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Song of
Solomon Chapter Two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 2
Here
begins a new colloquy between Christ and his church; in which they alternately
set forth the excellencies of each other; and express their mutual affection
for, and delight and pleasure they take in, each other's company. Christ seems
to begin, in an account of himself and his own excellencies, and of the church
in her present state, Song of Solomon 2:1;
then she, in her turn, praises him, and commends him above all others relates
some choice proofs she had had of his love to her, and of communion with him in
his house and ordinances, to such a degree as to overcome her, Song of Solomon 2:3;
and then either he or she gives a charge to the daughters of Jerusalem, not to
disturb either the one or the other in their sweet repose, Song of Solomon 2:7.
Next the church relates how she heard the voice of Christ, and had a sight of
him on the hills and mountains, at some distance; then more nearly, behind her
wall, and through the lattices, Song of Solomon 2:8;
and expresses the very words in which he spake to her, and gave her a call to
come away with him; making use of arguments from the season of the year, the
signs of which are beautifully described, Song of Solomon 2:10;
and requests that she would come out of her solitude, that he might enjoy her
company, whose countenance and voice are so delightful to him; and gives a
charge to her and her friends, to seize on such as were harmful and prejudicial
to their mutual property, Song of Solomon 2:14.
And she closes the chapter with expressing her faith of interest in Christ; and
with a petition for his speedy approach to her, and continued presence with
her, Song of Solomon 2:16.
Song of Solomon
2:1 I
am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys.
YLT 1As a lily among the thorns,
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the
valleys. Whether Christ, or the church, is here speaking, is not certain:
most of the Jewish writersF20Zohar in Gen. fol. 46. 2. Targum, Aben
Ezra, & Yalkut in loc. , and some Christian interpretersF21Ainsworth,
Brightman, Vatablus; Cocceius; Michaelis. , take them to be the words of the
church, expressing the excellency of her grace, loveliness, and beauty, she had
from Christ; and intimating also her being in the open fields, exposed to many
dangers and enemies, and so needed his protection. The church may be compared
to a "rose", for its beautiful colour and sweet odourF23The
rose, by the Arcadians, was called ευομφαλον,
that is, "sweet-smelling", Timachidas apud Athenaei Deipnosophist. l.
15. c. 8. p. 682. and "rosy" is used for "beautiful";
"rosea cervice refulsit", Virgil. Aeneid. l. 1. Vid. Servium in ibid.
, and for its delight in sunny places, where it thrives best, and is most
fragrant. This figure is exceeding just; not only the beauty of women is
expressed by the colour of the roseF24So Helena, for her beauty, is
called ροδοχρως ελενα, in
Theocrit. Idyll. 19. The rose was sacred to Venus, Pausaniae Eliac. 2. sive l.
6, p. 391. , as is common in poems of this kind; to give instances of it would
be endlessF25Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian. de Nupt. Honor. v.
247. ; some have had the name of Rhoda from hence; see Acts 12:13. No rose
can be more beautiful in colour, and delightful to the eye, than the church is
in the eyes of Christ, as clothed with his righteousness, and adorned with the
graces of his Spirit: nor is any rose of a more sweet and fragrant smell than
the persons of believers are to God and Christ, being considered in him; and
even their graces, when in exercise, yea, their duties and services, when
performed in faith; and, as the rose, they grow and thrive under the warming,
comforting, and refreshing beams of the sun of righteousness, where they
delight to be. The church may also be compared to a "lily of the
valleys", as she is, in the next verse, to one among thorns. This is a
very beautiful flower; PlinyF26Nat. Hist. l. 21. c. 5. says it is
next in nobleness to the rose; its whiteness is singularly excellent; no plant
more fruitful, and no flower exceeds it in height; in some countries, it rises
up three cubits high; has a weak neck or body, insufficient to bear the weight
of its head. The church may be compared to a lily, for her beauty and
fragrance, as to a rose; and the redness of the rose, and the whiteness of the
lily, meeting in her, make her somewhat like her beloved, white and ruddy; like
the lily, being arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, the righteousness of
the saints; and like it for fruitfulness, as it is in good works, under the
influence of divine grace, and grows up on high into her head, Christ Jesus;
and though weak in herself, yet strong in him, who supports her, and not she
him: and the church may be compared to a "lily of the valleys"; which
may not describe any particular lily, and what we now call so; but only
expresses the place where it grows, in low places, where plants are in danger
of being plucked and trodden upon; though they may have more moisture and
verdure than those in higher places; so the church of Christ is sometimes in a
low estate, exposed to enemies, and liable to be trampled and trodden under
foot by them, and to be carried away with the flood of persecution, were it not
guarded by divine power; and, being watered with the dews of grace, it becomes
flourishing and fruitful. But the more commonly received opinion is, that these
are the words of Christ concerning himself; and which indeed best become him,
and are more agreeable to his style and language, John 14:6; and suit
best with the words in the Song of Solomon 2:2,
as one observesF1Durham in Ioc. ; nor is it unfitly taken by the
bridegroom to himself, since it is sometimes given by lovers to menF2"Mea
rosa", Plauti Bacchides, Sc. 1. v. 50. Asinaria, Act. 3, Sc. 3. v. 74.
Curculio, Act. 1. Sc. 2. v. 6. . Christ may be compared to a rose for its
colour and smell; to the rose for its red colour: and which may be expressive
of the truth of his humanity, and of his bloody sufferings in it; and this,
with the whiteness of the lily, finishes the description of him for his beauty,
Song of Solomon 5:10;
and for its sweet smell; which denotes the same things for which he is before
compared to spikenard, myrrh, and camphire. The rose, as Pliny saysF3Nat.
Hist. l. 21. c. 4. , delights not in fat soils and rich clays, but in rubbish,
and roses that grow there are of the sweetest smell; and such was the earth
about SharonF4Misnah Sotah, c. 8. s. 3. ; and to a rose there Christ
is compared, to show the excellency and preferableness of him to all others.
The word is only used here and in Isaiah 35:1. Where
it is in many versions rendered a "lily": it seems to be compounded
of two words; one which signifies to "cover" and hide, and another
which signifies a "shadow"; and so may be rendered, "the
covering shadow": but for what reason a rose should be so called is not
easy to say; unless it can be thought to have the figure of an umbrella; or
that the rose tree in those parts was so large, as to be remarkable for its
shadow; like that MontfauconF5Diar. Italic, c. 7. p. 100. saw, in a
garden at Ravenna, under the shadow of the branches of which more than forty
men could stand: Christ is sometimes compared to trees for their shadow, which
is pleasant and reviving, as in Song of Solomon 2:3.
Some render it, "the flower of the field"F6 ανθος του πεδιου, Sept.
"flos campi", V. L. Pagninus, Mercerus. ; which may be expressive of
the meanness of Christ in the eyes of men; of his not being of human
production; of his being accessible; and of his being liable to be trampled
upon, as he has been. And as he is compared to a rose, so to a
"lily", for its colour, height, and fruitfulness; expressive of his
purity in himself, of his superiority to angels and men, and of his being
filled with the fruits and blessings of grace; and to a lily of the valleys,
denoting his wonderful condescension in his low estate of humiliation, and his
delight in dwelling with the humble and lowly: some render the words, "I
am the rose of Sharon, with the lily of the valleys"F7"Ego
rosa Sharon lilio vallium", Marckius. ; by the former epithet meaning
himself; and by the latter his church, his companion, in strict union and
communion with him; of whom the following words are spoken.
Song of Solomon
2:2 The Beloved 2 Like a lily among thorns, So
is my love among the daughters.
YLT 2So [is] my friend among the
daughters!
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the
daughters. These are manifestly the words of Christ concerning his church,
whom he calls "my love"; see Gill on Song of Solomon 1:9;
and was his love still, though in such company, and in such an uncomfortable
condition. In what sense she is comparable to a lily has been shown in Song of Solomon 2:1;
but here she is compared to one among "thorns": by which may be meant
wicked men, comparable to thorns for their unfruitfulness and unprofitableness;
for their being hurtful and pernicious to good men; and for their end, which is
to be burned; especially persecutors of religion, who are very distressing to
the saints who dwell among them; see 2 Samuel 23:6; and
her being among such serves for a foil, to set off her excellency the more: and
the simile is designed, not so much to observe that Christ's lily grows among
thorns, as to show that the church is as preferable to such persons as a lily
is to thorns; which is justly remarked by Carolus Maria de Veil; and which
sense the comparison requires, as appears by the reddition, so is "my love
among the daughters": the nations and men of the world, and even carnal
professors, members of the visible church, whom she as much exceeds in beauty,
grace, and fruitfulness, as the lily exceeds thorns. Ainsworth thinks the
"woodbind" or "honeysuckle" is meant, which grows in thorn
hedges, and is sometimes called "lilium inter spinas", as Mercer
observes; this is indeed of a sweet smell, yet very weak, and cannot support
itself; and therefore twists and wraps itself about other trees, their twigs
and branches, "convolvens se adminiculis quibuscunque", as PlinyF8Nat.
Hist. l. 27. c. 12. says; hence we call it "woodbind", and for the
same reason its name in Greek is "periclymenon"; so saints are of a
sweet fragrance to Christ, and, weak in themselves, cannot support themselves;
yet they twine about Christ, lean on him, and are upheld by him, and depend on
him for all good things. But it is the same word as in Song of Solomon 2:1,
and may be rendered "lily" here as there; and not a "rose",
as it is in the Targum, from which it is there distinguished. The lily is often
mentioned in this love song; it is said to be the delight of VerusF9Nicander
apud Athenaeum, l. 15. c. 8. p. 683. . Some call it "ambrosia".
Song of Solomon
2:3 The Shulamite 3 Like an apple tree among
the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in
his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
YLT 3As a citron among trees of
the forest, So [is] my beloved among the sons, In his shade I delighted, and
sat down, And his fruit [is] sweet to my palate.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my
beloved among the sons,.... As the apple tree, in a garden or orchard, excels and is
preferable to the wild barren trees of a forestF11"Quantum
lenta solent inter viburna cupressi", Virgil. Bucolic. Eclog. 1. v. 26.
"Lenta salix", &c. Eclog. 5. v. 16. , especially it appears so
when laden with choice fruit; so the church, who here returns the commendation
to Christ, asserts, that he as much excels all the "sons", the
creatures of God, angels or men: angels, as the Targum, who, though sons of God
by creation, Christ is the Son of God, in a higher sense; he is their Creator,
and the object of their worship; they are confirmed by him in the estate they
are, and are ministering spirits to him; and he is exalted above them in human
nature: men also, the greatest princes and monarchs of the earth, are sometimes
compared to large and lofty trees; but Christ is higher than they, and is
possessed of far greater power, riches, glory, and majesty. All the sons of
Adam in general may be meant; wicked men, who are like forest trees, wild,
barren, and unfruitful; yea, even good men, Christ has the pre-eminence of
them, the sons of God by adopting grace; for he is so in such a sense they are
not; he is their Creator, Lord, Head, Husband, and Saviour, and they have all
their fruit from him; and so ministers of the word have their gifts and grace
from him, and therefore Christ excels all that come under this appellation of
sons. Christ may be compared to an apple tree, which is very fruitful; and,
when full of fruit, very beautiful; and whose fruit is very cooling,
comforting, and refreshing. Christ is full of the fruits and blessings of grace,
which are to be reached by the hand of faith, and enjoyed; and as he is full of
grace and truth, he looks very beautiful and glorious in the eye of faith; and
which blessings of grace from him, being applied to a poor sensible sinner,
inflamed by the fiery law, and filled with wrath and terror, sweetly cool,
refresh, and comfort him. The apple tree has been accounted an hieroglyphic of
love, under which lovers used to meet, and sit under its delightful shade, and
entertain each other with its fruit; to which the allusion may be; see Song of Solomon 8:5;
the apple was sacred to loveF12Scholiast. in Aristoph. Nubes, p.
180. The statue of Venus had sometimes an apple in one hand, and a poppy in the
other, Pausan. Corinth. sive l. 2. p. 103. . The Targum renders it, the pome
citron, or citron apple tree; which is a tree very large and beautiful; its
fruit is of a bitter taste, but of a good smell; always fruit on it; is an
excellent remedy against poison, and good for the breath, as naturalistsF13Athenaei
Deispnosoph. l. 3. c. 7. p. 83. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 53. & 12. c. 3.
Solin. Polyhistor. c. 59. Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 19. observe; and so is a
fit emblem of Christ, in the greatness of his person, in the fulness, of his
grace, in the virtue of his blood, and righteousness and grace, which are a
sovereign antidote against the poison of sin; and whose presence, and communion
with him, cure panting souls, out of breath in seeking him; and whose mediation
perfumes their breath, their prayers, whereby they become grateful to God,
which otherwise would be strange and disagreeable;
I sat down under his shadow with great delight: under the
shadow of the apple tree, to which Christ is compared; whose person, blood, and
righteousness, cast a shadow, which is a protecting one, from the heat of
divine wrath, from the curses of a fiery law, from the fiery darts of Satan,
and from the fury of persecutors, Isaiah 25:4; and is
a cooling, comforting, and refreshing one, like the shadow of a great rock to a
weary traveller, Isaiah 32:2; and
though the shadow of some trees, as PlinyF14Nat. Hist. l. 17. c. 12.
observes, is harmful to plants that grow under them, others are fructifying;
and such is Christ; "they that dwell under his shadow shall revive and
grow", &c. Hosea 14:7.
"Sitting" here supposes it was her choice; that she preferred Christ
to any other shadow, looking upon him to be a suitable one in her
circumstances, Song of Solomon 1:6;
it intimates that peace, quietness, satisfaction, and security, she enjoyed
under him; it denotes her continuance, and desire of abiding there, Psalm 91:1; for the
words may be rendered, "I desired, and I sat down"F15חמדתי וישבתי "concupivi, et
sedi", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Marckius. ; she desired to sit under
the shade of this tree, and she did; she had what she wished for; and she sat
"with great delight": having the presence of Christ, and fellowship
with him in his word and ordinances, where Christ is a delightful shade to his
people;
and his fruit was sweet to my taste; the fruit of
the apple tree, to which the allusion is. SolonF16Plutarch. Conjug.
Praecept. vol. 2. p. 138. advised the bride to eat a quince apple before she
went into the bridegroom, as leaving an agreeable savour; and intimating how
graceful the words of her mouth should be. By "his fruit" here are
meant the blessings of grace, which are Christ's in a covenant way, come
through his sufferings and death, and are at his dispose; such as peace,
pardon, justification, &c. and fresh discoveries and manifestations of his
love, of which the apple is an emblem: and these are sweet, pleasant, and
delightful, to those that have tasted that the Lord is gracious; whose vitiated
taste is changed by the grace of God, and they savour the things of the Spirit
of God.
Song of Solomon
2:4 The Shulamite
to the Daughters of Jerusalem 4 He
brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.
YLT 4He hath brought me in unto
a house of wine, And his banner over me [is] love,
He brought me to the banqueting house,.... Or
"into" itF17אל "in",
Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Marckius, Michaelis. . The
"house of wine"F18בית היין "domum vini", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. ,
as it is literally in the original; either the "wine cellar"F19"Cellam
vinariam", Tigurine version. , as some, where stores of it were kept; or,
the "place of fasting"F20"Locum convivii",
Junius & Tremellius. , as others, and, as we render it, a "banqueting
house"; where it was distributed and drank; a banquet of wine being put
for a feast, and here the nuptial feast; and may design the Gospel feast in the
house of God, where there is plenty of the wine of Gospel truths, and
provisions of rich food, with which believers are sweetly refreshed and
delightfully regaled: and to be brought hither, under the drawings and influences
of divine grace, is a special privilege, a distinguishing layout; and show a
great condescension in Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, to take
his people by the hand, as it were, and introduce them into his house, so well
furnished, and to a table so well spread: and so the church relates it as an
instance of divine favour, and as a fresh token of Christ's love to her; which
further appears by what follows: the covenant of grace and the Scriptures of
truth may be thought of as a banqueting house, well stored with blessings, and
promises, and rich provisions; which, to be led and let into, is a singular
kindness;
and his banner over me was love; signifying,
that she was brought into the banqueting house in a grand, stately, and
majestic manner, with flying colours; the motto on which inscribed was
"love"; the allusion may be to the names of generals being inscribed
on the banners of their armies; so Vespasian's name was inscribed on the
banners throughout his armiesF21Suetonii Vita Vespasian. c. 6. .
Christ's name, inscribed on his, was "love", his church's love; and
by which his company or band was distinguished from all others, even by
electing, redeeming, calling love. It may signify the security and protection
of the saints, while in the house of God, and enjoying communion with him,
being under the banner of love, with which they are encompassed as a shield;
and it may denote the very manifest and visible displays of it, which the
church now experienced.
Song of Solomon
2:5 5 Sustain me with cakes of
raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.
YLT 5Sustain me with
grape-cakes, Support me with citrons, for I [am] sick with love.
Stay me with flagons,.... Of wine, which is a
supporter of the animal spiritsF23"Vino fulcire venas
cadentes", Senecae Ep. 95. . The church was now in a house of wine, where
was plenty of it; even of the love of Christ, compared to wine, and preferred
unto it, Song of Solomon 1:2;
the church though she had had large discoveries of it, desired more; and such
that have once tasted of this love are eagerly desirous of it, and cannot be
satisfied until they have their fill of it in heaven: the flagons, being
vessels in which wine is put, and from thence poured out, may signify the word
and ordinances, in which the love of Christ is displayed and manifested; the
church desires she might be stayed and supported hereby, while she was
attending on Christ in them;
comfort me with apples; with exceeding great and
precious promises; which, when fitly spoken and applied, are "like apples
of gold in pictures of silver", Proverbs 25:11; and
are very comforting: or rather, with fresh and greater manifestations of his
love still; for the apple is an emblem of love, as before observed; for one to
send or throw an apple to another indicated loveF24"Malo me
Galatea petit", Virgil. Bucolic. Eclog. 3. v. 64. Vid. Theocrit. Idyll. 3.
v. 10. & Idyll. 6. v. 6, 7. & Suidam in voce μηλον.
. It may be rendered, "strew me with apples"F25רפדוני "sternite ante me", so some in Vatablus;
"substernite mihi", Tigurine version, Piscator. ; in great
quantities, about me, before me, and under me, and all around me, that I may
lie down among them, and be sweetly refreshed and strengthened: the words, both
in this and the former clause, are in the plural number; and so may be an
address to the other two divine Persons, along with Christ, to grant further
manifestations of love unto her, giving the following reason for it:
for I am sick of love; not as loathing it, but
as wanting, and eagerly desirous of more of it; being, as the Septuagint version
is, "wounded"F26 τετρωμηνη,
Sept. with it; love's dart stuck in her, and she was inflamed therewith: and
"languished"F1"Langueo amore", V. L. so
Michaelis; "aegrotus" is used in this sense, in Terent. Heautont. l.
1. ; as the Vulgate Latin version is; with earnest desires after it; nor could
she be easy without it, as is the case of lovers.
Song of Solomon
2:6 6 His left hand is
under my head, And his right hand embraces me.
YLT 6His left hand [is] under my
head, And his right doth embrace me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth
embrace me. The church, having desired to be stayed, supported, strengthened,
and comforted, presently found her beloved with her, who with both hands
sustained her; which shows his tender love to her, care of her, and regard for
her; and is expressive of the near and intimate communion she had with him, as
the effect of union to him, often enjoyed in his house and ordinances; likewise
of blessings of every kind she received from him; temporal, mercies, or left
hand blessings, which are necessary to support and carry through this
wilderness; and spiritual, or right hand blessings, as justification, pardon,
adoption, &c. and, moreover, may denote the safety and security of the
church, being encircled in the arms of her beloved, sustained by Christ's left
hand, and embraced by his right hand, out of whose hands none can pluck. Some
read the words prayer wise, "let his left hand be", &c.F2Tigurine
version, some in Mercer. Marckius; so Ainsworth. ; still desiring further
tokens of his love to her, and more and nearer communion with him: others read
it in the future, "his left hand will be", &c.F3V. L.
Pagninus Montanus. ; "his right hand shall embrace", &c.
expressing the strength of her faith that she should for the future enjoy his
gracious presence; and that he would support her, that she should not sink and
faint.
Song of Solomon
2:7 7 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 7I 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,.... Of whom,
see Song of Solomon 1:5.
There is some difficulty in these words, whether they are spoken by the church,
or by Christ: according to our version, they are the words of the church, and
bids fair to be the sense; since they are spoken to the virgins, her
companions, that waited on her; and the manner of speech is not by way of
command, as by way of adjuration; and the matter, style, and language of it,
Christ being the church's love; and the phrase, "till he please",
best agrees with his sovereignty and authority, who is at liberty to stay with,
and remove from, his people at pleasure; and the context and scope of the place
seem to confirm it; the church, enjoying communion with Christ, chooses not that
he should be disturbed, and by any means be caused to depart from her. Others
think they are the words of Christ, and not without reason; since it was the
church that was in Christ's arms, and fallen asleep in them; and the phrase,
"my love", is used by Christ concerning his church, Song of Solomon 7:6;
and not this, but another, is used by her concerning him; and besides, both the
word for "my love", and that which is rendered "he please",
are feminine, and best agree with her, "that ye stir not up, the" or
"this love, until she please"; so MichaelisF4Not. in Lowth
Praelect. de Poes. Heb. p. 158. interprets and renders the word for "love by
this lovely one"; the word is very emphatic, the love, the famous love,
the well known loveF5So lovers are frequently called "Amor et
Amores", "love and loves", vid. Theocrit. Idyll. 2. & Ovid.
Briseis Achilli, v. 12. Plauti Curculio, Act. 2. Sc. 3. v. 78. Miles, Act. 4. Sc.
8. v. 67. Poenulus, Act. 5. Sc. 3. v. 49. Mostell. arg. v. 1. Persa, arg. v. 1.
: add to which, the following words seem to confirm this sense, "the voice
of my beloved", which she had heard, adjuring the daughters of Jerusalem.
This charge is made,
by the roes, and by the hinds of the field; not that
either Christ or his church swore by them; but the words may be descriptive of
the persons addressed by the creatures, among whom they were feeding their
flocks, or whom they delighted to huntF6"Virginibus Tyriis mos
est gestare pharetram", Virgil. Aeneid. l. 1. ; or were loving and lovely
creatures, as they: and the charge is, that they would continue among them, and
mind their business, and give no disturbance to Christ or the church; or these
creatures are called as witnesses to this charge, which, if not observed, would
be brought against them: or the charge is made by all that is dear, these being
pleasant and lovely creatures, that they would not interrupt the mutual
communion of Christ and his church; or it may be a severe threatening, that,
should they disregard the charge, they should become food as common as roes and
hinds; and that they should be as cautious of stirring up and awaking the
person meant as they would be of starting those timorous creatures. The charge
is,
that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please; or,
"till she please"; if it is the charge of the church, it may lead to
observe, that Christ is the object of the church's love; and that she is his
resting place; that he may not be disturbed and raised up from it by an
unfriendly behavior toward him, or by animosities among themselves; that saints
should be very careful that they do not provoke Christ to depart from them; and
that communion with him is entirely at his pleasure, when and how long it shall
continue; it depends as much upon his sovereign will as the first acts of his
grace towards them. But if this is the charge of Christ, not to disturb his
church, then it may be observed, that the church is the object of Christ's
love, and always continues so; that the church sleeps and takes her rest in
Christ's arms; which is not to be understood of a criminal drowsiness and
sleep, but of comfortable repose and rest, Christ gives his beloved ones, in
communion with himself; that he loves and delights in the company of his
people, and would not have them disturbed in their fellowship with him; and
though, while grace is in exercise, saints are desirous of enjoying Christ's
presence always; yet, when it is otherwise, they become indifferent to it,
which provokes Christ to depart from them; and therefore it is said, "till
she please": and as this charge is given to the "daughters of
Jerusalem", young converts, or weak believers; it suggests, that they are
apt to disturb both Christ and his church; to disturb Christ by their
impatience and frowardness, like children; hence the church acts the part of a
mother charging her children to be quiet, and not disturb her loving husband,
while she enjoyed his company; and to disturb the church, through their
weakness, not being able to bear the sublime doctrines of the Gospel, and
through their ignorance of Gospel order.
Song of Solomon
2:8 The Shulamite 8 The voice of my beloved! Behold,
he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.
YLT 8The voice of my beloved!
lo, this -- he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
The voice of my beloved!.... So says the church,
who well knew Christ her beloved's voice; which is known by all believers in
him, and is distinguished by them from the voice of others; by the majesty and
authority of it; by the power and efficacy of it; by its directing them to
himself, and by the pleasure it gives them: and she speaks of it as being very
delightful to her; it being the voice of him whom she loved, and a voice of
love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation; and,
being observed before, what follows shows that Christ is heard before he is
seen; he is first heard of in the Gospel, before he is seen, by an eye of
faith: and such would have others observe the voice of Christ as well as they,
for here the church speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem; and it seems by this,
that, by some means or another, Christ had been disturbed, and had departed
from the church for a while, and was now upon the return to her, which made his
voice the more joyful to her;
behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the
hills; this may be, understood, either of Christ's first coming in the
flesh, much prophesied of, long expected, and was very welcome: this was
attended with many difficulties, comparable to mountains and hills; that he the
Son of God should become man; that he should obey, suffer, and die for men,
fulfil the law, satisfy justice, atone for sin, and save from all enemies; but
those which seemed insuperable were easily surmounted by Christ: or of his
spiritual coming; sometimes he withdraws himself, and then returns again, and
faith, spying him at a distance, rejoices at his nearer approach; for impediments
in his way, occasioned by the unbelief, carnality, lukewarmness, backslidings,
and ingratitude of his people, are removed and got over by him, nothing being
able to separate from his love; and his coming, either way, is with all
readiness, swiftness, speed, and haste. And a "behold" is prefixed to
this, as a note of admiration and attention; and is so, whether applied to the
one or other. Christ's incarnation was matter of wonder, "behold, a
virgin", &c. Isaiah 7:14; and so
his manifestation of himself to his people, and not to others, is marvellous,
"Lord, how is it", &c. John 14:22; and
both comings are visible, glorious, and delightful. AmbroseF7Enarrat.
in Psal. cxviii. octon. 7. p. 917. has these remarkable words, by way of
paraphrase, on this passage,
"Let
us see him leaping; he leaped out of heaven into the virgin, out of the womb
into the manger, out of the manger into Jordan, out of Jordan to the cross,
from the cross into the tomb, out of the grave into heaven.'
The
allusion is to the leaping of a roe, or a young hart, as in Song of Solomon 2:9,
which is remarkable for its leaping, even one just yeanedF8Vid.
Dionys. Perieg. v. 843, 844. ; so a young hart is described, by the poetF9 νεβρος αλοιτο, &c. Theocrit.
Idyll. 8. prope finem. , as leaping to its dam the leap of one of these
creatures is very extraordinaryF11"The hart is said to leap
sixty feet at a leap", Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 3. c. 17. col. 882.
.
Song of Solomon
2:9 9 My beloved is like a
gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking
through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.
YLT 9My beloved [is] like to a
roe, Or to a young one of the harts. Lo, this -- he is standing behind our
wall, Looking from the windows, Blooming from the lattice.
My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart,.... The
church, upon the swift and speedy approach of Christ unto her, compares him to
these creatures; which are well known for their swiftnessF12"Cervi
veloces", Virgil. Aeneid. 5. v. 253. in running, and agility in leaping,
as before observed: and, besides these things, Christ may be compared to them
on other accounts; they are pleasant and lovely, choice and valuable; bear an
antipathy to serpents, which they easily overcome; are very good for food, and
very agreeable, and are long lived creaturesF13Vid. Pausaniae Arcad.
sive l. 8. p. 472. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 32. Aelian de Animal. l. 2. c. 9.
Solin. Polyhistor. c. 31, Frantz. Animal, Sacr. par. 1. c. 15. ; Christ is
lovely and amiable in his person, and high in the esteem of his divine Father,
angels and men; is choice and excellent in his nature, offices, and grace;
bears an antipathy to the old serpent, the devil, whose works and powers he
came to destroy, and has got an entire victory over them; and is very agreeable
food to faith; his flesh is meat indeed, and the more so through his sufferings
and death; as the flesh of those creatures is said to be the more tender and
agreeable, by being hunted; and Christ, though dead, is alive, and lives for
evermore;
behold, he standeth behind our wall; not the middle wall of
the ceremonial law, behind which, Christ, under the Old Testament dispensation,
stood, showing himself to believers; nor the wall of our humanity he partook
of, when he came in the flesh, and under which his glorious deity was in some
measure covered and hid; but rather the wall of our hearts, Jeremiah 4:19; the
hardness, infidelity, and carnal reasonings of it, which are so many walls of
separation between Christ and his people; behind which he stands, showing his
resentment of them, and in order to demolish them, and get admittance: he is
represented here, as nearer than when she first saw him, even at her very home;
he looketh forth at the windows; this is coming nearer
still; for, by the manner of the expression, it seems that he was within doors,
since he is said, not to look through the windows, but to look forth at them,
meaning the ordinances; which are that to the church as windows to a house, the
means of letting in light into the souls of men; and where Christ shows
himself, in his glory and beauty, as kings and great personages look out at
windows to show themselves to their people: though Christ may also be said to
look in at, those windows, to observe the behaviour of his people in his house
and ordinances, with what attention, affection, faith, and reverence, they wait
upon him in them;
showing himself through the lattice; by which may be meant
the same things, only a larger and clearer discovery of Christ in them, of
which ordinances are the means; and yet, unless Christ shows himself through
them, he cannot be seen in them: and a "behold" being prefixed to
these gradual discoveries of himself, show them to be wonderful! a glance of
him behind the wall is surprising; his looking in at the windows still more so;
but his showing himself, in all his glories and excellencies, through the
lattice, is enough to throw into the greatest rapture, to fill with joy
unspeakable and full of glory! Some render the word "flourishing"F14מציץ "efflorescens", Piscator, Michaelis, so
Ainsworth. , like a rose or lily, or like a vine, or jessamine; which grow up
by a window or lattice, and, seen through them, took very pleasant and
delightful. But the allusion is rather to the quick sighted roe, or young hart;
which, as it is remarkable for its swiftness, referred to, Song of Solomon 2:8,
so for the sharpness of its sight; PlinyF15Nat. Hist. l. 28. c. 11.
says it is never dim sighted; it has its name "dorcas", in Greek,
from its sight.
Song of Solomon
2:10 10 My beloved spoke, and said
to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.
YLT 10My beloved hath answered
and said to me, `Rise up, my friend, my fair one, and come away,
My beloved spake, and said unto me,.... Christ, the church's
beloved, being so near her, she could distinctly hear and understand what he
spoke, and relate the very words: or, "he answered to me"F16ענה "respondit", Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator,
Marckius, Michaelis. ; to a secret petition, put up to him for a more full
enjoyment of him; for there is mental as well as vocal prayer, which Christ, as
God omniscient, knows full well, and gives answer to: of this may be an answer
to her petitions in Song of Solomon 2:5;
and as some in Song of Solomon 2:6;
however, Christ said something after related, that she well knew he spake, and
not another, and to her in particular. What he said follows:
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away; the
affectionate and endearing titles of "love" and "fair one",
have been met with and explained, on Song of Solomon 1:5;
and are repeated to show his ardent love to her, notwithstanding the frame she
was in, which was very probably a slothful one, by the exhortations given; and
to remove her discouragements, arising from her present state; and to prevail
upon her to get up from her bed of carnal sloth and security, at least to shake
off her indolence; and to quit her seat and company, and go along with him, or
where he should direct, since it would be to her own advantage: for the words
may be rendered, "rise up for thyself, and come away for thyself"F17קומי לך ולכי
לך "surge tibi, et abi tibi", Montanus,
Cocceius, so Vatablus, Marckius. ; it will turn to thy account, and to do
otherwise will be detrimental to thee. The arguments follow.
Song of Solomon
2:11 11 For lo, the winter is
past, The rain is over and gone.
YLT 11For lo, the winter hath
passed by, The rain hath passed away -- it hath gone.
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. A season of
the year which keeps persons within doors, makes going abroad unsafe,
unpleasant, and uncomfortable; very unfit for travelling, roads bad, rivers
impassable, and journeying very difficult; but now this season being over, and
the spring come, the weather fair, and every thing gay and pleasant, it is
inviting to be abroad; winter is by some writersF18"Grandaevumque
patrem supplex, miseranda rogabo unam hyemem", Statii Achill. l. 1. v. 50,
51. Vid. Valer. Flacc. l. 1. v. 197. used not for the season of the year, but
for a storm or tempest. Thus the winter and rain may be descriptive of the state
and condition of Jews and Gentiles before the coming of ChristF19"Ante
adventum Christi hyems erat, venit Christus, fecit aestatem", Ambros.
Enarrat. in Paul. cxviii. octon. 7. p. 821. , and which then ceased; it having
been a stormy dispensation with the one, and a time of darkness and ignorance
with the other, Hebrews 12:18; or
rather it may in general represent the state of God's people both before and
after conversion; before conversion it is a time of darkness, coldness,
barrenness, and unfruitfulness; and which are removed by the powerful and
efficacious grace of Christ: and after conversion it is often a winter season
with them, through the blustering winds of Satan's temptations; the storms of
impending wrath for sin, as they imagine; the nipping blasts of persecution,
and sharp and severe afflictions they are at times exposed unto: moreover, they
are often in great darkness of soul, clouds interpose between Christ and them;
a great deal of coldness attends them, their hearts are frozen up and hard, and
no impression made on them by the preaching of the word, or by the providences
of God; there is a coolness in their love to God and Christ, his people, ordinances,
cause, and interest; great barrenness and unfruitfulness in them, they look
like trees in winter, and no appearance of fruit on them; their hands are
sealed up from working, and they become indolent and inactive; and by all these
fellowship with Christ is greatly interrupted: but, when the spring returns
again, light breaks in upon them, and their hearts are melted with a sense of
love; they become lively in their frames, and in the exercise of grace, and are
fruitful in good works; and enjoy much calmness and serenity, peace and joy in
the Holy Ghost: sometimes they think the winter is not over when it is, and
fear more storms are behind, even of divine wrath and vengeance, though without
reason; since Christ has bore all wrath for them, and has satisfied law and
justice, and has delivered them from wrath to come; and he that has done this
says, "the winter is past", &c.
Song of Solomon
2:12 12 The flowers appear on the
earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard
in our land.
YLT 12The flowers have appeared
in the earth, The time of the singing hath come, And the voice of the turtle
was heard in our land,
The flowers appear on the earth,.... One of the first
signs of the spring being comeF20"Ver praebet flores", Ovid.
de Remed. Amor. l. 1. v. 188. "Omnia tum florent", ibid. Metamorph.
l. 15. Fab. 9. So flowers are called τεκνα εαρος,
"the children of the spring", in Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 13. c. 9. p.
608. "Vernus sequitur color, omnis in herbas turget humus", Claudian.
de Rapt. Proserp. l. 2. v. 90. ; and make the season delightful and pleasant;
the sun returning with its warming influences, herbs and plants are quickened
and spring up; fields and meadows, as well as gardens, are covered with a
variety of beautiful flowers, which make walking abroad very delightful. By
these "flowers" may be meant either the graces of the spirit in the
saints, which, when a wintertime with them, seem to be dead, at least are hid;
but, upon a return of the sun of righteousness, revive and are seen again: or
the saints themselves, when in a flourishing condition, and in the exercise of
grace; who may be compared to the flowers of the field for the production of
them in the spring, which is a kind of re-creation of them, Psalm 104:30; and
fitly expresses the renovation of the Holy Ghost, to which the revival of them
is owing; and for the fragrancy of them, their persons and services being of a
sweet savour through the grace and righteousness of Christ; and for their
beauty and ornament to the fields in which they grow, as saints are through
Christ in themselves, and to the churches and interest of Christ; and for the
gaiety and cheerfulness in which the flowers appear in the spring season, and
so a proper emblem of the joy and consolation of the saints; where grace
revives, Christ returns, and they are favoured with communion with him. It may
not be improper to observe, that this may represent the large conversions of
souls to Christ, and the numerous appearance of so many beautiful flowers in
the church of Christ in the first ages of Christianity, after a long winter of
Jewish and Gentile darkness;
the time of the singing of birds is come; another sign
of spring, and suits the Gospel dispensation, in which the churches of Christ,
and the members of them, sing the praises of the Lord in psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs; and particularly young converts, those little birds that sing
in warbling notes and tuneful lays the songs of electing, redeeming, calling,
justifying, pardoning, and adopting grace, to the glory of God, and to their
mutual comfort and edification. Some render it, "the time of the
branch"F21עת הזמיר
"tempus palmitis", Gussetius, p. 231. , of the vine putting forth its
branches; or "the time of cutting"F23 καιρος της τομης, Sept. "tempus putationis", V. L.
Pagninus; so the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions. , of pruning vines, of
lopping trees, and cutting off unfruitful branches; as in the Gospel
dispensation, when the Jewish branches were broken off, and the Gentiles were
ingrafted in, and being pruned brought forth more fruit; and this agrees with
the season of the year, the spring being the time of cutting and pruning vinesF24Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 17. c. 22. Hesiod. Opera & Dies, l. 2. ; though this is by
some objected to as unseasonable;
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; so one part
of rural pleasures is described by the poetF25
εστενε τρυγων, Theocrit. Idyll. 7. , not only by the singing of
birds of various kinds, but particularly by the note of the turtle; which is a
kind of dove that lies hid in the wintertime, or is gone, being a bird of
passage, and appears and returns at the spring, when its voice is heard againF26Plin.
ut supra, l. 18. c. 28. ; see Jeremiah 8:7; for
its voice is never heard in winter, unless on a fine dayF1Myndius
apud Athenaeum in Deipnosophist. l. 9. c. 11. p. 394. So Pliny, "hyeme
mutis, vere vocalibus", l. 10. c. 35. Vid. l. 18. c. 28. ; by which may be
meant, not the voice of the law, as the Jewish writersF2In Zohar in
Gen. fol. 121. 3. , rather of the Gospel, the joyful sound, which for a while
was heard only in the land of Judea, called by way of specialty "our
land": but either of the voice of the Messiah himselfF3So
Pesikta in Yalkut in loc. , preaching the everlasting Gospel in the land of
Israel when here on earth; or of John the Baptist his forerunner; and so
Alshech interprets it of Elijah, who was to come before the Messiah, and refers
to Malachi 4:5. It may
design the voice of all the apostles of Christ, and first ministers of the
GospelF4Vid. Stockium, p. 1181. ; or of the Holy Ghost, as the
Targum, who appeared as a dove at Christ's baptism; and whose voice in the
hearts of his people, speaking peace and pardon, and witnessing their adoption,
causes joy and gladness; or of the church itself, compared to a turtledove for
its harmlessness, meekness, chastity, &c. whose voice in prayer and praise
is heard, and is acceptable to Christ, Song of Solomon 2:14.
Song of Solomon
2:13 13 The fig tree puts forth
her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good
smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!
YLT 13The fig-tree hath ripened
her green figs, And the sweet-smelling vines have given forth fragrance, Rise,
come, my friend, my fair one, yea, come away.
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs,.... Another
sign of spring being come, nay, of its being pretty much advanced, since Christ
makes this a token of summer being at hand, Matthew 24:32.
TheopompusF5Apud Atheanei Deipnosoph. l. 3. c. 4. p. 77. speaks of
figs in the middle of the spring. This tree puts forth its fruit at once, and
does not flower or blossomF6Plutarch. Sympos. l. 6. problem. 9.
Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 20. , wherefore Habakkuk 3:17 is
wrongly translated; See Gill on Habakkuk 3:17,
though ArianusF7In Epictet. l. 16. c. 15. speaks of its flowering:
Aben Ezra thinks the word signifies the sweetening of the figs, and so points
at the time when they are sweet and eatable. By the "fig tree" may be
meant the saints putting forth their grace in exercise on Christ, who may be
compared to fig trees for their leaves and fruit, and for the putting forth the
latter before the formerF8Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 26. ; for the
fig tree is a tree full of large leaves, which may be an emblem of a profession
of religion, and of a conversation agreeably to it, which yet are no covering,
only the righteousness of Christ is that, yet ought to be and are ornamental;
and for the fruit of it, which is wholesome, pleasant, and delightful, as are
the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of grace and righteousness, fruits meet
for repentance, which ought to appear before a profession of religion is made.
If the Egyptian fig tree is meant, that is a very fruitful tree; it is said to
bear fruit seven times a year, but ripens no other way than by scratching it
with iron hooksF9lbid. l. 13. c. 7. Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 2. c.
11. p. 11. Solin. Polyhistor. p. 45. ; and its wood cut down and cast into
water, being dry, sinks, but when thoroughly wet will swim. Saints should bear
fruit always, and ever continue to do so, even to old age; nor do any ever
become fruitful until their hearts have been pricked and cut by the word of
God; and they never grow better, or are more fruitful, than when attended with
afflictions and tribulations; when they first enter into the waters of
affliction, like Peter, they sink, but, when more used to them, they lift up
their heads above them, and bear up with great courage and resolution. By the
"green figs" may be meant the beginnings of grace in the soul, some
stirrings of affection to Christ, desires of knowledge of him, pantings and
breathings after his ordinances, love to his people; all which appear soon, are
very imperfect, and, like unripe figs, liable to be shaken off; and it is a
miracle of grace that the first impressions of it are not destroyed by the
force of corruption and temptation; and it may be observed, that grace in its
first appearance, though but small, is not despised, but taken notice of by
Christ: yea, he makes use of it as exercised by young converts to stir up old
professors, as here the church, to be more active and vigorous in it;
and the vines with the tender grape give a good
smell; or "being in flower give a good smell"F11סמדר "in flore constitutae", Mercerus, Michaelis;
"vitis pars florens", Munster; "vineae florentes", Tigurine
version; "nihil gratius florentis odore vitis", Ambros. Hexaemeron,
l. 3. c. 12. , as the word is used in the Targum in Isaiah 18:5; and
that vines do flower appears from the same place, and from Genesis 40:10; as
well as is observed by naturalists and othersF12Plin. Nat. Hist. l.
16. c. 25. & l. 17. c. 22. "Si bene floruerit vinea", &c.
Ovid. Fasti, l. 5. so Horat. Epod. Ode 16. v. 44. ; and these flowers, and not
the tender grapes, emit a sweet smell; and, as some sayF13Danaeus in
Hos. xiv. 7. Levini Lemn. Herb. Biblic. c. 2. , not in the vineyards only, but
in the country round about; and these are fitly mentioned next to figs, since
the black fig is by some called the sister of the vineF14Hipponax
apud Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 3. c. 4. p. 78. . By the vines may be intended
distinct congregated churches of Christ, or particular believers; vines are
very weak; and cannot bear up of themselves, must be fixed to some place, and
be supported by something else; and being supported, will run up a great
height, and bring forth much fruit. So saints are weak in themselves, and
cannot support themselves; their strength is in Christ, and they are upheld by
him, and have their dependence on him; and being supported by him they grow up
to the stature of the fulness of Christ; and through their grafting into him,
and abiding in him the true vine, bring forth much fruit to the glory of God,
and such as is not to be found in others. The wood of the vine is of very
little worth or use, Ezekiel 15:2; and
yet is very lasting. PlinyF15Nat. Hist. l. 14. c. 1. ascribes a sort
of an eternity to it. Believers in Christ, however weak and worthless they are
in themselves, as are their best works and services, yet being in Christ they
shall abide in him for ever, and never perish, but have everlasting life. And
by the "tender grapes", or "flowers", may be designed
either the graces of the spirit, as before; or rather young converts, the fruit
of Christ's vines, the churches, who, though weak and tender, yet are dear to
Christ; and when there is a large appearance of them, it is a great
encouragement to churches, and promises a glorious vintage. And the
"smell" of these vines, with their grapes and flowers, may intend the
fragrancy, of believers through the righteousness of Christ on them, and the
odour of their graces, as exercised on him; and the sweet savour of their godly
conversation, observed by all about them.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; repeated from
Song of Solomon 2:10;
which shows sluggishness on the part of the church, that she needed one
exhortation after another; and great love on the part of Christ, that
notwithstanding this he persists in calling her; and even importunity in him,
that he will have no denialF16"Odit verus amor, nec patitur
moras", Senecae Hercul. Fur. v. 587. : and it may be observed, that what
is entertaining to most of the senses is mentioned to engage the church to
arise and go along with her beloved; the flowery fields would be pleasing to
her eye, the chirping birds to her ear, the sweet and ripening figs to her
taste, and the refreshing odour of the vines to her smell.
Song of Solomon
2:14 14 “O my dove, in the clefts
of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let
me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is
lovely.”
YLT 14My dove, in clefts of the
rock, In a secret place of the ascent, Cause me to see thine appearance, Cause
me to hear thy voice, For thy voice [is] sweet, and thy appearance comely.
O my dove,.... An epithet sometimes used by loversF17"Mea
columba", Plauti Casina, Act. 1. Sc. 1. v. 50. Doves were birds of Venus;
her chariot was drawn by them, Chartar. de Imag. Deor. p. 218. Vid. Apulci
Metamorph. l. 6. , and is a new title Christ gives to his church, to express
his affection for her and interest in her; and to draw her out of her
retirement, to go along with him. The dove is a creature innocent and harmless,
beautiful, cleanly, and chaste; sociable and fruitful, weak and timorous, of a
mournful voice, and swift in flying; all which is suitable to the church and
people of God: they are harmless and inoffensive in their lives and
conversations; they are beautiful through the righteousness of Christ on them,
and the grace of the Spirit in them; they are clean through the word Christ has
spoken, and having their hearts purified by faith; they are as chaste virgins
espoused to Christ, and their love to him is single and unfeigned; they cleave
to him, are fruitful in grace and good works; and the church being espoused to
Christ brings forth many souls unto him in regeneration; saints carry on a
social worship and delight in each other's company; they are weak and timorous,
being persecuted and oppressed by the men of the world; and mourn for their own
sins and others, and often for the loss of Christ's presence; and are swift in
flying to him for safety and protection. Under this character the church is
said to be
in the clefts of the rock, the usual place where
the dove makes its nest, Jeremiah 48:28; or
retires to it for safetyF18"Quails spelunca subito commota
columba, cui domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi", Virgil. Aeneid. 5.
v. 213. . Adrichomius saysF19Theatrum Terrae S. p. 171. , there was
a stone tower near Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of Olives, called
"petra columbarum", "the rock of the doves", where often
five thousand were kept at once, to which there may be an allusion here; or
else it may have respect to the place where doves are forced to fly when
pursued by the hawk, even into a hollow rock, as described by HomerF20Iliad.
21. v. 493, 494. ; and may be expressive of the state of the church under
persecution, when obliged to flee into holes and corners, and caves of the earth;
when the Lord is a hiding place to her, in his love, and grace, and power; and
particularly Christ is the Rock of his people, so called for height, strength,
and duration, and they are the inhabitants of this Rock; and who was typified
by the rock in the wilderness, and particularly by that into the clefts of
which Moses was put, when the glory of the Lord passed before him: moreover,
the clefts of this rock may design the wounds of Christ, which are opened for
the salvation of men; and where saints dwell by faith, and are secure from
every enemyF21"In tegimento petrae", i.e. "tuta
praesidio passionis meae et fidei munimento", Ambros. de Isaac, c. 4. p.
281. . The Ethiopic version is, "in the shadow of the rock", to which
Christ is compared, Isaiah 32:2; and so
the Septuagint version, "in the covering of the rock", which is no
other than the shade of it. Likewise the church is said to be
in the secret places of the stairs; Christ is the
stairs or steps by which saints ascend up to God, have access to and communion
with him; and the secret places may have respect to the justifying
righteousness of Christ, and atonement by him, hidden to other men, but
revealed to them; and whither in distress they betake themselves, and are
sheltered from sin, law, hell, and death, and dwell in safety. Though as such
places are dark and dusty, and whither the dove, or any other creature, may in
danger betake itself, so upon the whole both this and the preceding clause may
design the dark, uncomfortable, and solitary condition the church was in
through fear of enemies; in which situation Christ addresses her, saying,
let me see thy countenance, or "face"; and
encourages her to appear more publicly in, his house and courts for worship,
and present herself before him, and look him full in the face, and with open
face behold his glory, and not be shamefaced and fearful; not to be afraid of
any thing, but come out of her lurking holes, and be seen abroad by himself and
others, since the stormy weather was over, and everything was pleasant and
agreeable;
let me hear thy voice; in prayer to him and
praise of him, commending the glories and: excellencies of his person, and
giving thanks to him for the blessings of his grace;
for sweet is thy voice; pleasant, harmonious,
melodious, having a mixture of notes in it, as the word signifies; and so
exceeds the voice of a natural dove, which is not very harmonious: HerodotusF23Euterpe,
sive l. 2. c. 55. makes mention of a dove that spoke with a human voice; and
such a voice Christ's dove speaks with, and it is sweet; that is, pleasant and
delightful to him, who loves to hear his people relate the gracious experiences
of his goodness, and speak well of his truths and ordinances; prayer is sweet
music to him, and praise pleases him better than all burnt offerings;
and thy countenance is comely; fair and
beautiful, and therefore need not cover her face, or hang down her head, as if
ashamed to be seen, since she was in the eye of Christ a perfection of beauty.
Song of Solomon
2:15 Her Brothers 15 Catch us the foxes, The
little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.
YLT 15Seize ye for us foxes,
Little foxes -- destroyers of vineyards, Even our sweet-smelling vineyards.
Take us the foxes,.... Of which there were great numbers in
Judea; see Judges 15:4; these
words are directed not to angels, nor to civil magistrates, but to ministers of
the word; but whether the words of Christ, or the church, is not easy to
determine; some think they are the words of the church, who had hitherto been
relating what Christ said to her, and who, having neglected her vineyard, Song of Solomon 1:6;
and now stirred up by Christ to a greater care of it, expresses her concern for
its flourishing; and therefore calls upon her attendants and companions, to
assist in taking and destroying those which were harmful to it: but rather they
seem to be the words of Christ continued; since they not only show the care of
his vines, the churches; but express power and authority over those they are
spoken to: and perhaps they may be the words of them both jointly; since the
church, with Christ, and under him, has a right to stir up her officers to do
their work, and fulfil their ministry, they have received of Christ for her
service. By foxes may be meant false teachers, to whom the false prophets of
old were compared, Ezekiel 13:3; foxes
are crafty and subtle creatures, malignant and mischievous, hungry and
voracious, full of deceit and dissimulation, are of an ill smell, and
abominably filthy; so false teachers walk in craftiness, use good words and
fair speeches, and thereby deceive the hearts of the simple; their doctrines
are pernicious, their heresies damnable, and they bring destruction on
themselves and others; they are hungry after worldly substance, are greedy of
it, and can never have enough; devour widows' houses, and make merchandise of
men, to enrich themselves; they put on sheep's clothing, transform themselves
into angels of light, mimic the voice of Gospel ministers, use their phrases
and expressions, that they may not be easily discovered; and are abominable in
their principles and practices, and to be shunned by all good men. Now
ministers of the Gospel are ordered to take these, to detect them, and refute
their errors, and reprove them sharply for them; and, after proper steps taken,
to reject them, to cast them out of the vineyards, the churches, and keep them
out. Even
the little foxes; heresies and heretics are to be nipped in
the bud, before they increase to more ungodliness; otherwise errors, which may
seem small at first, soon grow larger and spread themselves, and become fatal
to the churches:
that spoil the vines; as foxes do, by gnawing
the branches, biting the bark, making bare the roots, devouring the ripe
grapes, and infecting all with their noxious teeth and vicious breathF24Vid.
Theocrit. Idyll. 1. v. 48, 49. & Idyll. 5. v. 112, 113. So soldiers are compared
to foxes, because they eat the grapes in the countries they come into,
Aristoph. Equites, Act 3. Sc. 1. p. 350. : so false teachers make divisions and
schisms in churches; disturb their peace; unsettle some, and subvert others;
sap the foundation of religion, and corrupt the word of God; and therefore by
all means to be taken, and the sooner the better;
for our vines have tender grapes: or
"flowers"; See Gill on Song of Solomon 2:13.
The "vines" are the churches; the "tender grapes", or
"flowers", young converts, which Christ has a particular regard unto,
Isaiah 40:11; and
these, having but a small degree of knowledge, are more easily imposed upon and
seduced by false teachers; and therefore, for their sakes, should be carefully
watched, and vigorously opposed, since otherwise a promising vintage is in danger
of being spoiled. Christ, in this address, intimates, that not only he and the
church, but, he ministers also, had an interest in the vines and tender grapes,
as they have; see Song of Solomon 8:11;
and therefore should be the more concerned for their welfare; hence he calls
them "ours"; interest carries a powerful argument in it.
Song of Solomon
2:16 The Shulamite 16 My beloved is mine,
and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies.
YLT 16My beloved [is] mine, and I
[am] his, Who is delighting among the lilies,
My beloved is mine, and I am his,.... These are
the words of the church; who, having had such evidences of Christ's love to
her, and care of her, expresses her faith of interest in him, and suggests the
obligations she lay under to observe his commands. The words are expressive of
the mutual interest had property Christ and his church have in each other:
Christ is the church's, by the Father's gift of him to her, to be her Head,
Husband, and Saviour; and by the gift of himself unto her, to be her Redeemer
and ransom price; and by marriage, having espoused her to himself, in
righteousness and lovingkindness; and by possession, he living and dwelling in
her, by his Spirit and grace: the church also acknowledges herself to be his,
as she was, by the Father's gift of her to Christ, as his spouse and bride, his
portion and inheritance; and by purchase, he having bought her with his precious
blood; and by the conquest of her, by his grace in effectual calling; and by a
voluntary surrender of herself unto him, under the influence of his grace:
hence all he is, and has, are hers, his person, fulness, blood, and
righteousness; and therefore can want no good thing. Moreover, these words
suggest the near union there is between Christ and his church; they are one in
a conjugal relation, as husband and wife are one; which union is personal, of
the whole person of Christ to the whole persons of his people; it is a
spiritual one, they having the same Spirit, the one without measure, the other
in measure; it is a vital one, as is between the vine and its branches; and it
is a mysterious one, next to that of the union of the three Persons in the
Godhead, and of the two natures in Christ; it is an indissoluble one, the
everlasting love of Christ being the bond of it, which call never be dissolved;
and from this union flow a communication of the names of Christ to his church,
conformity to him, communion with him, and an interest in all he has. Likewise
these phrases express the mutual affliction, complacency, and delight, Christ
and his church have in each other; he is beloved by his church, and she by him;
she seems to have a full assurance of interest in him, and to make her boast of
him; excluding all other beloveds, as unworthy to be mentioned with him: of
whom she further says,
he feedeth among the lilies; which is either an
apostrophe to him, "O thou that feedest", &c. thou only art my
beloved; or is descriptive of him to others, inquiring who he was, and where to
be seen: the answer is, he is the person that is yonder, feeding among the
lilies; either recreating and delighting himself in his gardens, the churches,
where his saints are, comparable to lilies; See Gill on Song of Solomon 2:1,
and See Gill on Song of Solomon 2:2;
or feeding his sheep in fields where lilies grow: and it may be observed, it is
not said, he feedeth on, or feeds his flock with lilies, but among them; for it
is remarkedF25Tuccius in Soto Major in loc. , that sheep will not
eat them: or the sense may be, Christ feeds himself, and feeds his people, and
feeds among them, as if he was crowned with lilies, and anointed with the oil
of them; as was the custom of the ancients at festivalsF26Vid.
Fortunat. Schacc. Eleochrysm. Sacr. l. 1. c. 28. p. 137. , thought to be here
alluded to by some who read the words, "that feeds"; that is, sups in
or with lilies, being anointed and crowned with them. The lily is a summer
flowerF1Theophrast. apud Athenaeum in Deipnosoph. l. 15. c. 7. p. 679.
; the winter was now past, Song of Solomon 2:11.
Song of Solomon
2:17 (To Her
Beloved) 17 Until
the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a
gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.[a]
YLT 17Till the day doth break forth,
And the shadows have fled away, Turn, be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a
young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away,.... Which may
be connected with Song of Solomon 2:16;
either with the former part, "my beloved is mine", &c. Song of Solomon 2:16;
and then the sense is, as long as night and day continue, and God's covenant
with both stands sure; so long union to Christ, and covenant interest in him,
will abide: or with the latter part, "he feedeth among the lilies
until", &c. even until his second coming: or with the next clause in
this verse,
turn, my beloved; and so is a prayer for Christ's speedy
coming to her, and continued presence with her, until the day should break:
which may be understood either of the Gospel day made by the rising of Christ,
the sun of righteousness, at his first coming in the flesh; when the shadows of
the ceremonial law disappeared, Christ, the body and substance of them, being
come, and the darkness of the Gentile world was scattered, through the light of
the Gospel being sent into it: the words may be rendered, "until the day
breathe", or "blow"F2עד שיפוח εως ου
διαπνευση, Sept. "donec, vel dum spiret", Mercerus,
Cocceius; "aspirat", Marckius; "spiraverit", Michaelis. ;
and naturalists observeF3Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 47. Senecae Nat.
Quaest. l. 5. c. 8. , that, upon the sun's rising, an air or wind has been
excited, and which ceases before the middle of the day, and never lasts so long
as that; and on Christ's, the sun of righteousness, arising with healing in his
wings, some cool, gentle, and refreshing breezes of divine grace and
consolation were raised, which were very desirable and grateful: or this may be
understood of Christ's second coming; which will make the great day of the
Lord, so often spoken of in Scripture: and which suits as well with the Hebrew
text, and the philosophy of it, as the former; for, as the same naturalistsF4lbid.
Aristot. Problem. s. 25. c. 4. "Adspirant aurae in noctem", Virgil.
Aeneid. 7. v. 8. observe, the wind often blows fresh, and fine breezes of air
spring up at the setting as well as at the rising of the sun; see Genesis 3:8; and
may very well be applied to Christ's second coming, at the evening of the
world; which will be a time of refreshing to the saints, and very desirable by
them; and though it will be an evening to the world, which will then come to an
end, with them there will be no more night of darkness, desertion, affliction,
and persecution; the shadows of ignorance, infidelity, doubts, and fears, will
be dispersed, and there will be one pure, clear, unbeclouded, and everlasting
day; and till then the church prays, as follows:
turn, my beloved; that is, to her; who seemed to be ready to
depart from her, or was gone; and therefore she desires he would turn again,
and continue with her, until the time was come before mentioned: or, "turn
about"F5סב "circui",
Montanus, Sanctius; "circumito"; some in Michaelis. ; surround me
with thy favour and lovingkindness, and secure me from all enemies, until the
glorious and wished for day comes, when I shall be out of fear and danger; or,
"embrace me"F6"Complectere", Marckius. ; as in Song of Solomon 2:6;
during the present dispensation, which was as a night in comparison of the
everlasting day;
and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of
Bether; the same with Bethel, according to AdrichomiusF7Theatrum
Terrae Sanctae, p. 16. ; where were mountains, woody, set with trees, full of
grass and aromatic plants; and so may be the same with the mountains of spices,
Song of Solomon 8:14;
where the Ethiopic version has Bethel; and so that and the Septuagint version,
in an addition to Song of Solomon 2:9;
here; see 2 Kings 2:23;
unless Bithron is meant, 2 Samuel 2:29; a
place in Gilead, beyond Jordan, so called, because it was parted from Judea by
the river Jordan: and the words are by some rendered, "the mountains of
division or separation"F8על הרי בתר "in montibus
divisionis", Vatablus, Piscator; "scissionis", Cocceius;
"dissectionis", Marckius; "sectionis vel separationis",
Michaelis. ; which, if referred to Christ's first coming, may regard the
ceremonial law, the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, broke down by
Christ, and the two people divided by it, which were reconciled by him; if to
his spiritual coming, the same things may be intended by them as on Song of Solomon 2:9;
but if to his second coming, the spacious heavens may be meant, in which Christ
will appear, and which now interpose and separate from his bodily presence; and
therefore the church importunately desires his coming with speed and swiftness,
like a roe or a young hart, and be seen in them; see Revelation 22:10.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)