Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 4:9
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, [my] spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
9. Thou hast ravished my heart ] This clause is represented by one word in Heb., a denom. Piel verb, formed from the noun lbhbh = ‘heart.’ According to usage this might mean either ‘thou hast heartened me,’ i.e. as R.V. marg., given me courage, or ‘thou hast disheartened me,’ or stolen my heart away. The latter is the view of the A.V. and the preferable view. The translation, ravish, with its primary meaning ‘to carry off by violence,’ and its secondary one ‘to enchant’ or ‘charm,’ exactly corresponds to the Heb.
my sister, my spouse ] R.V. my bride. The double name, as Budde remarks, can hardly have any other signification than an increase of tenderness, cp. Son 8:1, “O that thou wert my brother.” My sister bride occurs only in this chap. and in ch. Son 5:1, but, as Budde observes, in the ancient Egyptian love-songs, edited by Maspro and Spiegelberg, ‘my sister’ and ‘my brother’ are the standing names for the lovers.
with one of thine eyes ] From the use of the prep. min =‘from,’ with eyes here, and from the fact that in the text achaih, the masculine form of the numeral, stands, it is probable that some word such as ‘glance’ should be understood. Then we should translate, with one glance of thine eyes.
with one chain of thy neck ] Chain here means a part of the necklace, but whether it means a single chain of the necklace, or a pearl or pendant is uncertain. Usage, in the only passages where the word occurs again, Jdg 8:26, and Pro 1:9, certainly is in favour of chain.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The similes employed refer to the graces of adornment, speech, and gesture, as expressions of inward character and sentiment.
Son 4:9
With one of thine eyes – Rather, with one look of thine.
Son 4:11
Honeycomb – literally, Thy lips distill a dropping (of pure honey). Compare the marginal references.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. Thou hast ravished my heart] libbabtini, “Thou hast hearted me,” i.e., taken away my heart; as we say, “He has barked the tree,” i.e., he has stripped it of its bark; “He has fleeced the flock,” i.e., deprived them of their wool.
With one of thine eyes] beachad meeynayich. This has been thought a harsh expression, and various emendations have been sought. The Masoretes have put beachath, “at once,” in the margin; and this is confirmed by twenty of Kennicott’s MSS. but De Rossi does not notice it. It is scarcely necessary; the sense to me is clear and good without it. “Even one of thine eyes, or one glance of thine eyes, has been sufficient to deprive me of all power; it has completely overcome me;” for glance may be understood, and such forms of speech are common in all languages, when speaking on such subjects. If even taken literally, the sense is good; for the poet may refer to a side glance, shot in passing by or turning away, where only one eye could be seen. I think this a better sense than that which is obtained from the Masoretic emendation.
With one chain of thy neck] Probably referring to the play of the cervical muscles, rather than to necklaces, or ringlets of hair.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou hast ravished my heart; I am overcome with thy beauty, and therefore am so desirous of thy company.
My sister; so he calls her, partly because both he and she had one and the same father, to wit, God, yea, and mother too, being both at this time born in and of the commonwealth and church of Israel; and partly to show the greatness of his love to her, which is such, as cannot be sufficiently expressed by any one relation, but must borrow the perfections and affections of all to describe it.
With one of thine eyes; with one glance of one of thine eyes: by which phrase he intimates the modesty and humility of the church, which was ashamed or afraid to look fully and directly upon the Bridegroom with both her eyes; and withal alludes to the ancient custom of virgins, who used to cover their faces with a veil, and to look out only with one of their eyes for the direction of their steps. By this one eye he seems to mean that fundamental grace of faith, by which Christians look upon Christ, and discern his beauty, and which is precious in the sight of God and of Christ.
With one chain of thy neck; with one of those other graces and perfections wherewith thou art adorned. How then should I be ravished if thou didst discover both thine eyes, and thy whole countenance, and all thy excellent gifts and graces!
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. sister . . . spouseThistitle is here first used, as He is soon about to institute theSupper, the pledge of the nuptial union. By the term “sister,”carnal ideas are excluded; the ardor of a spouse’s love is combinedwith the purity of a sister’s (Isa54:5; compare Mr 3:35).
oneEven onelook is enough to secure His love (Zec 12:10;Luk 23:40-43). Not merelythe Church collectively, but each one member of it (Mat 18:10;Mat 18:14; Luk 15:7;Luk 15:24; Luk 15:32).
chainnecklace (Isa 62:3;Mal 3:17), answering to the”shields” hanging in the tower of David (So4:4). Compare the “ornament” (1Pe3:4); “chains” (Pro 1:9;Pro 3:22).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, [my] spouse,…. Here another new title is given to the church, “my sister”, with the repetition of the former, my “spouse”: for one and the same person, with the Hebrews, might be sister and spouse; see 1Co 9:5. And this may be used in a love strain, and so not improper in a love poem, as this was g; see So 8:8; likewise the church may be called Christ’s sister, because of his incarnation, in virtue of which he is not ashamed to call his people his brethren, and so his sisters, Heb 2:11; and on account of their adoption; in which respect, he that is Christ’s Father is theirs; and which is evidenced in regeneration; when they, through grace, do the will of his Father, and so are his brother, and sister, and mother, Mt 12:50. And, upon the whole, it is used to express the great affection of Christ for the church, and his high esteem of her; and which appears by his saying, “thou hast ravished my heart”; which is but one word in the Hebrew text, and nowhere else used, and is variously rendered: the Vulgate Latin version is, “thou hast wounded my heart” h: with one of love’s darts, So 2:5; “thou hast drawn my heart unto thee”, so some Jewish writers i; which is surprising, since no love nor loveliness are in her of herself; this shows how free and unmerited the love of Christ is; according to the use of the word with the Talmudists k, the sense is, “thou hast coupled mine heart with thine”; the heart of Christ and his church are so closely knit and joined together in love, that they are but one heart, and can never be separated: others, “thou hast seized my heart”; or, “claimed it for thyself” l; thou art master over it; it is no more mine, but thine The Septuagint version is, “thou hast unhearted us”; Father, Son, and Spirit; particularly the second Person: or thou hast stolen away my heart; I have no heart left in me; which, as it is the case through fear, is sometimes through love: this sense is approved by Aben Ezra. Some render it just the reverse, “thou hast heartened me” m; put heart into me, animated me, made me of good cheer; so the word is used in the Syriac version of Mt 9:2. The sense may be, that such was the love of Christ to his church, and so much was he charmed by her, that the thought of his having her company in heaven to all eternity animated him to endure all sufferings he did for her sake, Heb 12:2; The Targum is,
“thy love is fixed upon the table of my heart;”
where the church herself was fixed, So 8:6;
thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes; the allusion may be to the custom of the eastern women; who, when they walked abroad or spoke to any, showed but one eye, the other, with the rest of the face, being covered with a veil n: the eyes of women are ensnaring to lovers o; the church has more eyes than one. Mention is made of the eyes of the understanding, Eph 1:18; faith is one of them, and may he here chiefly intended; by which a soul looks on Christ, the glories of his person, and the fulness of his grace; and looks so him for the blessings of grace now, and eternal glory hereafter: and with this Christ’s heart is ravished; even with “one look” from it, or “glance” of it, as some p render it;
with one chain of thy neck; with the several graces of the Spirit, linked together as in a chain; which were about the neck of the church, and as ornamental to her as a pearl necklace, So 1:10; and with every link in this chain Christ’s heart is ravished and delighted. The Vulgate Latin version is, “with one lock of hair of thy neck”: which hung down in it, and looked very beautiful; and with which lovers are sometimes taken q.
g “Sive tibi conjux, sive futura soror”, Tibullus. h “vulnerasti cor meum”, V. L. so Ben Melech; and Kimchi Sepher Shorash. rad. . i Jarchi, David de Pomis, Lexic fol. 69. 3. k “Cor copulasti mihi”, Buxtorf. Hottinger. Smegma, p. 164. Vid. Misn. Sabbat, c. 5. s. 2. l “Occupasti”, Lutherus, Marckius; “vendicasti”, Tigurine version. m “Animasti me”, Cocceius, Schmidt. n Tertuilian. de. Virg. Veland. c. 17. Le Bruyn’s Voyage to the Levant, ch. 40. p. 157. o See Prov. vi. 25. So the poet says of Helena, ‘
, Theocrit. Idyll. 18. “Perque tuos oculos qui rapuere meos”, Ovid. Amor. l. 3, Eleg. 10. Vid. Barthii ad Claudian. Nupt. Honor. v. 6. p “uno aspecto oculorum tuorum”, Junius & Tremellius, so Ainsworth. q ‘ ‘ , Theocrit. Idyll. 5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
All that the king calls his, she now can call hers; for she has won his heart, and with his heart himself and all that is his.
9 Thou hast taken my heart, my sister-bride;
Thou hast taken my heart with one of thy glances,
With a little chain of thy necklace.
The Piel may mean to make courageous, and it actually has this meaning in the Aram., wherefore the Syr. retains the word; Symm. renders it by . But is it becoming in a man who is no coward, especially in a king, to say that the love he cherishes gives him heart, i.e., courage? It might be becoming, perhaps, in a warrior who is inspired by the thought of his beloved, whose respect and admiration he seeks to gain, to dare the uttermost. But Solomon is no Antar, no wandering knight.
(Note: A specimen of Bttcher’s interpretation: “What is more natural than to suppose that the keeper of a vineyard showed herself with half of her head and neck exposed at the half-opened window to her shepherd on his first attempt to set her free, when he cried, ‘my dove in the clefts of the rocks,’ etc., and animated him thereby to this present bold deliverance of her from the midst of robbers?” We pity the Shulamitess, that she put her trust in this moonshiny coward.)
Besides, the first effect of love is different: it influences those whom it governs, not as encouraging, in the first instance, but as disarming them; love responded to encourages, but love in its beginning, which is the subject here, overpowers. We would thus more naturally render: “thou hast unhearted me;” but “to unheart,” according to the Semitic and generally the ancient conception of the heart ( Psychol. p. 254), does not so much mean to captivate the heart, as rather to deprive of understanding or of judgment (cf. Hos 4:11). Such denomin. Pi. of names of corporeal members signify not merely taking away, but also wounding, and generally any violent affection of it, as , , Ewald, 120 c; accordingly the lxx, Venet., and Jerome: , vulnerasti cor meum . The meaning is the same for “thou hast wounded my heart” = “thou hast subdued my heart” (cf. Psa 45:6). With one of her glances, with a little chain of her necklace, she has overcome him as with a powerful charm: veni, visa sum, vici . The Ker changes into ; certainly is mostly fem. ( e.g., Jdg 16:28), but not only the non-bibl. usus loq., which e.g., prefers or , of a malignant bewitching look, but also the bibl. ( vid., Zec 3:9; Zec 4:10) treats the word as of double gender. and are related to each other as a part is to the whole. With the subst. ending n, the designation of an ornament designed for the neck is formed from , the neck; cf. , the “round tires like the moon” of the women’s toilet, Isa 3:18. (connected with , cervix) is a separate chain (Aram. ) of this necklace. In the words , is used instead of , occurring also out of genit. connection (Gen 48:22; 2Sa 17:22), and the arrangement ( vid., under Psa 89:51) follows the analogy of the pure numerals as ; it appears to be transferred from the vulgar language to that used in books, where, besides the passage before us, it occurs only in Dan 8:13. That a glance of the eye may pierce the heart, experience shows; but how can a little chain of a necklace do this? That also is intelligible. As beauty becomes unlike itself when the attire shows want of taste, so by means of tasteful clothing, which does not need to be splendid, but may even be of the simplest kind, it becomes mighty. Hence the charming attractive power of the impression one makes communicates itself to all that he wears, as, e.g., the woman with the issue of blood touched with joyful hope the hem of Jesus’ garment; for he who loves feels the soul of that which is loved in all that stands connected therewith, all that is, as it were, consecrated and charmed by the beloved object, and operates so much the more powerfully if it adorns it, because as an ornament of that which is beautiful, it appears so much the more beautiful. In the preceding verse, Solomon has for the first time addressed Shulamith by the title “bride.” Here with heightened cordiality he calls her “sister-bride.” In this change in the address the progress of the story is mirrored. Why he does not say (my bride), has already been explained, under Son 4:8, from the derivation of the word. Solomon’s mother might call Shulamith callathi, but he gives to the relation of affinity into which Shulamith has entered a reference to himself individually, for he says ahhothi callaa (my sister-bride): she who as callaa of his mother is to her a kind of daughter, is as callaa in relation to himself, as it were, his sister.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
THE SHEPHERD’S DELIGHT
Verses 9-11 further express the Shepherd’s delight in his Shulamite spouse; her eyes, perfume, and expressions of love are most delightful.
Verses 12-15 liken the spouse to an enclosed and locked garden containing a spring or fountain unavailable to outsiders. Within the garden also are pleasant plants, fruits, spices, perfumes and flowers. Such is a poetic description of the joy and satisfaction provided by the spouse of the beloved husband alone.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Notes
Son. 4:9. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse: thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. Thou hast ravished my heart ( libbabhtini, a verb formed from libbebh, from the noun lebhabh, a heart); thou hast wounded or taken away my heart. GESENIUS. Hast enchanted me, made me wholly thine own. ZCKLER, DELITZSCH. According to this view the Pril form of the verb has a privative signification like (sikkel), to clear away stones; or (sheresh), to uproot, According to others , like the same in Syriac, denotes to give heart or encourage. So the niphal form of the verb in Job. 11:12. , to get a heart or wisdom. So GREGORY. COCCEIUS, EWALD, and others: Thou hast heartened, or emboldened me. WORDSWORTH and some Rabbins: Behearted mecoupled my heart to thine. SEPTUAGINT: Thou hast hearted us. SYMMACHUS: Hast emboldened me. VULGATE, followed by COVERDALE, MATTHEWS, GENEVA and DOUAI versions: Hast wounded my heart. CRANMER and BISHOPS Bible: Hast bewitched my heart. LUTHER, MONTANUS, PISCATOR, MERCER: Hast taken away my heart. DIODATI and DUTCH Version: Hast robbed me of my heart. MARTIN: Hast ravished my heart. So JUNIUS and TREMELLIUS, PARKHURST, PERCY, GOOD, BOOTHROYD. MUNSTER: Hast fascinated my heart. TIRINUS and TIGURINE version: Hast taken possession of my heart. So PATRICK. ABEN EZRA: Hast taken away my heart KIMCHI: Hast wounded it with the arrow of thine eyes. RASHI: Hast drawn my heart to thee. TARGUM: Written on the tablet of my heart is thy love. AINSWORTH: Thou hast taken, pierced, wounded my heart, ravishing it with love and delight. DE WETTE: Hast robbed me of my heart. NOYES: Hast taken my heart captive. UMBREIT: Hast robbed me of courage. HAHN: Hast unhearted me. WEISS: Hast cherished, known, esteemed, and loved me. CLAY: The word not found elsewhere in the Bible in this form and sense: Christs love so unspeakable, new words to be coined to express it.With one of thine eyes: ( be-akhadh me-enaik) With one of the glances proceeding from thine eyes. ZCKLER, HENGSTENBERG. So JUNIUS, LE CLERC, PERCY, GOOD, &c.; supposing that something, as , has either been dropped out of the text, or is to be understood after . Masorites proposed reading instead of , being teminine. So the Keri and many MSS. EWALD: With a single one of thy glances. DELITZSCH: With one of thy looks. AINSWORTH: Even a side or profile view of her face charms him. So WILLIAMS. PARKHURST: The least glance I have of thee and of thy beauty. KENNICOTT: At once with thine eyes. So BOOTHROYD, COBBIN, HODGSON. RASHI: I would have loved thee with only one of thy charms. SANCTIUS: Perhaps one eye hidden by the veil or crown. Eastern women un-unveiled only one eye in conversation. TERTULLIAN, NIEBUHR, NOYES.With one chain of thy neck ( . be-akhadh anaq mits-tsavronaik). (anaq) a collar, from , to adorn or clothe the neck (Psa. 73:6). GESENIUS. With one chain of thy necklace; Shulamites neck looking so charmingly in it. ZCKLER. The word however only to be taken figuratively. PERCY. With one stone of thy necklace. EWALD. In Eastern descriptions, the dress and ornaments quite as much praised as the person: so in our own old ballads. Bride of Christ. PATRICK understands a wreath of hair. So HITZIG: A ringlet or lock of the first hair hanging down on the neck. A. CLARKE thinks the reference to the play of the muscles of the neck. So GOOD and PERCY: With one turn of thy neck. BOOTHROYD: At once with the turning of thy neck. (tsavron), a diminutive of endearment, from (tsavvar); thy tiny neck. GESENIUS, EWALD. The dual or plural used to indicate the hair hanging on both sides of the neck. AINSWORTH. SEPTUAGINT: With one ornament of thy neck. SYMMACHUS: With one necklace. AQUILA: One lock. VULGATE: One hair or ringlet. LUTHER: One of thy neckchains. DIODATI and MARTIN: One of the necklaces of thy neck. So MERCER, PAGNINUS, &c. MUNSTER: With one fillet.
My sister, my spouse. A bride also called sister among the later Arabians: so soror applied to a mistress in Tibullus. GESENIUS. The designation of a certain relationship: the spouse now Solomons lawful wife, and next to him as a sister to a brother. ZCKLER. My sister, a word of tenderness and endearment, used by husbands to their wives: so Tob. 7:16; Tob. 8:4; Tob. 8:7. PATRICK. Relations and kinspeople called by the Jews brethren and sisters. GILL. The Church Christs sister by His assumption of our nature; His spouse, by love and marriage-covenant. BEDE. The Church so called out of love, and in respect to regeneration and adoption (Heb. 2:11). AINSWORTH. The Lords heart drawn by even one right thought directed towards Him. SANCTIUS. Christ easily and willingly overcome by His own. DURHAM. The Brides poverty of spirit looking forth behind the veil of her dove-like eyes, one of the two great features of her beauty that won the heart of the King; her humility of spirit the other. HAHN.
THE KING HAPPY IN HIS BRIDE
Son. 4:9-15
Thou hast ravished my heart,
My sister, my spouse;
Thou hast ravished my heart,
With one of thine eyes,
With one chain of thy neck.
How fair is thy love,
My sister, my spouse!
How much better is thy love than wine;
And the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
Thy lips, O my spouse,
Drop as the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under thy tongue;
And the smell of thy garments
Is like the smell of Lebanon.
A garden enclosed
Is my sister, my spouse;
A spring shut up
A fountain sealed.
Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates,
With pleasant fruits;
Camphire with spikenard,
Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense;
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices.
A fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters,
And streams of Lebanon.
The climax of the Kings admiration of, and delight in, his Bride. Realization of the words of the forty-fifth Psalm, the Song of Loves: So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty. The happy Bridegroom had already described the charms of his Bride; he now declares, in the language of impassioned affection, the effect which these produced upon him: Thou hast ravished my heart. Literally Thou hast hearted me. A new word coined to show the intensity of Christs love to and delight in His believing people. Christs heart in the possession of the loving believer. His love to His people that of the most ardent lover; yet calm, deep, and holy His Church His peculiar treasure. (Exo. 14:5). The King, in addressing his Bride, combines terms expressive of the nearest and tenderest relations, each supplementary to the other. My sister, my spouse; or, my sister spouse. Names of nearest kindred employed in the East as terms of affection. These combined terms immediately afterwards repeated by the King in order to indicate the reality of the relationship, the intensity of his affection, and his delight in employing the title. The believer not to forget that he belongs to Christ, both as his Brother and his Bridegroom. Is at once both the sister and the spouse of Jesus. His sister, as having the same Father and the same nature; Christ assuming the believers human nature and imparting to him His Divine one. His spouse, as now united in a marriage-bond with Himself, having been betrothed by Him in an everlasting covenant (Hos. 2:19; 2Co. 11:2; Rom. 7:4). In the believer the ardour of a spouses love combined with the purity of a sisters. Typified in Eve, at once the sister and the spouse of Adam. The ardour of Christs love to His people grounded
(1) On the relation in which they stand to Him as the Bride given Him by the Father.
(2) On the fact that, as His Bride, He has brought them from the bondage of sin, Satan, and the curse of a broken law, by the price of His own agony and blood.
(3) On the holy beauty which, as His blood-bought Bride, He imparts to them by the renewing and transforming grace of His Holy Spirit, more especially the beauty of their faith and love. What costs most, usually most beloved. The Shepherd rejoices most over the sheep which He had lost, but with much toil and trouble had found. A saved soul an addition to the happiness of heaven. The Saviours joy bound up in the sinner whom He saves. The grounds of the Kings admiration of and delight in his Bride, rapturously indicated by himself:
1. Her beauty. More especially that of her eyes and neck, the one directed to himself in a tender affection, the other bowed in humility and self-surrender: Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. One, as indicating the perfection of beauty and redundancy of charms beheld in the Bride. One believing penitent look of the sinner sufficient to secure the Saviours love. (Zec. 12:12). Christ overcome by the look of the Syro-Phnician woman and of the dying thief. The Brides eyes and neck contrasted with the wanton and adulterous eyes, and the stiff and stubborn neck of an impenitent world.
2. Her love. How fair is thy love, &c. Literally loves, as in chap. 1, Son. 4:4. Probably expressions and manifestations of love. The term and the comparison following formerly applied by the Bride to the Kings love; now returned to her with tender emphasis. The love of the loved one the sweetest enjoyment of the lover. The love of the saved soul the joy and reward of the Saviour. The faith and love of the forgiven woman in the Pharisees house, infinitely sweeter and more refreshing to Him than the wine on Simons table, and even the precious ointment with which she anointed His feet. His wine-cup on the cross the love of a pardoned sinner.
3. Her savoury spirit. The smell of thine ointments is better than all spices. The fragrance of her spirit properly her own ointments. This sweeter to the king than all the powders of the merchant with which she might perfume her person. The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon, celebrated for its odoriferous trees (Hos. 14:5; Hos. 14:7). Her garments properly her spirit and deportment. Be ye clothed with humility. Put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Garments, in the East, often richly perfumed, especially on marriage and other festive occasions. So those of the King Himself (Psa. 45:8). The ointments both of the King and of the Bride the graces of the Spirit, imparted first to Christ, without measure, then to His members, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. The precious ointment poured on the head of Aaron runs down upon the beard, even to the skirts of his garments (Psa. 133:2). The smell of the Brides garments, the sweetness of the actings and exercises of those graces. The part of believers, as having Christ and His Spirit in them, to carry about with them a spiritual fragrance, sweet to Christ and profitable to men.
4. Her speech and conversation. Thy lips, O my spouse drop as the honeycomb, &c. An enlarged repetition of the commendation already given,Sweet is thy voice, thy speech is comely. Shulamites speech the index of her soul. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A wifes sweet, savoury, enlightened conversation the delight of an intelligent husband. Especial attention paid by Christ to the speech of His people. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard (Mal. 3:17). Believers to be of circumcised lips as well as heart. Their lips touched with the live coal from off the altar (Isa. 6:4). The poison of asps is changed for the honey and milk of the Holy Spirit. Honey and milk under the tongue, when the milk of Gods Word is in the heart. Christs Word dwelling richly in us shows itself in sweet and wholesome conversation. The sweetest honey gathered from the flowers of Holy Scripture. To have honey dropping from our lips, we must have the honeycomb in our heart. The honey first under the tongue, then on it. Meditation on the Word the best means for speech that shall minister pleasure to Christ and grace to the hearers.
5. On her general excellence and beneficial influence. This represented under four comparisons
(1.) An Enclosed Garden. A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse. A garden a place for pleasure. An Oriental garden a scene of special beauty. A garden enclosed indicative of(i.) Its preciousness; (ii.) The care taken of it; (iii.) Its preservation for the owners exclusive enjoyment. The Church and each individual believer Christs enclosed pleasure-garden. I will walk in them; not merely with them. His Church the object of His special care. I, the Lord, will keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day (Isa. 27:3). Believers set apart for His own enjoyment. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself (Psa. 4:3). The Church, as a garden, distinguished from the world. The world, apart from Christs Church, a moral desert. That Church enclosed for its safety and defence. Safe, though surrounded by wild beasts and raging enemies. God Himself a wall of fire round about her (Zec. 2:5). Believers kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
(2.) A locked-up Spring and a sealed Fountain. A spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Such locked and sealed fountains frequently found in the East. The lock and seal indicate value, care, and exclusive use. The fountains thus kept from being dried up by the heat, defiled by animals, or employed by strangers. Springs and fountains especially valuable in the East. The special delight of Orientals during the heat of summer. Gardens and courts usually provided with them. The Church of living and loving souls a spring of delight to Christ, as He is to His people. I will sup with him and he with me. The believers heart shut up to all but Christ. The Bride exclusively for her husband (Pro. 5:15-18). Believers holiness to the Lord. Their life hid with Christ in God. Sealed by the Holy Ghost to the day of redemption. The motto of the seal: The Lord knoweth them that are His. Under the Old dispensation the fountain scaled in one nation; under the New, spread over all the world.
(3.) An Orchard of fruit trees and spices. Thy plants are an orchard, &c., with pleasant fruits, or fruit of excellence, or precious things (Deu. 33:13-16). Camphor, cypress, or henna (chap. Son. 1:14). Calamus, or sweet cane (Jer. 6:20; Exo. 30:23). Frankincense, employed in the composition of the holy anointing oil (Exo. 30:34). Myrrh, distilling from an Arabian shrub, and hardening into a gum. Aloes, a costly and sweet-smelling wood; connected with myrrh also in Psa. 45:9; Pro. 7:17; Joh. 19:39. Solomon, familiar with orchards, fruit trees, and spices (Ecc. 2:5), saw in these only a picture of the excellencies found in his beloved Shulamite. Such Christs estimate of His Church. His Church to Him the antitype of Eden (Gen. 2:8-9). Believers trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Represented as olives and vines, palms and cedars, firs and myrtles. The Church collectively an orchard containing a variety of trees, and each believer one containing a rich variety of Christian graces (Gal. 5:22). All the fruits of the Spirit found in believers in a greater or less degree of development. Their duty to cultivate each, and to seek its maturity. To abound in every good word and work (Col. 1:9). To be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God. To abound in every grace (2Co. 8:7). The object for which Christ gave himself for His Church (Eph. 5:27; Tit. 2:14. The Church and each believer to produce not only fruits, but spices. A believers life, spirit and conversation, to be not only pure, holy, and upright, but sweet and savoury. Believers to exhibit not merely what is sterling and excellent, but also what is lovely and attractive.
(4.) A Fountain sending forth refreshing and fertilizing streams. A fountain of gardensby which gardens are watered, hence affording an abundant supply (Jer. 31:12; Isa. 58:11). A well of living watersalways full and always flowing. Streams from Lebanonsuch as those in the Zebdani Valley, or the Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, fed by the snows of Lebanon (Jer. 18:14). The Bride in one sense a sealed fountain; in another a fountain sending forth its streams for the general benefit (Pro. 5:15-16). The virtuous woman not only the confidence and joy of her husband, but kind to all, and the benefactor of the poor (Pro. 31:11-12; Pro. 31:20; Pro. 31:26). The Church, while the delight of Christ, a blessing to others. Christ, the fountain of living waters, makes the believer a well of living water by being in him. The Holy Spirit in believers as a well of living water (Joh. 4:14). Renders them a means of life, strength, and comfort to others. Believers not only recipients of the living water, but channels for the communication of it to their fellow men and fellow Christians (Joh. 7:38). Made receivers in order to be givers. Receive the manifestation of the Spirit for the benefit of others (1Co. 11:7). Believers to be refreshed by one another (Phm. 1:7; Phm. 1:20). To comfort and edify one another. One believer like Harlan Page, the means of life and blessing to a whole neighbourhood. The Church the means of spiritual verdure and fruitfulness to the world at large. Through Christian missions, the desert made to rejoice and blossom as the rose. Believers watered themselves while watering others, and in order that they may do so (Pro. 11:25). Living water indicative of (i.) the perpetuity; (ii.) the excellence; (iii.) the wholesomeness; (iv.) the exhaustless nature, of Christs grace. The voice or breath of prayer the first bubbling up of the well of living water (Act. 9:11). Grace in a believer makes him as.
Streams from Lebanon.
The streams visible; their source hidden from human view. What is good, holy, and spiritually beneficial, communicated by Christ through His Spirit to the believer, and from the believer to the world. Grace in the Church exhibited as streams. Indicative of(i.) the fulness; (ii.) the freeness; (iii.) the liveliness; (iv.) the beauty; (v.) the abundance; (vi.) the refreshing natureof Christs grace. The streams from Lebanon in the Zebdani Valley, among the most beautiful things in nature, and making all beautiful in their neighbourhood. The most beautiful as well as the most beneficial things in Creation employed by Christ to set forth the excellence of His Church, and the grace which produces it.
Important questions suggested by the passage: Does Christ take delight in me and in what He sees in me? Is it my aim to afford joy to Him as my Saviour and Bridegroom? Are my feelings towards Him those of a bride towards her husband? Am I seeking to cultivate all the various fruits of the Spirit? And not only the fruits, but the spices? Am I endeavouring, through the Spirit of Christ in me, to practice not only what is pure, and just, and honest, but also what is lovely, and of good report? Am I careful not only as to what I do, but the manner and spirit in doing it? Is my life useful to others, as streams from Lebanon, beautifying and refreshing those I come in contact with? Strike out of my heart, O God, a well of living water!Dr. Chalmers.
BRIDEGROOMS PRAYER FOR HIS GARDEN
Son. 4:16
Awake, O north wind,
And come, thou south!
Blow upon my garden,
That the spices thereof may flow out.
The Bride still viewed by the Bridegroom as his garden. That garden one of spices as well as fruits. Her spirit and conversation sweet and refreshing to her husband. His desire that that sweetness may be fully exhibited in all their intercourse with each other. The fragrance of aromatic plants not always evolved alike. Some circumstances more favourable for its evolution than others. Its evolution chiefly dependent on the state of the atmosphere, and the kind and degree of wind flowing. Hence the Bridegrooms wish poetically expressed: Awake, O north wind, &c. The north wind, perhaps, thus called to depart and give place to the south wind, as more favourable for the emission of the fragrance. Possibly, however, the call equally to both, as both alike needful to that emission.
Not enough that gracious dispositions, or the fruits of the Spirit be implanted in a believers soul. These not to be latent and dormant, but to be drawn forth in lively exercise, so that Christ may be glorified and find pleasure. That exercise dependent, in some degree, on external circumstances, on the situation in which the believer may be placed, and even on his physical health. More especially, however, on the degree of divine influence which he may at any time enjoy. The breath of the spiritual wind as necessary for the lively exercise of the gracious affections, as that of the natural one for the exhalation of the fragrance of a bed of spices. The spiritual wind the Holy Spirit. The Spirit frequently in Scripture compared to a wind (Joh. 3:8; Act. 2:2; Eze. 37:9). That Spirit the spirit of love, power, and a sound mind. Hence essential to a believers spiritual prosperity, and to the gracious and beneficial influence he may exercise on the world. Equally important to personal happiness, domestic peace, and conjugal comfort. Especially necessary to Christs enjoyment of His Church, both collectively and individually. Hence, the text a call on the part of Christ for the gracious influence of the Spirit upon the Church and the believers soul. These again viewed as
The Garden of Christ.
The text presents to our notice
I. The GARDEN itself. The Church and the believing soul is
1. A Garden. It is so, as being
(1) Reclaimed from the world. Originally the children of wrath, even as others. Separated by distinguishing grace. Chosen out of the world. Called out of darkness into marvellous light. We are of God, but the whole world lieth in wickedness (1Jn. 5:19).
(2) Safely enclosed. Hedged round by divine protection. Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. A vineyard of red wine; I the Lord do keep it. The Lord is thy keeper. I will be a wall of fire round about her. Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(3) Carefully cultivated. A Triune Godthe Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghostengaged in its cultivation. My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. I will water it every moment. For its cultivation also, a number of human labourers, for various departments of work, employed in the garden. He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.
(4.) Planted with choice plants Every believer a tree of righteousness. The fruits of the Spirit produced in the garden: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, &c. The loveliest specimens of humanity found in Christs garden. Naturally, because sanctified and renewed humanity. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; they shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon. They that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age. They shall be fat and flourishing (Psa. 92:12, &c).
(5.) Designed for the pleasure and enjoyment of the Master and his friends. The garden in the text, with its beds of spices and flowers a pleasure-garden. So the Church and a believers soul. I will walk in them! The Lord taketh pleasure in His people. The name given by Himself to the Church, Hephzibahmy delight is in her. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it. The Lord in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save; He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over thee with singing (Zep. 3:17).
(6.) Kept clean and orderly. Weeds not suffered to grow or continue in it. Lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envies (or grudges), and all evil speakings. Purge out the old leaven. Put off the old man, with his deeds, which are corrupt. Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour. Ye also put off all theseanger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, out of your mouth. Looking diligently lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you. Keep yourselves in the love of God, hating the garment spotted by the flesh. Believers to keep themselves unspotted from the world. In the Church all things to be done decently and in order (1Co. 14:40).
2. Christs Garden. As being
(1) Chosen and given to Him by the Father (Eph. 1:3; Joh. 10:30).
(2) Chosen by Himself for His own. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.
(3) Purchased by His blood. He loved the Church, and gave himself for it. The Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. The Church, like the rest of the world, originally under sentence of death through sin. That sentence removed by the substitution of Christ in their stead.
(4) Reclaimed by the Spirit. The Church not only redeemed by price, but separated by power. The Spirit given to Christ for that purpose. The instrumentality employed, the truth of the Gospel in the lips and lives of believers.
(5) Employed for His own use and pleasure. This people have I formed for myself. Believers the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
II. The CALL. Observe
1. The Called. The Call addressed to
The Holy Spirit as a Wind.
So Joh. 3:8; Act. 2:2; Eze. 37:9. The Spirit so represented
(1) From His invisibility (Joh. 3:8).
(2) From His power. A mighty rushing wind (Act. 2:2). Nothing able to resist the wind in Nature, or the Spirit in grace.
(3) From the universality of His operations. The wind blows everywhere, over the whole earth. The Holy Spirits operations confined to no land place, class, age, condition, or circumstances.
(4) From the mysterious character of His movements and operations. The general nature of the wind as air in motion, and the general principle of its movements, tolerably understood. But its local changes and varieties among the most difficult things in Nature to account for. Blown in every possible variety of direction. Sometimes changes from one direction to another entirely opposite. Sometimes from opposite directions at once. Sometimes in one form and degree, sometimes in another. Two winds here mentioned: the North and the South. The North wind cold to those in the Northern hemisphere, as from the region of ice about the Pole. In the East, a healthful and refreshing wind (Pro. 25:3; Job. 27:21-22). The South wind warm, as from the regions about the Equator, always greatly heated by the direct rays of the sun (Job. 37:17). The effects of these opposite winds consequently of an opposite character. The tendency of the one to bind up and restrain; that of the other to loosen and disengage, the odours of aromatic plants. So the operations of the Holy Spirit various in their character and effects. Sometimes as a piercing North wind, convincing, reproving, awakening, disturbing, shaking. Sometimes as a soft and balmy South wind, melting, softening, soothing, comforting. Under His convincing operation, the multitude at Pentecost cried: Men and brethren, what shall we do? Under His comforting agency, they gladly received the word of reconciliation, and experienced peace (Act. 2:37; Act. 2:47). The dispensation of the Law, and its application to the individual conscience, one operation of the Holy Spirit; the dispensation of the Gospel, and its application to the heart, another. Both North and South wind necessary in the economy of Nature; and both the convincing and comforting operations of the Spirit needful for the Church and the individual soul. The first rather preparatory to the second. The warm and quieting South wind more suited for the evolution of the spices of the garden. So the fruits of the Spirit brought forth in the Church and in the believer rather under the Gospel than under the Law; under the still small voice of evangelical consolations, than under the whirlwind of legal terrors. Yet the latter often necessary to the former.
2. The Caller. Christ Himself. His constant concern and care about His Churchs spiritual prosperity. None so interested in its fruitfulness and beauty. Never forgetful of His Churchs interests. While on earth His constant prayer to His Father on its behalf. Still walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks, as the High Priest of His Church, attending to their proper condition. Intercedes for His people at Gods right hand. Prays also on earth in the person of His members. The Holy Spirit given in answer to such prayer. The disciples waited in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father; but waited in prayer and supplication, for ten days. Their prayer the Call of Christ in them: Awake, O North wind, &c. The Spirit only given in His fulness after Jesus had completed His work of atonement (Luk. 12:49-50; Joh. 7:39; Joh. 16:7). The Spirit committed into His hands after His ascension into heaven. His added title thenHe that hath the Seven Spirits of God (Rev. 3:1). As if to point to the words of the Song and to intimate their meaning, the Spirits descent on the Day of Pentecost like that of a mighty rushing wind (Act. 2:2). Still continues the part of Christ to call for the Spirit to blow upon His garden, the Church, in answer to the fervent, believing prayers of his people. Ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain: so shall the Lord make bright clouds (or lightnings), and give them showers of rain. If men who are evil know how to give good gifts unto their children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? (Zec. 10:1; Luk. 11:13). The Churchs duty not only to pray for the Spirit, but to seek the removal of every hindrance to His effusion. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and prove me herewith; if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Mal. 3:10)
3. The Call itself. Awakecomeblow. The Holy Spirit, though given, not always and alike in actual operation. Never entirely absent from the Church. Believers His permanent abode. May be present, however, in different degrees and in different ways. In the Old Testament dispensation, as a spirit of bondage; in the New, as a spirit of liberty. Through defective faith and careless walking, may still be a spirit of bondage. Hence different states of the Church and of individual believers. The Spirit given in the greatest measure yet known on and after Pentecost. Often greatly withheld from the Churchs unfaithfulness, unwatchfulness, and unprayerfulness. The candlestick in danger of being removed from its place. Churches and individual believers aroused at times to a sense of their need of the Spirit, and to earnest prayer for His gracious and powerful operation. This usually the first indication of the Spirits visitation. Earnest and persevering prayer for the Spirits effusion the token that that effusion will be bestowed. Such prayer either the call of the Bridegroom in the text or its happy precursor. Fervent prayer for spiritual blessing the voice of His Spirit in the believers heart (Rom. 8:26-27).
III. The OBJECT of the Call. That the spices thereof may flow out. Not enough that the spice-plants are there. The odours may be shut up in their cells and no fragrance be emitted. The pores to be opened and the odorous particles to be exhaled. Grace given to believers to be exercised and made sensible. Not enough that a Church exists, and that grace is in it. The Church to be in a spiritually lively state, and the grace of believers to be in lively exercise. Only thus may Christ enjoy the fellowship and works of the Churches. See his epistles to the seven churches of Asia (Revelation 1, 2). The Church at Laodicea in a condition only to be spued out of His mouth. Neither a church nor a believer to be satisfied with a lifeless and lukewarm state. Lukewarmnessa state between hot and coldChrists greatest abhorrence. Yet too often the state of Churches and professors when enjoying rest and outward prosperity. The state most agreeable to the carnal mind. The duty and privilege of believers not only to have life, but to have it more abundantly. A divine injunction: Be ye filled with the Spirit. Churches and believers in a spiritual and lively condition such as Christ delights to dwell in, and such as He can employ for the conversion of others. The Spirit promised to the disciples, that they might be His witnesses to the end of the earth. Davids prayer and resolution: Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit; then will I teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee (Psa. 51:12-13). A lively and spiritually prosperous state or the Church and of believers the result of the Spirits gracious operation, in obedience to the Call in the text. As the Holy Spirit blows, the Churchs odour flows. Hence His gracious and abundant effusion to be earnestly and perseveringly sought. For this will I be inquired by the house of Israel to do it for them (Eze. 36:37). Believers to stir themselves up to take hold of God and His gracious power. Theirs to awaken the arm of the Lord, to put on strength as in the days of old (Isa. 51:9). His will that they should not keep silence, and should give Him no rest till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Concerning the work of my hands, command ye me. Ye have not, because ye ask not (Isa. 45:11; Isa. 62:6-7; Jas. 4:2).
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(9) Ravished.Marg., taken away, whereas many (including Herder, Ewald, &c) give an exactly opposite sense: thou hast given me heart, emboldened me. The literal, thou hast hearted (libabtin) me, if we can so say, may mean either; the language of love would approve either stolen my heart or given me thine. But the reference to chainanak (a form occurring also in Jdg. 8:26; Pro. 1:9) seems to confirm the rendering of the Authorised Version. His heart has been caught, the poet playfully says, by the neck-chain. Tennysons
Thy rose lips and full-blown eyes
Take the heart from out my breast,
gives the feeling of the passage.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Thou hast ravished my heart Our best grammarians give this verb an opposite and intensive meaning: Thou hast given me heart. It is like the common English, “I have topped,” meaning either, “I have put on a top,” or, “I have taken off a top,” according to the connexion. Here the general sense requires, “Thou hast greatly encouraged me.” Sister is merely a term of endearment.
My spouse This word once meant betrothed, and such is the Hebrew here, meaning the ante-nuptial relation, my betrothed. Eastern women are usually veiled before men. A corner of the veil gracefully raised as a token of confidence and favour, reveals an eye and a part of the neck jewels. It is as if an American girl extended her lover her hand to kiss.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride, You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, With one chain of your neck. How fair is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine! And the fragrance of your oils than all manner of spices! Your lips, O my bride, drop as the honeycomb, Honey and milk are under your tongue, And the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.”
The bridegroom reveals the depths of his love for his bride. She has ravished his heart, he is spellbound by her eyes, he is captured by one chain from her neck. He wants her to know that her love is fully reciprocated by him, for he sees her love as a thing of beauty, as something which is better than wine (just as in a similar way she had seen his love – compare Son 1:2), and her perfumed body as better than the fragrance of many spices (again compare Son 1:3). Her lips are like the taste of the honeycomb, from under her tongue come honey and milk, and her clothes are like the delightful odor of Lebanon. All about her outdoes the finest offerings of the rest of creation, and is perfect and satisfying.
And we may be sure of how much greater is our Lord’s love for us, (note the strength of the expressions), for He also delights in us and in what He sees in us as we grow in Him, and in what He knows that one day we will be (Rom 9:29-30; Eph 1:4; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22 ; 1Jn 3:1-3; Rev 19:8). But in our case it is not our physical appearance that delights Him, but the spiritual qualities that are developing in our lives. His longing is that we reveal the beauty of holiness. And above all He delights continually in our reciprocated love as our lips speak forth His praise.
‘The smell of Lebanon.’ Lebanon was famous for its scented air. Compare Hos 14:6-7; Isa 35:2.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Son 4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
Son 4:9
Comments – In its simple form the verb ( ) means that the bride has stirred his heart. The Piel form intensives it to mean, “captured his heart.” With the repetitive statement in the Piel, it is the strongest way the Hebrew can say “You have uttered captured and ravished my heart.”
Son 4:9 Word Study on “my spouse” Gesenius says the Hebrew word “spouse” “kal-law’” ( ) (H3618) means, “a bride, maiden bethrothed, a daughter-in-law.” Strong says it means, “a bride, a son’s wife.” The Enhanced Strong says it is used 34 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as “daughter in law 17, bride 9, spouse 8.” This word is found 6 times in the Songs (Son 4:8-12; Son 5:1).
Son 4:9 “my sister, my spouse” Comments – The phrase “my sister, my spouse” will be used in Son 4:9-10; Son 4:12; Son 5:1. Garrett suggests this phrase implies they have become “one family,” having “common flesh and blood.” [197] It is the bridegroom’s attempt to emphasize the bride’s covenant relationship so that she will yield to him in the marriage bed.
[197] Duane Garrett, Song of Songs, in Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 23B (Dallas, Texas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), comments on Song of Solomon 4:9.
Son 4:9 Figurative Interpretation “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart” The repetitive phrase in Son 4:9 is used to intensify its meaning. In other words, the king was ravished to the ultimate degree with his bride. “with one of thine eyes” – One look at a person’s eyes can tell a thousand words, if the two are intimate, if they know each other’s thoughts. “with one chain of thy neck” Watchman Nee notes that the chains on one’s neck represents obedience. [198]
[198] Watchman Nee, Song of Songs (Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: CLC Publications, c1965, 2001), 86.
Pro 1:9, “For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
The Lord Jesus continues the same strain of affection in this verse as in the former, and here adds another title, that of sister to his beloved, to testify his relationship. Indeed the Lord Christ fills all. And he speaks of his endearments by reason of her beauty. Yea, his whole heart and soul seems to be going out in expressions of his love, as one perfectly overcome by his views of her. Perhaps the one eye Jesus here speaks of means the eye of faith, and love, and desire, with which redeemed souls are forever looking unto Jesus. They have no eye to any other. And the one chain of the neck, by which believers are united to their glorious head, as plainly animates the ornaments of the Spirit, by which their life and conversation is manifested. Solomon, speaking of these things, saith, they shall be as an ornament of grace unto the head, and chains about the neck. Pro 1:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son 4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, [my] spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
Ver. 9. Thou hast ravished mine heart, &c. ] Thou hast caught it, and carried it from me, so that I am least master of it; for Animus est potius ubi amat, quam ubi animat, a The heart is the place where it loves, and not where it lives. The Hebrew is, “Thou hast behearted me” (as we say, one is beheaded, behipt, &c.). Thou hast robbed me of my heart, and laid thyself in the room; thy love is fixed in the table of my heart, so the Chaldee expoundeth it. Excellently spake he, b who called the Holy Scripture Cor et animam Dei, the heart and soul of God: and another c father is bold to say, Cor Pauli, est cor Christi, Christ and Paul had exchanged hearts as it were. For, “we have the mind of Christ,” 1Co 2:16 saith he, – communication of Christ’s secrets. And surely when the saints hide Christ’s words in their hearts, as his mother Mary did, when they give themselves wholly up to it, as the Macedonians did, so that the word of Christ, “indwells richly in them in all wisdom,” Col 3:16 and he by his Spirit putteth “his laws into their minds,” so that they assent unto them, and “into their hearts,” Heb 8:10 so that they consent unto them, and have the comfort, feeling, and fruition of them, then is his heart ravished with his own handiwork; then is he so far in love with such a soul, as that, Esther like, she may have anything of the King. “The King is not he that can do anything against you”; Jer 38:5 Christ saith seriously so. His heart is become a very lump of love toward his sister, as nearest unto him in consanguinity, his spouse is nearest also in affinity, Sanctior est copula cordis, quam corporis. Christ is endeared to his people in all manner of nearest relations. For whosoever shall do the will of his Father, the same is his brother, and sister, and mother; Mat 12:50 “And in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him.” Act 10:35
With one of thine eyes.
a Augustine.
b Greg. in Rev. iii.
c Chrysost.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
ravished my heart = put heart into me.
one. It was customary to unveil one eye in conversation.
of: or round.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Son 4:9-15
Son 4:9-15
THE APPEAL OF THE SHEPHERD LOVER
“Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my bride;
Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes (one look from thine eyes ASV margin),
With one chain of thy neck.
How fair is thy love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is thy love than wine!
And the fragrance of thine oils than all manner of spices!
Thy lips, O my bride, drop as the honeycomb:
Honey and milk are under thy tongue:
And the smell of thy garments is as the smell of Lebanon.
A garden shut up is my sister, my bride;
A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits;
Henna with spikenard plants,
Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense;
Myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.
Thou art a fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters, and flowing streams from Lebanon.”
We have entitled this “The Song of the Shepherd Lover”; it contrasts vividly with the sensuous love-song of Solomon, as noted above. Balchin mentioned another possibility. “Based upon the idea that the shepherd would not have been allowed in the maiden’s presence when Solomon was also there, the scene may be imaginary, or the reminiscence of the dreamy girl. This objection, if we may call it that, is cleared up completely by the consideration that this love song had been delivered to the maiden in the lover’s absence.
This writer is supremely grateful for this chapter; because it reveals what is undoubtedly the true interpretation of the Song of Solomon. What is it? The intuition of countless thousands of students and scholars for thousands of years is absolutely valid in finding an allegory here. Otherwise, the Song makes no sense at all.
THE TRUE ALLEGORY
SOLOMON IS SATAN.
This truth is so big and overwhelming that the scholars of many ages have simply overlooked it. How could any mortal, much less a Christian, see in Solomon a type of God, or of Christ?
Solomon: that old slave-driver was the leading debauchee of a thousand years, a builder of pagan temples, a strutting old peacock who probably thought of himself as the greatest stud in human history, who saw every beautiful woman on earth as merely an animal. He desecrated the very Temple that he erected with twelve images of the pagan bulls of the god Baal in the twelve “oxen” (as he called them) that supported the laver, and the images of lions that decorated the steps of his throne, every one of them a violation of the Decalogue, Commandment II. He even erected two pagan phallic symbols, Jachin and Boaz, in front of the Temple itself – could such a man as this have been a valid representative of Christ? A million times NO!
What fruit did he have of all those women, how many sons? The Bible mentions only one, Rehoboam the fool. He lost most of Solomon’s empire in a week’s time, and later surrendered Jerusalem to Shishak king of Egypt who plundered it, and looted the Temple.
The very Temple he erected was contrary to God’s will as was also the Jewish monarchy, of whom Solomon was the most conspicuous specimen. His oppressive taxation ruined Israel and eventually destroyed the kingdom. He was even an adulterer (with the Queen of Sheba); can anyone imagine a thing like that on the part of a man who already had a thousand women at his disposal? This man a symbol? He certainly was. HE WAS A SYMBOL OF THE DEVIL! Once this fact is understood, this whole Song of Solomon is clear.
Solomon represents worldly power, fame, and glory. He represents pride, ostentation, wealth, physical splendor, the pomp and glitter of the world and all of its allurements. He represents the persuasion and allurement of sensual indulgence, lasciviousness and fleshly gratification – in short, he represents in this allegory all of the temptations that assail the child of God.
THE SHULAMITE MAIDEN
She is the bride, not of Solomon, but of the Shepherd. She is the true Israel of both the Old and the New Covenants. Note, that her lover is never present with his bride, except in the Incarnation, when he rescued her from Satan (Solomon) and conferred upon her a marvelous citizenship in another kingdom (Php 3:20). That is the reason that the bride in this chapter is represented as living beyond the domain of Solomon.
Both the dreams in this Song stress the absence of the Shepherd. And in Son 4:9-15, the Shepherd’s love song is not delivered by the Shepherd in person. She receives it in his absence; just as the Church today has her message from The Good Shepherd as it has been delivered to us by his holy apostles. That is why the Shepherd does not appear in person in these verses. Nevertheless, the validity of the message is just as genuine as the sacred words of the New Testament.
THE SHEPHERD WHO LOVED THE MAIDEN
The Shepherd can be none other than Almighty God in his own person or in that of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psa 23:1; Joh 10:11. etc.). The notion that the Wolf Solomon was the shepherd of Israel is repugnant. But neither God nor his Son Jesus Christ is personally present on earth with their servants and followers. That is why the maiden’s lover in this Song is always absent (except in the rescue scene standing for the Incarnation). Where is the Shepherd? He is in “the far country” (Mat 21:33; Mat 25:14; Mar 12:1 and Luk 20:9).
In this understanding, the item by item discussion of the spices, the orchards, the fountains, the gardens, the honeycomb, the sweetness, beauty, purity and holiness of the Shepherd’s love song (Son 4:9-15) becomes totally unnecessary, in fact, irrelevant. All of them stand for the precious revelation of the Good Shepherd’s matchless love and concern for his holy bride the Church of Jesus Christ, as found in the sacred New Testament.
The item by item interpretations of Son 4:9-15 are, for the most part, too fanciful to have any value. The locked garden and the sealed fountain appear in the eyes of Jewish interpreters as, “The modesty of Jewish women, whether married or unmarried; and the Christian scholars related them to the Bride of Christ, or to the Virgin Mary.
Son 4:16
THE MAIDEN’S RESPONSE
“Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south;
Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.
Let my beloved come into his garden,
And eat his precious fruits.”
This cannot possibly be the maiden’s response to Solomon who is standing right there in front of her. She prays for the winds of heaven to carry the message of her love to her “absent lover. In our understanding of the allegory, the Bride of Christ prays for and longs for the Second Advent.
Exegesis Son 4:8-16a
If we consider carefully the content of these verses we will immediately recognize they are not in chronological order or time sequence. We must conclude this paragraph relates to the end of the story-i.e., between Son 7:11 and Son 8:14. There are examples of this literary devise in several books of the Bible-particularly with Revelation and Ezekiel-but even in the gospels. If this interpretation is correct, this passage contains the response of the shepherd to the maidens request that he take her back to her country home. The writer of the Song is anticipating the closing scenes. The purpose would seem to be to build suspense. Because of the length of this section we will indicate the verses related to our comments:
Son 4:8. We believe Lebanon is used in a figurative sense. The shepherd is asking his beloved to leave the giddy heights of the court of Solomon and share true love with him. It is an invitation to escape-but also it becomes an insistent claim of the shepherd for the person of Shulammite. Perhaps it would be better to translate the phrase look from to depart from. The whole passage we believe is symbolic-but the mountains used in the symbolism are real mountains-i.e., they are peaks in the Lebanon chain which carry these names. He is saying in effect-come with me from the dangerous position you are in-leave the high dignitaries and the ravenous wild beasts of Solomons court.
Son 4:9. Here begins a description of the attractive qualities of his beloved. He is wounded to the heart with one look and he is enchained by one turn of her head. A physical feature, not an ornament, is intended. All figures used in verses nine thru eleven refer to graces of gesture and speech as indicative of inward character rather than to mere outward physical attractions. (Clarke)
Son 4:10. Berkley has translated this verse as: How sweet is your love, my sister, my bride; How much more delicious is your love than wine; and the fragrance of your ointments than all the spices. We like very much the expression of Walter F. Adeney in the Exposition of the Bible (p. 532):
His language is entirely different from that of the magnificent monarch. He does not waste his breath in formal compliments, high-flown imagery, wearisome lists of the charms of the girl he loves. That was the clumsy method of the king; clumsy, though reflecting the finished manners of the court, in comparison with the genuine outpourings of the heart of a country lad. The shepherd is eloquent with the inspiration of true love; his words throb and glow with genuine emotion; love of his bride has ravished his heart. How beautiful is her love! He is intoxicated with it more than with wine. How sweet are her words of tender affection, like milk and honey! She is so pure, there is something sisterly in her love that she is almost like a part of himself, as his own sister. This holy and close relationship is in startling contrast to the only thing known as love in the royal harem. It is as much more lofty and noble as it is more strong and deep than the jaded emotions of the court. The sweet, pure maiden is to the shepherd like a garden the gate of which is barred against trespassers, like a spring shut off from casual access, like a sealed fountain-sealed to all but one, and, happy man, he is that one. To him she belongs, to him alone. She is a graden, yes, a most fragrant garden, an orchard of pomegranates full of rich fruit, crowded with sweet-scented plants-henna and spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon and all kinds of frankincense, myrrh and aloes and the best of spices. She is a fountain in the garden, sealed to all others, but not stinted towards the one she loves. To him she is as a well of living waters, like the full fed streams that flow from Lebanon.
The maiden is supposed to hear the song of love. She replies in fearless words of welcome, bidding the north wind awake, and the south wind too, that the fragrance of which her lover has spoken so enthusiastically may flow out more richly than ever. For his sake she would be more sweet and loving. All she possesses is for him. Let him come and take possession of his own.
Verses Son 4:11-16a are very well discussed in the above quotation.
Marriage Son 4:8-16a
Surely this passage can be appreciated most by those who are married or who are engaged to be married. Adeney makes an interesting suggestion. He says:
What lover could turn aside from such a rapturous invitation? The shepherd takes his bride; he enters his garden, gathers his myrrh and spice, eats his honey and drinks his wine and milk, and calls on his friends to feast and drink with him. This seems to point to the marriage of the couple and their wedding feast; a view of the passage which interpreters who regard Solomon as the lover throughout for the most part take, but one which has this fatal objection, that it leaves the second half of the poem without a motive. On the hypothesis of the shepherd lover it is still more difficult to suppose the wedding to have occurred at the point we have now reached, for the distraction of the royal courtship still proceeds in subsequent passages of the poem. It would seem then, that we must regard this as quite an ideal scene. It may, however, be taken as a reminiscence of an earlier passage in the lives of the two lovers. It is not impossible that it refers to their wedding, and that they had been married before the action of the whole story began. In that case we should suppose that Solomons officers had carried off a young bride to the royal harem. The intensity of the love and the bitterness of the separation apparent throughout the poem would be the more intelligible if this were the situation. It is to be remembered that Shakespeare ascribes the climax of the love and grief of Romeo and Juliet to a time after their marriage.
As interesting and instructive as is the above information we yet need application of the principles in the text to our marriages. We see two or three obvious lessons in the text; (1) The safety and comfort of our wife should be of very great concern to every husband. Surely this is how our Lord loved the church. It is not at all enough to issue verbal warnings as edicts from the head of the house. Please note that the text suggests the groom is to accompany the wife and lead by example and companionship. It would suggest, of course, that he knows where he is going. The lover is very much aware of the dangers and also of the nature of the one in danger. This kind of solicitious attention is most welcome when the bride is in love with her spouse. (2) Communicated admiration and respect is such an important part of marriage. We might carry a deep love-admiration-respect for our wife-but if it is not communicated to her she will not know it. If she does not know it-or is but vaguely aware of it, we are hurting her deeply. Self-image is so important-if she does not know and that real often-that we admire her greatly what difference will it make what others say about her? It could make a great deal of difference to us if we bottle-up our admiration and never verbalize it in appreciation. (3) Our wives are our gardens. These gardens or fountains are indeed closed to others-but what we want to say is that we can and should find our enjoyment in this our garden-We can and should find our refreshment from this our fountain. Gardens do respond to cultivation. Consider what a variety of good things can be continually grown here. Pomegranates and precious fruit-all manner of spice and fragrance; but only if we find ourselves often in the garden. Only if we give the careful thought and effort to develop this lovely harvest.
Communion Son 4:8-16a
The call of our Lord to His bride to leave the heights of this world is very real-but it comes from One who not only loves us but admires us. He sees in us all the beauty described and ascribed in verses nine through sixteen. It is the mercies of God that become the motive for presenting our bodies to the bridegroom. Of course, we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, but we must be moved to set our mind upon the things that are above by a knowledge that He believes we can and loves us in our attempts as much as in our accomplishments. We could delineate these verses one by one and point out each of the qualities our Lord sees in us-potential and actual; we will not develop these thoughts because of the lack of space-just a list of what He sees in me: (1) One look upward-one move of my heart toward Him is immediately met with an eager interest (verse nine). (2) My companionship and communion in prayer with Him is a high joy to Him-indeed He created me to walk and talk with Him (verse ten). (3) How pleasing are my words to Him when I praise Him or speak of Him (Son 4:11). (4) I am His alone and He is mine-I want to be a garden in which He can walk with me in the cool of the day. I am a spring of living water not only because of Him but for Him (Son 4:12). (5) My prayers are a sweet smelling incense to Him-supplications-intercessions-thanksgivings-petitions-are all the varying fragrances of my praying (Son 4:13-15). (6) He bids me to spread His praises to the ends of the earth-may the wind of heaven blow to all His lovely fragrance through me (Son 4:16 a).
Memories of Engagement – Son 3:6 to Son 5:1
Open It
1. What do you consider to be the essential elements of a wedding ceremony?
2. In what situations would you normally expect someone to feel jealous?
3. Who was your first crush, and what did you think of him or her?
Explore It
4. What events take place in these verses? (Son 3:6 to Son 5:1)
5. What question did the Beloved ask? (Son 3:6)
6. Who came up from the desert with Solomon? (Son 3:7-8)
7. How did the Beloved describe Solomons carriage? (Son 3:9-10)
8. What did the Beloved tell the Daughters of Zion to do? (Son 3:11)
9. When did Solomons mother crown him? (Son 3:11)
10. How did Solomon describe his Beloved? (Son 4:1-7)
11. How did Solomon and his bride treat each other? (Son 4:1 to Son 5:1)
12. Where did Solomon ask his bride to go? (Son 4:8)
13. What did Solomon say his bride had stolen? (Son 4:9)
14. How did Solomon describe his brides love and lips? (Son 4:10-11)
15. To what did Solomon compare his bride? (Son 4:12-15)
16. What did the Beloved invite her Lover to do? (Son 4:16)
17. What did the Lover say he had done? (Son 5:1)
Get It
18. How does this ancient near eastern wedding compare to weddings that you have attended?
19. What type of terms did Solomon use to tell his bride that she was beautiful?
20. If Solomon had been describing his bride today, what metaphors do you think he would have chosen?
21. What is significant about the bridegrooms focus on his brides beauty?
22. How can a person build up his or her spouses self-esteem?
23. What does it mean to have ones heart stolen by another person?
24. For what is Solomon praising his bride in Son 4:12-15, and why is this important?
25. What is the significance of the brides invitation to Solomon to come into his garden?
26. Why should sex be enjoyed only in the context of marriage?
27. What do these verses suggest about the need for premarital sexual purity?
28. What do these verses suggest about the purpose and place of sexual love?
Apply It
29. What is one thing you can do to honor Gods design for sexual union in marriage?
30. What can you do to build up your spouses self-esteem this week?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
sister
The word “sister” here is of infinitely delicate significance, intimating the very whiteness of purity in the midst of an ardour which is, like the shekinah, aglow but unspeakably holy. Sin has almost deprived us of the capacity even to stand with unshod feet before this burning bush.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
ravished: or, taken away, etc
my sister: Son 4:10, Son 4:12, Son 5:1, Son 5:2, Gen 20:12, Mat 12:50, 1Co 9:5, Heb 2:11-14
my spouse: Son 3:11, Psa 45:9, Isa 54:5, Isa 62:5, Eze 16:8, Hos 2:19, Hos 2:20, Joh 3:29, 2Co 11:2, Rev 19:7, Rev 19:8, Rev 21:2, Rev 21:9, Rev 21:10
thou hast: Son 6:12, Son 7:5, Son 7:6, Son 7:10, Pro 5:19, Pro 5:20, Zep 3:17
with one of: Son 1:15, Son 6:5
one chain: Son 1:10
Reciprocal: 1Ki 9:3 – mine eyes Psa 45:11 – So shall Psa 73:6 – as a chain Pro 1:9 – an ornament Pro 6:25 – take Son 7:4 – thine eyes Eze 16:11 – a chain Mar 3:34 – Behold
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Son 4:9-10. My sister, my spouse So he calls her to show the greatness of his love, which could not sufficiently be expressed by any one relation. With one of thine eyes With one glance. One chain of thy neck With one of those other graces and perfections wherewith thou art adorned. How fair is thy love How amiable and acceptable to me. The smell of thine ointments Of the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit, wherewith thou art anointed.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Son 4:9-12. The Resistless Charm of the Beautiful Bride.In the Oriental manner this enchantment is expressed in the sensuous terms of wine, honey, and delicious odours.sister is found in old Egyptian love-songs for the bride.ravish, steal away the heart, probably expresses the meaning of the rare Heb. form, which some translate hearten, encourage. The word glance seems to be implied after eyesone chain of thy neck: probably a mistake for something that we cannot now conjecture; it can now only be explained as a reference to her brilliant jewellery.love, i.e. caresses (cf. Son 1:2).
Son 4:10 may refer to sweet kisses or gentle speech (Pro 5:3); on Lebanon see Hos 13:7.
Son 4:12. For spring in the second clause read garden (gan for gal); her chastity and loyalty are praised.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my {e} sister, [my] spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy {f} eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
(e) Christ calls his Church sister in respect that he had taken the flesh of man.
(f) In that he made his Church beautiful and rich, he loved his gifts in her.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
3. The bride’s love 4:9-11
In these verses, Solomon evidently praised his bride for giving herself wholly to him as he had asked.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
"Sister" was an affectionate term for wife (cf. Son 4:10; Son 4:12; Son 5:1-2; Tob 7:16; Tob 8:4; Tob 8:7). [Note: Longman, p. 151; J. G. Westenholz, "Love Lyrics from the Ancient Near East," in Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, 4:2474.]