Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 7:9
And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth [down] sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
9. and the roof of thy mouth ] Better, as R.V., and thy mouth. Chkh is the palate, but it is used for the mouth. Cp. ch. Son 5:16; Hos 8:1. The reference here as in Son 5:16 is to the sweet words of love which she whispers, they intoxicate like wine.
for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly ] This should be, as in R.V., that goeth down smoothly for my beloved. Instead of smoothly, R.V. marg. gives ‘aright.’ Cp. for the phrase Pro 23:31, R.V. and margin. Budde would read lchikk , ‘for my palate,’ instead or ldh dh, ‘for my beloved,’ but there is no support for such a change in any version or MS. The translation of the A.V. is according to the accents, but most recent commentators, who take the dramatic or semi-dramatic view of the whole, assign these words to the bride, supposing that she interrupts the king and turns off the simile to her beloved.
causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak ] Better, as R.V., gliding through the lips of those that are asleep. The A.V. may, following Jerome and Kimchi, have connected the word dbhbh with dibbh, a calumny or evil rumour, or they may have read dbhr or medhabbr. But dbhbh has no connexion with dibbh, but is rather related to zbh, and means ‘to go softly,’ hence the translation ‘going softly’ or ‘gliding’ over the lips of sleepers, or of those about to sleep. The whole clause would then mean that this wine was such that men drank it till they were rendered slumberous by it. But this is not very satisfactory, and the suggestion that, following the LXX, Aq., Syr., Vulg., we should read ‘gliding over my lips and teeth,’ or ‘over his lips and teeth,’ might perhaps be adopted.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. The roof of thy mouth like the best wine] The voice or conversation of the spouse is most probably what is meant.
Causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.] As good wine has a tendency to cause the most backward to speak fluently when taken in moderation; so a sight of thee, and hearing the charms of thy conversation, is sufficient to excite the most taciturn to speak, and even to become eloquent in thy praises.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The roof of thy mouth; either,
1. Thy speech, the palate being one of the principal instruments of speech; or rather,
2. Thy taste, whereof the palate or roof of the mouth is the most proper and principal instrument, Job 34:3. But then this is not to be understood actively of her taste, but passively of the taste or relish which her Beloved had of her; as in the foregoing clause, the smell of her nose was not meant subjectively or actively of that sense of smelling which was seated in her nose, but objectively or passively of the breath of her nostrils, which was sweet to the smell of her Beloved.
Like the best wine, grateful and refreshing. For my beloved; either,
1. For thee my beloved, who reapest the comfort and benefit of that pleasure which I take in time; or,
2. For me thy Beloved, or, according to thy usual expression,
for my Beloved; which words Christ takes as it were out of her mouth, and repeats them emphatically; which agrees very well to the style and usage of these dramatical and amaropious writings. And this clause further intimates the churchs loyalty or faithfulness to Christ, that she reserves herself and all her loves for Christ alone.
That goeth down sweetly; whereas bad wine either goeth down slowly and tediously, or is not permitted to go down at all; Heb. that walketh directly; or, that moveth itself aright; which is given as the character of good wine, Pro 23:31.
Causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak; causing the most dull, and stupid, and sleepy-headed persons to speak, and that fluently and eloquently, which is a common effect of good wine.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. roof of thy mouththy voice(Pr 15:23).
best winethe newwine of the gospel kingdom (Mr14:25), poured out at Pentecost (Act 2:4;Act 2:13; Act 2:17).
for my beloved (So4:10). Here first the daughters call Him theirs, and become onewith the bride. The steps successively are (So1:5) where they misjudge her (So3:11); So 5:8, where thepossibility of their finding Him, before she regained Him, isexpressed; So 5:9 (Son 6:1;Son 7:6; Son 7:9;Joh 4:42).
causing . . . asleep tospeak (Isa 35:6; Mar 5:19;Mar 5:20; Act 2:47;Eph 5:14). Jesus Christ’s firstmiracle turned water into “good wine kept until now” (Joh2:10); just as the Gospel revives those asleep and dying underthe law (Pro 31:6; Rom 7:9;Rom 7:10; Rom 7:24;Rom 7:25; Rom 8:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine,…. Which may intend, either her taste, as the word is rendered in So 2:3; by which she can distinguish good wine from bad, truth from error; or her breath, sweet and of a good smell, like the best wine; the breathings of her soul in prayer, which are sweet odours, perfumed with the incense of Christ’s mediation; or rather her speech, the words of her mouth; the roof of the mouth being an instrument of speech; the same word is sometimes rendered “the mouth”, So 5:16; and may denote both her speech in common conversation, which is warming, refreshing, comforting, and quickening; and in prayer and praise, which is well pleasing and delightful to Christ; and especially the Gospel preached by her ministers, comparable to the best wine for its antiquity, being an ancient Gospel; for its purity, unadulterated, and free from mixture, and as faithfully dispensed; its delight, flavour, and taste, to such who have their spiritual senses exercised; and for its cheering, refreshing, and strengthening nature, to drooping weary souls. It follows,
for my beloved, that goeth [down] sweetly; is received and taken down with all readiness, by those who have once tasted the sweetness and felt the power of it. Or, “that goeth to righteousnesses” t; leading to the righteousness of Christ for justification, and teaching to live soberly and righteously: or, “that goeth to my beloved, straightway” or “directly” u; meaning either to his Father, Christ calls his beloved, to whose love the Gospel leads and directs souls, as in a straight line, as to the source of salvation, and all the blessings of grace; or to himself, by a “mimesis”, whom the church calls so; the Gospel leading souls directly to him, his person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, for peace, pardon, justification, and atonement: or, “that goeth to my beloved to uprightnesses” w; that is, to the church, who is Christ’s beloved, consisting of upright men in heart and life, whom Christ calls his beloved and his friends, So 5:1; and whom Christ treats with his best wine, his Gospel; and which is designed for them, their pleasure, profit, comfort, and establishment:
causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak; either such who are in the dead sleep of sin; who, when the Gospel comes with power, are quickened by it; and it produces in them humble confessions of sin; causes them to speak in praise of Christ, and his grace, and of the salvation which he has procured for lost sinners; it brings them to Zion, to declare what great things God has done for them: or else drowsy professors, in lifeless frames, and much gone back in religion; who, when aroused and quickened by the Gospel, and brought out of their lethargy, are ready to acknowledge their backslidings with shame; to speak meanly and modestly of themselves, and very highly of Christ and his grace, who has healed their backslidings, and still loves them freely; none more ready to exalt and magnify Christ, and speak in praise of what he has done for them. Some render the words, “causing the lips of ancient men to speak” x; whose senses are not so quick, nor they so full of talk, as in their youthful days: wherefore this serves to commend this wine; that it should have such an effect as to invigorate ancient men, and give them a juvenile warmth and sprightliness, and make them loquacious, which is one effect of wine, when freely drunk y; and softens the moroseness of ancient men z: wine is even said to make an ancient man dance a.
t “ad rectitudines”, Montanus; “ad ea quae roetissima sunt”, Tigurine version. u “Directe”, Mercerus; “rectissime”, Brightman. w “Ad rectitudines”, i.e. “rectos homines”, Marckius, Michaelis. x “veterum”, Pagninus; “antiquorum”, Vatablus. y Philoxenus apud Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 2. c. 1. p. 25. Vid. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 38. 1. z Philoxenus apud Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 11. c. 3. p. 463. a Ibid. l. 4. c. 4. p. 134. l. 10. c. 7. p. 428.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9 a a And thy palate like the best wine.
is wine of the good kind, i.e., the best, as , Pro 6:24, a woman of a bad kind, i.e., a bad woman; the neut. thought of as adject. is both times the gen. of the attribute, as at Pro 24:25 it is the gen. of the substratum . The punctuation (Hitz.) is also possible; it gives, however, the common instead of the delicate poetical expression. By the comparison one may think of the expressions, jungere salivas oris (Lucret.) and oscula per longas jungere pressa moras (Ovid). But if we have rightly understood Son 4:11; Son 5:16, the palate is mentioned much rather with reference to the words of love which she whispers in his ears when embracing her. Only thus is the further continuance of the comparison to be explained, and that it is Shulamith herself who continues it.
9 a b Which goes down for my beloved smoothly,
Which makes the lips of sleepers move.
The dramatic structure of the Song becomes here more strongly manifest than elsewhere before. Shulamith interrupts the king, and continues his words as if echoing them, but again breaks off. The lxx had here in the text. It might notwithstanding be a spurious reading. Hitzig suggests that it is erroneously repeated, as if from Son 7:11. Ewald also ( Hohesl. p. 137) did that before, – Heiligstedt, as usual, following him. But, as Ewald afterwards objected, the line would then be “too short, and not corresponding to that which follows.” But how shall now connect itself with Solomon’s words? Ginsburg explains: “Her voice is not merely compared to wine, because it is sweet to everybody, but to such wine as would be sweet to a friend, and on that account is more valuable and pleasant.” But that furnishes a thought digressing ; and besides, Ewald rightly remarks that Shulamith always uses the word of her beloved, and that the king never uses it in a similar sense. He contends, however, against the idea that Shulamith here interrupts Solomon; for he replies to me ( Jahrb. IV 75): “Such interruptions we certainly very frequently find in our ill-formed and dislocated plays; in the Song, however, not a solitary example of this is found, and one ought to hesitate in imagining such a thing.” He prefers the reading beloved ones, although possibly , with , abbreviated after the popular style of speech from m, may be the same word. But is this ledodim not a useless addition? Is excellent wine good to the taste of friends merely; and does it linger longer in the palate of those not beloved than of those loving? And is the circumstance that Shulamith interrupts the king, and carried forward his words, not that which frequently also occurs in the Greek drama, as e.g., Eurip. Phoenissae, v. 608? The text as it stands before us requires an interchange of the speakers, and nothing prevents the supposition of such an interchange. In this idea Hengstenberg for once agrees with us. The Lamed in ledodi is meant in the same sense as when the bride drinks to the bridegroom, using the expression ledodi . The Lamed in is that of the defining norm, as the Beth in , Pro 23:31, is that of the accompanying circumstance: that which tastes badly sticks in the palate, but that which tastes pleasantly glides down directly and smoothly. But what does the phrase mean? The lxx translate by , “accommodating itself (Sym. ) to my lips and teeth.” Similarly Jerome (omitting at least the false ), labiisque et dentibus illius ad ruminandum , in which , rumor, for , seems to have led him to ruminare . Equally contrary to the text with Luther’s translation: “which to my friend goes smoothly goes, and speaks of the previous year;” a rendering which supposes (as also the Venet.) instead of (good wine which, as it were, tells of former years), and, besides, disregards . The translation: “which comes at unawares upon the lips of the sleepers,” accords with the language (Heiligst., Hitz.). But that gives no meaning, as if one understood by , as Gesen. and Ewald do, una in eodem toro cubantes ; but in this case the word ought to have been . Since, besides, such a thing is known as sleeping through drink or speaking in sleep, but not of drinking in sleep, our earlier translation approves itself: which causes the lips of sleepers to speak. This interpretation is also supported by a proverb in the Talm. Jebamoth 97 a, Jer. Moeed Katan, iii. 7, etc., which, with reference to the passage under review, says that if any one in this world adduces the saying of a righteous man in his name ( or ), . But it is an error inherited from Buxtorf, that means there loquuntur , and, accordingly, that of this passage before us means loqui faciens . It rather means ( vid., Aruch), bullire , stillare , manare (cogn. , , Syn. ), since, as that proverb signifies, the deceased experiences an after-taste of his saying, and this experience expresses itself in the smack of the lips; and , whether it be part. Kal or Po. = , thus: brought into the condition of the overflowing, the after-experience of drink that has been partaken of, and which returns again, as it were, ruminando . The meaning “to speak” is, in spite of Parchon and Kimchi (whom the Venet., with its , follows), foreign to the verb; for also means, not discourse, but sneaking, and particularly sneaking calumny, and, generally, fama repens . The calumniator is called in Arab. dabub , as in Heb. .
We now leave it undecided whether in , of this passage before us, that special idea connected with it in the Gemara is contained; but the roots and are certainly cogn., they have the fundamental idea of a soft, noiseless movement generally, and modify this according as they are referred to that which is solid or fluid. Consequently , as it means in lente incedere (whence the bear has the name ), is also capable of being interpreted leniter se movere , and trans. leniter movere , according to which the Syr. here translates, quod commovet labia mea et dentes meos (this absurd bringing in of the teeth is from the lxx and Aq.), and the Targ. allegorizes, and whatever also in general is the meaning of the Gemara as far as it exchanges for ( vid., Levy under ). Besides, the translations qui commovet and qui loqui facit fall together according to the sense. For when it is said of generous wine, that it makes the lips of sleepers move, a movement is meant expressing itself in the sleeper speaking. But generous wine is a figure of the love-responses of the beloved, sipped in, as it were, with pleasing satisfaction, which hover still around the sleepers in delightful dreams, and fill them with hallucinations.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(9) Causing the lips.The text in this verse has evidently undergone some change. The LXX., in stead of siphthe yesheynm, lips of sleepers, read sephatham veshinnaym, . The Marg., instead of yesheynm, sleepers, reads yeshanm, the ancient, which Luther adopts, translating of the previous year. Ledd, for my beloved, is evidently either an accidental insertion of the copyist, the eye having caught dd in the next verse, or more probably is wrongly vowelled. The verse is untranslatable as it stands; but by reading ledda, to my caresses (comp. Son. 1:2; Son. 4:10; Son. 7:12), we get a sense entirely harmonious with the context, and this is a change less violent than to reject ledd altogether. It is the old figure, comparing kisses to wine (comp. Son. 1:2; Son. 2:4; Son. 5:1). The roof of the mouth (comp. Son. 5:16), or palate, is put by metonymy for the mouth generally. Dbeb is either from the root db, cognate with zb = flow gently, and means suffusing, in which case we translate Thy mouth pours out an exquisite wine, which runs sweetly down in answer to my caresses, and suffuses (LXX. , accommodating itself to) our lips as we fall asleepor, according to the Rabbinical interpretation, followed by the Authorised Version (which connects dbeb with dabab, a Talmudic word = speaking), there may be in it the idea of a dream making the lips move as in speech. In this case the lines of Shelley suggest the meaning:
Like lips murmuring in their sleep
Of the sweet kisses which had lulled them there.
Epipsychidion.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. The roof of thy mouth Hebrew, thy palate; that is, thy speech.
For my beloved That is, Such wine as I would offer to a dear friend. Causing the lips, etc. It so quickens the blood that even silent lips grow talkative under its influence.
Into these few verses is thrown a faithful display of the character of Solomon, confirmed by his other Scriptural portraitures. We have seen the splendour of his pavilion and his train, the gorgeousness of his palace, the throngs of beautiful women that, like stars, adorn his court. We see the proud owner of all this, arrayed in all his glory and with arts of address, compress temptation to its intensest form by declaring his passionate attachment and preference for this Shulamite. But her bearing is firm, independent, and something more. She has placed her affection on one whose love is to her a vital need.
“The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one,
And the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ — Which goes down smoothly for my beloved, And makes the lips of the sleepers to speak. I am my beloved’s, And his desire is towards me.”
Taking up her beloved’s theme his wife assures him that her lips will indeed provide the best wine for him, a wine which will go down his throat smoothly, causing his sleeping lips to say, ‘My love you are mine’. That is why, instinctively recognizing this, she is able to add, “I am my beloved’s and his desires is towards me.’ Note that she is longer thinking in terms of ‘my beloved is mine’ (Son 2:16; Son 6:3). She is wholly taken up with him, and the fact that his desire is for her. Happy are we when our whole delight is in Christ and His love for us, and when it is God Who is in all our thoughts.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Son 7:9 And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth [down] sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
Ver. 9. And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine. ] Her word and doctrine (for the palate is an instrument of speech), often before commended by Christ, and here again, like as she comes over it in him the second time. Son 4:13 ; Son 4:16 See Trapp on “ Son 4:13 “ See Trapp on “ Son 4:16 “ This he resembleth to the best and most generous wine. Such the word of God’s grace is to those that have spiritual palates, that do not carry fel in aure, – their galls in their ears (as some creatures are said to do), that have their ears healed (as Demosthenes said of his Athenians), and their inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil. The doctrine of the Church seems to some bitter and grievous; it goeth down like the waters of Marah, or that water that caused the curse in case of jealousy. Num 5:12-31 It becomes a savour of death unto them, as the viper is killed with palm branches, and vultures with oil of roses. a But this is merely their own fault; for “doth not my word do good to them that are good?” saith the Lord. Mic 2:6 Excellently St Augustine, Adversarius est nobis, quamdiu sumus et ipsi nobis: quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es, inimicum habebis sermonem Dei, – God’s Word is an enemy to none but to such as are enemies to themselves, and sinners against their own souls. This holy word in the mouths of God’s ministers is like Moses’s rod, which, while held in his hand, flourished, and brought forth almonds; but, being cast to the ground, it became a serpent. The application is easy. See Trapp on “ Son 1:2 “
For my beloved.
Causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
a Pausanias, Aristot.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Son 7:9 b
9bIt goes down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.
Son 7:9 They make love until they fall asleep! It is uncertain who speaks this thought (i.e., the man from Son 6:13 or the woman who starts in Son 7:10 to Son 8:3).
There is a variant in the ancient versions (LXX, Aquila, Symmachus, Vulgate, and Syriac) which changes Son 7:9 line 3 from the lips of those who fall asleep (MT) to flowing gently over the lips and teeth (RSV, TEV).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the roof of thy mouth = the palate. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for speech.
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.
the lips of those that are asleep = slumbering lips.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the roof: Son 2:14, Son 5:16, Pro 16:24, Eph 4:29, Col 3:16, Col 3:17, Col 4:6, Heb 13:15
the best: Isa 62:8, Isa 62:9, Zec 9:15-17, Act 2:11-13, Act 2:46, Act 2:47, Act 4:31, Act 4:32, Act 16:30-34
sweetly: Heb. straightly
those that are asleep: or, the ancient, Son 5:2, Rom 13:11, 1Th 4:13, 1Th 4:14, Rev 14:13
Reciprocal: Son 1:2 – thy love Son 4:3 – lips Son 4:11 – lips Son 8:2 – I would cause Isa 32:4 – the tongue Zec 9:17 – cheerful Mat 26:27 – Drink Act 2:13 – These Eph 5:18 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Son 7:9. The roof of thy mouth Thy speech, the palate being one of the principal instruments of speech; like the best wine Grateful and refreshing; for my beloved Who reapest the comfort and benefit of that pleasure which I take in thee. Causing the lips, &c., to speak The most dull, and stupid, and sleepy persons to speak.