4 Thou art beautiful, H3303 O my love, H7474 as Tirzah, H8656 comely H5000 as Jerusalem, H3389 terrible H366 as an army with banners. H1713
Who is she that looketh forth H8259 as the morning, H7837 fair H3303 as the moon, H3842 clear H1249 as the sun, H2535 and terrible H366 as an army with banners? H1713
And G2532 I G1473 John G2491 saw G1492 the holy G40 city, G4172 new G2537 Jerusalem, G2419 coming down G2597 from G575 God G2316 out of G1537 heaven, G3772 prepared G2090 as G5613 a bride G3565 adorned G2885 for her G846 husband. G435
All that pass H5674 by clap H5606 their hands H3709 at thee; H1870 they hiss H8319 and wag H5128 their head H7218 at the daughter H1323 of Jerusalem, H3389 saying, Is this the city H5892 that men call H559 The perfection H3632 of beauty, H3308 The joy H4885 of the whole earth? H776
O my dove, H3123 that art in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 in the secret H5643 places of the stairs, H4095 let me see H7200 thy countenance, H4758 let me hear H8085 thy voice; H6963 for sweet H6156 is thy voice, H6963 and thy countenance H4758 is comely. H5000
Out of Zion, H6726 the perfection H4359 of beauty, H3308 God H430 hath shined. H3313
And G2532 the armies G4753 which were G3588 in G1722 heaven G3772 followed G190 him G846 upon G1909 white G3022 horses, G2462 clothed G1746 in fine linen, G1039 white G3022 and G2532 clean. G2513 And G2532 out of G1537 his G846 mouth G4750 goeth G1607 a sharp G3691 sword, G4501 that G2443 with G1722 it G846 he should smite G3960 the nations: G1484 and G2532 he G846 shall rule G4165 them G846 with G1722 a rod G4464 of iron: G4603 and G2532 he G846 treadeth G3961 the winepress G3025 G3631 of the fierceness G2372 and G2532 wrath G3709 of Almighty G3841 God. G2316 And G2532 he hath G2192 on G1909 his vesture G2440 and G2532 on G1909 his G846 thigh G3382 a name G3686 written, G1125 KING G935 OF KINGS, G935 AND G2532 LORD G2962 OF LORDS. G2962
How goodly H2895 are thy tents, H168 O Jacob, H3290 and thy tabernacles, H4908 O Israel! H3478 As the valleys H5158 are they spread forth, H5186 as gardens H1593 by the river's side, H5104 as the trees of lign aloes H174 which the LORD H3068 hath planted, H5193 and as cedar trees H730 beside the waters. H4325 He shall pour H5140 the water H4325 out H5140 of his buckets, H1805 and his seed H2233 shall be in many H7227 waters, H4325 and his king H4428 shall be higher H7311 than Agag, H90 and his kingdom H4438 shall be exalted. H5375 God H410 brought him forth H3318 out of Egypt; H4714 he hath as it were the strength H8443 of an unicorn: H7214 he shall eat up H398 the nations H1471 his enemies, H6862 and shall break H1633 their bones, H6106 and pierce H4272 them through with his arrows. H2671 He couched, H3766 he lay down H7901 as a lion, H738 and as a great lion: H3833 who shall stir him up? H6965 Blessed H1288 is he that blesseth H1288 thee, and cursed H779 is he that curseth H779 thee.
And in that day H3117 will I make H7760 Jerusalem H3389 a burdensome H4614 stone H68 for all people: H5971 all that burden H6006 themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, H8295 H8295 though all the people H1471 of the earth H776 be gathered together H622 against it.
Thus wast thou decked H5710 with gold H2091 and silver; H3701 and thy raiment H4403 was of fine linen, H8336 H8336 and silk, H4897 and broidered work; H7553 thou didst eat H398 fine flour, H5560 and honey, H1706 and oil: H8081 and thou wast exceeding H3966 beautiful, H3302 and thou didst prosper H6743 into a kingdom. H4410 And thy renown H8034 went forth H3318 among the heathen H1471 for thy beauty: H3308 for it was perfect H3632 through my comeliness, H1926 which I had put H7760 upon thee, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
I sleep, H3463 but my heart H3820 waketh: H5782 it is the voice H6963 of my beloved H1730 that knocketh, H1849 saying, Open H6605 to me, my sister, H269 my love, H7474 my dove, H3123 my undefiled: H8535 for my head H7218 is filled H4390 with dew, H2919 and my locks H6977 with the drops H7447 of the night. H3915
Behold, thou art fair, H3303 my love; H7474 behold, thou art fair; H3303 thou hast doves' H3123 eyes. H5869
I am black, H7838 but comely, H5000 O ye daughters H1323 of Jerusalem, H3389 as the tents H168 of Kedar, H6938 as the curtains H3407 of Solomon. H8010
Man H120 is like H1819 to vanity: H1892 his days H3117 are as a shadow H6738 that passeth away. H5674 Bow H5186 thy heavens, H8064 O LORD, H3068 and come down: H3381 touch H5060 the mountains, H2022 and they shall smoke. H6225 Cast forth H1299 lightning, H1300 and scatter H6327 them: shoot out H7971 thine arrows, H2671 and destroy H2000 them. Send H7971 thine hand H3027 from above; H4791 rid H6475 me, and deliver H5337 me out of great H7227 waters, H4325 from the hand H3027 of strange H5236 children; H1121 Whose mouth H6310 speaketh H1696 vanity, H7723 and their right hand H3225 is a right hand H3225 of falsehood. H8267
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Song Of Solomon 6
Commentary on Song Of Solomon 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
So 6:1-13.
1. Historically, at Jesus Christ's crucifixion and burial, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, and others, joined with His professed disciples. By speaking of Jesus Christ, the bride does good not only to her own soul, but to others (see on So 1:4; Mal 3:16; Mt 5:14-16). Compare the hypocritical use of similar words (Mt 2:8).
2. gone down—Jerusalem was on a hill (answering to its moral elevation), and the gardens were at a little distance in the valleys below.
beds of spices—(balsam) which He Himself calls the "mountain of myrrh," &c. (So 4:6), and again (So 8:14), the resting-place of His body amidst spices, and of His soul in paradise, and now in heaven, where He stands as High Priest for ever. Nowhere else in the Song is there mention of mountains of spices.
feed in … gardens—that is, in the churches, though He may have withdrawn for a time from the individual believer: she implies an invitation to the daughters of Jerusalem to enter His spiritual Church, and become lilies, made white by His blood. He is gathering some lilies now to plant on earth, others to transplant into heaven (So 5:1; Ge 5:24; Mr 4:28, 29; Ac 7:60).
3. In speaking of Jesus Christ to others, she regains her own assurance. Literally, "I am for my beloved … for me." Reverse order from So 2:16. She now, after the season of darkness, grounds her convictions on His love towards her, more than on hers towards Him (De 33:3). There, it was the young believer concluding that she was His, from the sensible assurance that He was hers.
4. Tirzah—meaning "pleasant" (Heb 13:21); "well-pleasing" (Mt 5:14); the royal city of one of the old Canaanite kings (Jos 12:24); and after the revolt of Israel, the royal city of its kings, before Omri founded Samaria (1Ki 16:8, 15). No ground for assigning a later date than the time of Solomon to the Song, as Tirzah was even in his time the capital of the north (Israel), as Jerusalem was of the south (Judah).
Jerusalem—residence of the kings of Judah, as Tirzah, of Israel (Ps 48:1, &c.; 122:1-3; 125:1, 2). Loveliness, security, unity, and loyalty; also the union of Israel and Judah in the Church (Isa 11:13; Jer 3:18; Eze 37:16, 17, 22; compare Heb 12:22; Re 21:2, 12).
terrible—awe-inspiring. Not only armed as a city on the defensive, but as an army on the offensive.
banners—(See on So 5:10; Ps 60:4); Jehovah-nissi (2Co 10:4).
5. (So 4:9; Ge 32:28; Ex 32:9-14; Ho 12:4). This is the way "the army" (So 6:4) "overcomes" not only enemies, but Jesus Christ Himself, with eyes fixed on Him (Ps 25:15; Mt 11:12). Historically, So 6:3-5, represent the restoration of Jesus Christ to His Church at the resurrection; His sending her forth as an army, with new powers (Mr 16:15-18, 20); His rehearsing the same instructions (see on So 6:6) as when with them (Lu 24:44).
overcome—literally, "have taken me by storm."
6. Not vain repetition of So 4:1, 2. The use of the same words shows His love unchanged after her temporary unfaithfulness (Mal 3:6).
8. threescore—indefinite number, as in So 3:7. Not queens, &c., of Solomon, but witnesses of the espousals, rulers of the earth contrasted with the saints, who, though many, are but "one" bride (Isa 52:15; Lu 22:25, 26; Joh 17:21; 1Co 10:17). The one Bride is contrasted with the many wives whom Eastern kings had in violation of the marriage law (1Ki 11:1-3).
9. Hollow professors, like half wives, have no part in the one bride.
only one of her mother—namely, "Jerusalem above" (Ga 4:26). The "little sister" (So 8:8) is not inconsistent with her being "the only one"; for that sister is one with herself (Joh 10:16).
choice—(Eph 1:4; 2Th 2:13). As she exalted Him above all others (So 5:10), so He now her.
daughters … blessed her—(Isa 8:18; 61:9; Eze 16:14; 2Th 1:10). So at her appearance after Pentecost (Ac 4:13; 6:15; 24:25; 26:28).
10. The words expressing the admiration of the daughters. Historically (Ac 5:24-39).
as the morning—As yet she is not come to the fulness of her light (Pr 4:18).
moon—shining in the night, by light borrowed from the sun; so the bride, in the darkness of this world, reflects the light of the Sun of righteousness (2Co 3:18).
sun—Her light of justification is perfect, for it is His (2Co 5:21; 1Jo 4:17). The moon has less light, and has only one half illuminated; so the bride's sanctification is as yet imperfect. Her future glory (Mt 13:43).
army—(So 6:4). The climax requires this to be applied to the starry and angelic hosts, from which God is called Lord of Sabaoth. Her final glory (Ge 15:5; Da 12:3; Re 12:1). The Church Patriarchal, "the morning"; Levitical, "the moon"; Evangelical, "the sun"; Triumphant, "the bannered army" (Re 19:14).
11. The bride's words; for she everywhere is the narrator, and often soliloquizes, which He never does. The first garden (So 2:11-13) was that of spring, full of flowers and grapes not yet ripe; the second, autumn, with spices (which are always connected with the person of Jesus Christ), and nothing unripe (So 4:13, &c.). The third here, of "nuts," from the previous autumn; the end of winter, and verge of spring; the Church in the upper room (Ac 1:13, &c.), when one dispensation was just closed, the other not yet begun; the hard shell of the old needing to be broken, and its inner sweet kernel extracted [Origen] (Lu 24:27, 32); waiting for the Holy Ghost to usher in spiritual spring. The walnut is meant, with a bitter outer husk, a hard shell, and sweet kernel. So the Word is distasteful to the careless; when awakened, the sinner finds the letter hard, until the Holy Ghost reveals the sweet inner spirit.
fruits of the Valley—Maurer translates, "the blooming products of the river," that is, the plants growing on the margin of the river flowing through the garden. She goes to watch the first sproutings of the various plants.
12. Sudden outpourings of the Spirit on Pentecost (Ac 2:1-13), while the Church was using the means (answering to "the garden," So 6:11; Joh 3:8).
Ammi-nadib—supposed to me one proverbial for swift driving. Similarly (So 1:9). Rather, "my willing people" (Ps 110:3). A willing chariot bore a "willing people"; or Nadib is the Prince, Jesus Christ (Ps 68:17). She is borne in a moment into His presence (Eph 2:6).
13. Entreaty of the daughters of Jerusalem to her, in her chariot-like flight from them (compare 2Ki 2:12; 2Sa 19:14).
Shulamite—new name applied to her now for the first time. Feminine of Solomon, Prince of Peace; His bride, daughter of peace, accepting and proclaiming it (Isa 52:7; Joh 14:27; Ro 5:1; Eph 2:17). Historically, this name answers to the time when, not without a divine design in it, the young Church met in Solomon's porch (Ac 3:11; 5:12). The entreaty, "Return, O Shulamite," answers to the people's desire to keep Peter and John, after the lame man was healed, when they were about to enter the temple. Their reply attributing the glory not to themselves, but to Jesus Christ, answers to the bride's reply here, "What will ye see" in me? "As it were," &c. She accepts the name Shulamite, as truly describing her. But adds, that though "one" (So 6:9), she is nevertheless "two." Her glories are her Lord's, beaming through her (Eph 5:31, 32). The two armies are the family of Jesus Christ in heaven, and that on earth, joined and one with Him; the one militant, the other triumphant. Or Jesus Christ and His ministering angels are one army, the Church the other, both being one (Joh 17:21, 22). Allusion is made to Mahanaim (meaning two hosts), the scene of Jacob's victorious conflict by prayer (Ge 32:2, 9, 22-30). Though she is peace, yet she has warfare here, between flesh and spirit within and foes without; her strength, as Jacob's at Mahanaim, is Jesus Christ and His host enlisted on her side by prayer; whence she obtains those graces which raise the admiration of the daughters of Jerusalem.