Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 3:8
They all hold swords, [being] expert in war: every man [hath] his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
8. They all hold swords ] This is a circumstantial and descriptive clause, and their holding swords is not meant to be explained by expert in war, as the insertion of ‘being’ in the A.V. might suggest. Rather it should be rendered, Threescore valiant men all of them with swords in their hands, and trained to war, each with his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night, i.e. to ward off danger that might arise in the night. The mention of ‘night’ here probably suggested the translation of mih as ‘bed.’ The Heb. word translated ‘ hold ’ in the A.V. has the form of a passive participle, but must be translated as active. Cp. Ges.-K. Gramm. 50 f.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. They all hold swords] They are swordsmen. Every man has a sword, and is well instructed how to use it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hath his sword upon his thigh; is prepared and ready to fight, as this phrase notes, Exo 32:27; Psa 45:3. Because of fear in the night; to prevent those dangers and mischiefs which are most frequent and most dreadful in the night season.
The night may note either,
1. The time of tribulation, temptation, or desertion. Or,
2. The whole time of this life, which may well be called night, in respect of that ignorance, and error, and other kinds of darkness wherewith it is attended, as the future life is compared to a day, this life being the only time wherein such a guard is necessary.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. holdnot actually graspingthem, but having them girt on the thigh ready for use, like theirLord (Ps 45:3). So believerstoo are guarded by angels (Psa 91:11;Heb 1:14), and they themselvesneed “every man” (Ne4:18) to be armed (Psa 144:1;Psa 144:2; 2Co 10:4;Eph 6:12; Eph 6:17;1Ti 6:12), and “expert”(2Co 2:11).
because of fear in thenightArab marauders often turn a wedding into mourning by anight attack. So the bridal procession of saints in the night of thiswilderness is the chief object of Satan’s assault.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They all hold swords,…. Or a “sword” r; the word is singular, which designs the word of God, called the sword of the Spirit, and said to be sharper than a twoedged sword, Eph 6:17 Heb 4:12; which everyone of the ministers of the Gospel hold in their hands; and which denotes not only their apprehension, but their retention of it, and firm adherence to it; it cleaves to them, and they to that; they and their sword cannot be parted, as Gussetius s observes the word signifies; these ministers could not be prevailed upon to drop it, or part with it, but retained it to the last; which shows them to be valiant men;
[being] expert in war; in military straits, in the spiritual war against sin, Satan, and the world, in common with other Christians; and in fighting the good fight of faith, against all opposers of the doctrines of the Gospel; knowing how to use to the best advantage the spiritual sword, the Scriptures of truth, to defend the Gospel, and refute error;
every man [hath] his sword upon his thigh; as a preparation for war, and an indication of readiness to engage in it, Ps 45:3; for, being on the thigh, it is near, easy to come at, at once upon occasion, and so always in a posture of defence; all which expresses the familiar acquaintance ministers have with the word of God, its nearness, so that they can easily come at it, and furnish themselves with a sufficient proof of truth, and with proper arguments for the refutation of error. And this is done
because of fear in the night: when there is most danger; hence Cyrus considering that men are most easily taken when eating and drinking, and in the bath, and in bed, and in sleep, looked out for the most faithful men to be his bodyguard t. By “night” or “nights” u may be meant the nights of desertion, temptation, affliction, and persecution; when saints are in fear of their spiritual enemies, and of being overcome and destroyed by them: now Christ has provided a guard for his people, to prevent or remove these fears, and defend them from such as would make inroads upon their faith and comfort; namely, his ministers, that by their ministerings they may be a means of securing their peace and comfort, and of freeing them from all terrible apprehensions of things; which, as it shows the safety and security of the saints, so the tender care and concern of Christ for them.
r Sept. “gladium”, Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius. s Ebr. Comment. p. 23. t Xenophon. Cyropaedia, l. 6. c. 29. u “in noctibus”, Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Marckius, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(8) Because of feari.e., because of the alarms common at night. For fear in the sense of object of fear, comp. Psa. 91:5; Pro. 3:25.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Expert in war Better, the valiant of Israel. There was probably no time in the history of Israel when robbers did not infest the country. These were, and still are, mostly Arabs. Ishmael dwelt in the presence of his brethren, and kept them always on the lookout. Hence, the royal escort included such a guard as is here described. The fear in the night is, of course, these nightly marauders. The phrase seems to refer to the selected bodyguard of mighty men formed by David, and perhaps continued by Solomon.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
It is most probable that the sword here spoken of and which they are said all to hold, means the sword of the spirit, which the apostle calls the word of God, Eph 6:17 . and which the ministers of Christ are expert, or ought to be expert in handling. The church calls upon Christ to gird his sword upon his thigh, as the most mighty! Psa 45:3 . And the night guard of Solomon’s worthies very beautifully re presents the Lord’s servants, who are supposed to be more earnest and alive at their posts in seasons of danger, and during the nights of error among the people:
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son 3:8 They all hold swords, [being] expert in war: every man [hath] his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
Ver. 8. They all hold swords, being expert in war. ] They not only bear arms, but can handle them. Young Jether wore a sword, but he durst not draw it, Jdg 8:20 or strike with it when he should have killed Zeba and Zalmunna. Themistocles said of the Eretrians, a cowardly people, that they were like the sword fish, which hath a sword indeed, but wants a heart. a Such white livered soldiers, such faint hearted swordmen our Solomon hath no need of; our Gideon will not employ them so far as to break a pitcher or to bear a torch. Jdg 7:3 The fearful and unbelieving shall never set foot in his kingdom, much less be esquires of his body; those in that office must hold fast the faithful word, that sword of the Spirit, that twoedged sword, far beyond that of Goliath, and yet David said there was none to that, that they may be able and apt by sound doctrines both to exhort the tractable and to “convince the gainsayer.” Tit 1:9 Those that either cannot or will not do thus, are no way fit to be of Christ’s guard, because they are more likely to betray him into the hands of his enemies than to defend him from them, to act a Judas’s part than a Peter’s, who manfully cut off Malchus’s ear, and chose rather to be held temerarious than timorous. Jeremiah complains of the pastors of his time that they were “not valiant for the truth,” Jer 9:3 they had no spiritual metal in them; but as harts and stags have great horns and strength, but want courage, so it was with these. St Augustine professeth this was it that heartened him, and made him to triumph in his former Manicheeism, that he met with feeble opponents, and such as his nimble wit was easily able to overturn. If gainsayers be not powerfully convinced, how will they set up their crests and cry victoria! If they be not stoned with arguments, b how will they start up and outstare the truth! There must be, therefore, skill and will in all her champions. They must also every man have his sword upon his thigh, and be ready for an assault. Seneca reports of Caesar that he had quickly sheathed his sword, but never took it off. And Suetonius tells us that he would never tell his soldiers of any set time of removal or onset, that he might never find them unready, c Christ expects the like care and courage in his ministers, lest the proverb be verified on them, ungirt, unblest.
And because of fear in the night.
a M , – Plutarch.
b Haeretici argumentis lapidandi. – Hilar.
c Scilicet ut paratum et intentum momentis omnibus, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
every man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
night = nights (Plural)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
all: Psa 45:3, Psa 149:5-9, Isa 27:3, Eph 6:16-18
because: Neh 4:21, Neh 4:22, 1Th 5:6-8
Reciprocal: Jdg 3:16 – upon 2Ch 12:10 – the chief Neh 4:13 – in the lower places Job 34:25 – in the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:8 They all hold swords, [being] expert in war: every man [hath] his sword upon his thigh because of fear {g} in the night.
(g) He alludes to the watch which kept the temple.