Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 3:2

I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

2. R.V. rightly inserts I said at the beginning of the verse. It is a vivid presentment of what happened, when her hope of her lover’s presence was disappointed. She said in her dream not I will rise now, but Come let me arise and let me go about in the city. The hortative forms of the verb beautifully express the energy, and perhaps the anxiety, with which she seemed in her dream to seek for him whom her soul loved.

the city ] Not necessarily a ‘city’ in our sense of the word, but any place of any size which had defences, as distinct from the mere village. Cp. 2Ki 17:9, “They built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city,” where ‘cities’ must include the tower of the watchmen. Consequently, Jerusalem need not here be intended; more probably it is either Shulam or some place in the neighbourhood where her lover resided. Thither she had travelled in her dream.

in the streets and in the broad ways ] Better, in the streets and in the open spaces. In ancient cities in Palestine the streets were exceedingly narrow, but just within the gates there were wider spaces, as also where the streets began, and where they crossed each other. These all would be called rch bth. As the mention of the watchmen indicates that even for the dreamer the search takes place at night, the streets and squares cannot be referred to as places of public resort. The refrain, but I found him not, expresses well that feeling of distress at the frustration of our efforts which is the chief pain of dreams.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

I will rise now; I will immediately apply myself to seek him, without whom my bed can give me no rest nor comfort.

The city; the city of God, the church, in which Christ resides.

In the streets, and in the broad ways: not finding him in private prayer and meditation, I sought him in the places of public assemblies and ordinances; for the people frequently met together in the streets, not only for civil, but for religious ends, 2Ch 32:6; Neh 8:1,3,16; Pr 1:20,21; Lu 13:26.

I found him not; he saw fit still to delay the discoveries of his grace, partly, to chastise my former folly; partly, to try my sincerity and constancy; and partly, that he might be more welcome when he came to me.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. Wholly awake for God (Luk 14:18-20;Eph 5:14). “An honestresolution is often to (the doing of) duty, like a needle that drawsthe thread after it” [DURHAM].Not a mere wish, that counts not the costto leave her easy bed,and wander in the dark night seeking Him (Pro 13:4;Mat 21:30; Luk 14:27-33).

the cityJerusalem,literally (Mat 3:5; Joh 1:19),and spiritually the Church here (Heb12:22), in glory (Re 21:2).

broad waysopen spacesat the gates of Eastern cities, where the public assembled forbusiness. So, the assemblies of worshippers (Son 8:2;Son 8:3; Pro 1:20-23;Heb 10:25). She had in her firstawakening shrunk from them, seeking Jesus Christ alone; but she wasdesired to seek the footsteps of the flock (So1:8), so now in her second trial she goes forth to them ofherself. “The more the soul grows in grace, and the less itleans on ordinances, the more it prizes and profits by them”[MOODY STUART](Psa 73:16; Psa 73:17).

found him notNothingshort of Jesus Christ can satisfy her (Job 23:8-10;Psa 63:1; Psa 63:2).

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

I will rise now,…. Perceiving she had taken a wrong method, and therefore unsuccessful, she fixes on another; and, in the strength of divine grace, determines to pursue it, and “now”, at once, immediately, without any delay, “rise” from her bed of sloth and ease, and forego her carnal pleasures, in pursuit of her beloved; which showed the sincerity of her love to him;

and go about the city; not the city of Jerusalem, though there may be an allusion to it; but the spiritual city, of which saints are fellow citizens, where they dwell, and where the word is preached, and the ordinances are administered: and “going about” it, as she proposed, showed her diligence and industry in seeking him: and the night being an unseasonable time to walk about a city, especially for women, this is a further proof of her great love to Christ, in that she not only exposed herself to reproach and scandal, but to harm and danger also; but being fired with love, and fearless of danger k, and set on finding her beloved, she resolved to proceed, whatever she suffered. Hence she sought him

in the streets, and in the broad ways; that is, of the city, such as commonly are in cities; so Troy is described l as a city, having broad ways in it; and also Athens m: meaning the public ordinances of the Gospel, where he takes his walks, and often shows himself; in seeking him here, she was right, though she did not succeed;

I will seek him whom my soul loveth; her love was still the same, not abated, more likely to be increased through disappointment; nor was she discouraged, but was determined to go on seeking, till she found him;

I sought him, but I found him not; this was to chastise her for her former negligence; to try her faith, love, and patience; and to show that even the best means, though to be used, are not to be depended on; and that Christ has his own time and way to make himself known to his people, which depends on his sovereign will.

k “Audacem faciebat amor”. Ovid. Metamorph. l. 4. Fab. 4. l Homer. Iliad. 2. v. 29, 66, 141, 329. & 14. v. 88. Odyss. 22. v. 230. m Ib. Odyss. 7. v. 80.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

2 So I will arise, then, and go about the city,

The markets, and the streets;

I will seek him whom my soul loveth! –

I sought him, and found him not.

How could this night-search, with all the strength of love, be consistent with the modesty of a maiden? It is thus a dream which she relates. And if the beloved of her soul were a shepherd, would she seek him in the city, and not rather without, in the field or in some village? No; the beloved of her soul is Solomon; and in the dream, Jerusalem, his city is transported close to the mountains of her native home. The resolution expressed by “I will arise, then,” is not introduced by “then I said,” or any similar phrase: the scene consists of a monologue which dramatically represents that which is experienced. Regarding the second Chatef-Pathach of , vid., Baer’s Genesis, p. 7. is the plur of (= shavk ), as of (= shavr ); the root-word (Arab. shak ) signifies to press on, to follow after continuously; (Arab.) suwak designates perhaps, originally, the place to which one drives cattle for sale, as in the desert; (Arab.) sawak designates the place to which one drives cattle for drink (Wetzst.). The form is without the Daghesh, as are all the forms of this verb except the imper.; the semi-guttural nature of the Koph has something opposing the simple Sheva.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

2. I will rise A plainer connexion would be made by placing, I said to myself, at the beginning of the verse. The emotions of the Enamoured have become intolerable. About the city, suggests an unusual effort at search, as her home was evidently in the suburbs. Tidings of him at night will more likely be found in the streets of the town and the broad thoroughfares leading to it, than in the fields. Or it may be, that as Palestine has always been infested by robbers, the inhabitants, even of the rural districts, sought the safety of the town by night. Such is the prevailing usage at this time.

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

Son 3:2. I will rise now, &c. I will rise now, and go about the city. In the streets and in the broad-ways will I seek him, &c. It might be rendered, in the passages and open avenues, or squares. New Translation.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

The streets and broad ways here spoken of, into which the church, resolves to go in quest of Jesus, I should apprehend mean the public Ordinances of worship in the Lord’s house of prayer. She had sought him in private prayer by night on her bed; but this mode being unsuccessful, she hastens with greater diligence to seek him, whom her soul loved, among the assemblies of the faithful. Reader! everything is beautiful in due order. When we follow up the employments of the closet with public worship, and again close the duties of the church with retirement and prayer, these are sweet successions. Our Lord was eminent in both. He graced the synagogue with his presence by day, and the stars witnessed the privacy of his devotions, when in their circuit passing by, they beheld him spending whole nights in prayer to his Father. Mat 14:23 . But we find the church, in this account given of her, alike unsuccessful in finding Jesus, in seeking him both in public and in private; for she found him not. Thus the Lord sometimes will exercise the faith of his people, and, no doubt, sometimes it is to show us, that however blessed the means of grace are, still they are but means. Nothing but Jesus himself can satisfy a seeking soul.

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

Son 3:2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

Ver. 2. I will rise now, and go about the city, &c. ] The holy city Jerusalem, whither “the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel.” Psa 122:4 There was the likeliest place to find Christ; there his parents found him once, after three days’ search, Luk 2:46 sitting in the temple; there he dwelt among men; there he gave gifts unto men, and therehence he went forth abroad the whole world, “conquering, and to conquer.” Rev 6:2 Here, therefore, the spouse seeks him among the people of God, and in his word and ordinances. She knew well that he fed his flock among those lilies, used to go down into that his garden of spices Son 6:1-2 to take a turn amidst those golden candlesticks, Rev 1:13 to take a view of his wedding guests, Mat 22:11 yea, to eat and drink in their presence, and to teach in their streets. Luk 13:26 Abroad she gets, therefore, and that presently.

I will rise now. ] Saith she, lest I lose mine opportunity; for if so, I may seek it with tears, and go without it with sorrow. Men may purpose, promise, and expect a time of healing and curing, when they shall be deceived, and find a time of trouble. Jer 14:17 “Many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able,” Luk 13:24 yea, “they shall go with their flocks, and with their herds, to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them.” Hos 5:6 They came too late, belike; they sought not the Lord while he was to be found ( vel sero, vel certe non serlo qucerebant ); they called not upon him while he was near; they stayed till he was out of call; Pro 1:28 till he was resolved to return either no answer at all, or such a sad answer as the Jews had from him, because they stood out their day of grace: “Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.” Joh 7:34 And again, “I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins.” Joh 8:21 Oh, dreadful sentence! The Church herself here, though never so dear to Christ, seems to some to be guilty of sloth and slackness in seeking after Christ, and doing it in her bed (as loath at first to disease herself), or in holding him while she had him, if, while she was sleeping, he slipped away from her side. The wise virgins also were napping and nodding, Mat 25:1-46 and holy Augustine a confesseth that he could not answer that clear text, whereby he was called out of his sinful course. “Awake, thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead,” &c., but only by that wish of the sluggard, Modo et ecce modo, Sinite paululum, &c. A little more sleeps, a little more slumbers, &c.; little, and yet sleeps, in the plural. Thus, Modo et modo non habent modum, et Sinite paululum ibit in Iongum, as that father hath it. Somewhat it was, surely, that makes the Church resolve, as here, “I will rise now,” or “Let me rise now”; I will stir up the gift of God that is in me; I will stir up myself to take better hold of Christ. Here is a tacit taxing herself for some former slackness, after her former enjoyments and familiar intercourse with Christ. We are too ready, after we have run well, to lie down and take cold, which may cause a consumption; to please ourselves in unlawful liberties, when we have pleased the Lord in lawful duties. Hezekiah, after his notable service, both of prayer and thanksgiving, fondly over-shoots himself to the Babylonish ambassadors. Jonah, after his embassage, faithfully discharged, to the Ninevites, breaks forth into anger against the Lord. Peter, being commended by Christ for the profession of his faith, fell presently so far wide, that he heard, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Mat 16:1-28

I sought him, but I found him not. ] For trial and exercise of her faith and constance. “Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord.” Hos 6:3 So then shall we find, if we follow on to seek Christ, fetching him out of his hidingplace, as the woman of Canaan did. For he would have hid himself, saith the text, but he could not, for a certain woman, &c. Mar 7:24-25 And as she set him out, so she followed him close, refusing to be either said nay, or sit down with silence or sad answers. The like did Jacob. Gen 32:1-32 He wrestled with might and slight. He would have a blessing whether God would or no, as we may say with reverence. “Let me go,” saith God. No, thou shalt not, saith Jacob. “Let me alone, that I may destroy this people.” No, by no means, saith Moses. In seeking of Christ, faith is not only importunate, but even impudent, Luk 11:8 b and threatens heaven, as Nazianzen said of his sister Gorgonia. If he have lost his mercy, she will find it for him. Isa 63:15 If he look strange and stern, she will both know him, and claim him amidst all his austerities. Isa 63:16 , “Art not thou our father?” If he be gone never so far, she will “follow hard after him,” Psa 63:8 so David’s phrase is; even as hard as her old legs will carry, as Father Latimer said; with “Return, for thy servant’s sake. We are thine.” Isa 63:17 ; Isa 63:19 O Lord, saith the Church in Habakkuk, “Art not thou from everlasting, my God, and mine Holy One?” It was a bold question, but God assents to it in a gracious answer, ere he went further. We shall not die, say they abruptly. Hab 1:12 Nay, “after two days” – for so long, it may be, he will hold us off, to try how we will hold out seeking – “he will revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” Hos 6:2 Or if we should die in this waiting condition, and in a spiritual desertion, yet we could not miss heaven, because he hath said, “Blessed are all they that wait for him.” Isa 30:18

a Confess., lib. viii. cap. 5.

b propter improbitatem.

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

will rise: Son 5:5, Isa 64:7, Joh 1:6, Mat 26:40, Mat 26:41, Rom 13:11, 1Co 15:34, Eph 5:14

the streets: Pro 1:20, Pro 1:21, Pro 8:2, Pro 8:3, Pro 8:34, Luk 14:21-23

I sought: Psa 22:1, Psa 22:2, Psa 42:7-9, Psa 43:2-5, Psa 77:7-10

Reciprocal: Job 29:5 – the Almighty Psa 63:6 – General Psa 63:8 – followeth Son 5:6 – I sought Jer 5:1 – seek Mat 7:7 – seek Joh 20:15 – whom

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Son 3:2. I will rise now I will immediately apply myself to seek him, without whom my bed can give me no rest, nor comfort; and go about the city The city of God, the church in which Christ resides. And in the broad ways Not finding him in private prayer and meditation, I sought him in the places of public assemblies and ordinances; but I found him not He saw fit still to delay the discoveries of his grace.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

3:2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will {b} seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

(b) Showing that although we are not heard at first, yet we must still continue in prayer, till we feel comfort.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes