Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 5:7
The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
7. In this dream all goes ill with her, in comparison with the former dream (Son 3:1 ff.). Oettli suggests that this is due to the anxious state of mind in which she lay down to sleep, shrinking from the return of her undesired lover (Son 4:6).
that went about the city ] R.V. rightly, that go about the city; the participle here indicating their duty, what they were accustomed to do.
they smote me, they wounded me ] Taking her for a suspicious character, they tried to stop her, but in her wild anxiety she refused, until they used violence.
the keepers of the walls ] Better, the watchmen of the walls, the same probably as “the watchmen that go about the city.” They may however be different divisions of the watchmen of the city. Del. thinks that the fact that she sought her beloved, not in the open field, nor in the villages, but in the city, is fatal to the ‘shepherd’ hypothesis here as in the other dream, but see note there.
my vail ] The word here is different from that for ‘veil’ in ch. Son 4:1; Son 4:3. There it is tsammh; here it is rdhdh, a word which occurs again in the O.T. only in Isa 3:23, where the A.V. translates ‘veils,’ as here. But the LXX has in both places , a thin summer garment, and here it should be translated mantle, or thin outer garment. Riehm, Handwrterbuch, p. 1428, says, “The veil mentioned in Son 5:7 and in Isa 3:23 seems to have been a fine lawn garment which the women of the East still throw over their whole dress. Cp. Susanna v. 32.” Cheyne and Driver translate it mantle. The word occurs in Syriac and in Targum for the Heb. ts‘ph =‘a veil,’ and in the Mishnah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. Took away my veil] They tore it off rudely, to discover who she was. See on So 5:2. To tear the veil signifies, in Eastern phrase, to deflower or dishonour a woman.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The watchmen that went about the city; the governors of the church, as Son 3:3, who, though by their place and office they be obliged, to comfort and protect the faithful, do frequently discourage and oppress them, as they manifestly did both in the days of Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and the other holy prophets, and in the time of Christ and his apostles, and in divers other ages.
They wounded me with bitter calumnies and persecutions.
The keepers of the walls; the same with the watchmen, whose office is to keep the gates and walls of the city.
Took away my veil; which was an ornament of her sex, Isa 3:23, and a badge of her modesty, Gen 24:65, or an ensign of her relation and subjection to Christ, Gen 20:16; 1Co 11:5. And so the taking of this veil away signifies their contemptuous and injurious usage of her, their endeavours to blast her reputation, and to represent and treat her as a common and impudent prostitute, and as one that had no relation to Christ.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. watchmenhistorically, theJewish priests, c. (see on So 5:2)spiritually, ministers (Isa 62:6;Heb 13:17), faithful in “smiting”(Psalm 141. 5), but (as sheleaves them, {v.} 8) too harsh;or, perhaps, unfaithful; disliking her zeal wherewith she soughtJesus Christ, first, with spiritual prayer, “opening” herheart to Him, and then in charitable works “about the city”;miscalling it fanaticism (Isa66:5), and taking away her veil (the greatest indignity to anEastern lady), as though she were positively immodest. She had beforesought Him by night in the streets, under strong affection (So3:2-4), and so without rebuff from “the watchmen,”found Him immediately; but now after sinful neglect, she encounterspain and delay. God forgives believers, but it is a serious thing todraw on His forgiveness; so the growing reserve of God towardsIsrael observable in Judges, as His people repeat their demands onHis grace.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The watchmen that went about the city, found me,…. Of the city and the watchmen in it, and of their finding the church,
[See comments on So 3:2];
[See comments on So 3:3];
they smote me, they wounded me; taking her for a night walker, they gave her ill words and hard blows this was not very becoming watchmen to use those of the city in this manner; for, as Plato l says, keepers of cities should be mild and gentle towards their own, but to enemies rough and severe: if these were true ministers of Christ, this they did by reproaching her for and upbraiding her with her lukewarmness and unkindness to Christ, sharply reproving her for them; and, instead of comforting her with the doctrines of grace, cut and wounded her with the terrors of the law; or else hearing some sweet discourses from them concerning the person and grace of Christ, her heart was smitten and wounded therewith; and hence she charges the daughters of Jerusalem, in So 5:8, that if they found her beloved, that they would tell him, that she was “sick of” or “wounded with love”: but as they rather appear to be false teachers, since the church would have shunned them, nor did she make any application to them, nor any inquiry of them about her beloved, and met with cruel and unkind usage from them, they may be said to smite and wounded her by their false doctrines and scandalous lives, by the divisions they made, and by the censures and reproaches they cast upon her, the odious names they gave her, and by stirring up the civil magistrates against her; all which agree with antichristian ministers;
the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me; there were two sorts of watchmen in a city, one that went about to see that all was right and safe within; and others placed on the walls of it, who kept their stand, and whose business it was to give notice of an enemy approaching, and to defend the city from outward attacks upon it; and such are the ministers of the word, Isa 62:6; but here false teachers are meant as before, as appears from their abuse of the church, taking away her veil from her, such as women wore for ornament, or as a sign of modesty or as a token of subjection to their husbands, Isa 3:23
Ge 24:65; and may here design either their falsely accusing her good conduct, which was her outward covering; or their attempt to take away from her the doctrine of Christ’s imputed righteousness, which is her covering, the wedding garment, the nuptial robe, as Gregory Nyssene m calls the veil here: and such a veil was given by the bridegroom with the Romans, and was called “flammeum”, from its being of a flame colour n, either yellow or red, expressive of the blushing modesty of the newly married bride o; and the like custom might obtain with the Jews.
l De Legibus, l. 2. p. 602. m Homil. 12. in Cant. p. 651. n “Non timidum nuptae leviter tinctura padorem, lutea demissos velarunt flammea vultus”, Lucan. Pharsal. l. 2. v. 360, 361. Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 21. c. 8. “Uti tibi corycio glomerarem flammea luto”, Virgil. Cyris. Vid. Barthii ad Claudian. Fescen. Ode 4. v. 4. o Vid. Chartarium de Imag. Deorurn, p. 84, 89. & Kipping. Antiqu. Roman. l. 4. c. 2. p. 693, 694.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7 The watchmen who go about in the city found me,
They beat me, wounded me;
My upper garment took away from me,
The watchmen of the walls.
She sought her beloved, not “in the midbar ” (open field), nor “in the kepharim ” (villages), but , “in the city,” – a circumstance which is fatal to the shepherd-hypothesis here, as in the other dream. There in the city she is found by the watchmen who patrol the city, and have their proper posts on the walls to watch those who approach the city and depart from it (cf. Isa 62:6). These rough, regardless men, – her story returns at the close like a palindrome to those previously named, – who judge only according to that which is external, and have neither an eye nor a heart for the sorrow of a loving soul, struck ( , from , to pierce, hit, strike) and wounded ( , R. , to divide, to inflict wounds in the flesh) the royal spouse as a common woman, and so treated her, that, in order to escape being made a prisoner, she was constrained to leave her upper robe in their hands (Gen 39:12). This upper robe, not the veil which at Son 4:1, Son 4:3 we found was called tsamma , is called . Aben Ezra compares with it the Arab. rida , a plaid-like over-garment, which was thrown over the shoulders and veiled the upper parts of the body. But the words have not the same derivation. The rida has its name from its reaching downward, – probably from the circumstance that, originally, it hung down to the feet, so that one could tread on it; but the (Heb.) redid (in Syr. the dalmatica of the deacons), from , Hiph., 1Ki 6:32, Targ., Talm., Syr., , to make broad and thin, as expansum, i.e., a thin and light upper robe, viz., over the cuttoneth , 3a. The lxx suitably translates it here and at Gen 24:65 ( hatstsaiph , from tsa’aph , to lay together, to fold, to make double or many-fold) by , a summer overdress. A modern painter, who represents Shulamith as stripped naked by the watchmen, follows his own sensual taste, without being able to distinguish between tunica and pallium ; for neither Luther, who renders by schleier (veil), nor Jerome, who has pallium (cf. the saying of Plautus: tunica propior pallio est ), gives any countenance to such a freak of imagination. The city watchmen tore from off her the upper garment, without knowing and without caring to know what might be the motive and the aim of this her nocturnal walk.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
THE SEARCH AND ITS RESULTS
Son. 5:7
The watchmen that went about the city
Found me; they smote me; they wounded me:
The keepers of the walls
Took away my veil from me.
A painful experience awaited the Bride on returning to herself and her duty. Those who should have been for her protection and her help, now add to her distress. Her character suspected, and her veil taken from her as an immodest woman (Eze. 23:25-26). Her experience in seeking the Bridegroom and the conduct of the watchmen towards her, much more painful than in a former search. The reason, that was before marriage, this after it. The greater our privileges, and the higher the degree attained in the Divine life, the greater the sin in backsliding from and unfaithfulness to it. Hence the greater the difficulty and the more painful the experience in returning to it. The ways of transgressors hard, even in the case of
Backsliders.
Often the most painful of all experiences connected with a missing Saviour, and a backslidden state. The very means of grace and messages of the Word often an aggravation of the grief. Promises apparently silent, and threatenings only uttering their voice. The two-edged sword of the Word felt only to cut and wound. Ministers seem only commissioned to smite. The backslider apt to lose the character of the spouse of Christ, and to be taken for a hypocrite. No help now, for a time at least, received from the ministers of the Word, as at a former period. No word now of Shulamite finding her beloved after only passing a little from them as before. Different effects from the preaching of the Word according to the condition of the hearer. Ministers and their messages only what the Master is pleased to make them. When a mans ways please the Lord, He makes his enemies to be at peace with him. When the opposite is the case, even his friends may be made to appear against him. Nevertheless, the conduct of the watchman unjustifiably rigorous, harsh, and unfeeling. On the part of
Ministers,
the greatest tenderness due to backsliders who are seeking Jesus sorrowing. The example of Jesus towards Peter. The braised reed not to be ruthlessly broken. An un-tender minister a great affliction to an exercised soul. The tongue of the learned required to speak a word in season to him that is weary (Isa. 50:4). Sad when ministers talk to the grief of those whom God has wounded (Psa. 69:26). The part of hireling shepherds to thrust with the side and shoulder, and push at the diseased instead of healing them (Eze. 34:21). A sore calamity to the Church when its pastors become brutish (Jer. 10:21). False shepherds hunt the souls of Gods people, making the righteous sad, instead of binding up their wounds (Eze. 13:20). The reproofs of ministers to be an excellent oil which shall not break the head (Psa. 141:5). The truth to be spoken, but to be spoken in love. Ministers to be both plain and faithful, but neither harsh nor severe. The conduct of the watchmen in the text realised in that of the Jewish priests and elders in their treatment of the spouse of Jesus after His departure to heaven (Act. 4:1-3; Act. 5:17-18; Act. 5:33; Act. 5:40). The same spouse not unfrequently smitten by ecclesiastical rulers, as heretics and schismatics. Church rulers to be themselves a part of the spouse, and so acquainted with her exercises and temptations. Jesus Christ the model of Ministers. Had compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way. Is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Having Himself suffered in being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted (Heb. 2:18; Heb. 4:15; Heb. 5:2). Ministers to be not only lawfully called, but spiritually qualified.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(7) The watchmen.See Note on Son. 3:3.
Veil.Heb. redd; LXX. . Probably a light summer dress for throwing over the person on going out in a hurry, like the tsaiph put on by Rebecca (Gen. 24:65). Only elsewhere in Isa. 3:23.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. The watchmen The darkness gave no token, and the only words then spoken were her own. The watchmen and keepers treated her as a vagrant.
Veil An external garment, worn only out of doors. They rudely tore it from her face to see who she was.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Son 5:7. The watchmen that went about the city The watchmen that go about the city, found me; they smote me, they hurt me: the keepers of the walls plucked my veil off me.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
Some observations have been already made upon the watchmen finding the Church. Son 3:3 . So that on that part I need not enlarge. But by wounding her; and the keepers of the walls taking away her vail from her, it may be proper to add a little by way of explaining. If the watchmen here spoken of were intended to represent the Lord’s faithful servants, perhaps by those expressions are intended to show that they did not spare sharpness of speech, but admonished her of her improper conduct, and took away all the covering of excuse. Isa 58:1 , etc.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son 5:7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
Ver. 7. The watchmen that went about the city, &c. ] See Trapp on “ Son 3:3 “ The ministers that walk the round, that watch for men’s souls, Heb 13:17 Isa 61:6 that know how to “time a word,” Isa 51:4 these smote her with the tongue, they buffeted her by just and sharp reproofs for her negligence, they unveiled her for being abroad at that time of night (which she needed not to have been, but for her own slothfulness), they dealt little better with her, than as if she had been some light and lewd woman; and all this they might well do out of zeal to God, and godly jealousy for her soul’s good – unless it were that hypocrisy of jealousy exercised by the false apostles over the Galatians; Gal 4:17 not pastors, but impostors; not overseers, but by seers, a potius grassatores, quam custodes, tamen sic dicti, cut throats rather than keepers, wicked men taking upon them to be watchmen, church officers in name, but church robbers in deed. Such were those Isa 66:5 that hated and cast out the true worshippers, under a pretence of “Let the Lord be glorified.” Such a one was Diotrephes, that prating b prelate, that villanously entreated God’s faithful people. 3Jn 1:9-10 And such is that man of sin, that antichrist of Rome, who, for so many hundred years together, hath smitten with the fist of wickedness, hath wounded and drawn blood from Christ’s dearest spouse, and despoiled her of her veil; that is, laboured to disprivilege her, and deprive her of that purity and soundness of doctrine that he hath committed unto her, as a means to hold her in the duty of all holy obedience and subjection unto him. 1Co 11:5-6 ; 1Co 11:10 Of these false friends and deadly enemies the Church here heavily complains, and might well have proceeded against them, as those six martyrs burnt by Harpsfield, Archdeacon of Canterbury, when Queen Mary lay a-dying. One of those six that were then burnt, and those were the last, John Cornford, stirred with a vehement zeal of God when they were excommunicated, pronounced sentence of excommunication against all Papists in these words: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the power of his Holy Spirit, and authority of his holy catholic and apostolic Church, we do give here into the hands of Satan, to be destroyed, the bodies of all those blasphemers and heretics that do maintain any error against his most holy Word, or do condemn his most holy truth for heresy, to the maintenance of any false church or feigned religion; so that by this thy most just judgment, O most mighty God, against thine adversaries, thy true religion may be known, to thy great glory and our comfort, and the edifying of all our nation. Good Lord, so be it. c
a Non Episcopi, sed Aposcopi.
b .
c Acts and Mon., fol. 1862.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
went about: i.e. the patrol.
the city. She is still in Jerusalem and away from her country home. (See the notes, p. 920.)
took away my veil. This was gross insult to an Eastern woman.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
watchmen: Son 3:3, Isa 6:10, Isa 6:11, Hos 9:7, Hos 9:8, Act 20:29, Act 20:30, 2Co 11:13
they smote: Psa 141:5, Hos 6:5, Joh 16:2, Act 26:9, Act 26:10, Phi 3:6, Rev 17:5, Rev 17:6
the keepers: Son 8:11, Isa 62:6, Mat 21:33-41, Mat 23:2, Mat 23:29-36
took: Luk 6:22, Act 5:40, Act 5:41, 1Co 4:10-13, Heb 11:36, Heb 11:37, Heb 12:2, 1Pe 4:14-16
Reciprocal: Psa 127:1 – the watchman Isa 3:23 – veils Isa 52:8 – Thy Eze 3:17 – a watchman Eze 33:7 – I have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Son 5:7. The watchman that went about the city The governors of the church, who, though by their place they are obliged to comfort the faithful, do frequently discourage them. Found me, and smote me With bitter calumnies and persecutions. The keepers of the walls The same with the watchmen, whose office it is to keep the gates and walls of the city. Took away my veil from me Which was an ornament of her sex, and an ensign of her relation to Christ. And so the taking of this veil away signifies their contemptuous usage of her, and endeavours to represent her as one that had no relation to Christ.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:7 The {f} watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
(f) These are the false teachers who wound the conscience with their traditions.