Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 1:9

I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

9. O my love ] Rather, O my friend; cp. the use of ami in French between lovers. This word rayh is found only in the Song of Solomon, except once in the plural in Jdg 11:37, where Jephthah’s daughter says “I and my companions,” and in that case there is an alternative reading. It is used in the Song indiscriminately by Solomon and by the Shulammite’s true lover.

a company of horses ] Here the A.V. follows the Vulgate, which has equitatus; and that might be the meaning as the fem. may be a collective (cp. Ges. K. Gramm. 122 s). Oettli, however, suggests that a favourite mare is meant, and in that case we should render to my mare in Pharaoh’s chariots have I compared thee. The plural, chariots, makes a slight difficulty, but it may be meant to indicate that this favourite steed was driven in various chariots. This reference to Egyptian chariots and horses is specially Solomonic (cp. 1Ki 10:26-29), as he first introduced the horse and chariot as a regular part of the army of Israel. To us this may seem a very unbecoming simile, but in the East women are held in lighter esteem than with us, and the horse in higher esteem. Arabic poets often use such comparisons for the women they love. But perhaps there is intended here a hint of the quality of the king’s affection. Cp. Tennyson, Locksley Hall,

“He will hold thee, when his passion shall have spent its novel force,

Something better than his dog, a little dearer than his horse.”

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Chap. Son 1:9 Chap. Son 2:7. A King’s Love despised

In this scene Solomon presses his love upon the Shulammite for the first time; but in reply to his endeavours to win her she always utters praises of her absent lover. She contrasts their humble woodland resting-place with the royal palace, and declares herself to be a modest country flower which cannot bloom elsewhere than in the country. Finally, grown love-sick at the thought of her lover, she turns to the ladies of the court, beseeching them to restore her strength, and adjures them not to seek to kindle love, which should always be spontaneous, by any unworthy or extraneous means.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

This and the next Cant. 1:152:7 sections are regarded by ancient commentators (Jewish and Christian) as expressing the love of espousals Jer 2:2 between the Holy One and His Church, first in the wilderness of the Exodus, and then in the wilderness of the world Eze 20:35-36.

Son 1:9

Or, to a mare of mine in the chariots of Pharaoh I liken thee, O my friend. (The last word is the feminine form of that rendered friend at Son 5:16.) The comparison of the bride to a beautiful horse is singularly like one in Theocritus, and some have conjectured that the Greek poet, having read at Alexandria the Septuagint Version of the Song, may have borrowed these thoughts from it. If so, we have here the first instance of an influence of sacred on profane literature. The simile is especially appropriate on the lips, or from the pen, of Solomon, who first brought horses and chariots from Egypt 1Ki 10:28-29. As applied to the bride it expresses the stately and imposing character of her beauty.

Son 1:10, Son 1:11

Rows … borders – The same Hebrew word in both places; ornaments forming part of the brides head-dress, probably strings of beads or other ornaments descending on the cheeks. The introduction of jewels and gold in Son 1:10 injures the sense and destroys the climax of Son 1:11, which was spoken by a chorus (hence we, not I, as when the king speaks, Son 1:9). They promise the bride ornaments more worthy and becoming than the rustic attire in which she has already such charms for the king: Ornaments of gold will we make for thee with studs (or points) of silver. The studs are little silver ornaments which it is proposed to affix to the golden (compare Pro 25:12), or substitute for the strung beads of the brides necklace.

Son 1:12-14

The brides reply Son 1:12 may mean, While the king reclines at the banquet I anoint him with my costliest perfume, but he has for me a yet sweeter fragrance Son 1:13-14. According to Origens interpretation, the bride represents herself as anointing the king, like Mary Joh 12:3, with her most precious unguents.

Spikenard – An unguent of great esteem in the ancient world, retaining its Indian name in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. It is obtained from an Indian plant now called jatamansi.

Son 1:13

Render: A bag of myrrh is my beloved to me, which lodgeth in my bosom.

Son 1:14

Camphire – Rather, kopher, from which cyprus is probably derived (in the margin misspelled cypress ),the name by which the plant called by the Arabs henna was known to the Greeks and Romans. It is still much esteemed throughout the East for the fragrance of its flowers and the dye extracted from its leaves. Engedi was famous for its vines, and the henna may have been cultivated with the vines in the same enclosures.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Son 1:9-11

I have compared thee, O My love, to a company of horses in Pharaohs chariots.

Christs commendation of His Church

I. The sweet epithet Ghrist giveth unto his Church. O My love.

1. The greatest outgoings of love and friendship from Christ, are toward His Church. His love to His people is–

(1) Infinite and immeasurable, beyond all imagination or comparison (Joh 15:9).

(2) Gracious (Hos 14:3).

(3) Liberal and bountiful (Joh 15:13; Eph 5:25).

(4) Eternal (Jer 31:3).

II. The comparison by which He sets her forth.

1. I have compared thee. Christ esteems His servants and people, not as they are in themselves, but as they are in Himself.

2. A company of horses etc. Now by this comparison Christ setteth forth the glory and renown of His Church in respect of her victories and achievements; for He having directed His Church to follow the footsteps of the Flock, and to feed above the tents of false Shepherds, no question now but these false Shepherds, who before were called Christs companions, will persecute and afflict her: now for the comforting and supporting of her, Christ tells her, she shall be strong, and victorious, she shall be like the horses of Egypt, ready for the battle.

3. Christ having set forth the Churchs strength and valour, now continueth His speech, showing also, how His Church is decked with His ordinances and graces (Son 1:10).

4. Then He declareth what should be her future happiness; viz. a further increase of her graces, and some addition of rich ornaments (Son 1:11). (John Robotham.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 9. I have compared thee – to a company of horses] This may be translated, more literally, “I have compared thee lesusathi, to my mare, in the chariots or courses of Pharaoh;” and so the versions understood it. Mares, in preference to horses, were used both for riding and for chariots in the East. They are much swifter, endure more hardship, and will go longer without food, than either the stallion or the gelding. There is perhaps no brute creature in the world so beautiful as a fine well-bred horse or mare; and the finest woman in the universe, Helen, has been compared to a horse in a Thessalian chariot, by Theocritus. Idyl. xviii. ver. 28: –

‘ ,

, , ‘ ,

, .

“The golden Helen, tall and graceful, appears as distinguished among us as the furrow in the field, the cypress in the garden, or the Thessalian horse in the chariot.”

This passage amply justifies the Hebrew bard, in the simile before us. See Jer 6:2.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

I have compared thee, Heb. I have made thee like; which may be understood either,

1. Verbally, by comparing. Or,

2. Really, by making a real resemblance in quality or condition. To a company of horses in Pharaohs chariots; either,

1. For comeliness; for a horse is a very stately and beautiful creature, and the Egyptian horses were preferred before others, 1Ki 10:28; Isa 31:1, and Pharaohs own chariot horses were doubtless the best of their kind. Or,

2. For excellent order and usefulness, as those horses did equally and orderly draw the chariot, and carried Pharaoh with ease and speed whither he designed to go. Or rather,

3. For strength and courage, to overcome all thine enemies. For horses are famous for that property, Job 39:21, &c. And the strength of the battle was then thought to consist very much in horses, Pro 21:31, and chariots, and especially in a company or multitude of them. And the church in this book is represented not only as fair and beautiful, but also as terrible to her enemies, Son 6:10. Compare Rev 19:11,14.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

9. horses in Pharaoh’schariotscelebrated for beauty, swiftness, and ardor,at the Red Sea (Ex 14:15).These qualities, which seem to belong to the ungodly, reallybelong to the saints [MOODYSTUART]. The allusion maybe to the horses brought at a high price by Solomon out of Egypt(2Ch 1:16; 2Ch 1:17).So the bride is redeemed out of spiritual Egypt by the true Solomon,at an infinite price (Isa 51:1;1Pe 1:18; 1Pe 1:19).But the deliverance from Pharaoh at the Red Sea accords withthe allusion to the tabernacle (Son 1:5;Son 3:6; Son 3:7);it rightly is put at the beginning of the Church’s call. The ardorand beauty of the bride are the point of comparison; (So1:4) “run”; (So 1:5)”comely.” Also, like Pharaoh’s horses, she forms a greatcompany (Rev 19:7; Rev 19:14).As Jesus Christ is both Shepherd and Conqueror, so believers are notonly His sheep, but also, as a Church militant now, Hischariots and horses (So 6:4).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

I have compared thee, O my love,…. The church having taken the direction of Christ, had now found him, and was with him; and when for her encouragement and comfort he greets her as his love, an appellation very usual among lovers; and in the chastest sense between husband and wife; the church was Christ’s love, being both the object and subject of it; to whom he had showed love, and whose love was shed abroad in her heart; or “my friend” t, another name used among lovers; there is a mutual friendship between Christ and his people; they are Christ’s friends, and he is theirs, So 5:1. The Septuagint render it “my neighbour”, whom Christ loves as himself; and they dwell near each other; he dwells in them, and they in him, Joh 6:56; and here are compared by him

to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots; or “I have likened thee”, or reckoned thee like u; formed such an image of thee in my mind, with regard to some peculiar excellencies in her which agreed therewith: or to “my mare” w, as some translate the word, which ran in one of his chariots, called Pharaoh’s chariot; because perhaps it was made a present of to him by Pharaoh king of Egypt, his father in law, for which he had a particular regard, as Alexander for his Bucephalus; nor is such a comparison of a woman a disagreeable one, since, as Marckius observes, many women have had their names from the horse, because of some celebrated excellency in them x; and Theocritus y compares Queen Helena to a Thessalian horse in a chariot; and it is thought he took the hint from this song, as admiring it; so, by others z, persons are compared to mares for their beautiful form. Christ’s church and people be compared to “the horse” for their strength, majesty, and comeliness; they are strong in Christ, and in his grace, and of an undaunted courage in bearing hardships, reproaches, and persecutions for his sake, and in fighting the Lord’s battles; and are stately and majestic, especially a company of them in Gospel order, So 6:4; and are very comely and beautiful in their trappings, clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and the graces of his Spirit; and to a “company” of them, a collection of goodly ones, as Egyptian ones, reckoned the best; and those in Pharaoh’s chariot best of all; choice, costly, well fed, and well taken care of; and not wild and loose, but coupled and joined together in a chariot, all drawing one way. Christ’s church and people are a choice and select company, distinguished from others by the grace of God; cost a great price, the blood of Christ; are well fed with the finest of the wheat; and are under the care both of angels and Gospel ministers; and look very beautiful as under the yoke of Christ, and joined together in Gospel bonds, being of the same faith and judgment; drawing one way, striving together for the faith of the Gospel, and endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

t “amica mea”, Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Mercerus, Michaelis. u “similem te judico”, Tigurine version. w , Sept. “equae meae”, Pagninus, Montanus, Gussetius, p. 551. so Aben Ezra, Syriac and Arabic versions; “equabus”, Piscator. x As Hippo, Hippe, Hippia, Hippodomia, Hippothoe, Hipponoe, Mercippe, Alcippe, Archippe. y Idyll. 18. v. 29. z , Theognis Sententiae, v. 257. ‘-

, Phocylides. So by Plato in Hippias Major, p. 1250. & Horat. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 11. v. 9.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Solomon, while he was absent during the first scene, is now present. It is generally acknowledged that the words which follow were spoken by him:

9 To a horse in the chariot of Pharaoh Do I compare thee, my love.

10 Beautiful are thy cheeks in the chains, Thy neck in the necklaces.

11 Golden chains will we make for thee, With points of silv.

Till now, Shulamith was alone with the ladies of the palace in the banqueting-chamber. Solomon now comes from the banquet-hall of the men (Son 1:12); and to Son 2:7, to which this scene extends, we have to think of the women of the palace as still present, although not hearing what Solomon says to Shulamith. He addresses her, “my love:” she is not yet his bride. (female friend), from ( ), to guard, care for, tend, ethically: to delight in something particularly, to take pleasure in intercourse with one, is formed in the same way as ; the mas. is (= ra’j ), abbreviated , whence the fem. ra’yah (Jdg 11:37; Chethb ), as well as re’ah , also with reference to the ground-form. At once, in the first words used by Solomon, one recognises a Philip, i.e., a man fond of horses, – an important feature in the character of the sage ( vid., Sur. 38 of the Koran), – and that, one fond of Egyptian horses: Solomon carried on an extensive importation of horses from Egypt and other countries (2Ch 9:28); he possessed 1400 war-chariots and 12, 000 horsemen (1Ki 10:26); the number of stalls of horses for his chariots was still greater (1Ki 5:6) [4:26]. Horace (Ode iii. 11) compares a young sprightly maiden to a nimble and timid equa trima ; Anacreon (60) addresses such an one: “thou Thracian filly;” and Theocritus says (Idyl xviii. 30, 31):

“As towers the cypress mid the garden’s bloom,

As in the chariot proud Thessalian steed,

Thus graceful rose-complexioned Helen moves.”

But how it could occur to the author of the Song to begin the praise of the beauty of a shepherdess by saying that she is like a horse in Pharaoh’s chariot, is explained only by the supposition that the poet is Solomon, who, as a keen hippologue, had an open eye for the beauty of the horse. Egyptian horses were then esteemed as afterwards the Arabian were. Moreover, the horse was not native to Egypt, but was probably first imported thither by the Hyksos: the Egyptian name of the horse, and particularly of the mare, ses – t , ses – mut , and of the chariot, markabuta , are Semitic.

(Note: Eber’s Aegypten u. die B. Mose’s, Bd. I pp. 221f. 226; cf. Aeg. Zeitschr. 1864, p. 26f.)

is here not equitatus (Jerome), as Hengst. maintains: “ Susah does not denote a horse, but is used collectively;” while he adds, “Shulamith is compared to the whole Egyptian cavalry, and is therefore an ideal person.” The former statement is untrue, and the latter is absurd. Sus means equus , and susa may, indeed, collectively denote the stud (cf. Jos 19:5 with 1Ch 4:31), but obviously it first denotes the equa . But is it to be rendered, with the lxx and the Venet., “to my horse”? Certainly not; for the chariots of Pharaoh are just the chariots of Egypt, not of the king of Israel. The Chirek in which this word terminates is the Ch. compag., which also frequently occurs where, as here and Gen 49:11, the second member of the word-chain is furnished with a prep. ( vid., under Psa 113:1-9). This i is an old genitival ending, which, as such, has disappeared from the language; it is almost always accented as the suff. Thus also here, where the Metheg shows that the accent rests on the ult. The plur. , occurring only here, is the amplificative poetic, and denotes state equipage. is the trans. of , which combines the meanings aequum and aequalem esse . Although not allegorizing, yet, that we may not overlook the judiciousness of the comparison, we must remark that Shulamith is certainly a “daughter of Israel;” a daughter of the people who increased in Egypt, and, set free from the bondage of Pharaoh, became the bride of Jahve, and were brought by the law as a covenant into a marriage relation to Him.

The transition to Son 1:10 is mediated by the effect of the comparison; for the head-frame of the horse’s bridle, and the poitral, were then certainly, must as now, adorned with silken tassels, fringes, and other ornaments of silver ( vid., Lane’s Modern Egypt, I 149). Jerome, absurdly, after the lxx: pulchrae sunt genae tuae sicut turturis . The name of the turtle, , redupl. turtur, is a pure onomatopoeia, which has nothing to do with , whence , to go round about, or to move in a circle; and turtle-dove’s cheeks – what absurdity! Birds have no cheeks; and on the sides of its neck the turtle-dove has black and white variegated feathers, which also furnishes no comparison for the colour of the cheeks. are the round ornaments which hang down in front on both sides of the head-band, or are also inwoven in the braids of hair in the forehead; , circumire , signifies also to form a circle or a row; in Aram. it thus denotes, e.g., the hem of a garment and the border round the eye. In ( vid., at 5 a) the Aleph is silent, as in , . are strings of pearls as a necklace; for the necklace (Arab. kharaz ) consists of one or more, for the most part, of three rows of pearls. The verb signifies, to bore through and to string together; e.g., in the Talm., fish which one strings on a rod or line, in order to bring them to the market. In Heb. and Aram. the secondary sense of stringing predominates, so that to string pearls is expressed by , and to bore through pearls, by ; in Arab., the primary meaning of piercing through, e.g., michraz, a shoemaker’s awl.

After Son 1:11, one has to represent to himself Shulamith’s adorning as very simple and modest; for Solomon seeks to make her glad with the thought of a continued residence at the royal court by the promise of costly and elegant ornaments. Gold and silver were so closely connected in ancient modes of representation, that in the old Aegypt. silver was called nub het , or white gold. Gold derived its name of from its splendour, after the witty Arab. word zahab , to go away, as an unstable possession; silver is called , from , scindere, abscindere , a piece of metal as broken off from the mother-stone, like the Arab. dhukrat , as set free from the lump by means of the pickaxe (cf. at Psa 19:11; Psa 84:3). The name of silver has here, not without the influence of the rhythm (Son 8:9), the article designating the species; the Song frequently uses this, and is generally in using the art. not so sparing as poetry commonly is.

(Note: The art. denoting the idea of species in the second member of the st. const. standing in the sing. without a determining reference to the first, occurs in Son 1:13, “a bundle of ( von) myrrh;” Son 1:14, “a cluster of ( von) the cyprus-flower;” Son 4:3, “a thread of ( von) scarlet,” “a piece of pomegranate;” Son 5:13, “a bed of balm” (but otherwise, Son 6:2), Son 7:9, “clusters of the vine;” Son 7:3, “a bowl of roundness” (which has this property); Son 7:10, “wine (of the quality) of goodness;” cf. Son 8:2, “wine the (= of the) spicing.” It also, in cases where the defined species to which the first undefined member of the st. const. belongs, stands in the pl.: Son 2:9, Son 2:17; Son 8:14, “like a young one of the hinds;” Son 4:1; Son 6:5, “a herd of goats;” Son 4:2, “a flock of shorn sheep;” Son 6:6, “a flock of lambs,” i.e., consisting of individuals of this kind. Also, when the second member states the place where a thing originates or is found, the first often remains indeterminate, as one of that which is there found, or a part of that which comes from thence: Son 2:1, “a meadow-saffron of Sharon,” “a lily of the valleys;” Son 3:9, “the wood of Lebanon.” The following are doubtful: Son 4:4, “a thousand bucklers;” and Son 7:5, “a tower of ivory;” less so Son 7:1, “the dance of Mahanaim.” The following are examples of a different kind: Gen 16:7, “a well of water;” Deu 22:19, “a damsel of Israel;” Psa 113:9, “a mother of children;” cf. Gen 21:28.)

makes prominent the points of silver as something particular, but not separate. In , Solomon includes himself among the other inhabitants, especially the women of the palace; for the plur. majest. in the words of God of Himself (frequently in the Koran), or persons of rank of themselves (general in the vulgar Arab.), is unknown in the O.T.

They would make for her golden globules or knobs with ( i.e., provided with …; cf. Psa 89:14) points of silver sprinkled over them, – which was a powerful enticement for a plain country damsel.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Notes

Son. 1:9 : I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaohs chariots. To a company of horses ( lesusathi) (susah), fem., from (sus), a horse, may be either a mare, or, as a collective noun, a stud or company of horses. In the latter case, the final yod paragogic, as in Samuel Son. 1:1; Isa. 1:21. GESENIUS inclines to the former view, thinking the comparison of a single loved one to a body of horse not so congruous. The latter favoured by ROSENMLLER, DE WETTE, NOYES, and others. The versions divided. SEPTUAGINT: My mare. VULGATE: My cavalry. LUTHER: My spirited team. WICKLIFF: My riding. DIODATI (Italian) and DUTCH. The mares. GENEVA: The troops of horses. MARTIN (French): The most beautiful pair of horses that I have. MONTANUS: My mare. COCCEIUS: My cavalry. Yod redundant. MERCER, VETABLUS. Not superfluous; My, because, chosen for his own. DEL RIO: My mare, i.e., my most beautiful mare. BOSSUET: My well trained steed. PERCY: One of the steeds; Yod paragogic. GOOD, BOOTHROYD. My horse; a favourite mare of the King; a particularly fine and splendidly caparisoned specimen of those good mares which Solomon had for his chariots (1Ki. 10:26). ZCKLER. On the other hand, ROSENMULLER thinks there is no case of a beautiful woman praised by comparison to a mare. My horse, a collective noun for all his cavalry (1Ki. 10:26) WEISS. My stud. GINSBURG. My horses. HODGSON. The team of horses. HAHN. PHILO has: As a swift horse that wins the prize. An Arabs mare his most valuable possession, and dearer to him than his fortune. GREENFIELD. Theocritus compares the comeliness of Helen to a Thessalian mare in a chariot; mares used in preference to horses both for riding and in chariots in the East, as being swifter and more able to endure hardship, and go longer without food. A. CLARKE.

In Pharaohs chariots. Pharaoh a name common to the Egyptian Kings; denoting in Coptic, and according to Josephus, the King. GESENIUS inclined rather to derive the title, in its Hebrew form at least, from (phara), to lead in battle; hence, (phera), prince, with the formative (oh). In the Pharaonic, or Egyptian chariots of Pharaoh; more exactly, such a stud as was used on state occasions in Solomons Pharaonic chariots; those costly teams which Solomon had imported from Egypt (1Ki. 10:28-29.) In Pharaohs magnificent team. DELITZSCH, EWALD. Horses of Egypt remarkable for their beauty and stateliness, and eagerly sought for the Kings of Syria. HARMER. Egyptian horses as the very best; and Egyptian horses in Pharaohs chariots as the very best of all. CLAY. Pharaoh, Solomons father-in-law, supplied him with most of his chariots. FROMONDI. A reference needlessly supposed by many to the chariots of Pharaoh at the Red Sea. So the TARGUM and the RABBINS, as well as the Roman Catholic and other Christian interpreters. BERNARD and FOLIOT: The Lords cavalry or angelic host who overthrew Pharaohs chariots in the Red Sea. SANCTIUS: Such as are described in the Psalm concerning the triumph over Pharaoh. DEL RIO: With the chariots of Pharaoh, i.e., when they were drowned. HAILGRIN: In [crushing] the chariots of Ph. HENRY: My company of horses that triumphed over Pharaohs chariots (Hab. 3:15). M. STUART and FAUSSET: In the chariots of Pharaoh at the Red Sea; such being to Israel incomparable for swiftness and splendour.

The points of comparison: Swiftness and spirit: flies to her bridegroom like a horse which is spurred in the course. THEODORET. Drawing equally and elegantly together. SANCTIUS. Power to overcome enemies. DEL RIO, FROMONDI. Grace and beauty. Du VEIL. Beauty and speed. MERCER, PISCATOR. Stateliness, strength, and courage. DURHAM. Comeliness. ASSEMBLYS ANNOTATIONS. Stateliness and beauty. POOLE. Affection. PERCY. Beauty, courage, stateliness, and other excellencies. DAVIDSON. Extends to the sumptuous trappings and ornaments. GOOD. Splendid decoration: these horses led forth on days of State, perhaps in some late procession of a royal marriage. Fay. Glittering ornaments of the head and neck. WEISS. The proud bearing of the horse (Job. 39:19). EWALD. Their harmony and usefulness. TRACT SOCIETYS COMM. Her youthful freshness and unaffected behaviour. DELITZSCH. Ardour and beauty. FAUSSET. The formidable character of Pharaohs horses at the Red Sea. THRUPP, WORDSWORTH. Their swiftness and splendour. M. STUART. The resemblance founded as much on the Brides dress and ornaments as on her beauty. NOYES. Orientals spare no expense in ornamenting their horses with the most costly trappings, while the ladies decorate themselves in a similar manner. WILLIAMS.

The Royal Bridegrooms Greeting
SECOND SCENE. Place: The open grounds adjacent to the Palace. Speakers: The King and Shulamite; the daughters of Jerusalem or ladies of the Court, at a distance.

Son. 1:9-11

I have compared thee, O my love,
To a company of horses in Pharaohs chariots.
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels;
Thy neck with chains of gold.
We will make thee borders of gold
With studs of silver.

Shulamite, having gone forth according to the direction of the ladies of the court, the King meets her with his loving greeting. Observe:

(1) The earnest seeker of Christ and Hit fellowship, certain sooner or later to find Him. Historically exemplified in the case of the Wise Men of the East, who came to Jerusalem seeking the infant King; and of those devout and praying men and women who were found at the birth of Jesus waiting for the consolation of Israel. Possibly, according to the view of the Jews, a retrospective reference to the Lords gracious appearance and promise to Moses and Israel when mourning after the sin of the Golden Calf (Exo. 33:10-14; Exo. 34:4-10).

(2) Christs own time for the manifestation of Himself to the seeking soul the best. That time, as apparently here, often sooner than expected.

(3) The joy in finding, such as abundantly to compensate for all the grief in seeking. Such indicated by the character of the bridegrooms greeting. Observe in regard to it:

I. The APPELLATION. O my love. Hebrew, My companion. Given here for the comfort and joy of the seeker. Observe:

(1) Earnest pursuit after Christ rewarded by sweet assurance of His love to us and our interest in him.
(2) Christs spouse manifested by her earnestness in following after and resolution not to rest without Him.
(3) Sweet assurance of Christs love often follows deep sense of our own unworthiness. I am blacksoon followed byO my Love.
(4) When blackest in our own eyes, often fairest in Christs. The Appellation exhibits believers as

The Bride of Christ.

1. The high distinction of believers that they are Christs Bride. Eve, in relation to Adam, a type of the great body of believers, and of each believer in particular, in relation to Christ the second Adam. This relation between the Saviour and the Saved, the Church and her Head, recognised and taught throughout the Word. Christ, or God in Christ, everywhere in the Bible the Bridegroom and Husband of believing souls. (See Introduction.) This relation the foundation of the Song. Typified in that of ancient Israel as Gods covenant people.

2. This relation acknowledged and rejoiced in by Christ Himself. Believers acknowledged and delighted in by Christ as His Fathers gift, as Eve by Adam when God brought her to him and gave her to him to be his wife (Gen. 2:22; Gen. 3:12; Joh. 17:6). Repenting and believing sinners acknowledged by Jesus when on earth as his Bride (Luk. 5:29-35). That relation the ground of His redemption work (Eph. 5:25-27).

3. The great happiness of believers that they are Christs Bride. A blessedness beyond conception involved in so intimate, tender, and enduring a relation to the King of Kings and Lord of Glory, in whom is summed up all created and uncreated loveliness and excellence, and who is Love itself. The joy attending the realization of such a relationship justly described as unspeakable and full of glory (1Pe. 1:8). No light thing in Davids eye to be son-in-law to a poor earthly king like Saul. Archangels fail to tell the blessedness of being Bride to the King of Glory, the Prince of the kings of the earth.

4. An enhancement of this blessedness to receive the testimony of the relationship from Christ Himself. This testimony often spiritually and sweetly conveyed to earnestly seeking believers even on earth. A personal testimony from His own lips, given face to face, awaiting every child of God hereafter. The blessed hope of believers.

5. Believers reminded of the duty and responsibility connected with such a relationship. Csars wife to be above suspicion. What, then, the Bride of Christ? The proper character of such a Bride to be without spot. Christs honour in her keeping. His joy in her purity and undivided love. Natural for believers to tremble at the first rising of sin, as a dove at the sight of a hawks feather. Sin in a believer a double crucifixion of Christ. The most painful wounds those which a man receives in the house of his friends. Believers, as Christs Bride, justly expected

(1) Carefully to avoid every sin;
(2) Jealously to watch against every rival in their affection;
(3) Constantly to beware of any coolness or distance between them and Christ;
(4) Faithfully to seek to obey His commands, promote His interests, and advance His glory.

II. The COMPARISON. I have compared thee, &c. Notice

1. The party making it. The Bridegroom himself. Observe:

(1) The main thing to have the good opinion of Christ. Of comparatively small importance what men think of us. Christ best acquainted with us. Best knows what is real worth and true beauty. Can be surety for His own assertion.

(2) Christ observant of his peoples graces and the exercise of them. The comparison in the text the result of His close observation of the Brides spirit and conduct.

(3) Nothing more pleasing in Christs eyes than a soul earnestly and lovingly seeking Him and His fellowship as its chief joy. This the case even when He gives no intimation of it, OF appears to take no notice. His own time for giving such intimation the best.

(4) What excellence Christ ascribes to His people is what He Himself has given. Not only makes the comparison, but provides it. His comparison not merely one of word, but of previous act. He makes His bride what He loves, then compares and commends her.

2. The comparison itself. To a company of horses (or, to my mare) in Pharaohs chariots. The best and most, beautiful horses those from Egypt; and naturally the best of all those employed in drawing the royal chariot. Such horses obtained by Solomon from Egypt (1Ki. 4:26; 1Ki. 10:26; 1Ki. 10:28-29). The comparison in the text either to a single mare, to a team drawing together, or to the whole stud in the royal stables. The comparison of a beautiful woman to a Thessalian mare found in an ancient Greek poet. Horses celebrated in Oriental poetry for their beauty. Arabs passionately attached to their mares. The points of comparison:

(1) Beauty. Sohis goodly horse (Zec. 10:3).

(2) Liveliness and ardour. See the description of the horse in Job. 39:19-25.

(3) Courage and endurance. Hence especially employed in ancient warfare. His goodly horse in the battle (Zec. 10:3). See again the description in Job.

(4) Obedience and subjection. Horses naturally wild and wilful. Brought into subjection and broken in by mans effort and skill. Tamer of steeds, a Homeric epithet for a hero. The horse, when broken in and trained, obedient to the slightest intimation of the rider or drivers will.

(5) In the case of a team,harmony and united action. Draw with one mind, will, step.

(6) Discipline and order. Horses employed in drawing chariots, not only broken in, but well trained, so as to run in the traces with the greatest regularity and order.

(7) As horses in Pharaohs chariots,excellence in their kind, the best training, the most costly and beautiful ornaments, and employment in the Kings service. The

Proper Character of Believers,

especially when it is well with them.

(1) Beautiful in holiness, and comely with the Divine comeliness put upon them (Psa. 110:3; Eze. 12:14).

(2) Lively and ardent, instead of being slothful and lukewarm.
(3) Strong and courageous in fighting the good faith, and enduring to the end.
(4) Obedient to their Divine Master, and subject in all things to His will.
(5) A unity in plurality; one and yet many; many in number, yet with one spirit; many individual believers, yet but one Bride and one Body.

(6) United in action; striving together for the faith of the Gospel; engaging with one heart in the service of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom (1Co. 1:10; Eph. 4:4; Php. 1:27; Php. 2:2).

(7) Subdued and well disciplined under the Holy Ghost; no longer, as at first, like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; made willing in the day of Christs power; walking orderly, and subject to one another according to the rule of the Gospel (Psa. 110:3; Col. 2:5; 1Co. 14:40).

(8) The most excellent of their species, not naturally or by their own merit, but by Gods grace; the excellent of the earth; Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Psa. 16:3; Eph. 2:10).

(9) Arrayed in the garments of salvation, clothed with humility, and adorned with a meek and quiet spirit.
(10) Employed by the King of Zion in His service as His fellow workers; drawing in the chariot of the Gospel, and commissioned to carry it to the ends of the earth,Christ Himself going forth in it, conquering and to conquer. Hence in regard to believers(i.) Their honour and blessedness; (ii.) Their duty and responsibility; (iii) Their indebtedness to Divine grace. Formerly Satans willing slaves, and his depraved instruments in furthering his cruel and abominable purposes. Now the willing and happy subjects of Jesus employed in his honourable holy, and blessed service in promoting the salvation and happiness of a world.

III. The COMMENDATION. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, &c. Cheeks mentioned as now uncovered. Perhaps in allusion to the comparison already made in Son. 1:10. Ornaments of gold, silver, and jewellery about the face and neck, greatly esteemed in Oriental countries, So Arabs adorned both their horses and camels, as well as their own persons (Jdg. 8:26). Such ornaments thought to set off and add to female beauty. Observe

1. Believers highly beautiful and commendable in the eyes of Christ. Often like Himself, without form or comeliness in the eyes of the world, but beautiful and comely in His.

2. Wonderful change in a believers character. Cheeks comely with grace and love, instead of a whores forehead and a brow of brass. Their neck no longer stiff with an iron sinew, and burdened with the yoke of Satan; but adorned with the golden chains of heavenly wisdom (Pro. 1:9; Pro. 25:12; Mat. 11:29-30; Gal. 5:1).

3. The spiritual beauty of believers not natural to them, or properly their own, but imparted to them and put upon them by Divine grace. The rows of jewels and chains of gold something put upon the Bride. Believers made comely with the comeliness put upon them (Eze. 16:14). Their ornament Christ Himself, whom they put on as well for wisdom and sanctification as for justification or righteousness (Rom. 13:14; 1Co. 1:30). I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Not I, but the grace of God which was with me (Gal. 2:20; 1Co. 15:10). All the graces of a believer the fruits of the Spirit who has been given to him (Gal. 5:22). Who maketh them to differ? and what hast thou that thou hast not received? (1Co. 4:7).

4. The duty of believers to aim at being as they are here represented. The graces of the Spirit given them in Christ, to be put on and worn by them as their own. Their duty to be putting on Christ from day to day, as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. As the elect of God, holy and beloved, believers to put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, &c. (Col. 3:12).

5. Believers spiritual beauty the Bridegrooms joy. The language of the text that of admiration, satisfaction, and delight. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him. His joy fulfilled in His faithful, obedient, and loving people. The name He gives to His ChurchHephzibah, or, My delight is in Her. His believing people a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty in His hand. Hearken, O daughter and consider, &c.; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty (Psa. 45:10-11)

6. The graces of Christs people to be open and conspicuous to the world. The Brides cheeks and neck here commended. Men to be able to see the believers good works, that they may glorify God who makes him what he is. To take knowledge of him that he has been with Jesus. The Church to be able to magnify the grace of God in us. The world to know and believe from what they see in believers that God has sent His Son. Believers to be living epistles of Christ, known and read of all men (2Co. 3:2).

IV. The PROMISE. We will make thee borders (circlets or diadems), of gold, &c. The speaker changed from the singular to the plural. Still, however, the king. Speaks in the plural either in the style of majesty, or as having others associated with him in the fulfilment of the promise. Christ, in His purpose of adorning His Church with the beauties of holiness and the insignia of royalty, has associated with Him the Holy Spirit given Him by the Father for that object. The Spirit the great agent both in the believers sanctification and glorification. A similar style to that in the text used in connection with the creation of man (Gen. 1:26). The same Divine Trinity engaged both in the first and second creationin creating man at first, and in renewing him when fallen (Isa. 6:8; Mat. 28:19; 2Co. 13:14). Observe, in relation to the promise

1. The purpose of Christ to perfect believers both in holiness and glory. The will of God their sanctification and perfection. The object for which Christ gave Himself for the Church, that it should be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:24-26). Believers chosen in Christ by the Father before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before Him in love. Blessed by Him for this object with all spiritual blessings, as the result of that election (Eph. 1:3-4). Predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Believers to be adorned in a way worthy of the Bride of the Son of God. Changed from glory unto glory. Their path like that of the shining light, shining more and more unto the perfect day (Pro. 4:18; 2Co. 3:18).

2. Adequate agency employed for the accomplishment of such a purpose. We will make thee, &c. The Triune Jehovah the Almighty Agent. Believers Gods workmanship. The branch of His planting, and the work of His hands, that He may be glorified (Isa. 60:21; Eph. 2:10). Their sanctification and salvation the work of their Divine Creator. That Agent able to make them perfect in every good word and work. Able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. To sanctify wholly, throughout body, and soul, and spirit. Nothing too hard for the Lord. Able to subdue all things to Himself. Believers saved and glorified according to the working of His mighty power put forth in raising the Lord Jesus from the dead. More not to be desired; less unable to suffice.

3. The destiny of the Church and of each individual believer unspeakably glorious. Borders (headbands or diadems) of gold, with studs (points or spanglets) of silver. Believers to be made a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty in the hand of the Lord (Isa. 62:3). To be made as glorious as the Bride of the King of glory ought to be;as glorious as a loving and Almighty Husband can make them. To be made entirely like Christ, and to share His glory. To sit with Him on His throne; and as kings and priests, to reign with Him for ever and ever. Their glorious destiny yet to be revealed. It doth not yet appear what we shall be (1Jn. 3:2). Certain, however, in its accomplishment, as being

(1) The object of a Divine purpose;
(2) The subject of a Divine promise;
(3) The work of a Divine Agent.
4. The Churchs experience and character a progressive one. True in relation both to the Church as a whole and to each individual member. The glory of the former Legal Dispensation eclipsed by the superior glory of the new Dispensation of the Gospel. The latter, the Dispensation of the Spirit; the former, that of the letter. The former characterized by a spirit of bondage and fear; the latter by a spirit of liberty and adoption,of love, power, and a sound mind. Under the Gospel all classes to receive largely of the Spirit, and as the result of it to prophesy (Act. 2:17-18; Joe. 2:28-29). Some better thing reserved for the Church in the Dispensation of the Gospel. The light of the moon to be as the light of the sun. The millennial age that shall follow still more glorious. The light of the sun as the light of seven days (Isa. 30:26). Believers glory an ever-advancing one. Fair as the moon; clear as the sun; terrible as an army with banners (Son. 6:10).

5. The promise of growth in grace and of future glory given for the consolation of earnest believers.

6. Grace exercised and improved, followed and rewarded with grace increased (Mat. 13:12; Luk. 19:26).

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

TEXT 1:911
SOLOMON: FIRST ADVANCES TO THE SHULAMMITE
1:911

9

To me, my darling, you are like My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.

10

Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with strings of beads.

11

We will make for you ornaments of gold with beads of silver.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 1:911

30.

It seems strange to compare a beautiful woman to horses in Pharaohs chariot. What possible parallel is present?

31.

How could jewels make cheeks comely?

32.

Just what picture do we get from these descriptions?

33.

We can appreciate a beautiful necklace. Is this the point here?

34.

What is the purpose of Solomon in his reference to so much gold and jewels?

35.

There is a promise in verse eleven. What is it?

36.

What conditions are assumed?

COMMENT 1:911

Exegesis Son. 1:9-11

The comparison here made by Solomon was a very acceptable compliment or it would have not been given. To horse-lovers today it is not difficult to see comparable qualities. The effortless grace of an Arabian horse could be very much like similar movements on the part of a beautiful maid. Solomon and many men since have been connoisseurs of the movements of both horses and women. The perfect symmetry of both is another obvious likeness. The word horses used here suggest a mare horse which makes the comparison even closer. We must not overlook the tremendous value placed on horses from Egypt. (Cf. 1Ki. 4:26; 1Ki. 10:28). It is of some interest to point out that the expression my love used by Solomon means literally companion or female friendit is used twice by Solomonhere and in Son. 6:4. He is not necessarily deprecating her and refusing to marry her, for the shepherd uses the same word seven times (Cf. Son. 1:15; Son. 2:2; 10:13; Son. 4:1; Song of Solomon 7; Son. 5:2). We know Solomons intentions were to add her to his already large harem. This was not the purpose of the Shepherd.

Solomon is now using his imaginationhe sees the charming maid with a headdress holding two rows of jewels which decorate either side of her face. How beautifully do those dangling rows of jewels set off your cheeks. Perhaps this rustic country maid has around her neck a simple inexpensive necklaceit will be replaced with a brilliant expensive gold one. Solomon wants to overwhelm and impress her with his promises. There is nothing personal in what he saysany beautiful girl would fit the description given hereit probably is not the first time he used it. The phrase ornaments of gold with beads of silver, is difficult to visualize. Moffett translated it We will have golden beads strung around you, studded with silver. These were not idle promisesthey were backed by all the wealth of a billionairebut how empty of personal interest! Solomon is due for a shock.

Marriage Son. 1:9-11

How would your wife respond to such flattery? We would all like to believe they would be as impervious as the maid from Shunem. We want to assume our wife would not be interested in gold and silver. Her head would not be turned by extravagant words of praise. But if we have long ago left her for other interests she has since felt bereft of personal concern and appreciation. She has built up a deep hunger for appreciationif such appreciation (however false) is tied into a solid financial gain who is to say what would happen? Please do not say this cannot happen to me, it is happening today in a thousand homes. And with offers far less attractive than the one offered by Solomon. Our wives must feel that we believe they are both beautiful and valuable. If they are not, why did we marry them?

Communion Son. 1:9-11

Put these words in the mouth of Satan as he makes his offers to each of the members of the bride of Christ. These words all have a physical, sensual association. We want to appear acceptable if not beautiful in the eyes of men. For someone to tell us we appear to them as graceful and strong as some beautiful woman or handsome man could indeed get our attention. If while holding our attention an offer of a large sum of money is tied to the compliment we might give more than attention. Why? Because our image of grace and beauty is found in the person of man. The heroine of this love song was not at the least interested. Why? Because the beauty she saw in her shepherd and the value she found in his presence was far more than all Solomon (Satan) could offer her. Until our relationship with our Lord becomes far more personal and real than it usually is we will be tempted to join the harem.

FACT QUESTIONS 1:911

51.

Show how the comparison made here of the maid to the horses of Solomon was a very acceptable compliment.

52.

Give two or three parallels in the above compliment.

53.

What is meant by the term my love?

54.

How were the maids cheeks made comely?

55.

What is meant by saying the compliments given by Solomon were not personal?

56.

Explain borders of gold with studs of silver.

57.

Did Solomon really plan on keeping these promises?

58.

Does this episode have any real relation to present-day marriages? Discuss.

59.

Show how the words of Solomon when placed in the mouth of Satan have application to us. Discuss.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(9) Company of horses.So Vulg., equitatus, but Heb. susah more properly = mare, as in LXX., . The ground of the comparison is variously understood. Some, offended at the comparison of female beauty to that of a horse, think the rich trappings of a royal equipage suggested it, while on the other hand, the mention of the caparisoned steed may have suggested the reference to the ladys ornaments. But Anacreon (60) and Theocritus (Idyll xviii. 30, 31), and also Horace (Ode iii. 11), have compared female with equine beauty; and an Arab chief would not hesitate to prefer the points of his horse to the charms of his mistress.

Chariots.The plural shows that the image is general, and with no reference to any one particular equipage. Pharaohs teams are selected as pre-eminently fine by reputation. The supposition that there is a reference to some present from the Egyptian to the Israelite monarch is gratuitous. The kings of Israel bought their horses and chariots at a high price (1Ki. 10:29).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

9. I

compared thee The language of the King.

Horses chariots Hebrew, To my mare in the chariots of Pharaoh; that is, to one of them. The horses of the East, from the earliest times until now, have been celebrated for grace and beauty, and many an Eastern, and even Greek and Roman, poet, has compared his heroine to the lightly-stepping, bright-haired steed. The King’s alliance with Pharaoh may have brought him those chariots and horses so often mentioned in allusions to Egypt.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“I have compared you, O my love, To a horse in Pharaoh’s chariots. Your cheeks are comely with plaits of hair, Your neck with strings of jewels. We will make you plaits of gold With studs of silver.”

The young maiden’s beloved now speaks, and his words fit in well with the idea that it is Solomon who is in mind. For he likens ‘his love’ (a phrase regularly used as the description of the young maiden in these songs) to a horse in Pharaoh’s chariots. He would have been well familiar with Pharaoh’s chariots, and as a lover of horses he could have paid her no higher compliment. He has in mind the sleek beauty of such a horse, its thoroughbred appearance, its stateliness, its carefully tended mane, and the gorgeous decorations with which it is arrayed, covered over with studs of gold and silver. For these are the horses in Pharaoh’s chariots, and have to demonstrate the splendor of Pharaoh. Similarly he sees his loved one also as having a splendid ‘mane’ of hair as it hangs enticingly down over her cheeks, while her neck too is ‘decorated’, in her case with strings of pearls. And he assures her that he and his family, or he and his leading courtiers, will ensure that she too is adorned in gold and silver.

The words here can equally be translated as ‘a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots’ where the idea would then be of the disturbance caused by a mare in heat among the stallions who drew the chariots. But the following description suggests that it is the appearance of the horse that is in mind, not at this stage any disturbing qualities of its propensities.

Israel had similarly been invited to be God’s loved one, and to be suitably bejewelled. She was often likened to a young maiden whom God had bejewelled (see Eze 16:10-14; Jer 2:2-3), and as destined to be His wife (Psa 45:13-15; Isa 54:1-6; Isa 62:4-5; Jer 3:20; Hos 2:2). But she had turned away from Him and had despised His love (Hosea 1-3). Thus would they spend many days without Him (Hos 3:4) until they were willing to seek His face (Hos 3:5). And when He did finally come in the person of Jesus Christ those among them who were His true people did seek Him, and they became His ‘church’.

In the New Testament the idea of a woman gloriously arrayed by her prospective husband is a regular picture of Christ and His church (Eph 5:27; Rev 19:8). She is to ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its desires’ (Rom 13:14). This is a picture, not of what we are (‘I am swarthy’), but of how Christ sees us, and how He intends to make us.

THE YOUNG MAIDEN finds herself at the king’s table and speaks of her satisfaction with her lot.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Son 1:9. I have compared theeto a company of horses This, says the author of the New Translation, is the speech of the bridegroom, who, meeting the bride and her virgin companions, says, I have compared thee, O my love, to my well-trained steed in Pharaoh’s chariots. We ought not to think the comparison coarse or vulgar, if we consider what beautiful and delicate creatures the eastern horses are, and how highly they are valued; and, withal, the very strong figurative expressions which the oriental writers are continually using. Theocritus, as is observed by Grotius and others, has made use of the very same image to express the beauty of Helen; Idyll. ver. 29. Though here, indeed, the bridegroom does not seem to have in view to compliment the bride on her beauty, so much as to celebrate her conjugal fidelity. She is anxiously concerned for his absence, and fondly goes in search of him. Upon seeing her thus employed, he is charmed with her affection for him, and, as the words may be paraphrased, commends her for drawing well in the marriage yoke. The chariots of Pharaoh are mentioned, probably, because Egypt was at that time most celebrated for its horses and chariots; and the phrase may signify in general a chariot of the most elegant and excellent sort.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

I beg the Reader to be particularly careful in his observations on the very tender appellations which pass between Jesus and his Church. It is, indeed, one of the most distinguishing features of this delightful book; and as, more or less, he will meet with such in every chapter, and many times in the same Chapter, I do desire once for all, that he will mark it down as an object of great note. Indeed the Church and her spouse seem, at times, to labour for expressions, as if to excel the commendations of one another: nor is this to be wondered at. – How dear soever to a truly awakened believer the Lord Jesus is; yet we must conclude, that in love, as well as in all other things, Jesus hath the preeminence. If we love him, it is because he first loved us. I hope, Reader, that we both love Him, on account of his Person, his love to us, his suitableness to us, the manifestations he hath made of Himself to us, our union with him, and our communion from him. But when I call to mind the source of his love, the commencement of his love, the nature of his love, the quality of his love; the extent, the power, the degree, the unchangeableness of it; and, if possible more than all, the unmerited freeness, fulness, and sovereignty of it, bestowed upon such objects as we all are by nature; I fall down under the conviction, that His love is a love that passeth knowledge. Eph 3:14-19 . This verse affords a beautiful example of it, in the rich similitude the Lord makes of his spouse, the Church, (made up of the whole body of believers), to that of a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots. To a mere English reader, it might seem but a coarse kind of compliment, the comparison of men to horses; but when it is considered, that the manners of the East were very different from ours; that no animals were so highly prized as their horses, which were always on gaudy days adorned with trappings of gold and the costly jewels: and yet, more particularly to our present purpose, when it be recollected, that the dressings of the horses were exactly as is said in this place of Christ concerning his Church; The neck with chains of gold, and the cheeks made comely with rows of jewels; the objection is lost in the elegance and beauty of the similitude.

And if the Reader considers for a moment, how many striking qualities may be supposed in the character of Pharoah’s horses, which, by way of illustration, point out the loveliness and value of the Church in the eyes of her husband; the figure will appear very striking and instructive.

We read in 1Ki 4:26 that Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots. Will not the abundance be considered as no unapt representation of Jesus’s army, which no man could number. Rev 7:9 . And if we calculate the price of each, which, in another part of that same scripture we are told cost 150 shekels of silver (2Ki 10:29 ), which, supposing the shekel at the lowest value to be but equal to three shillings of our coin, makes the whole stud of horses to be somewhat more than eight hundred and eighty thousand pounds of our money; although the figure falls infinitely short, because the purchase of our redemption cannot be calculated with corruptible things, such as silver and gold; yet it may serve to show the justness of the application that souls purchased with a ransom so inestimable as the blood of Christ, are more valuable in Jesus’s eye than Solomon’s costly horses were in his. But these are not all.

No doubt the horses in Pharaoh’s chariots were picked out and selected; paired, if one may so say, in size, colour, form, shape, and strength. And is not this a beautiful allusion to the people of God, who are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, the objects of Almighty grace? Moreover, the qualities of horses in their order, discipline, trainment, management, and the like, bear no unapt resemblance to the regularity of Christ’s household. And the distinguished place the horses in Pharaoh’s chariots held beyond the common labouring horses of the field, may illustrate the peculiarity of that exalted situation believers in Christ enjoy, who wait chiefly upon the service of the Lord, and live in the presence of the King of kings. And lastly, to mention no more, when we consider what care, what attention the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh had shown them, above the ordinary run of others; we may, without violence to the figure, say, that here is represented somewhat very striking of the superintendence shown the Lord’s people in the service of angels, and ministers, and providences, and grace; and above all, the care over them by the Lord himself, who watches over them night and day, lest any hurt them. Isa 27:3 . Precious Redeemer! am I a part in this gracious view to which thou hast compared thy Church? Didst thou indeed purchase my poor soul with so great a price? Didst thou set thy love upon me at the first. Hast thou adorned me with thy coverings, and now dost thou set me apart for thyself and thy glory? Oh! for grace, not to recompense such unequalled bounty, for that is impossible; but to love and adore such matchless mercy, that being bought with a price so dear, I may glorify thee, my God, in my body and in my Spirit which are thine. 1Co 6:20 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

The Use and Abuse of Parables

Son 1:9

It is thus that love multiplies itself by many images. Love consecrates all things beautiful by turning them into symbols and pictures and suggestions of its own idol. There is no end to the creations and appropriations of love. Love sees the image of its dearest one everywhere, and claims it as its own. As Jesus Christ has found in this chapter symbols of the kingdom of heaven, so love in all ages and in all places has created for itself new heavens and a new earth, and has given a new reading to all the things therein, and has thus multiplied the literature which no eyes but its own can accurately read. Let us look at the power of fancy, this creative and symbolising power, this power of reading the inner mysticism and ideality of things, as a joy, a danger, and a responsibility.

In finding new symbols we find new pleasures, and in the inspiration of our love we turn all things visible to new and sacred uses. Love turns water into wine at every feast: that which was a miracle at the first is a commonplace in the long run: love widens ever. We give a language to flowers; we make the stars talk; we turn the horses in Pharaoh’s chariots into meanings which the proud Pharaoh never saw; we make business itself into a religion, and write upon our gold an image better and purer than the image and superscription of Caesar. Thus love embodies itself in all things lovable. We own what we love. We have only the meanest property in things that we do not love. Now this is the joy of Christ himself in the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel by Matthew. The object of his love was the kingdom of heaven, and day by day he compared it with new comparisons, and so gave his Church the treasure of his parables. Jesus Christ said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto—–.” That is the entrance to the great picture-gallery, the great paradisaic beauty by which he imagined that wondrous and immeasurable quantity. Like unto a sower; a goodly pearl: treasure hid in a field: hidden leaven: a grain of mustard seed: a net cast into the sea: a king travelling into a far country: virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom; by so many images did he make plain to us that manifold kingdom of his.

This is the way of love: it is a parable-making power; it lives in poetry; it delights in the creation of new images; it yokes itself into new relationships, and calls all ministries and agencies to join themselves to its chariot, and draw it forward in triumphant and right royal progress. Wondrous in this way have been the creations and adaptations of love. Who could pluck a little rosemary, and make anything of it but rosemary? Love could. Love says, You shall be a symbol of remembrance and affection. Thus poor Ophelia gathers to her madness a new pathos she plucks and gives the rosemary. What is a pansy? Nothing to him who has nothing in him, but to the man who has the seeing eye, the cunning, all-interpreting love, the pansy is the English for pense , the French thought. So when I cannot tell you all I want to say I slip the little meek-eyed pansy, pense , into my envelope, and you read all the meaning, great utterances of heart-speech; you understand the little parable of the pansy. The timid youth whose love almost chokes him when he is going to speak it, does not know what to do till the florist tells him to pluck an acacia leaf, and he says to him, She will understand that parable: the acacia leaf stands for platonic love; the leaf which stands for such love does not admit of vulgar interpretation: you slip in the acacia leaf, and she will understand all about it. We cannot speak to our friend, bowed down with keen distresses, burdened with great afflictions. He has lost again and again the lives he most loved, and his life is now a process of grave-digging, and any words of ours would but augment the grief which we would seek to alleviate. But we are cunning in the use of floral eloquence: we pluck a sprig of amaranth, and send it to him. When he receives it he will see in that sprig of amaranth a symbol of the everlastingness of God, the immortality and unquenchableness of the true life, and in that amaranth he will see revelation and parable and sacred vision. When we cannot tell all our affliction to our dearest friend we will put in some bitter aloes, and the heart that receives the token will understand the sad sign.

So we too have our parables. “I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.” The kingdom of heaven is like unto a sower: like unto treasure: like unto a goodly pearl: like unto a net: like unto virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom. My love hath ten thousand images and symbols, infinite jewellery of expression: who then can be poor who really loves? If we loved more we should have more. This is the alchemy that transforms the base into the real and intrinsically valuable. Encourage the soul in its love of beauty. We cannot go too often into the garden if we go to turn every flower into a speaking angel. It will be a dark day for us when beauty ceases to talk to the heart and preach the sweet gospel of hope. Well said Festus, “Some souls lose all things but the love of beauty: by that love they are redeemable, for in love and beauty they acknowledge good, and good is God, the great Necessity.”

Whilst most of us have entered somewhat, or at some time, into the passion of this rapture, and have created a thousand images and symbols by which to typify our love and our supreme ambition, I have here to remind all such that not only is this power of fancy a keen and thrilling joy, but it is a positive and an immediate danger. The danger arises from the fact that we may consider our duty done when we have instituted a beautiful comparison. Our religion may perish in sentimental expressions. We may die in words; we may say, “A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me: my beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi.” Christ is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley as an apple-tree among the trees of the woods. We may see him coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchantman, and yet our love may pass off as an evaporation, and never embody itself in one act of sacrifice or in one attempt at service. That is the danger of living wholly in the fancy, or largely in the higher range of the creative faculties of the soul. We may create wit for the laughter of others, and forget to keep any of it for the rejoicing of our own house. The danger is that, if we live the parabolical life, contenting ourselves with making parables, we may never advance to Gethsemane and Golgotha. We may create a kind of artificial life, and thus miss the great utilities of our being. The heart that is swiftest and surest in the creation of symbols is not always to be trusted in the hour of pain and distress. This love-sick woman in the Canticles writes her own condemnation as the victim of supineness and indolence. How lovingly she yearns over the absent one, how she charges others to take care of him and watch for him, and yet once he came to the door and knocked, saying, “Open to me, for my head is filled with the dew, and my locks with the drops of the night,” he was actually at the door, his hand was upon it, his voice sounded through it, and what answered she? This was her mean reply: “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?” See how great is the danger of the fancy-power, of the parable-making faculty, how possible it is to get into high ecstasy of poetry and to forget the courtesies and rigid duties of life. Says she, “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?” and though finally she roused herself, and put on her coat, her beloved had withdrawn, and was gone. She called, but she could not find him; she sought him, but no answer came back through the air, and the watchmen mocked, and the keepers of the walls joined with the watchmen, and they smote her and wounded her, and tore off her veil, and left her she who was wild in poetry, so grand in the creation of high sentiments she who lay in the midst of the garden of flowers, and spoke beautiful things about her absent one, saying, “I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariot.” There is, then, a great danger in living the poetical life. We praise our parents do we obey them? Sentimental, rhyming, filial poet, do you obey your venerable father, your aged and loving mother? We do not ask if you send them a little blank verse now and then, or a verse of rhyme do you study their comfort, anticipate their wishes, and show the devotion of real sympathy, gratitude, and love? Many a young man talks about his parents in polysyllables, and thus makes a fool’s ineloquent speech about them, who has yet not had the grace to obey a single commandment. Take away your poetry it is a lie. We seek for one poetry only, and that the blossoming and the fragrance and the fruitfulness of real duty and obedience.

There is also another danger to which many young men would do well to take heed, and that is the danger of reciting poetry and living prose. Be very careful as devotees of poetry and reciters of jingling rhyme take care that you do not recite your poetry and live your sapless prose. It would be a disastrous irony, it would be the most perfect and cruel sarcasm. Rather, on the other hand, say no poetry but live much. If it must come to a choice of one or the other, let this course be ours to live the poetry, to prove the sublimity by many a gentle, loving action. If we can unite the two and be as eloquent in service, so be it; but if the one only can be adopted, let us adopt the eloquence of loving obedience and noble self-sacrifice.

How possible it is to sing hymns and to be acting blasphemies! It is possible. Consider that for one moment, because at the first blush it would seem to be utterly beyond the bounds of possibility to sing in an oratorio and then to act dishonestly, to sing an anthem and then to tell a lie, to utter a hymn and then to perpetrate a cruelty. The poetry is at the wrong end in such cases. Let us have prose climbing up into poetry, and not poetry sinking down into contemptible prose; let us see to it that though we have many crucifixes in the house we have a cross in the heart; though we compare our beloved to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariot, we also transfer that love into noble charity and sacrifice and sweet service which will benefit mankind, as well as enchant their fancy and please their literary taste.

Not only is this power of making parables and comparisons a joy and a danger, it is also a responsibility. To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin. If the master is beautiful, so must the servant be. Shall the master be a sweet rose and the servant a stinging-nettle? Is that not very often the case? Shall the master be a fruitful tree, making the city glad, and the servant be as a upas, casting its deadly shade upon all living things? Let us understand that every compliment we pay to Christ is an obligation we lay upon ourselves if we are his faithful followers. “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” That is the sacred law. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” We are to be transformed by the beauty we admire. This is the great law, namely, we shall be like him, for mark the reason we shall see him as he is. The sight will be transfiguring: to look at beauty will be to be made beautiful; to see God will be to be made divine; the fair vision shall make us also fair; otherwise it is wasted upon us, and we do not really see it. It will be impossible to see Christ as he is without being transformed into his beauty. But do we not see Christ as he is when we come into the sanctuary? Far from it. We see sections of Christ, phases of Christ, we hear something about Christ, but we do not see the whole Christ in the absoluteness of his integrity and the ineffableness of his beauty, or we should be caught in a transfiguring and transforming power, and the very visage of our face would be changed.

Here, then, are abundant lessons for us all. The power of comparison is to be cherished and developed. Compare the living Saviour to all things beautiful; make every flower of the field into a parable: the summer will grow too few flowers to set forth all his beauties. Go out in the summer and attach to every flower some name that shall indicate some beauty in your Lord; watch for the coming stars, and according to the beauty of each name it, and, so to speak, baptize it in the Lord’s name, that when you see it again it may remind you of some high ecstasy of the soul. All that is wise, beautiful, legitimate; it gives ennoblement to the mind and enlargement to the whole sphere of the imagination; it refines and elevates the taste by great purification and enrichment; but do not rest there. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Are we not all witnesses to the wasting power of rapture, to the enervating reaction of high rhapsody in any service? Have we not been on the hill of transfiguration, and desired to build tabernacles there, wishing never to come down into the cold and tumultuous world again? Mark the danger. Life is real, sad, tragical, a great daily pain, as well as an occasional rapture and a high realisation of the noblest intellectual conceptions and experiences.

In comparing Christ with things beautiful, noble, grand, we are writing a heavy indictment against ourselves if we profess to be his followers, and do not rise to the grandeur of the occasion. Shall we be found in the king’s procession who have about us anything that is mean, worthless, vile, corrupting? Shall we not make it our endeavour to be in some sort worthy of the royal train, and worthy of its high meaning? Herein is the responsibility arising from the power we have of seeing the beautiful and acknowledging it. This is our calling in Christ Jesus: as he was so are we in this world. Men are to take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and have learned of him. As he who passes through a garden of roses brings with him part of the fragrance breathed from the beauteous flowers, so we who come forth from the fellowship of Christ are to show somewhat of the radiance of his countenance, and to speak somewhat with the eloquence of his accent. This is the incarnation which he desires at our hands, not only to compare him with things royal and beautiful, but to incarnate him in actions more eloquent than the pomp of speech or the melody of music.

Who can carry out that high vocation? Who would not rather sit in his garden and make parables, and blow them from the pipe of his imagination like gilded bubbles into the summer air? That would be easy, that would be a pious luxury; but to cut off the right hand, to pluck out the right eye, to slay the inner offence, to test the soul as by fire, who can submit to this inexorable discipline? And yet, if we fail here it will but go to the aggravation of the account against us that we have compared our Saviour to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariot, and have talked about him in foaming poetry, but have lived mean, petty, worthless lives. The God of the heavens give us wisdom!

Prayer

Almighty God, thou leadest man by a way that he knoweth not. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Thou knowest all the way, and we see of it but an inch at once. Lead on, thou Mighty One, full of grace and wisdom, full of tenderness and full of judgment. Strength and beauty are with thee. Thou canst not do wrong. Thou wilt pity us when we are infirm. Thou knowest our frame, thou rememberest that we are dust; thou wilt not hasten us unduly on the journey of life. Thou dost cause the sun to set, so that we cannot see the road; then thou dost give thy beloved sleep. Sometimes we are faint, yet even then, by thy grace, pursuing. Our faintness does not lead us to change the road. We rest awhile, we wonder about the new scenes and relations of things, and behold, even in dreams thou art good: for thou dost show to the sealed eyes what is never shown to the open vision. Night and day thou art good. Thou hast stars for the night as well as a sun for the daytime. Behold! who can find out God into perfection? or lay a line upon his power? or sound all the depth of the infinity of his being? We will praise thy grace. Thou hast led us from Bethel onward from the dream-time to the work-time and the waiting-time. It is still the same God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ever tender, ever redeeming the souls of men; opening ways that surprise our ignorance, and surrounding us by defences which no enemy can violate. Blessed be thy name. Praised be the blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Reveal thyself unto us in all ways. May we never lose sight of thine image. May our whole life rise to the mystery of thy presence, and feel the infinite joy which is the beginning of profoundest worship, and then pass into tender communion, knowing the riches of grace, the meaning of truth, the warmth of nearness to thy heart; then set us down on the common road that we may do life’s common work with uncommon power and wisdom. We bless thee for growth in grace, for visions of Christ ever brightening, for confidence in Christ ever deepening; so that whilst once the water was but to the ankles it has risen to the knees, and now, lo! how great a river verily a stream to swim in. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. We are all pilgrims. If we have rested the staff for a moment, it is still within sight; presently we shall take hold of it again and be away on the dusty road, climbing the hard steep, or groping our way through the dull valley. Still our eyes shall be towards the lode-star of the skies; still our spirits shall yearn for thee; still we shall now and again feel in the air some scent of a better place, some odour wafted from the hidden paradise. Be this our experience, be this our joy, through Christ Jesus, Son of man, Son of God. Then at the last we shall hardly know when we have exchanged earth for heaven. Amen.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

Chapter 59

The Use and Abuse of Parables

Son 1:9

It is thus that love multiplies itself by many images. Love consecrates all things beautiful by turning them into symbols and pictures and suggestions of its own idol. There is no end to the creations and appropriations of love. Love sees the image of its dearest one everywhere, and claims it as its own. As Jesus Christ has found in this chapter images of the kingdom of heaven everywhere, so love in all ages and in all places has created for itself new heavens and a new earth, and has given a new reading to all the things therein, and has thus multiplied the literature which no eyes but its own can accurately read. I want to look at the power of fancy, this creative and symbolising power, this power of reading the inner mysticism and ideality of things, as a Joy, a Danger, and a Responsibility. Let us look at it first as a joy.

In finding new symbols we find new pleasures, and in the inspiration of our love we turn all things visible to new and sacred uses. Love turns water into wine at every feast: that which was a miracle at the first is a commonplace in the long run: love widens ever. We give a language to flowers, we make the stars talk, we turn the horses in Pharaoh’s chariots into meanings which the proud Pharaoh never saw. We make business itself into a religion, and write upon our gold an image better and purer than the image and superscription of Csar. This love embodies itself in all things lovable. We own what we love. We have only the meanest property in things that we do not love. Now this is the joy of Christ himself in this thirteenth chapter of the Gospel by Matthew. The object of his love was the kingdom of heaven, and day by day he compared it with new comparisons, and so gave his Church the treasure of his parables. Jesus Christ said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto…” That is the entrance to the great picture-gallery, the great paradisaic beauty by which he imaged that wondrous and immeasurable quantity. Like unto a sower, a goodly pearl, treasure hid in a field, a hidden haven, a grain of mustard seed, a net cast into the sea, a king travelling into a far country, virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom by so many images did he make plain to us that manifold kingdom of his.

This is the way of love: it is a parable-making power, it lives in poetry, it delights in the creation of new images, it yokes itself into new relationships, and calls all ministries and agencies to yoke themselves into its chariot, and draw its chariot forward in triumphant and right royal progress. Wondrous in this way have been the creations and adaptations of love. Who could pluck a little rosemary and make anything of it but rosemary? Love could. Love says, “You shall be a symbol of remembrance and affection.” Thus poor Ophelia gathers to her madness a new pathos she plucks and gives the rosemary. What is a pansy? Nothing to him who has nothing in him, but to the man who has the seeing eye, the cunning, all-interpreting love, the pansy is the English for pensee , the French thought. So when I cannot tell you all I want to say I slip the little meek-eyed pansy, pensee , into my envelope, and you read all the meaning, great utterances of heart speech you understand the little parable of the pansy.

The timid youth whose love almost chokes him when he is going to speak it does not know what to do till the florist tells him to pluck an acacia leaf, and he says to him, “She will understand that parable. The acacia leaf stands for platonic love the acacia leaf which stands for such love does not admit of vulgar interpretation. You slip in the acacia leaf, and she will understand all about it.”

I cannot speak to my friend yonder, bowed down with a thousand distresses, burdened with affliction. He has lost again and again the lives he loved most, and his life is now a process of grave-digging, and any words of mine would but augment the grief which I would seek to alleviate. But I am cunning in the use of floral eloquence: I know what I will do, I will pluck a sprig of amaranth, and send it to him. When he sees it he will see in that sprig of amaranth a symbol of the everlastingness of God, the immortality and unquenchableness of the true life, and in that amaranth he will see revelation and parable and sacred vision. When I cannot tell all my affliction to my dearest friend I will put in some bitter aloes, and the heart that receives the token will understand the sad sign.

So we too have our parables. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a sower, like unto treasure, like unto a goodly pearl, like unto a net, like unto virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom. My love hath ten thousand images and symbols, infinite jewellery of expression who then can be poor who really loves? If we loved more we should have more. This is the alchemy that transforms the base into the real and intrinsically valuable. Encourage the soul in its love of beauty. You cannot go too often into the garden if you go to turn every flower into a speaking angel. It will be a dark day for you when beauty ceases to talk to your heart and preach the sweet gospel of hope. Well said Festus, “Some souls lose all things but the love of beauty: by that love they are redeemable, for in love and beauty they acknowledge good, and good is God, the great Necessity.”

Whilst most of us have entered somewhat, or at some time, into the passion of this rapture, and have created a thousand images and symbols by which to typify our love and our supreme ambition, I have now to remind all such that not only is this power of fancy a keen and thrilling joy, but it is a positive and an immediate danger. The danger arises from the fact that we may consider our duty done when we have instituted a beautiful comparison. Our religion may perish in sentimental expressions you may die in words you may say, “A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me: my beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi.” Christ is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley as an apple-tree among the trees of the woods. We may see him coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchantman, and yet our love may pass off as an evaporation, and never embody itself in one act of sacrifice or in one attempt at service. That is the danger of living wholly in the fancy, or largely in the higher range of the creative faculties of the soul. We may create wit for the laughter of others and forget to keep any of it for the rejoicing of our own house. The danger is that if we live the parabolical life, contenting ourselves with making parables, that we may never advance to Gethsemane and Golgotha. We may create a kind of artificial life and thus miss the great utilities of our being. Not the heart that is swiftest and surest in the creation of symbols is always to be trusted in the hour of pain and distress. This love-sick woman in the Canticles writes her own condemnation as the victim of supineness and indolence. How lovingly she yearns over the absent one, how she charges others to take care of him and watch for him, and yet once he came to the door and knocked, saying “Open to me, for my head is filled with the dew, and my locks with the drops of the night,” he was actually at the door, his hand upon it, his voice sounded through it, and what answered she? This was her mean reply. “I have put off my coat, and how can I put it on?” See how great is the danger of the fancy-power, of the parable-making faculty, how possible it is to get into high ecstasy of poetry, and to forget the courtesies and rigid duties of life. Says she, “I have put off my coat, and how can I put it on?” and though finally she roused herself, and put on her coat, her beloved had withdrawn, and was gone. She called, but she could not find him, she sought him, but no answer came back through the air, and the watchmen mocked, and the keepers of the walls joined with the watchmen, and they smote her and wounded her, and tore off her veil, and left her she who was wild in poetry, so grand in the creation of high sentiment she who lay in the midst of the gardens of flowers, and spoke beautiful things about her absent one, saying, “I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in the king’s chariot.”

There is then a great danger in living the poetical life. You praise your parents do you obey them? You sentimental, rhyming, filial poet, do you obey your venerable father, your aged and loving mother? I do not ask if you send them a little blank verse now and then, or a verse of rhyme do you study their comfort, anticipate their wishes, and show the devotion of real sympathy, gratitude, and love? I have heard many a young man talk about his parents in polysyllables, and thus make a fool’s ineloquent speech about them, who has yet not had the grace to obey a single commandment. Take away your poetry, eat it and choke yourself with it it is a lie. We seek for one poetry only, and that the blossoming and the fragrance, and the fruitfulness of real duty and obedience.

There is also another danger which many young men would do well to take heed to, and that is the danger of reciting poetry and living prose. Be very careful, you devotees of poetry and you reciters and treasurers of miles of jingling rhyme, take care that you do not recite your poetry and live your sapless prose. It would be a disastrous irony, it would be the most perfect and cruel sarcasm. Rather on the other hand say no poetry but live much. If it must come to a choice of one or the other, let this course be mine to live the poetry, to prove the sublimity by many a gentle, loving action. If I can unite the two and be as eloquent in service, so be it; but if the one only can be adopted, let me urge you to adopt the eloquence of loving obedience and noble self-sacrifice.

How possible it is to sing hymns and to be acting blasphemies. It is possible. Consider that for one moment, because at the first blush it would seem to be utterly beyond the bounds of possibility to sing in an oratorio and then to act dishonestly, to sing an anthem and then to tell a lie, to utter a hymn and then to perpetrate a cruelty. The poetry is at the wrong end in such cases. O let me have prose climbing up into poetry and not poetry sinking down into contemptible prose; see to it that though you have many crucifixes in the house you have a cross in the heart, though you compare your beloved to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariot, you also transfer that love into noble charity and sacrifice and sweet service which will benefit mankind, as well as enchant their fancy and please their literary taste.

Not only is this power of making parables and comparisons a joy and a danger, it is also a responsibility. To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin. If the Master is beautiful, so must the servant be. Shall the Master be a sweet rose and the servant a stinging nettle? Is that not very often the case? Shall the master be a fruitful tree making the city glad and the servant be as a upas, casting its deadly shade upon all living things? Let us understand that every compliment we pay to Christ is an obligation we lay upon ourselves if we are his faithful followers. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure, that is the sacred law. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. We are to be transformed by the beauty we admire. This is the great law, namely, we shall be like him, for mark the reason we shall see him as he is. The sight will be transfiguring: to look at beauty will be to be made beautiful; to see God will be to be made divine, the fair vision shall make us also fair, otherwise it is wasted upon us, and we do not really see it. It will be impossible to see Christ as he is without being transformed into his beauty. But do we not all see Christ as he is when we come into the sanctuary? Far from it. We see sections of Christ, phases of Christ, we hear something about Christ, but we do not see the whole Christ in the absoluteness of his integrity and the ineffable-ness of his beauty, or we should be caught in a transfiguring and transforming power, and the very visage of our face would be changed.

Here, then, are abundant lessons for us all. The power of comparison is to be cherished and developed. Compare your living Saviour to all things beautiful, make every flower of the field into a parable, the summer will grow too few flowers to set forth all his beauties. Go out this coming summer and attach to every flower some name that shall indicate some beauty in your Lord; watch for the coming stars, and according to the beauty of each name it, and, so to speak, baptise it in the Lord’s name, that when you see it again it may remind you of some high ecstasy of the soul. All that is wise, beautiful, legitimate, it gives ennoblement to the mind and enlargement to the whole sphere of the imagination, it refines and elevates the taste by great purification and enrichment, but do not rest there. Not every one that saith unto me “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Are we not all witnesses to the wasting power of rapture, to the enervating reaction of high rhapsody in any service? Have we not been on the hill of transfiguration and desired to build tabernacles there, and never to come down into the cold and tumultuous world again? Mark the danger. Life is real, sad, tragical, a great daily pain, as well as an occasional rapture and a high realisation of the noblest intellectual conceptions and experiences.

In comparing Christ with things beautiful, noble, grand, we are writing a heavy indictment against ourselves if we profess to be his followers, and do not rise to the grandeur of the occasion. Shall we be found in the king’s procession who have about us anything that is mean, worthless, vile, corrupting? Shall we not make it our endeavour to be in some sort worthy of the royal procession and worthy of its high meaning? Herein is the responsibility arising from the power we have of seeing the beautiful and acknowledging it. This is our calling in Christ Jesus: as he was so are we in this world. Men are to take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and have learned of him. As he who passes through a garden of roses brings with him part of the fragrance breathed from the beauteous flowers, so we who come forth from the fellowship of Christ are to show somewhat of the radiance of his countenance, and to speak somewhat with the eloquence of his accent. This is the incarnation which he desires at our hands, not only to compare him with things royal and beautiful but to incarnate him in actions more eloquent than the pomp of speech or the melody of music.

Who can carry out that high vocation? Who would not rather sit in his garden and make parables and blow them from the pipe of his imagination like gilded bubbles into the summer air? That would be easy, that would be a pious luxury; but to cut off the right hand, to pluck out the right eye, to slay the inner offence, to test the soul as by fire, who can submit to this inexorable discipline? And yet, if we fail here it will but go to the aggravation of the account against us that we have compared our Saviour to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariot, and have talked about him in foaming poetry, but have lived mean, petty, worthless lives. The God of the heavens give us wisdom.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

Son 1:9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

Ver. 9. I have compared thee, O my love, &c. ] My pastoral love, or shepherdess companion, my fellow friend, or familiar associate in the function of spiritual feeding; my neighbour, or next, as the Greek renders it. For the saints are not only like unto Christ, 1Jn 3:2 but also next unto him, Luk 22:30 yea, one with him, Joh 17:21 and so above the most glorious angels, Heb 1:14 as being the spouse, the bride; whereas angels are only servants of the bridegroom: and as being the members of Christ, and so in a nearer union than any creature. This the devil and his angels stomached, and so fell from their first principality.

To a company of horses. ] Or, To my troop of horses in the chariots of Pharaoh. The saddle horse his, the chariots Pharaoh’s, saith an interpreter. “What is this, but that the spirit of strength and speed it is Christ’s; and the untoward flesh, which is to be drawn by the same divine Spirit, it is of the world, and the very chariot of Satan. Soul and body, as wheels and axle, do run which way the devil drives, till the stronger man Jesus have freed our chariot nature from that power of hell, and joined himself by his own Spirit unto our nature, that so, with Ezekiel’s chariot, it may go forth and return as his divine Spirit directeth.” Thus he. a

a Clapham.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Son 1:9-10

9To me, my darling, you are like

My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.

10Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,

Your neck with strings of beads.

Son 1:9 darling This comes from the Hebrew phrase to pasture (BDB 944, cf. Son 1:15) and means friend or companion (BDB 946).

like This Aramaic VERB (BDB 197, KB 225), in the Piel stem, denotes a comparison. It is used several times in this sense in Song of Songs (cf. Son 1:9; Son 2:9; Son 2:17; Son 7:7; Son 8:14).

My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh Solomon was the first to import Arabian horses from Egypt (cf. 1Ki 10:28; 2Ch 1:16-17; 2Ch 9:28) for military purposes. This metaphor refers either to the ornamental beauty of the royal horses (possibly embroidered on the royal tent) or to the graceful movement and beauty of the animals themselves. These horses were prized animals!

with ornaments This term (BDB 1064) can refer to:

1. a type of hairdo or braid (TEV)

2. a necklace of precious metal (cf. Son 1:11)

The basic Akkadian root seems to mean to encircle or go around again (KB 1708). The reference could be to the horses’ ornaments of Son 1:9 or the woman’s necklace of Son 1:10, line 2. If the second line of Son 1:10 is synonymous parallelism, ornaments refers to a string of beads (BDB 354, this term appears only here in the OT and a similar root means string of beads or string of shells, or string of pearls) or NKJV, chains of gold (to parallel Son 1:11, line 1).

Both of these words are rare and disputed. This ambiguity is characteristic of poetry!

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

I have, &c. Solomon now speaks to her.

my love = my friend, or one beloved. Hebrew. ra’yah. Feminine here, Son 1:15; Son 2:2, Son 2:10, Son 2:13; Son 4:1, Son 4:7; Son 6:4.

a company of horses = my mare.

in Pharaoh’s chariots = in the chariot of Pharaoh.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Son 1:9-11

Son 1:9-11

SOLOMON WOOS THE SHULAMITE WITHOUT RESPONSE

(See Son 1:9 to Son 2:2)

“I have compared thee, O my love,

To a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.

Thy cheeks are comely with plaits of hair,

Thy neck with strings of jewels.

We will make thee plaits of gold

With studs of silver.”

The big deal here is that Solomon will load the Shulamite down with expensive jewelry. His comparison of her to a horse (presumably a mare) hooked up to one of Pharaoh’s chariots reveals the sensual nature of Solomon. Every woman, in his sight, was merely an animal, a real slick, beautifully groomed animal, of course. This writer cannot imagine any man who would take a thousand women to his bed as having any other view of the true value of womanhood.

Exegesis Son 1:9-11

The comparison here made by Solomon was a very acceptable compliment or it would have not been given. To horse-lovers today it is not difficult to see comparable qualities. The effortless grace of an Arabian horse could be very much like similar movements on the part of a beautiful maid. Solomon and many men since have been connoisseurs of the movements of both horses and women. The perfect symmetry of both is another obvious likeness. The word horses used here suggest a mare horse which makes the comparison even closer. We must not overlook the tremendous value placed on horses from Egypt. (Cf. 1Ki 4:26; 1Ki 10:28). It is of some interest to point out that the expression my love used by Solomon means literally companion or female friend-it is used twice by Solomon-here and in Son 6:4. He is not necessarily deprecating her and refusing to marry her, for the shepherd uses the same word seven times (Cf. Son 1:15; Son 2:2; Son 2:10 Son 2:13; Son 4:1; Son 4:7; Son 5:2). We know Solomons intentions were to add her to his already large harem. This was not the purpose of the Shepherd.

Solomon is now using his imagination-he sees the charming maid with a headdress holding two rows of jewels which decorate either side of her face. How beautifully do those dangling rows of jewels set off your cheeks. Perhaps this rustic country maid has around her neck a simple inexpensive necklace-it will be replaced with a brilliant expensive gold one. Solomon wants to overwhelm and impress her with his promises. There is nothing personal in what he says-any beautiful girl would fit the description given here-it probably is not the first time he used it. The phrase ornaments of gold with beads of silver, is difficult to visualize. Moffett translated it We will have golden beads strung around you, studded with silver. These were not idle promises-they were backed by all the wealth of a billionaire-but how empty of personal interest! Solomon is due for a shock.

Marriage Son 1:9-11

How would your wife respond to such flattery? We would all like to believe they would be as impervious as the maid from Shunem. We want to assume our wife would not be interested in gold and silver. Her head would not be turned by extravagant words of praise. But if we have long ago left her for other interests she has since felt bereft of personal concern and appreciation. She has built up a deep hunger for appreciation-if such appreciation (however false) is tied into a solid financial gain who is to say what would happen? Please do not say this cannot happen to me, it is happening today in a thousand homes. And with offers far less attractive than the one offered by Solomon. Our wives must feel that we believe they are both beautiful and valuable. If they are not, why did we marry them?

Communion Son 1:9-11

Put these words in the mouth of Satan as he makes his offers to each of the members of the bride of Christ. These words all have a physical, sensual association. We want to appear acceptable if not beautiful in the eyes of men. For someone to tell us we appear to them as graceful and strong as some beautiful woman or handsome man could indeed get our attention. If while holding our attention an offer of a large sum of money is tied to the compliment we might give more than attention. Why? Because our image of grace and beauty is found in the person of man. The heroine of this love song was not at the least interested. Why? Because the beauty she saw in her shepherd and the value she found in his presence was far more than all Solomon (Satan) could offer her. Until our relationship with our Lord becomes far more personal and real than it usually is we will be tempted to join the harem.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

O my: Son 2:2, Son 2:10, Son 2:13, Son 4:1, Son 4:7, Son 5:2, Son 6:4, Joh 15:14, Joh 15:15

to a: 1Ki 10:28, 2Ch 1:14-17, Isa 31:1

Reciprocal: Gen 50:9 – chariots Zec 10:3 – as

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Son 1:9-11. I have compared thee For strength and courage, to overcome all thine enemies; to a company of horses For horses are famous for that property, and the strength of the battle was then thought to consist much in horses and chariots, especially in a company or multitude of them. And the church in this book is represented not only as fair and beautiful, but also as terrible to her enemies. Thy cheeks, &c., with rows of jewels Which being fastened to the heads of brides, used to hang down upon their checks in those times. He mentions the cheeks, as the chief seat of beauty. Thy neck with chains of gold Whereby, as well as by the rows of jewels, he may seem to design all those persons and things wherewith the church is made beautiful in the eyes of God and of men, such as excellent ministers and saints, righteous laws, holy ordinances, and the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit. We I and my father; will make thee borders of gold Beautiful and honourable ornaments.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Son 1:9-17. A Mutually Responsive Song of Love and Admiration.(1) The comparison of the richly-ornamented horses of Pharaohs chariots. Parallels from ancient literature may be found in the commentaries. The Arabs had fine breeds of horses which they esteemed very highly, and such horses were splendidly adorned when driven in the chariots of the princes. The rich and even excessive adornment of the bride appealed to the Orientals as much as the simple beauty of the maiden. Hence the reference to plaits of hair, circlets of gold with silver points is appropriate both to a womans headdress and the trappings of a gaily-decorated steed (Gen 24:53; Gen 34:12). (2) The bride returns the compliment. Her perfumes and her own charms exert their full power when stimulated by the gracious presence of her king. He is compared to a bundle or bag of myrrh which Oriental women place between their breasts at night, and which has a protecting and refreshing influence, as well as to the Paradise flower (henna-flower), the dye from which is used to give a delicate tinge to the hands and feet. These flowers are said to be found only in Palestine at En-gedi. (3) The bridegroom declares again the beauty of his love (lit. friend, in the OT peculiar to this book and Jdg 11:37). He says that her eyes are doves, meaning that they have the softness and innocence of doves eyes. There is no general agreement about the exact reference of Son 1:16 f. whether it is a picture of a fine mansion, or a poetic description of life among the trees of the forest; the green bed is the difficulty, which some take literally, and others figuratively, or according to the custom mentioned in Pro 7:17.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

1:9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s {q} chariots.

(q) For your spiritual beauty and excellency there was no worldly treasure to be compared to you.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

3. Solomon’s praise 1:9-11

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Here Solomon reassured his love. Stallions, not mares, pulled chariots. A mare among the best of Pharaoh’s stallions would have been desirable to every one of them. In Solomon’s day Egyptian horses were the best, as Arabian horses later were the best. [Note: Delitzsch, p. 33.]

"A passage from Egyptian literature demonstrates that mares were sometimes set loose in battle to allure and distract the pharaoh’s chariot-harnessed stallions." [Note: Parsons, p. 416.]

Solomon meant his love was a woman whom all the best men of his court would have pursued.

". . . the comparison of the female lover with a mare would first and foremost emphasize her nobility and her value." [Note: Hess, p. 64.]

"This is the ultimate in sex appeal!" [Note: Carr, The Song . . ., p. 83.]

Solomon’s praise would have bolstered his beloved’s confidence that he loved her. This encouragement is often necessary and is always appropriate in such a relationship.

"We have forgotten what a thing of beauty a horse can be when compared to other animals. We are also unaware what valuable creatures they were in the ancient world. They were beautiful in themselves, and the ancient royal courts insisted on brilliantly caparisoning [adorning with rich trappings] the ones that pulled the king’s chariot. The beloved’s jewelry, earrings, and necklaces make him think of such." [Note: Kinlaw, p. 1219.]

"Such a comparison was not at all unusual in ancient literature. Theocritus, for example, compared ’the rose complexioned Helen’ to a ’Thessalian steed.’ For Solomon the horse was more a cherished companion than a beast of burden. His praise of Shulamith recognized her beauty and her graceful movements." [Note: Patterson, p. 39.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)