Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 3:3
The watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
3. The watchmen ] For the practice of having watchmen in cities, cp. Psa 127:1, “Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Grtz supposes that the mention of watchmen favours his very late date for the book. But probably this very obvious precaution was taken in Palestine from the earliest times, and in any case the passage quoted above shews that it was an established custom comparatively early. Cp. also Isa 21:11.
Saw ye, &c.] The A.V. rightly inserts to whom I said, but in the Heb. her dream-question is introduced with the same vivid abruptness as her previous utterance, Come let me arise, and without any interrogative particle. She also, as we all do in dreams, takes it for granted that all men know what the object of her preoccupation is. It would however be possible to translate ye have seen in the sense ye must have seen.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The city – One near the brides native home, possibly Shunem.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Son 3:3
The Watchmen that go about the city.
Gospel Watchmen
The ministers of the Gospel are called watchmen, either in allusion to shepherds, who watch over their flock by night (Luk 2:8); or else, to watchmen in cities as here; and their work may be considered:
1. With regard to themselves; they are to watch over themselves as well as others; they are to watch over their conversations, that they be as become the Gospel they preach, and so that they may give no ill examples to others, nor cause the ways and doctrines of Christ to be evil spoken of, and render their ministry useless; they are to watch over their doctrines, and take heed that they be agreeable to the oracles, of God; and they deliver nothing but the wholesome words of Christ Jesus, and such as may be for the edifying of their hearers, and suitable to the cases of souls; they are to watch all opportunities to preach this gospel, as the apostle says (2Ti 4:2), to be instant in season and out of season; and then they are to watch and observe the success of it, and how it is blessed and made useful to souls: moreover they ought to have a very great guard upon themselves; for if the enemy can but surprise, decoy, or corrupt them, it turns much to his advantage.
2. With regard to others, their work is,
(1) To give the time of night, as in (Isa 21:11-12).
(2) To give notice of approaching dangers.
They are to give notice of the danger that sinners are in, who are walking in the broad road to destruction; and also the dangers that churches may be in through errors and heresies springing up among them, as well as by indulging themselves in any vicious practices, which they are severely to cheek and reprehend. Now, this work requires vigilance, prudence, courage, and faithfulness; and also shows the necessity and usefulness of the public ministry, which can no more be dispensed with than watchmen in a city; and likewise what care the Lord has of His churches, in placing such officers in them, as well as the awfulness of the work they are concerned in; for if the watchman does not discharge his duty, the blood of those he has to do with will be required of him. (John Gill, D. D.)
Saw ye Him whom my soul loveth?—
Objects of a Christians love
I. The object of a Christians love may easily be identified. Who should be the object of a Christians love but Christ? We wear His name, profess His religion, believe His Bible.
II. The existence of a Christians love should be personally known to ourselves. It must not be a theory, but a realization. Do we love Him more than the world or the creature?
III. The object of a Christians love should be openly and publicly avowed. It is not to be a secret thing, for he who is ashamed of his Masters livery is unworthy of Him.
IV. The flame of a Christians love to Christ should be strong and vigorous. My soul loveth Him. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, etc. It will prompt to inquiry and earnestness.
V. The Christians love to Christ is not always satisfied. The Master sometimes hides His face. There may be some cause of the Saviours withdrawing–wandering in sinful paths, sinful company, etc.
VI. The Christians unsatisfied love will produce in his soul greater activity and zeal. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The watchmen; the ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church, who are oft called watchmen, as Isa 62:6; Eze 3:17, and elsewhere.
That go about the city, to prevent disorders and dangers by night.
Found me, whilst they walked round about the city, according to their duty.
To whom I said, without either fear or shame, as being transported and wholly swallowed up with love,
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? she doth not name him, because she thought it needless, as supposing that a person of such transcendent excellency could not be unknown to men in that public capacity. Their answer is not mentioned, either because they gave her no answer, at least no satisfactory answer, or because by their silence she gathered that they were unable or unwilling to inform her; and being eager in the pursuit of her Beloved, she would not lose time in impertinent discourses with them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. watchmenministers (Isa 62:6;Jer 6:17; Eze 3:17;Heb 13:17), fit persons toconsult (Isa 21:11; Mal 2:7).
found methe generalministry of the Word “finds” individually souls in quest ofJesus Christ (Ge 24:27, end ofverse Ac 16:14); whereasformalists remain unaffected.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The watchmen that go about the city found me,…. By whom are meant the ministers of the Gospel; who are called watchmen, as the prophets were under the Old Testament, Isa 52:8; in allusion to watchmen in cities; and are so called in regard to themselves, it being their duty to watch over themselves; and to their doctrine, and all opportunities to preach it, and the success of it: their business with respect to others is to give the time of night; to point out the state and condition of the church; to give notice of danger to sinners in the broad road to destruction; and to saints, through the prevalence of error, heresy, and immorality; all which require sobriety, vigilance, prudence, courage, and faithfulness; and show the necessity and utility of the Gospel ministry, and the awfulness of it; and the care Christ takes of his churches, in providing such officers in them. These are said to “go about the city”, denoting their industry and diligence; and being in the way of their duty, they “found” the church, fell upon her case in their ministry, and hit it exactly; which shows the efficacy of the word under a divine direction; which finds out sinners, and their sins; saints, and their particular cases, unknown to ministers; and the church, having met with something suitable to her case under their ministry,
[to whom I said], took an opportunity privately to discourse with them, and put this question to them,
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? meaning Christ; who was still the object of her love, and uppermost in her thoughts; whom she thus describes, without mentioning his name, as if he was the only “Him” in the world worthy of any regard; which shows how much he was in her mind, how much the desires and affections of her soul were towards him, and that these ministers needed no other description of him. No answer is returned to her question that is recorded; not because they were not able to give one, nor because they did not; and if they did not, it might be owing to her haste, not waiting for one; and if they did, she not being able to apply it to her case, no notice is taken of it: however, though she did not find immediate relief by them, yet she met with something from them that was of use to her afterwards, as appears by what follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Shulamith now relates what she further experienced when, impelled by love-sorrow, she wandered through the city:
3 The watchmen who go about in the city found me:
“Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth?”
Here also (as in Son 3:2) there is wanting before the question such a phrase as, “and I asked them, saying:” the monologue relates dramatically. If she described an outward experience, then the question would be a foolish one; for how could she suppose that the watchmen, who make their rounds in the city (Epstein, against Grtz, points for the antiquity of the order to Psa 127:1; Isa 62:6; cf. Isa 21:11), could have any knowledge of her beloved! But if she relates a dream, it is to be remembered that feeling and imagination rise higher than reflection. It is in the very nature of a dream, also, that things thus quickly follow one another without fixed lineaments. This also, that having gone out by night, she found in the streets him whom she sought, is a happy combination of circumstances formed in the dreaming soul; an occurrence without probable external reality, although not without deep inner truth:
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(3) The watchmen that go about the city.Henceforward until morning the streets are deserted and silent, with only here and there a company returning from a visit, with a servant bearing a lantern before them. The city-guard creeps softly about in utter darkness, and apprehends all found walking in the streets without a light (Thomson, Land and Book, p. 32in description of Beirt).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Saw ye him The question, put to the watchman patrolling the town, is very abrupt, hardly enough to explain her untimely roving.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
Very probably the watchmen here described, are meant for the ministers of the gospel of Christ; for so the Lord describes them as watchmen upon the walls of Zion. Isa 62:6 . And by their being said here to have found her, I apprehend is meant, that in their ministry, or preaching, they spoke to her case and circumstances. Perhaps there is nothing more common than this, in every church and congregation where the pure gospel is preached; for here the Holy Ghost will lead precious souls: and He, by his almighty power, makes his own blessed word effectual in the hearts of the people. The church seems to have been encouraged and comforted by the watchmen, so that she communicated her case to them, and put the earnest question; Saw ye him, whom my soul loveth? I might pause here, if, peradventure this Commentary were likely to fall under the eye of a minister of Jesus, just to remark how blessed the office, and how distinguished the honor of one of this description, to act in Christ’s name, and to resemble his tenderness in guiding souls to Jesus. How needful to know Christ ourselves, that when poor burdened sinners would long to know him, we may, from our heart-felt acquaintance with him, be able to hold him forth; and like the star, which ministered to the wise men from the East, not only light souls to Jesus, but go before them, and go with them to Jesus, Mat 2:9-10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son 3:3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
Ver. 3. The watchmen that go about the city found me, ] i.e., The angels, who are God’s watchmen a over the world, and are so called somewhere in Scripture, as also ministering spirits, guardians of the saints, &c. But here I conceive are meant either those princes of the world, strangers to the mystery of Christ, 1Co 2:8 and therefore can tell no tale nor tidings of him. For what reason? They are of Gallio’s religion, which is no better than a mere irreligion, Act 18:15 being de regione magis soliciti quam de religione, as one saith: or else, the officers and ministers of the Church, set as “Watchmen upon Jerusalem’s walls, with charge never to hold their peace, day nor night.” Isa 62:6 But they, alas! prove too too oft “blind watchmen, dumb dogs; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” Isa 56:10 And such it seems were these here, by the small directions they gave the Church, or intelligence of her best beloved. Howbeit, because the priests’ lips should preserve knowledge, and they are given for guides to God, Heb 13:17 however they prove, she repairs to them, or rather, lighting upon them, inquires for Christ.
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
a . Dan 4:10 Eze 33:2
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bed = couch, not the same word as in Son 1:16; Son 3:7, &c.
sought = still sought.
my soul = I myself.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
watchmen: Son 5:7, Isa 21:6-8, Isa 21:11, Isa 21:12, Isa 56:10, Isa 62:6, Eze 3:17, Eze 33:2-9, Heb 13:17
Saw: Joh 20:15
Reciprocal: Psa 127:1 – the watchman Isa 52:8 – Thy Eze 33:7 – I have Hos 9:8 – watchman Mat 28:9 – and held Joh 20:14 – and saw
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Son 3:3. The watchmen The ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church; that go about the city To prevent disorders and dangers; found me While they walked round about the city according to their duty: to whom I said, Saw ye him She does not name him, because she thought it needless, as supposing a person of such transcendent excellence could not be unknown to men in that capacity. Their answer is not mentioned, either because they gave her no satisfactory answer, or, because by their silence she gathered that they were unable or unwilling to inform her; and being eager in the pursuit, she would not lose time in impertinent discourses with them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:3 The {c} watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
(c) Which declares that we must seek to all of whom we hope to have any help.