth as a row of the
shorn ones That have come up from the washing
For all of them are forming
twins
And a bereaved one is not among them.
Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep
.... That is
like the teeth of a flock of sheep; as her eyes were like the eyes of doves
and her hair like the hair of goats: and Galen long ago observed
that human
teeth are much like the teeth of sheep
in figure
order
and structure
as
well as are small and white; neatly set
innocent and harmless
not ravenous
and voracious
cropping herbs and grass onlyF23In Salazar apud
Marckium in loc. ; the whiteness of the teeth is chiefly intended
in which the
beauty of them lies
for which they are sometimes comparedF24Theocrit.
Idyll. 6. v. 37
38. to Parian marble for whiteness. The Targum interprets these
teeth of the priests and Levites; but it is much better to understand them of
the ministers of the Gospel: teeth are bony
solid
firm
and strong
sharp to
cut and break the food
and prepare it for the stomach: all which well agree
with ministers; who are strong in the Lord
and in his grace
to labour in the
word and doctrine; to oppose gainsayers
withstand Satan's temptations; bear
the reproaches of the world
and the infirmities of weaker saints; and remain
firm and unmoved in their ministry; unshaken by all they meet with
from
without and from within: they are sharp to rebuke such who are unsound in the
faith
or corrupt in their morals
and to penetrate into Gospel truths; to cut
and rightly divide the word of truth
and break the bread of life to others
and so chew and prepare spiritual food for souls; not raw and crude; not hard
and difficult of digestion
but plain and easy to be understood. And they are
like to a flock of sheep
that are even shorn; on which no
wool is left
sticking out here and there; which is another good property of
teeth
that are of equal size and bigness
do not stand out
nor rise up one
above another; and are as if they had been "cut and planed
and
made alike"F25קצובות "caesae
vel dedolatae"
Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. I. 2. c. 45. Colossians 493. "aequarum"
Junius &
Tremellius; "statura aequalium"
Cocceius.
as some render the word:
which may denote the equality of Gospel ministers in power and authority; one
having no superiority over another; all having the same mission and commission
employed in the same work
preaching the same Gospel; and though their gifts
are different
yet there is a harmony and agreement in the doctrines they
preach;
which came up from the washing; white and clean
which
is another property of good teeth; as the teeth of sheep be
and they
themselves are
when just come up out of the washing pit: this may signify the
washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost
which are necessary to
ministers of the word
in order to preach it; and more especially the purity of
their lives and conversations
in which they should be examples to the flock;
whereof everyone bear twins
and none is barren among them; the figures
are just and beautiful; it is common with sheep to bear twins
or more
in the
eastern countries
as the philosopher observesF26Aristot. de Animal.
Hist. l. 6. c. 19. ; frequent mention is made of goats bearing twinsF1Theocrit.
Idyll. 1. v. 25. & 3. v. 34. & 5. v. 54. & 8. v. 44. : these may
answer to the two rows of teeth
and the word for "teeth" is in the
dual number; and when these are white and clean
and equal
are well set
and
not one wanting
none rotten
nor shed
nor fallen out
look very beautiful.
This may express the fruitfulness and success of Gospel ministers
in bringing
many souls to Christ; and was particularly true of the apostles
and first
ministers of the Gospel
who were instrumental in the conversion of many; and
who bore twins to Christ
Jews and Gentiles; and none were without their
usefulness. Likewise all this may be understood of believers in general
and of
meditation and faith in them; by meditation they feed upon Christ
his Gospel
doctrines
and promises; they chew the end
and ruminate on the word of God;
and are equal
alike partakers of the same grace
and blessings of it; and are
sanctified
and
in some measure
cleansed
from the pollution of their minds
and actions; ascend heavenwards in their thoughts
desires
and affections; and
are not "barren" and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ and his
Gospel; and generally
through meditation
bring forth the "twins" of
prayer and praise: by faith also they feed on Christ and his grace; and which
is "alike"
precious faith in all
as to nature and quality; is
"pure"
sincere
and unfeigned; is always fruitful
and bears the
"twins" of love to Christ
and of love to his saints; and is not
"barren"
but attended with the fruits of righteousness.
Song of Solomon
3:3 3 Your
lips are like a strand of scarlet
And your mouth is lovely. Your
temples behind your veil Are like a piece of pomegranate.
YLT 3As a thread of scarlet
[are] thy lips
And thy speech [is] comely
As the work of the pomegranate [is]
thy temple behind thy veil
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet
.... To a
"thread" for thinness
to "scarlet" for colour; thin red
lips being beautiful
as well as white teeth; so the beautiful Aspasia had red
lipsF2Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 1.
and teeth whiter than snow;
hence we read of red and purple lipsF3
χειλεα πυρρα
Theocrit. Idyll. 15. "Purpureis
labellis"
Ovid. Amor. l. 3. Eleg. 13. . Now as lips are the instruments
of speech
the words of the church
and of all true believers
may be designed;
what is said by them in their prayers
which are filled
not with great
swelling words of vanity
exalting themselves
and magnifying their works
like
the Pharisee; but with humble confessions of sin
and acknowledgments of their
unworthiness of mercy; and they are constant
like one continued thread
they
go on praying all their days: and the scarlet colour may denote the fervency of
them
whereby they become available with God; and the acceptableness of them to
God
through the mediation of Christ
whose blood
and not any worthiness of
theirs
is pleaded in them: their words of praise also may be signified hereby;
which are not filled with big swollen encomiums of themselves
and of what they
have done; but with expressions of the goodness and grace of God to them; and
with thankfulness for all mercies
both temporal and spiritual
bestowed upon
them; and these are hearty and sincere
coming from a heart inflamed with the
love of God
which make such lips look like scarlet; and that being in great
esteem may intimate the acceptableness of them to God
through the blood and
sacrifice of Christ. To which may be added
that the doctrines of the Gospel
delivered by the ministers of the church
who are her lips
may be taken into
the sense of this clause; which are like a "thread"
spun out of the
Scriptures
and are harmonious and all of a piece
consistent and closely
connected; the subject and matter of which are the blood
sufferings
and death
of Christ
and the blessings that come thereby; and which also
like scarlet
are valuable and precious;
and thy speech is comely; which explains the
preceding clause; and shows
that by her lips her speech is meant
which is
"comely"
that is
graceful and amiable; as it is when believers
speak of Christ
of his person
offices
and grace; and for him
in vindication
of his truths and ordinances; when they speak to him
in prayer or in praise;
and when
in common conversation
their speech is with grace;
thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy
locks; not like a piece of the tree
but of the fruit
when the shell
of it bursts of itself
through the abundance of liquor in it; such the
Israelites found at one of their stations
and therefore called it
"Rimmonparez"
the pomegranate of rupture
or the bursted
pomegranate; and in the tribe of Zebulun was a city called Remmonmethoar
the
beautiful pomegranate
Joshua 19:13; now
the rind being brokenF4כפלח ως λεπυρον
Sept. "sicut
fragmen"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius; "pars
vel frustum"
Michaelis. it appears full of grains or kernels
of a white
colour
interspersed with a reddish purple juice
like blood
as Pausanias remarksF5Boeotica
sive l. 9. p. 578.
and looks very beautiful; and is aptly used to set forth
the church's beauty
who
like her beloved
is "white and ruddy"
Song of Solomon 5:10
by which may be meant ecclesiastical officers
placed on an eminence in the
church; to take care
among other things
of the discipline of it
according to
the laws of Christ
1 Timothy 5:17; The
temples
in the Hebrew tongueF6רקתך
"tenuis faciei pars"
Marckius; "tenuior"
Michaelis. Vid.
Kimchii Sepher Shorash. rad. רקק.
have their name
from the thinness and tenderness of them
having but little flesh on them
and
covered with a thin skin; and
in the Greek tongueF7 κροταφοι παρα το κροτειν την αφην.
from the evident beating of the pulse in them; and their situation is between
the ear and the eye: all which denote
that such officers should be spiritual
men
and have as little carnality in them as may be; that they should use great
tenderness in the administrations of their office
particularly in giving
admonitions and reproofs: and
as by the beating of the pulse the state of a
constitution is discerned
whether healthy or not; so the state of the church
may be judged of by the discipline of it; if that is neglected
it is in a bad
state
and in a declining condition; but if strictly observed
it is in a
healthful and flourishing one: and the temples being between the eye and the
ear may teach
that
in the management of church affairs
the officers are to
make use of both; their ears are to be open to all; and they are not to shut
their eyes against clear and plain evidence: and being said to be "within her
locks"
may be expressive of the meekness and humility of such officers
who are not to lord it over God's heritage; and of the private manner in which
admonitions are to be given
in case of private offences; and of the affairs and
concertos of a church being kept private
and not blazed abroad. And these may
be compared to "a piece of a pomegranate"
because of their being
full of gifts
and grace
and good works
visible to men; and for their harmony
and union among themselves
and with the church and its members; and the strict
regard that
in all things
is had to the rules and laws of Christ; all which
make the officers of the church
and the discipline of it
acceptable to him.
It may be further observed
that the temples
taken largely
include the
"cheeks" also; and so some render the wordF8 μηλον σου
Sept. "genae
tuae"
Pagninus
Cocceius. here; and the purple juice of the pomegranate
well expresses the colour of them; hence we read of purple cheeksF9"Purpureas
genas"
Ovid. Amor. l. 1. Eleg. 4. Statii Thebaid. l. 1. v. 538. Ausonii
Parental. 23. v. 16. "Purpurissatae buccae"
Plauti Trucul. Act. 2.
Sc. 2. v. 35. "genre"
Apulei Apolog. p. 239. : and this may denote
the beauty and modesty of the church; whose blushing looks
and ruddy cheeks
made her extremely beautiful in the eye of Christ.
Song of Solomon
3:4 4 Your
neck is like the tower of David
Built for an armory
On which hang a
thousand bucklers
All shields of mighty men.
YLT 4As the tower of David [is]
thy neck
built for an armoury
The chief of the shields are hung on it
All
shields of the mighty.
Thy neck is like the tower of David
builded for an armoury
.... This was
either the strong hold of Zion; or some tower erected by David for an armoury
wherein his worthies or mighty men bring up their shields; Mr. SandysF11Travels
p. 139. Vid. Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae Sanctae
p. 168. says
it stood aloft in
the utmost angle of a mountain
whose ruins are yet extant: though the neck is
compared to this
not for its height
seeing a high and outstretched neck is a
token of pride and haughtiness with the Jews
Isaiah 3:16; see Psalm 74:5; and so
the phrase is used in Latin writersF12Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad
Claudian. in Rufin. l. 1. v. 53. & l. 2. v. 294. ; but for its being
ornamented with spoils hung up in it
as golden shields after mentioned
as the
neck is with pearls
jewels
and chains of gold
Song of Solomon 1:10;
The word for "armoury" is from "alaph"
"to
teach"; not as being a pattern to teach artificers
as Jarchi; nor to show
passengers their way
as R. Jonah and others
who think this tower was built as
a "pharus"
for such a purposeF13Vid. Castell. Lexic. col.
3904. so Pagninus and Tigurine version. ; but it was as an arsenal
in which
young learners of the art of war laid up their weapons
as well as what were
taken from an enemy; or what were made and laid up here
as a store in time of
need. By the church's neck may be meant either the ministers of the word
set
in the highest part of the body
the church
next to Christ the Head
and in
subjection to him; to whom they hold
and whose name
cause
and interest
they
bear up and support in the world; and are the means of conveying spiritual food
from him to the souls of men; and are adorned with the gifts and graces of the
Spirit: and may be compared to the "tower of David"
for their
integrity and uprightness
and for their strength and immovableness
standing
firm and unmoved against the batteries of Satan and the world
and for the
defence of the Gospel; and to that "built for an armoury"
they being
furnished with the whole armour of God. An ancient writerF14Psellus
in ioc. supposes the Apostle Paul is particularly meant; that eminent exalter
of Christ the Head
and who was set for the defence of the Gospel: or it may be
rather the Scriptures themselves are meant; which point out and hold forth
Christ the Head
and make him manifest to the sons of men; and are a means of
conveying spiritual breath; when attended with a divine power
then are they
spirit and life; and of conveying food to the souls of men
very nourishing and
satisfying; and are bespangled with glorious truths and precious promises;
where every truth is a golden link
and every promise a pearl
to a believer:
and they may be compared to the "tower of David" for their sublimity
being out of the reach and above the capacity of a natural man; and for their
firmness and immovableness
which Satan and all his emissaries will never be
able to remove out of the world; and like to that as "built for an
armoury"
whereon there hang a thousand bucklers
all shields of mighty men: no other
armour is mentioned
as in this armoury
but shields; they being a principal
part of armour
and are especiallyF15Vid. Cuperi Observ. l. 1. c. 7.
p. 42. & Gutberleth. de Saliis
c. 12. p. 69. so called
as in the
Septuagint version of 1 Kings 14:26;
these shields are armour of mighty men; mighty
through God and his grace
to
perform mighty actions
and do great exploits; being furnished from the
spiritual armoury with the whole armour of God
to repel Satan's temptations
to defend the Gospel
and refute error; particularly the ministers of the word
are those mighty men; though it is applicable to all saints.
Song of Solomon
3:5 5 Your
two breasts are like two fawns
Twins of a gazelle
Which feed among the
lilies.
YLT 5Thy two breasts [are] as
two fawns
Twins of a roe
that are feeding among lilies.
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins
.... Or
"two fawns
the twins of a doe": Providence
as Plutarch observesF16De
Liberis Educand. vol. 2. p. 3.
has given to women two breasts
that
should
they have twins
both might have a fountain of nourishment; and are fitly
compared to twins of the doe. The hind
for the most part
brings but one roe
at a time; but there are some
the philosopher saysF17Aristot. de
Animal. l. 6. c. 29.
bring twins; by which the beauty of the breasts is
expressed: "young roes" may point at the smallness of them
large
breasts are not accounted handsome; and "twins"
at their equal size
and shape
not one larger nor higher than the other
that would be a deformity;
twins are generally alike;
which feed among the lilies; and are fat and plump:
the allusion may be to the putting of lilies in the bosom
between the breasts
as other flowers; lilies are reckoned among the decorations of women
in the
Apocryha:
"And
pulled off the sackcloth which she had on
and put off the garments of her
widowhood
and washed her body all over with water
and anointed herself with
precious ointment
and braided the hair of her head
and put on a tire upon it
and put on her garments of gladness
wherewith she was clad during the life of
Manasses her husband.' (Judith 10:3)
or
rather to the creatures mentioned
the roes and hinds
which feed among lilies
in fields where lilies grow; for these grow in fields as well as in gardens
and are called the "lilies of the field"
Matthew 6:28; and
we readF18"En aspicis ilium
candida qui medius cubat inter
lilia
cervum?" Calphurnius apud Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 3. c. 24.
col. 924. sometimes of harts and hinds among lilies. By "breasts" may
be meant
either the ministers of the word
who impart "the sincere milk
of the word"
and who deliver out the nourishing doctrines of grace
like
milk out of the breast
1 Corinthians 3:2;
and may be like to "roes" for their affection to those who are under
their ministry; and pleasant to them
to whom they are made useful; and for
their sharp sightedness and penetration into the mysteries of grace; and for
their quick dispatch in doing their work
though through many difficulties
which
like young roes
they leap and skip over: and "two" of them
show a sufficient number of them Christ provides for his church; and being
"twins" express their equal authority
and harmony of doctrine; and
feeding "among lilies" is where Christ himself feeds
Song of Solomon 2:16;
where Christ feeds they feed
and where they feed Christ feeds
even among his
saints
comparable to lilies
Song of Solomon 2:2;
or these "breasts" may design the two Testaments
the Old and New
which contain the whole sincere milk of the word; are like "young
roes"
pleasant and delightful to believers; and
as "twins"
are alike
agree in their doctrines concerning Christ
and the blessings of
grace through him; the types
figures
prophecies
and promises of the one
have their completion in the other; and both abound with the lilies of Gospel
doctrines and promises: though rather these "breasts" may point at
the two ordinances of the Gospel
baptism
and the Lord's supper; which are
breasts of consolation to believers
out of which they suck
and are satisfied;
and through feeding on Christ in both
they receive much nourishment and
strength; and are very amiable and lovely to the saints
when they enjoy the
presence of Christ in them
and have the discoveries of his love to them; and
may be said to be "twins"
being both instituted by Christ
and both
lead unto him
and require the same subjects; and are received and submitted to
by saints
comparable to lilies
as before.
Song of Solomon
3:6 6 Until
the day breaks And the shadows flee away
I will go my way to the mountain of
myrrh And to the hill of frankincense.
YLT 6Till the day doth break
forth
And the shadows have fled away
I will get me unto the mountain of
myrrh
And unto the hill of frankincense.
Until the day break
and the shadows flee away
.... Until the
day of grace breaks on every elect sinner
and the shadows of darkness
ignorance
and unbelief
are in a great measure fled and gone; or until the
everlasting day breaks
and there will be no more night
nor any darkness of
affliction
nor any more desertion
doubts
and fears; see Song of Solomon 2:17.
They are the words of Christ
declaring whither he would go till that time
came
as follows:
I will get me to the mountain of myrrh
and to the hill of
frankincense: the allusion may be to the mountains and hills where these
odoriferous plants grew. It is said of Pompey the great
that when he passed
over Lebanon (later mentioned
Song of Solomon 4:8)
and by Damascus
he went through sweet smelling groves and woods of
frankincense and balsamF19Florus de Gest. Roman. l. 3. c. 5. ; and
Lebanon is thought
by someF20Vid. Gabr. Sionita de Orient. Urb. c.
6. p. 14.
to have its name from the frankincense that grew upon it; though
rather from the whiteness of the snow continually on it. By this
"mountain" and "hill" may be meant the church of Christ
gathered together in Gospel order
so called for its visibility and
immovableness
Isaiah 2:2; and for
the trees of righteousness which are planted and flourish there
the saints;
and for the fragrancy of their graces; and for the sweet smelling odour of
their sacrifices of prayer and praise; and because of the delight and pleasure
Christ takes in his people
and they in him here; where they have mutual
communion
so that it is to them both a mountain of myrrh and a hill of
frankincense: particularly
here Christ delights to be
and here he resolves to
dwell until his second coming.
Song of Solomon
3:7 7 You
are all fair
my love
And there is no spot in you.
YLT 7Thou [art] all fair
my
friend
And a blemish there is not in thee. Come from Lebanon
O spouse
Thou art all fair
my love
.... Being justified by
the righteousness of Christ
washed in his blood
and sanctified by his Spirit;
of the title
my "love"
see Song of Solomon 1:9.
The church is often said by Christ to be "fair"
his "fair
one"
and the "fairest among women"
Song of Solomon 1:8;
but here "all fair"
being a perfection of beauty
and perfectly
comely through his comeliness: this is said to show her completeness in Christ
as to justification; and that
with respect to sanctification
she had a
perfection of parts
though not of degrees; and to observe
that the church and
"all" the true members of it were so
the meanest and weakest
believer
as well as the greatest and strongest. It is added
there is no spot in
thee; not that the saints have no sin in them; nor any committed by
them; nor that their sins are not sins; nor that they have no spots in them
with respect to sanctification
which is imperfect; but with respect to their
justification
as having the righteousness of Christ imputed to them
and
covered with that spotless robe
they are considered as having no spot in them;
God sees no sin in them
so as to reckon it to them
and condemn them for it;
and they stand unblamable and unreproveable in his sight; and will be presented
by Christ
both to himself and to his father
and in the view of men and
angels
"not having spot or wrinkle
or any such thing"
Ephesians 5:27
upon them.
Song of Solomon
3:8 8 Come
with me from Lebanon
my spouse
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 the leopards.
YLT 8Come from Lebanon
come
thou in. Look from the top of Amana
From the top of Shenir and Hermon
From
the habitations of lions
From the mountains of leopards.
Come with me from Lebanon
my spouse
with me from Lebanon
.... This is a
new title given the church
my "spouse"; here first mentioned
because the day of espousals was over
Song of Solomon 3:11;
and having on the wedding garment
in which she was so fair and spotless
as
before described
she looked somewhat like a bride
and the spouse of Christ;
and is chiefly used by Christ
to prevail upon her to go with him
which
relation
duty
and affection
obliged her to do. The invitation is to come with
him from Lebanon
which is repeated
to show earnestness and vehemency; not
Lebanon
literally taken
a mountain to the north of the land of Canaan
famous
for odoriferous trees
and where to be was delightful; but figuratively
the
temple
made of the wood of Lebanon
and Jerusalem
in which it was
which in
Christ's time was a den of thieves
and from whence Christ called out his
people; or this being a pleasant mountain
may signify those carnal sensual
pleasures
from which Christ calls his people off. Some render the words
"thou shalt come with me"
&c.F21תבואי
"venies"
Pagninus
Montanus
Mercerus
Junius & Tremellius.
being influenced by the powerful grace of Christ
and drawn by his love; and
what he invites and exhorts unto
he gives grace to enable to perform;
look from the top of Amana
from the top of Shenir and Hermon
from the lions' dens
from the mountains of the leopards; Amana is
thought by some to be the mountain which divided Cilicia from Syria
taken
notice of by several writersF23Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 22. Mela de
Situ Orbis
l. 1. c. 12. Solin. Polyhistor. c. 51. ; but it seems too distant
from Lebanon; perhaps it is the same with Abana
from whence was a river of
that name
2 Kings 5:12;
where
in the "Keri" or margin
it is read Amana; so the Targum here
explains it of the people that dwelt by the river Amana
which washed the
country of Damascus: Jarchi takes it to be the same with Hor
a mountain on the
northern border of Israel; and indeed
wherever mention is made of this
mountain
the Targum has it
Taurus Umanus; and
according to PtolemyF24Geograph.
l. 5. c. 8.
Amanus was a part of Mount Taurus
with which it is joined by
JosephusF25Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. s. 1. ; and with that and Lebanon
and Carmel
by AelianusF26De Animal. l. 5. c. 56.
Shenir and
Hermon were one and the same mountain
called by different names; Hermon might
be the common name to the whole; and that part of it which belonged to the
Sidonians was called by them Sirion; and that which the Amorites possessed
Shenir
Deuteronomy 3:9;
Now all these mountains might be called "dens of lions"
and
"mountains of leopards"; both because inhabited by such beasts of
prey; hence we read of the lions of SyriaF1Aristot. Hist. Animal. l.
6. c. 3
Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 16.
and of leopardsF2Vid.
Ignatii Epist. ad Roman. p. 58. Brocard. in Cocceii Lexic. p. 123. in those
parts; in the land of Moab
and in the tribe of Gad
were places called
Bethnimrah
and the waters of Nimrim
which seem to have their names from
leopards that formerly haunted those places
Numbers 32:36; or
because inhabited by cruel
savage
and tyrannical persons; particularly Amana
in Cilicia or Syria
as appears from StraboF3Geograph. l. 14. p.
465. & l. 16. p. 517.
LucanF4Pharsalia
l. 3. v. 244.
"vencre feroces
et cultor"
Amana.
and CiceroF5Ad
Attic. l. 5. Ep. 20. ; and Shenir and Hermon were formerly
as Jarchi observes
the dens of those lions
Og king of Bashan
and Sihon king of the Amorites:
unless rather these were the names of some places near Lebanon; for AdrichomiusF6Theatrum
Terrae Sanctae
p. 186. says
"the
mountain of the leopards
which was round and high
was two miles from Tripoli
northward
three from Arce southward
and one from Lebanon.'
Now
these words may be considered as a call of Christ to his people
to come out
from among wicked men
comparable to such creatures; and he makes use of two
arguments to enforce it: the one is taken from the nature of such men
and the
danger of being with them; who are like to lions
for their cruel and
persecuting temper; and to leopards
for their being full of the spots of sin;
and for their craftiness and malice
exercised towards those who are quiet in
the land; and for their swiftness and readiness to do mischief; wherefore it
must be both uncomfortable and unsafe to be with such persons: the other
argument is taken from their enjoyment of Christ's company and presence
which
must be preferable to theirs
for pleasure
profit
and safety
and therefore
most eligible. Besides
Christ chose not to go without his church; she was so
fair
as before described
and so amiable and lovely in his sight
as follows.
Song of Solomon
3:9 9 You
have ravished my heart
My sister
my spouse; You have ravished my heart
With one look of your eyes
With one link of your necklace.
YLT 9Thou hast emboldened me
my
sister-spouse
Emboldened me with one of thine eyes
With one chain of thy
neck.
Thou hast ravished my heart
my sister
my spouse
.... Here
another new title is given to the church
"my sister"
with the
repetition of the former
my "spouse": for one and the same person
with the Hebrews
might be sister and spouse; see 1 Corinthians 9:5.
And this may be used in a love strain
and so not improper in a love poem
as
this wasF7"Sive tibi conjux
sive futura soror"
Tibullus.
; see Song of Solomon 8:8;
likewise the church may be called Christ's sister
because of his incarnation
in virtue of which he is not ashamed to call his people his brethren
and so
his sisters
Hebrews 2:11; and
on account of their adoption; in which respect
he that is Christ's Father is
theirs; and which is evidenced in regeneration; when they
through grace
do
the will of his Father
and so are his brother
and sister
and mother
Matthew 12:50. And
upon the whole
it is used to express the great affection of Christ for the
church
and his high esteem of her; and which appears by his saying
"thou
hast ravished my heart"; which is but one word in the Hebrew text
and
nowhere else used
and is variously rendered: the Vulgate Latin version is
"thou hast wounded my heart"F8לבבתני
"vulnerasti cor meum"
V. L. so Ben Melech; and Kimchi Sepher
Shorash. rad. לבב. : with one of love's darts
Song of Solomon 2:5;
"thou hast drawn my heart unto thee"
so some Jewish writersF9Jarchi
David de Pomis
Lexic fol. 69. 3. ; which is surprising
since no love nor
loveliness are in her of herself; this shows how free and unmerited the love of
Christ is; according to the use of the word with the TalmudistsF11"Cor
copulasti mihi"
Buxtorf. Hottinger. Smegma
p. 164. Vid. Misn. Sabbat
c.
5. s. 2.
the sense is
"thou hast coupled mine heart with thine";
the heart of Christ and his church are so closely knit and joined together in
love
that they are but one heart
and can never be separated: others
"thou hast seized my heart"; or
"claimed it for thyself"F12"Occupasti"
Lutherus
Marckius; "vendicasti"
Tigurine version. ; thou art master
over it; it is no more mine
but thine The Septuagint version is
"thou
hast unhearted us"; Father
Son
and Spirit; particularly the second
Person: or thou hast stolen away my heart; I have no heart left in me; which
as it is the case through fear
is sometimes through love: this sense is approved
by Aben Ezra. Some render it just the reverse
"thou hast heartened
me"F13"Animasti me"
Cocceius
Schmidt. ; put heart
into me
animated me
made me of good cheer; so the word is used in the Syriac
version of Matthew 9:2. The
sense may be
that such was the love of Christ to his church
and so much was
he charmed by her
that the thought of his having her company in heaven to all
eternity animated him to endure all sufferings he did for her sake
Hebrews 12:2; The
Targum is
"thy
love is fixed upon the table of my heart;'
where
the church herself was fixed
Song of Solomon 8:6;
thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes; the allusion
may be to the custom of the eastern women; who
when they walked abroad or
spoke to any
showed but one eye
the other
with the rest of the face
being
covered with a veilF14Tertuilian. de. Virg. Veland. c. 17. Le
Bruyn's Voyage to the Levant
ch. 40. p. 157. : the eyes of women are ensnaring
to loversF15See Prov. vi. 25. So the poet says of Helena
τας παντες επ' ομμασιν ιμεροι εντι
Theocrit. Idyll. 18. "Perque tuos oculos qui rapuere meos"
Ovid.
Amor. l. 3
Eleg. 10. Vid. Barthii ad Claudian. Nupt. Honor. v. 6. ; the church
has more eyes than one. Mention is made of the eyes of the understanding
Ephesians 1:18;
faith is one of them
and may he here chiefly intended; by which a soul looks
on Christ
the glories of his person
and the fulness of his grace; and looks
so him for the blessings of grace now
and eternal glory hereafter: and with
this Christ's heart is ravished; even with "one look" from it
or
"glance" of it
as someF16באחד מעיניך "uno aspecto oculorum tuorum"
Junius
& Tremellius
so Ainsworth. render it;
with one chain of thy neck; with the several graces
of the Spirit
linked together as in a chain; which were about the neck of the
church
and as ornamental to her as a pearl necklace
Song of Solomon 1:10;
and with every link in this chain Christ's heart is ravished and delighted. The
Vulgate Latin version is
"with one lock of hair of thy neck": which
hung down in it
and looked very beautiful; and with which lovers are sometimes
takenF17 λιπαρα παρ' αυχενα
σειετ' εθειρα
Theocrit. Idyll. 5. .
Song of Solomon
3:10 10 How
fair is your love
My sister
my spouse! How much better than wine is
your love
And the scent of your perfumes Than all spices!
YLT 10How wonderful have been thy
loves
my sister-spouse
How much better have been thy loves than wine
And the
fragrance of thy perfumes than all spices.
How fair is thy love
my sister
my spouse!.... Of these
titles; see Gill on Song of Solomon 4:8;
See Gill on Song of Solomon 4:9;
and of the love of the church to Christ; see Gill on Song of Solomon 1:3;
here said to be "fair"
lovely and delightful
grateful and
acceptable; as it is to Christ
in the several acts and effects of it
and
therefore the word is plural
"thy loves"F18דודיך "amores tui"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ;
being exceeding beautiful in his eye
and extremely well pleasing to him;
therefore says
"how fair!" as admiring it
it being hard to say how
fair it was; and this appears from the large manifestations of Christ's love to
those that love him; and from his causing all things to work together for the
good of such; and from his preparing and laying up things
unseen and unheard
of
for them;
how much better is thy love than wine! which is
saying the same thing of her love to him she says of his to her
Song of Solomon 1:2;
her love to Christ is more pleasant
more cheering
and more acceptable to him
than the wine of legal sacrifices
or than all burnt offerings; or than any
duty whatever
unless that is the principle from whence it flows
Mark 12:33;
and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! the same with
Christ's ointments
commended Song of Solomon 1:3;
namely
the graces of the Spirit
which are in Christ without measure
and from
him communicated to his people; and when exercised by them
are very delightful
to him
and preferred by him to "all spices": even to all those used
in the holy anointing oil
typical of them
Exodus 30:23.
Song of Solomon
3:11 11 Your
lips
O my spouse
Drip as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are
under your tongue; And the fragrance of your garments Is like the
fragrance of Lebanon.
YLT 11Thy lips drop honey
O
spouse
Honey and milk [are] under thy tongue
And the fragrance of thy
garments [Is] as the fragrance of Lebanon.
Thy lips
O my spouse
drop as the honeycomb
.... Words
for sweetness
delight
and pleasure
like that; so the speech of persons
flowing from their mouth and tongue
is said to be sweeter than the honeycombF19Vid.
Theocrit. Idyll. 21. v. 26
27. Homer. Iliad. 1. v. 249. ; and lovers are said
to be sweeter to one another than the sweet honeyF20Plauti Asinaria
Act. 3. Sc. 3. v. 24. : so the lips or words of the church in prayer
as the
Targum; or in praise of Christ
and thankfulness to him; or in the ministration
of the doctrines of the Gospel
which are pleasant words; or in common
conversation
are pleasing to Christ; when
like the honey
they drop freely
and without constraint; gradually
at proper seasons and opportunities
as
prudence directs; and continually
more or less
ever dropping something to the
glory of divine grace
and the good of souls;
honey and milk are under thy tongue; rolled
as a
sweet morsel
there: the ancients had a sort of food of this mixture
a cake
made of honey and milk
called by the Greeks "meligala"F21Vid.
Cohen de Lara
Ir David
p. 52. The word is used in T. Hieros. Challah
fol.
57. 4.
and sometimes "candylos"F23Athenaeus
l. 1. c. 8.
p. 9. & l. 14. c. 13. p. 644. Suidas in voce
κανδυλος. Aristoph.
Pax
& Florent. Christian. in ibid. p. 633.
which was the same
composition; GalenF24Lib. de Bono Sapore
c. 4. says
it was not
safe to take goats' milk without honey; Jove is saidF25Lactant. de
Fals. Relig. l. 1. c. 22. See Isa. vii. 15. to be nursed with such a mixture:
and this being very grateful to the taste
the speech of the church for
pleasantness is compared unto it; so PindarF26Nemea
Ode 3. d. 10
11. compares his hymn or ode to honey mixed with milk
as being sweet and grateful;
and in PlautusF1Trucul. Act. 1. Sc. 2. v. 75
76
"your
words are honey and milk:'
and
it may be further observed
that such a mixture of milk and honey
with poppies
in it
was given to the newly married bride
and drank when brought home to her
husbandF2"Nec pigeat tritum niveo cum lacte papaver sumere
et
expressis
mella liquata favis"
Ovid. Fasti
l. 4. v. 149
150. ; which
was now the case of the church. The doctrines of the Gospel may be meant
comparable to honey and milk; to "honey"
for their sweetness and
acceptableness: for their nourishing nature; and for
their being gathered out
of the choice flowers of the Scriptures
by the laborious ministers of the
word
who are like to bees; see Psalm 19:10; to
"milk"
for the purity of them and the nourishment had by them; for
their being easy of digestion
when mixed with faith; and for their being of a
cooling nature
to allay the heat of a fiery law in the conscience; and for the
recovery and restoration of souls by them
in a declining condition; see 1 Peter 2:2; these
may be said to be "under the tongue"
when they have a place in the
heart
are the subject of constant meditation
a sweetness is tasted in them;
and they are had in readiness to speak of them upon all occasions;
and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon; the ancients
formerly scented their garments; Calypso gave to Ulysses sweet smelling
garmentsF3 ειματα θυωδεα
Homer. Odyss. 5. v. 264. & 21. v. 52. : such are Christ's robe of
righteousness
and garments of salvation
which are said to "smell of
myrrh
aloes
and cassia"; with which the saints being arrayed
the smell
of their raiment is as "the smell of a field the Lord has blessed"
and so like the smell of Lebanon
a mountain abounding with odoriferous trees
and plants; see Psalm 45:8. Or the
outward conversation garments of the saints may be designed
the mention of
which fitly follows the lips and tongue; for when works go along with words
and practice with profession; when to lips dropping the doctrines of the
Gospel
like the honeycomb
are joined the sweet smelling garments of an
agreeable life and conversation; the Christian is very much ornamented
and
becomes lovely and amiable.
Song of Solomon
3:12 12 A
garden enclosed Is my sister
my spouse
A spring shut up
A
fountain sealed.
YLT 12A garden shut up [is] my
sister-spouse
A spring shut up -- a fountain sealed.
A garden enclosed is my sister
my spouse
.... At a
little distance from Bethlehem are pools of water
and below these runs a
narrow rocky valley
enclosed on both sides with high mountains which the
friars
as Mr. Maundrell saysF4Journey from Aleppo
&c. p. 89.
Edit. 7. will have to be the enclosed garden here alluded to; but it is more
likely that the allusion is to a garden near Jerusalem
called the king's
garden
AdrichomiusF5Theatrum Terrae Sanctae
p. 170. makes mention
of
which was shut up
and only for the king's use and pleasure: to which the
church may be compared; for its being distinguished from the world's wide
waste
by the sovereign grace of God; and for the smallness of it in comparison
of that; and for its pleasantness and fruitfulness
having pleasant and
precious plants of great renown; or consisting of persons of different gifts
and graces; in whose hearts these are not naturally
or do not grow there of
themselves; but are sown or planted and raised up by the Spirit of God
for
which the fallow ground of their hearts is thrown up: and that everything may
be kept in good order
as in a garden
the plants are watered with the grace of
God; the trees of righteousness are pruned by Christ's father
the vinedresser;
the fences are kept up
and the whole is watched over night and day; and here
Christ
the owner of it
takes his delightful walks
and grants his presence
with his people. And the church is like an "enclosed" garden; for
distinction
being separated by the grace of God
in election
redemption
effectual calling
&c. and for protection
being encompassed with the power
of God
as a wall about it; and for secrecy
being so closely surrounded
that
it is not to be seen nor known by the world; and indeed is not accessible to
any but to believers in Christ; and is peculiarly for his use
who is the
proprietor of it; see Song of Solomon 4:16;
a spring shut up
a fountain sealed; the allusion may be to
the sealed fountains great personages reserved for their own use; such as the
kings of Persia had
of which the king and his eldest son only might drinkF6Theatrum
Deipnosoph. l. 12. c. 2. p. 515. ; and King Solomon might have such a spring
and fountain in his garden
either at Jerusalem or at Ethan
where he had
pleasant gardens
in which he took great delight
as JosephusF7Antiqu.
l. 8. c. 7. s. 3. Vid. Adrichom. p. 170. relates: and near the pools
at some
distance from Bethlehem
supposed to be his
is a fountain
which the friars
will have to be the sealed fountain here alluded to; and
to confirm which
they pretend a tradition
that Solomon shut up these springs
and kept the door
of them sealed with his signet
to preserve the waters for his own drinking;
and Mr. MaundrellF8Journey from Aleppo &c. p. 88
89.
who saw
them
says it was not difficult so to secure them
they rising underground
and
having no avenue to them
but by a little hole
like to the mouth of a narrow
well. Now the church may be thus compared
because of the abundance of grace in
her
and in each of her members
which is as a well of living water
springing
up unto everlasting life
John 4:14; and
because of the doctrines of the Gospel
called a fountain
Joel 3:18; with
which Gospel ministers water the plants in Christ's garden
the members of the
church; whereby they are revived
refreshed
and flourish; and their souls
become as a watered garden
whose springs fail not. Though some read this
clause in connection with the former; "a garden enclosed art thou
with a spring" or flow of water "shut up
and with a fountain
sealed"F9"Cum fluctu obserato
cum fonte obsignato"
Marckius
so some in Michaelis. ; meaning Christ and his fulness; from whence
all grace is received by the church and its members; and with which they are
supplied
and their souls are watered: and the phrases
"shut up" and
"sealed"
which
whether applied to the doctrines of grace and truth
in and from Christ
may denote the secrecy and safety of them from the men of
the world; or to the grace of Christ
communicated by him to the saints
may
denote the security of it
the invisible operations of it
and the sole
exercise of it on him: for these phrases denote the inviolable chastity of the
church to Christ
in her faith
love
service
and worship; see Proverbs 5:15; and
are used in the Jewish writingsF11T. Bab. Yoma
fol. 75. Apud
Wagenseil. Sota
p. 240. Seder Tephillot
fol. 203. 1. Ed. Basil. vid. Targum
Jarchi & Aben Ezra in loc.
to express the chastity of the bride. Ambrose
affirmsF12De Bono Mortis
c. 5.
that what PlatoF13In
Sympos. p. 1194. says concerning Jove's garden
elsewhere called by him the
garden of the mind
is taken out of Solomon's Song.
Song of Solomon
3:13 13 Your
plants are an orchard of pomegranates With pleasant fruits
Fragrant
henna with spikenard
YLT 13Thy shoots a paradise of
pomegranates
With precious fruits
Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates
.... These
plants are the members of the church
true converts
believers in Christ;
pleasant plants
plants of renown
planted in the church by Christ's heavenly
Father
and shall never be plucked up; or
thy gardens
as it may be renderedF14Vid.
Guisium in Misn. Sheviith
c. 2. s. 2. ; particular churches
well taken care
of and watered; these make an orchard
or are like one
even a paradise
as the
wordF15פרדס παραδεισος
Sept. "paradisus"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version
Cocceius
Marckius
Michaelis. signifies: it is generally thought to be a Persic word;
see Nehemiah 2:8; but
HillerusF16Onomastic. Sacr. p. 291. derives it from פרר
to "separate"
it being a garden
separated
and enclosed as before; one like Eden's garden
exceeding pleasant and
delightful: and not like an orchard of any sort of trees
but of
"pomegranates"
of which there were plenty in Canaan
hence called a
"land of pomegranates"
Deuteronomy 8:8;
many places in it had their names from thence
Joshua 15:32. To
which believers in Christ may be compared
for the various sorts of themF17Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 13. c. 19.
for their largeness
fruitfulness
and uprightness;
saints have gifts and grace
differing from one another as to size
but all
pomegranates
trees of righteousness; some are larger
and excel others
are
full of all the fruits of righteousness; but all are
more or less
fruitful
and upright in heart: and so the saints of the higher class may be here
designed
as those of a lower are by other trees and spices after mentioned;
with pleasant fruits; that are valuable
precious
and desirable
of which an enumeration follows:
camphire
with spikenard; or
"cypresses"
or "cyprusses with nards"F18So
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; both in the plural number: the former may
intend cypress trees
so called on account of their berries and fruits growing
in clusters; see Song of Solomon 1:14;
and the latter
because there are different sorts of them
as "nardus
Italica"
"Indica"
and "Celtica": to these saints may
be compared
because pleasant and delightful
of a sweet smell
and rare and
excellent.
Song of Solomon
3:14 14 Spikenard
and saffron
Calamus and cinnamon
With all trees of frankincense
Myrrh and
aloes
With all the chief spices—
YLT 14Cypresses with nard -- nard
and saffron
Cane and cinnamon
With all trees of frankincense
Myrrh and
aloes
with all chief spices.
Spikenard and saffron
.... The former is the
best sort of nard
and therefore mentioned and repeated
to which saints may be
compared
because of the graces of the Spirit in them; which
when exercised
give a sweet odour
and are exceeding grateful to Christ; see Song of Solomon 1:12;
and the latter
according to SchindlerF19Lexic. Pentaglott. col.
910.
seems to have been read "carcos"
the same with
"crocus"
and is a plant well known by us for its cheering nature;
and has its name from the Arabic
"zaffran"
because of its yellow or
golden colour; but "crocus"
from "Corycus"F20"Corycii
pressura croci"
Lucan. Pharsal. l. 9. v. 809.
a mountain in Cilicia
where it grew; it is properly joined with spikenard
since itself is a
"spica"
and is sometimes called "spica Cilissa"F21Ovid.
Fast. l. 1. v. 76. in Ibin
v. 200. Propert. l. 4. Eleg. 6. v. 74. . Next
follow
calamus and cinnamon
with all trees of frankincense;
"calamus" is the sweet cane in Isaiah 43:24;
"cinnamon" is the rind or bark of a tree; both grow in IndiaF23Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 19
22. Strabo
l. 15. p. 478. and in ArabiaF24Herodot.
Thalia
c. 107. "Cinnamoni et multi pastor odoris Araba"
Propert. l.
3. Eleg. 13. v. 8
9. ; as also trees of "frankincense"
which are
only in Arabia; hence one of the Arabias is called "thurifera"F25Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 14.
for they do not grow in all Arabia: the two first
were ingredients in the holy anointing oil
and the latter in the holy perfume
Exodus 30:23;
myrrh and aloes
with all the chief spices; Solomon's
gardens might be furnished with all these; and with the above trees
plants
and spices
from Arabia Felix
where
as AppianusF26Apud Schindler.
Lexic. col. 1192. says
"cassia" grew in marshy places; myrrh and
frankincense were gathered from trees
cinnamon from shrubs
and their meadows
naturally produced nard; hence called "aromatifera"
the spicy countryF1Strabo.
Geograph. l. 16. p. 538. Vid. p. 535. : myrrh was also an ingredient in the
anointing oil; and aloes
according to the Targum
is the same with lign aloes;
see Numbers 24:6; not
the herb which has a very bitter juice
but the tree of a sweet odour
which
IsidoreF2Origin. l. 17. c. 8
9. distinguishes
and is what is meant
in Psalm 45:8; and
were both of a very fragrant smell. Now all these trees
plants
and spices
signify truly precious souls
possessed of the graces of the Spirit; comparable
to them for their valuableness and excellency
their sweet smell
and the
reviving and refreshing nature of them; which make the subjects of these graces
very agreeable to Christ
and to one another. What a garden is the church thus
planted!
Song of Solomon
3:15 15 A
fountain of gardens
A well of living waters
And streams from Lebanon.
YLT 15A fount of gardens
a well
of living waters
And flowings from Lebanon!
A fountain of gardens
a well of living waters
and streams from
Lebanon. SomeF3So Cocceius
Schmidt
Heunischius
Marckius
Michaelis. take these words to be the words of Christ continued
speaking still
of his church
and explaining and enlarging upon what he had said of her
Song of Solomon 4:12;
but they are rather the words of the church; who
upon hearing herself
commended
and knowing that all her fruitfulness
and the flourishing condition
she was in
were owing to the grace of Christ
breaks forth in these words
and
ascribes all to him
saying
"O fountain of gardens
O well of living
waters"
&c. for so the words may be rendered in the vocative caseF4So
Ainsworth
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Marckius. . By the
"gardens" may be meant particular distinct churches
such as were
gathered in the first times of the Gospel
and since
as the churches of Asia
&c. separated from the world
and planted with trees of righteousness
such
as are before described: and though there are many gardens or churches
there
is but one "fountain" which supplies them all with gifts and grace
and that is Christ
and his fulness
the fountain from whence flow all grace
and the blessings of it: who also is the "well of living waters"; a
well deep and large
fathomless and bottomless
dug by sovereign grace
and
full of all grace; signified by "waters"
for the abundance of it;
and said to be "living"
because by it dead sinners are quickened
and drooping saints revived; and is ever runningF5"Flumine
vivo"
Virgil. Aeneid. l. 2. v. 715
"Semper fluenti"
i.e.
"naturali"
Servius in ibid.
ever flowing and overflowing; so that
there is always a supply for all Christ's gardens
and for all believers in all
ages; who
with the bucket of faith
draw water with joy out of this well
or
wells of salvation
Isaiah 12:3; and
the flows of grace from hence are like "streams from Lebanon"
because of the abundance of it; the constant and continued supplies of it; the
rapidity and force with which it comes
bearing down all obstacles in its way
and for the pleasure it gives
the flows of it being as delightful and grateful
as streams of water in hot countries. Respect seems to be had to several places
called by these names; there was one
called "the Fountain of
Gardens"
which flowed from Lebanon
six miles from Tripoli
and watered
all the gardens
whence it had its name
and all the country that lay between
these two placesF6Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae Sanctum
p. 107
108. ;
and there was another
called "the Well of living Waters"
a little
mile to the south of Tyre; it had four fountains
from whence were cut various
aqueducts and rivulets
which watered all the plain of Tyre
and all its
gardens; which fountains were little more than a bow's cast from the main sea
and in which space six mills were employedF7Ibid. p. 6. : and there
is a rupture in Mount Lebanon
as Mr. MaundrellF8Journey from
Aleppo
&c. p. 142
143. says
which runs up it seven hours' travelling;
and which
on both sides
is steep and high
and clothed with fragrant greens
from top to bottom; and everywhere refreshed with "fountains"
falling down from the rocks
in pleasant cascades
the ingenious work of
nature; and RauwolffF9Travels
part. 2. ch. 12. p. 187
188. Ed. Ray.
who was on this mountain in 1575
relates;
"we
came (says he) into pleasant groves
by delightful "rivulets" that
arose from "springs"
that made so sweet a noise
as to be admired by
King Solomon
Song of Solomon 4:15;'
and
these streams gave rise to some rivers
as Jordan
Eleutherus
&c.F11Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 20. Joseph. Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3. s. 1. to which the allusion
is here. There were two cities
one in the tribe of Judah
and the other in the
tribe of Issachar
called Engannim
the fountain of gardens
Joshua 15:34.
Song of Solomon
3:16 The Shulamite 16 Awake
O north wind
And
come
O south! Blow upon my garden
That its spices may flow out. Let my
beloved come to his garden And eat its pleasant fruits.
YLT 16Awake
O north wind
and
come
O south
Cause my garden to breathe forth
its spices let flow
Let my
beloved come to his garden
And eat its pleasant fruits!
Awake
O north wind
.... These words
according to someF12So Cocceius
Marckius
Michaelis.
are the
words of the church continued
praying for the spirit; to which sense the order
and connection of the words seem to incline; though the language suits best
with Christ
who has the command of the winds
and a right and property in the
garden
the church: nor does it seem so agreeable
that the church should
petition Christ to let loose the north wind upon her
if by that are meant
afflictive dispensations of Providence; but agrees well enough with Christ
since these come not without his will and order
and by him made to work
together for good; by which he nips the corruptions of his people
tries their
graces
and causes them to come forth into exercise: though someF13Foliot
Sanctius
& Tig. Not. in loc. So Ambrose is Psal. i. 5. p. 686. think this
is a command to the north wind to remove
and be gone
and blow no longer
since it was spring
Song of Solomon 2:11;
and would be harmful to the plants in the garden; and the verb "blow"
is singular
and only in construction with the south wind; and
besides
winds
diametrically oppositeF14Aristot. Meteorolog. l. 2. c. 6. cannot
blow together in the same horizon
with a continued blast: though othersF15Jarchi
& Aben Ezra in loc. are of opinion
that both winds are designed
being
both useful to gardens; the one to scatter the clouds
and make the air clear
and wholesome
and restrain the luxuriance of the plants; and the other
being
moist and warming
of use to bring plants and fruits to maturity; and both may
design the Spirit of God
in his different operations and effects
through the
law and the terrors of it
and by the Gospel and its comforting doctrines;
and come
thou south
blow upon my garden; the church
Christ's property
as she asserts in the latter part of the verse: the Spirit
of God is intended by the "south"
or south wind; who is compared to
the "wind"
because it blows like that
freely
and as he pleases
when
where
and on whom
and imperceptibly
powerfully
and irresistibly
John 3:8; and to
the "south wind"
because it is a warm wind
brings serenity
and
makes fruitful with showers of rain: so the Spirit of God warms the cold heart
of a sinner; thaws his frozen soul
and comforts with the discoveries of divine
love; brings quietness and peace into the conscience; and makes fruitful in
grace and good works
by causing the rain of Gospel doctrines to descend and
distil upon men. The end to be answered is
that the spices
thereof may flow out; the spices in the garden
the odoriferous plants
might emit a
fragrant smell; though VirgilF16"Floribus austrum
perditus"
Bucolic. Eclog. 2. v. 58. represents the south wind as harmful
to flowers; so it might be in Italy
where it dried them up
as Servius on the
place observes; and yet be useful to them in Palestine
where it blew from the
sea
and is sometimes so called
Psalm 107:3. Spices
denote the graces of believers
rare
precious
and odorous; and their
"flowing out" the exercise of them
their evidence
increase
and the
ripening of them; when they diffuse a sweet odour to Christ and others
and
make it delightful to walk in his garden; as it is to walk in one after a
delightful shower of rain
and when the wind gently blows upon it. And hence
what is prayed for being granted
the church speaks again
and invites Christ
saying;
let my beloved come into his garden; which "coming"
is to be understood
not of Christ's first
nor of his second coming; but of
his spiritual coming
to visit his people
grant his presence
and manifest his
love; which is very desirable by them; and
when granted
is reckoned a great
favour
and is an instance of the condescending grace of Christ
John 14:22; the
church is "his garden" by his own choice
his Father's gift
the
purchase of his blood
and the power of his grace: and here he is invited to
come
and eat his pleasant fruits; meaning either the
graces of the Spirit
which are his fruits; and called Christ's
because they
come from him
and are exercised on him
and he is the author and finisher of
them: or the good works of believers
which are performed by virtue of union to
him
and abiding in him; are done in his strength
and designed for his glory:
and both are "pleasant"
that is
well pleasing and acceptable to
him; the graces of the Spirit
when in exercise
as appears from Song of Solomon 4:9;
and good works
when done in faith
from a principle of love
and to his glory:
and he may be said to eat them when he expresses his well pleasedness with
them
and acceptation of them.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》