Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 6:10
Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?
10. These words evidently express the admiration of the ladies of the court for the Shulammite. Most commentators who regard the book as a connected whole take Son 6:10 to be the praises referred to in the previous verse. Son 6:9 would then end with a colon, and saying must be understood. The R.V. however marks a paragraph. Oettli emphasises the tense, and they praised her, and regards the words as those used by the court ladies when she was first met by the royal party. This is much the best hypothesis, for it gives a connecting point for the next verses as the words of the Shulammite. Delitzsch, on the other hand, makes this the beginning of a new act, and supposes that the Shulammite walks forth from some recess in the royal gardens and is greeted by the ladies with these words.
looketh forth as the morning ] Better, as the dawn, i.e. as the dawn looks forth over the eastern hills, cp. Shakespeare, Hamlet, Acts 1. sc. 1,
“But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,
Walks o’er the dew of yon high eastern hill.”
clear ] This is the word translated “choice one” in the previous verse, but it must mean clear here.
terrible as an army with banners ] It is a marked peculiarity of the Song to repeat similes and epithets. They are introduced first for some special reason, then immediately they seem to crystallise into standing epithets. Cp. “feeding among the lilies.” The words used here for sun and moon are not the ordinary ones shemesh and yrach, but chammh, lit. ‘heat,’ and lbh nh, lit. ‘whiteness,’ exclusively poetic names, found together again in Isa 24:23; Isa 30:26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The chorus address the bride here only as the Shulamite, and beg her to perform for their entertainment a sacred dance (see Son 6:13) of her own country. The bride, after complying with their request, while they sing some stanzas in her praise Son 7:1-5, and after receiving fresh commendations from the king Son 7:6-10, invites him to return with her to her mothers house Cant. 7:118:4. Many Jewish allegorists interpret the whole as referring to the times of the second temple, and to the present dispersion of Israel, during which, God continuing to vouchsafe His mercy, Israel prays for final restoration, the coming of Messiah, and the glory of the latter day. Christian interpreters have made similar applications to the now militant Church looking for the Second Advent, or to the ancient synagogue praying for the Incarnation.
As the morning – The glorious beauty of the bride bursts upon them like a second dawn, as she comes forth to meet them at the commencement of another day. Special poetical words are used for sun (burning heat) and moon (white one). The same terms are applied to sun and moon in Isa 24:23; Isa 30:26.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Son 6:10
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
The dawn of a better day, celebrated in sacred song
There is a beautiful upward gradation indicated, a progression towards a glorious climax; there is the dawn of a better day seen by the wise mans prophetic eye, and we will prayerfully consider the prophetic inquiry as foreshadowing the mission of Christ, and the nature of His glorious kingdom. Who is she that looketh, etc. Apply these words:
I. To the history of Christ. Christ looked forth as the morning in the first promise made to our first parents in Eden. The Mosaic dispensation may be considered as daybreak, dim and hazy, the prophetic age may be regarded as fair as the moon, it was brighter than the former, and it shone, as the moon shines with light borrowed from the unseen Sun. When the fulness of time came, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, then the Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in His wings, and throughout the whole of our Lords public ministry He marched forth clear as the sun. Christ went forth terrible as an army with banners. He vanquished Satan in the Temptation of the wilderness. He was a terror to evil-doers, and planted His standard in the centre of the kingdom of darkness. Especially was He terrible as an army with banners when He entered upon His Passion. And He shall be terrible as an army with banners when He shall come in His glory, and all His holy angels with Him, to gather all nations together, and separate the righteous from the wicked.
II. To the history of the Church. The Jewish Church was only the dawn of Gospel times, it looked forth as the morning–it was fair as the moon, but not clear as the sun. The day broke when the day of Pentecost came, and the Spirit rested upon the Apostles heads as tongues of flame. In that sunlight the Evangelists wrote their Gospels, and the Apostles their Epistles; and in the warmth and blessed life-giving influence of the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, the early preachers of the Cross went forth preaching Jesus and the Resurrection; they went forth terrible as an army with banners, and the world was won by them, for by the end of the third century the Gospel had been preached, and converts had been won in every part of the then known world. The Church is still going on from victory unto victory.
III. To the history of every Christian believer. The rise and progress of the soul in religion are gradual and progressive. Religious impression and conviction may be regarded as the looking forth as the morning. In the dawn of religious life there is much cloud, and the shadows of the night move but slowly away. We cannot tell just when the night ends and the morning breaks–and daybreak differs in different climes, so is it in the history of the regenerate: many rejoicing in the light of the Sun of Righteousness can only say, One thing I know, whereas I was in the dark, now I am in the light–the day has dawned, and the shadows have fled away. Light shines upon the soul fair as the moon, and, at first, often as cold. But soon the light shines brighter and warmer, the soul is filled with life and joy and glory, for, clear as the sun, Jesus sheds His love abroad there. (F. W. Brown.)
The glory of the Church
God, who has determined that everything shall be beautiful in its season, has not left the night without a charm. The moon rules the night. The stars are only set as gems in her tiara. Now, says my text, Who is she, fair as the moon? Our answer is, the Church. Like the moon, she is a borrowed light. She gathers up the glory of a Saviours sufferings, a Saviours death, a Saviours resurrection, a Saviours ascension, and pours that light on palace and dungeon, on squalid heathenism and elaborate scepticism, on widows tears and martyrs robe of flame, on weeping penitence and loud-mouthed scorn. She is the only institution to-day that gives any light to our world. After a season of storm or fog how you are thrilled when the sun comes out at noonday! The same sun which in the morning kindled conflagrations among the castles of cloud, stoops down to paint the lily white and the buttercup yellow and the forget-me-not blue. What can resist the sun? Light for voyager on the deep. Light for shepherds guarding the flocks afield. Light for the poor who have no lights to burn. Light for the downcast and ,the weary. Now, says my text, Who is she that looketh forth, clear as the sun? Our answer is, the Church. You have been going along a road before daybreak, and on one side you thought you saw a lion, on the other side you thought you saw a goblin of the darkness; but when the sun came out you found these were harmless apparitions. And it is the great mission of the Church of Jesus Christ to come forth clear as the sun, to illuminate all earthly darkness, to explain as far as possible all mystery, and to make the world radiant in its brightness. O Sun of the Church, shine on until there is no sorrow to soothe, no tears to wipe away, no shackles to break, no more souls to be redeemed! I take one more step in this subject and say that if you were placed for the defence of a feeble town, and a great army were seen coming over the hills with flying ensigns, then you would be able to get some idea of the terror that will strike the hearts of the enemies of God when the Church at last marches on like an army with banners. You know there is nothing that excites a soldiers enthusiasm so much as an old flag. Many a man almost dead, catching a glimpse of the national ensign, has sprung to his feet and started again into the battle. Now I dont want you to think of the Church of Christ as a defeated institution–as the victim of infidel sarcasm, something to be kicked and trampled on through all the ages of the world. It is an army with banners. It has an inscription and colours such as never stirred the hearts of any earthly soldiery. We have our banner of recruit, and on it is inscribed, Who is on the Lords side? our banner of defiance, and on it is inscribed, The gates of hell shall not prevail against it; our banner of triumph, and on it is inscribed, Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! and we mean to plant that banner on every hill-top and wave it at the gate of heaven. Oh, what a shout of triumph when all the armies of earth and all the armies of heaven shall celebrate the victory of our King, all at once and all together: Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth I Hallelujah, for the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ!(T. De Witt Talmage.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. Looketh forth as the morning] The bride is as lovely as the dawn of day, the Aurora, or perhaps the morning star, VENUS. She is even more resplendent, she is as beautiful as the MOON. She even surpasses her, for she is as clear and bright as the SUN; and dangerous withal to look on, for she is as formidable as the vast collection of lights that burn by night at the head of every company in a numerous caravan. See Clarke on So 6:4. The comparison of a fine woman to the splendour of an unclouded full moon is continually recurring in the writings of the Asiatic poets.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
These are the words, either,
1. Of the Bridegroom; or,
2. of the queens and concubines last mentioned, as praising of her. And they are either words of inquiry, or rather of admiration and commendation:
Who, i.e. what manner of person, is this? how excellent and glorious! and so this pronoun who is understood Psa 24:8; Mar 4:41, compared with Mat 8:27.
As the morning; as the morning light, which coming after the darkness of the night is very pleasant and amiable, which also suddenly spreadeth itself from the east to the west.
Fair as the moon, to wit, when it is full and walking in brightness, as the phrase is, Job 31:26. But withal he seems to intimate that the church, like the moon, may have her eclipse, and be in darkness for a time.
Clear as the sun; without any such spots or dark specks as are in the moon; which is to be understood in the same sense that she is said to be without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish, Eph 5:27, which she is partly by Gods gracious acceptation of her as such in Christ, and through his righteousness; and partly because she shall be such in the future life.
Terrible as an army with banners: see Son 6:4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. The words expressing theadmiration of the daughters. Historically (Ac5:24-39).
as the morningAs yetshe is not come to the fulness of her light (Pr4:18).
moonshining in thenight, by light borrowed from the sun; so the bride, in the darknessof this world, reflects the light of the Sun of righteousness (2Co3:18).
sunHer light ofjustification is perfect, for it is His (2Co 5:21;1Jn 4:17). The moon has lesslight, and has only one half illuminated; so the bride’ssanctification is as yet imperfect. Her future glory (Mt13:43).
army (So6:4). The climax requires this to be applied to the starry andangelic hosts, from which God is called Lord of Sabaoth. Her finalglory (Gen 15:5; Dan 12:3;Rev 12:1). The ChurchPatriarchal, “the morning”; Levitical, “the moon”;Evangelical, “the sun”; Triumphant, “the banneredarmy” (Re 19:14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who is she [that] looketh forth as the morning?…. These words may be connected with the preceding, by a supplement of the word “saying”; and so may express what the daughters said, when they blessed and praised the church, wondering at her beauty, it being like the rising morning; so Helena is said to show her beautiful face,
, as the morning, when it springs forth n: there was a city in the tribe of Reuben, called Zarethshahar, the beauty or splendour of the morning, Jos 13:19. Homer often describes the morning by her rosy fingers o, and as clothed with a saffron garment p, and as beautiful and divine q, and fair haired r; and as on a golden throne and beautiful s. And as these words describe the progressive gradations of light, so they may set forth the state and condition of the church in the several ages of the world; its first state in this clause, which may reach from the first dawn of light to Adam, Ge 3:15; increasing in the times of the patriarchs, Noah, Abraham, and Jacob, and in which and to whom were various displays of Gospel light and grace; to the time of the giving of the law by Moses, when the church might be said to be
fair as the moon; which, though it receives its light from the sun, yet splendour and brightness are ascribed to it, Job 31:26; and, by other writers t, is represented as fair and beautiful; and the beautiful form of persons is expressed by it u: and very fitly is the state of the church under the law signified by the moon, by which the ceremonial law seems intended, in Re 12:1; that lying much in the observation of new moons, by the which the several festivals under the law were regulated; and which law gave light in the night of Jewish darkness, into the person, offices, and grace of Christ; and though it was imperfect, variable, waxed old, and at length vanished away, yet the church under it was “fair”; there being a beauty and amiableness in the worship of that dispensation, Ps 27:4. The next clause, “clear as the sun”, may describe the church under the Gospel dispensation; when the “sun of righteousness” arose, and made the famous Gospel day; when the shadows of the old law fled away, Christ, the substance, being come; when there were more light and knowledge, and a clear discerning of spiritual and evangelic things: and, in all those periods, the church was “terrible as [an army] with banners”; to her enemies, being in a militant state; [See comments on So 6:4]. The whole of this may be applied to particular believers; who, at first conversion, “look forth as the morning”, their light being small, but increasing; and, as to their sanctification, are “fair as the moon”, having their spots and imperfections, and deriving all their light, grace, and holiness, from Christ; and, as to their justification,
clear as the sun, being clothed with Christ, the sun of righteousness,
Re 12:1; and so all fair and without spot;
[and] terrible as [an army] with banners, fighting the good fight of faith, under the banners of Christ, against all spiritual enemies.
n Theocrit. Idyll. 18. v. 26. o , Iliad. 1. v. 477. & passim. p , Iliad. 8, v. 1. & 19. v. 1. q Iliad. 18. v. 255. r Odyss. 5. v. 390. s Odyss. 15. v. 56, 250. t “Tanto formosis, formosior omnibus illa est”, Ovid. Leander Heroni, v. 73. “Pulchrior tanto tua forma lucet”, Senecae Hippolylus, Act. 2. chorus, v. 740. u Vid. Barthii Animadv. ad Claudian. de Nupt. Honor. v. 243.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10 Who is this that looketh forth like the morning-red,
Beautiful as the moon, pure as the sun,
Terrible as a battle-host?
The question, “Who is this?” is the same as at Son 3:6. There, it refers to her who was brought to the king; here, it refers to her who moves in that which is his as her own. There, the “this” is followed by appositionally; here, by looking forth determ., and thus more closely connected with it; but then indeterm., and thus apposit. predicates follow. The verb signifies to bend forward, to overhang; whence the Hiph. and Niph. , to look out, since in doing so one bends forward ( vid., under Psa 14:2). The lxx here translates it by , the Venet. by , both of which signify to look toward something with the head inclined forward. The point of comparison is, the rising up from the background: Shulamith breaks through the shades of the garden-grove like the morning-red, the morning dawn; or, also: she comes nearer and nearer, as the morning-red rises behind the mountains, and then fills always the more widely the whole horizon. The Venet. translates ; but the morning star is not , but , Isa 14:12; shahhar , properly, the morning-dawn, means, in Heb., not only this, like the Arab. shahar , but rather, like the Arab. fajr , the morning-red, – i.e., the red tinge of the morning mist. From the morning-red the description proceeds to the moon, yet visible in the morning sky, before the sun has risen. It is usually called , as being yellow; but here it is called , as being white; as also the sun, which here is spoken of as having risen (Jdg 5:31), is designated not by the word , as the unwearied ( Psa 19:6, Psa 19:6), but, on account of the intensity of its warming light ( Psa 19:7), is called . These, in the language of poetry, are favourite names of the moon and the sun, because already the primitive meaning of the two other names had disappeared from common use; but with these, definite attributive ideas are immediately connected. Shulamith appears like the morning-red, which breaks through the darkness; beautiful, like the silver moon, which in soft still majesty shines in the heavens (Job 31:26); pure ( vid., regarding , in this signification: smooth, bright, pure under Isa. Isa 49:2) as the sun, whose light (cf. with the Aram. , mid-day brightness) is the purest of the pure, imposing as war-hosts with their standards ( vid., Son 6:4). The answer of her who was drawing near, to this exclamation, sounds homely and childlike:
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(10) Who is she.This verse is supposed to be spoken by the admiring ladies. The paragraph mark in the English Version should rather be at the beginning of the next verse. (Comp.
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, &cRomeo and Juliet.)
But the poet heightens his figure by combining both the great lights of heaven with the dawn, and putting the praise in the mouth of the meaner beauties of the night, who feel their own inferiority when the moon doth rise, still more before the all paling sun.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Who is she, etc. The purport of this verse is, that if all the ladies of the palace are thus warm in admiration of this girl, she need have no apprehension of slights and annoyances to which jealousy might give rise.
That looketh forth Better, looks forth.
As the morning The Greek goddess Athena,
“The patroness of Athens, and to whom was built the Parthenon.
The brightest gem
Greece wore on all her zone,”
was the deified dawn. At the first streak of light in the east the priestess kindled her sacrificial fire and chanted a hymn of praise. The red morn beaming from the hills is always beautiful. So the meek moon, walking in brightness, and the effulgent sun that lights up the blushing day, all are vigorous metaphors.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Christ’s Love Toward the Church.
The King’s wonderful description of the bride’s beauty causes the “daughters of Jerusalem” to call out in admiration:
v. 10. Who is she that looketh forth, v. 11. I went down into the garden of nuts, v. 12. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib, v. 13. Return, return, O Shula-mite,
Here we see the bride, filled with new courage and zeal for her work, ready to fulfill her ministry, imposing and impressive, even to outsiders, in her victorious progress, as the praise given her shows. She, however, disclaims any special merit, stating that it was reward enough for her to be permitted to see and admire the work of God’s hands. Yet the others insist that the work of the Church, if rightly viewed, reminds them of the blessed ministry of angels, with whose assistance the messengers of the Church carry out the duty entrusted to them. That is the glory connected with the work of the Church at all times.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Son 6:10. Who is she that looketh forth Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, dazzling as all the starry hosts? The gradation of images so naturally leads to the interpretation here given, that it seems impossible that the passage could have had any other meaning. A little attention to the original will abundantly shew the propriety of the meaning here assigned. See the New Translation, and Robertson’s Thesaurus, p. 860, &c.Here ends the firth day’s eclogue; wherein the church, having a taste of Christ’s love, is sick of love, and gives a description of him by his graces. She professes her faith in him; and he in return sets forth the graces of the church in terms nearly similar to those made use of in the fourth chapter. It is generally thought by spiritual interpreters, that the description given, chap. Son 5:2-7, refers to that spiritual dulness which sometimes creeps upon too many believers. “Let us hence learn, (says Theodoret on this passage) what mischiefs arise from spiritual sloth and laziness, and in what troubles and pains they engage us; for the spouse here excusing herself, and not being willing presently to rise to the bridegroom, is compelled a little while after, not only to rise, and run down to the door, but to run through the city, and wander about the streets, falling among the watchmen, and being evil-intreated by them, and after all could scarcely find her beloved; to whom if she had hearkened immediately, and obeyed his heavenly call, she had avoided all these inconveniences.” See Bishop Patrick, Bishop Hall, Calmet, Gill, and the Reflections. It shall now suffice to say here with the spouse, that he is altogether lovely; amiable in every perfection, and sufficient to attract the love of all mankind. I would just add, that in the description which the Bridegroom gives of the beauty of the church, the ninth verse is generally supposed to be expressive of the unity of the church. See, in particular, St. Cyprian, book 4: sect. 8, 12 and book 5: sect. 1.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
It should seem that this verse is introduced here in accommodation of the church of Christ, by some looker-on; perhaps the daughters of Jerusalem: and the description is uncommonly striking and beautiful. If we consider the church in the day-dawn of revelation, amidst the darkness of the whole world around, it might be called the looking forth as the morning. And if, from the days of the Patriarchs, to the giving of the law; and if through that whole dispensation, to the coming of the gospel, it only resembled the pale borrowed light of the moon. And in this view of the subject, the glorious gospel of the ever-blessed God, will then correspond to what is said of the church being clear as the sun, when Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, arose with healing in his wings. But if we consider the verse as referring to the church under the full manifestations of grace by the Lord Jesus Christ, then, in the instance of every individual believer, their experience in divine things is as the path of the just, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son 6:10 Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?
Ver. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning. ] This is the commendation that the queens and concubines give her, and it is expressed by way of question, not because they doubted, but for that they admired her excellence. See the like in Psa 77:13 Mic 7:17 . First, The Church is compared to the “morning,” which hath no full light, but mixed, so that light seems to strive with darkness. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning.” Isa 58:8 The Hebrew word a here used hath its name from blackness or dimness. Next, she is said to be “fair as the moon,” which is called here Lebanah, ab albedine, from her whiteness or bright shining. In her full, the moon is a very beautiful and fair creature, and even in her eclipse, though she appear dark toward the earth, yet is she bright and radiant in that part which looketh toward heaven; so is the Church. The Papists would have this moon always in the full, and if she show but little light to us, or be eclipsed, they will not yield she is the moon. And yet, except in the eclipse, astronomers demonstrate that the moon hath at all times as much light as in the full; but oftentimes a great part of the bright side is turned to heaven, and a lesser part to the earth, and so the Church is ever conspicuous to God’s eye, though it appear not always so to us. The Church waxeth and waneth as the moon, nonnunquam etiam in deliquio est et aspici non potest; adeo exiguus humerus fidelium aliquando apparet. Elijah complained of his aloneness. Christ, when he came, scarce found faith upon the earth. Papists themselves yield that there, was but Mary and some few others that “looked for the consolation of Israel.” “Christ came to his own, and his own received him not,” Joh 1:11 he wondered at one good Nathanael, and sets him forth with an Ecce admirantis. “Behold an Israelite indeed.” The mad multitude cried crucifige with one consent. The “whole world” went wondering after the beast. Rev 13:3-4 Of Luther it is said, Iste vir totius orbis impetum sustinuit, that he had all the world against him, as once Athanasius had. Latimer saw so few good in his time, that he thought the last day had been come. Our Saviour foretold that toward that day “the love of many should wax cold, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Mat 24:12-13 Lo, it is but a “he,” a single man, a very few, that holdeth out, in comparison of the “many” apostates that fall from their own steadfastness. Here then falls to the ground that Popish and sottish mark of the true Church, universality and visibility. We deny not that the Church is a multitude of believers, and a catholic company, to the which we must join ourselves, but that she is always visible and aspectable, as a city on a hill, as the sun in heaven, can never be proven. As the moon, she hath her wanes and non-appearances, and when at the very brightest and broadest she may be muffled up and overcast with a cloud of persecution. Such was the paucity and obscurity of Christians in the Arian times, that Basil cries out, An ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus? Hath the Lord utterly left his churches? &c. The ship of the Church was then almost overwhelmed saith Jerome. The Church was not then to be sought in tectis et exteriori pompa, in palaces and external pomp, but in dens, mines, and prisons, saith Hillary. God hath set the moon lowest in the heavens and nearest the earth, that it might daily put us in mind of the constance of the one and inconstance of the other, herself in some sort partaking of both.
Clear as the sun.
a .
b Hom. 8, Ad. Pop. Anti.
c Greg. Orat. de Laude Basil.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Son 6:10-12
10’Who is this that grows like the dawn,
As beautiful as the full moon,
As pure as the sun,
As awesome as an army with banners?’
11I went down to the orchard of nut trees
To see the blossoms of the valley,
To see whether the vine had budded
Or the pomegranates had bloomed.
12Before I was aware, my soul set me
Over the chariots of my noble people.
Son 6:10-13 These verses are extremely difficult to interpret and no satisfactory interpretation has been proposed.
It is uncertain who is speaking in these verses:
1. the man
2. the women of Son 6:8-9
3. the chorus (NASB)
4. the man’s friends (NKJV)
The NASB has
1. Son 6:1-12, the man
2. Son 6:13, lines 1-2, the chorus
3. Son 6:13, lines 3-4, the man
The NKJV has
1. Son 6:10, the man
2. Son 6:11-12, the maiden
3. Son 6:13, lines 1-2, the man and his friends
4. Son 6:13, lines 3-4, the maiden
Son 6:10 This verse uses celestial objects and events to describe the woman’s beauty:
1. looks down like the dawn
2. beautiful as the full moon
3. pure as the sun
She caught everyone’s attention! She radiated light!
Son 6:11 The metaphors from the garden appear again:
1. orchard of nut trees (rare term, the UBS Helps for Translators, Fauna and Flora of the Bible, asserts that nut refers to a walnut, pp. 163, 193)
2. blossoms of the valley
3. budded vine
4. bloomed pomegranates
These all imply a readiness for love (i.e. Spring, cf. Son 7:12-13)
Son 6:12 This is a strange verse, especially the last line!
NASBover the chariots of my noble people
NKJVas the chariots of my noble people
NRSVin a chariot beside my prince
TEVas a chariot drive is for battle
NJBonto the chariots of Amminadib
JPSOAMid the chariots of Ammi-nadib
No one knows what this means! There are many theories, but none fits well.
Who: Son 3:6, Son 8:5, Isa 63:1, Rev 21:10, Rev 21:11
looketh: 2Sa 23:4, Job 11:17, Pro 4:18, Isa 58:8, Hos 6:5, Rev 22:16
fair: Job 31:26, Eph 5:27
clear: Psa 14:5, Mal 4:2, Mat 13:43, Mat 17:2, Rev 10:1, Rev 12:1, Rev 21:23, Rev 22:5
terrible: Son 6:4, Rom 8:37
Reciprocal: Exo 24:10 – in his clearness Num 10:28 – according Num 24:2 – abiding Son 2:14 – thy countenance Son 5:9 – O thou Son 6:1 – O thou
Son 6:10. Who is she, &c. These are the words of the queens and concubines. Who What manner of person is this, how excellent and glorious! that looketh forth as the morning As the morning light, which, coming after the darkness, is very pleasant and amiable. Fair as the moon Namely, when it is full, and walketh in brightness, Job 31:26. Clear as the sun Without any such spots or dark specks as are in the moon. Thus the church is said to be without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish, (Eph 5:27,) which she is by Gods gracious acceptance of her, as such, in Christ, and through his merits and Spirit; and terrible, &c. See above, Son 6:4.
Son 6:10-12. It is very difficult to explain, as they now stand, the relation of these verses to the context and each other. It is possible that Son 6:10 is misplaced, and that it may have stood as an introduction to another song. The interpretation also of Son 6:11 f. is unusually difficult.
Son 6:10. See Son 6:4.morning, i.e. dawn. The poetic (Heb.) words for sun and moon are found together also in Isa 24:23; Isa 30:26; Isa 11:12.
Son 6:11 f. The translation of the RV is the best that can be done with the existing text, and the proposed emendations have no secure basis. On the dramatic view the bride is rehearsing all that happened on the fatal day when she was carried off to the court; but that her soul or desire set her among the royal chariots is surely a strange way of saying that when she was engaged in inspecting and enjoying the gardens, suddenly before she knew, her longing to see the plants brought her among the chariots of her noble people, etc. Then when she would have fled from them the ladies of the court cried Return, return, etc.; and she asks why they would gaze upon the Shulammite, etc. But our view of particular passages must be influenced by our theory as to the structure of the whole book (see Intro.). On any view this passage has great difficulties, Son 6:12 being a hard riddle. The other suggestion is that when the lady was enjoying the beauties of nature her lover comes suddenly and sets her in the wedding car, which, however, was not a modern motor-car.
6:10 {e} Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?
(e) He shows that the beginning of the Church was small, but that it grew up to a great multitude.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes