Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Song of Solomon 8:4
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, until he please.
4. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem ] Rather, as in R.V., I adjure you nor awaken love, until it please. This verse is a repetition of Son 2:7 and Son 3:5 with the difference that, instead of im = that not, we have here mah = why. The A.V. translates this mah as ‘not.’ Cp. Job 31:1, where an interrogative mah is translated by the LXX and non by the Vulg. But in form our clause is interrogative, ‘Why would ye stir up or awake love until it should please?’ i.e. you see it was quite unnecessary to try to rouse love before its time. Your experience must teach you how vain it has been to attempt to arouse it prematurely, and how certain it would be to awake at the proper time.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That ye stir not up – literally, as in the margin. For my love read as before love. The omission of the roes and hinds here is noticeable. Hebrew scholars regard this charge here and elsewhere Son 2:7; Son 3:5 as an admonition to Israel not to attempt obtaining a possession of, or restoration to, the promised land, and union or reunion there with the Holy One, before being inwardly prepared for it by the trials of the wilderness and the exile. This interpretation comes very near to what appears to be the genuine literal meaning (see Son 2:7 note). They suppose the words here to be addressed by Messiah to Israel in the wilderness of the people Eze 20:35, in the latter day, and the former words Son 3:5 by Moses in the wilderness of Sinai.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
This verse is here repeated again, from Son 2:7; 3:5, See Poole “2:7“, See Poole “Son 3:5“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up,
nor awake [my] love, until he please. The phrase, “by the roes [and] by the hinds of the field”, used in So 2:7; is here omitted; not as if the charge was less vehement and earnest here, for the form of expostulation seems rather to express more earnestness: for the words may be rendered, “why will ye”, or “why should ye stir up, and why awake my love?” i being apprehensive they were about to do it; and which she dissuades from, as unreasonable and dangerous, and might be prejudicial to them as well as to her. The allusion is to virgins, that sung songs at marriages; one in the evening, lulling to sleep; and another in the morning, awaking and stirring up from it k.
i , “cur”, Montanus, Schmidt. k Vid. Theocrit. Idyll. 18.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) I charge you.See Note, Son. 2:6-7.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. This verse differs slightly from Son 2:7; Son 3:5, and is more forcible. That ye stir, etc. Hebrew, Why should ye stir, or awake, my affection to make it wish another? This is an appeal to them to see for themselves that she is perfectly content and happy in her Beloved. The scene now changes. The Chorus of the Daughters of Jerusalem the ladies of the court and palace no more appear. The Enamoured and the Beloved go from the city to the open fields on their way to the village in which is their home. The Chorus is now composed of villagers. Shulem, the native place of the happy pair, is so situated, that to reach it one crosses the plain of Esdraelon.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, That you stir not up, nor awake my love, Until he please.”
Once more the bride adjures the daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up her love until it please her beloved (compare Son 2:7; Son 3:5). But the roe-deer and the hinds are not mentioned now, possibly a reminder of the more serious nature of what they would from now on be doing. She does not want her instruction to be interrupted.
SECTION 7.
The Return To Jerusalem.
The couple return to Jerusalem in total harmony, and in view of her powerful love for him she asks him to set her as a seal on his heart and hand. Once this has been settled the uniqueness and divine nature of love is then emphasized followed by an example of how she is taught by his wisdom. An illustration is given of how such love can be preserved in its pristine purity, using her younger sister as an example, at which point she is able to confirm to him that her love at least is full and true.
This is followed by a vivid illustration of the efforts that the young wife will now make to ensure that she keeps herself ‘perfect’ for her beloved. In Son 1:6 b she had failed to ‘keep’ her personal vineyard and had allowed her complexion to be spoiled by the sun. Now she assures her beloved that she will make every effort to ensure that her beauty is fully maintained for his benefit.
The song then finishes with her calling on her beloved, as she had at the beginning (Son 1:2-4), and telling him that ‘the companions’ (the young male courtiers and shepherds – Son 1:7) are listening for his voice, (contrast ‘the virgins love you — we will run after you’ – Son 1:3-4 a) but that she expects him to call her in such a way that she hears him (compare ‘draw me’ – Son 1:4 a). His reward will be that he will be able to behave like a roe deer or young hart (which are eager for mating) on the mountain of spices (their royal bed – compare Son 4:6).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Son 8:4. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, &c. We have in this day’s eclogue a further account of the love of Christ towards his church; as well as a description of the church’s graces. The church professes her faith and longing desire after Christ, together with the satisfactions of his love to her. In the 11th verse the heavenly Bridegroom expresses his desire and expectation of fruit proportionable to his care of the church, and kindness to her. In chap. Son 7:1-9 the particular graces, beauties, and excellencies of spiritual and divine communications are set forth: while the church expresses her wish in the 11th and 12th verses, to go forth and plant the gospel in the distant places and most remote corners of the earth; for which purpose, the hoards of pleasant fruits new and old, that is to say, the knowledge and treasures of the oracles of God, are spoken of and adapted; and perhaps our Lord himself, who delighted to refer to the written word, may have in some degree alluded to these words, when he speaks of a wise scribe, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. Mat 13:52. Ravished with the prospect of the blessings of his love, the church declares her affection, chap. Son 8:1-4 and professes that she feels the communication of his Spirit, which is the greatest token of his love, and which then works most strongly in our hearts, when he sees them fullest of affection to him.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Son 8:4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, until he please.
Ver. 4. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem. ] See Trapp on “ Son 2:7 “
Why should you stir up?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Son 8:4
4I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
Do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases.
Son 8:4 This statement is repeated in Son 2:7; Son 3:5, and here. It seems to be a reference to the harem, but it refers to patience in lovemaking until the right moment comes for both lovers.
It functions as a literary marker to end a section.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
I charge you = I have adjured you. In this last charge the addition is not “by the roes”, &c. And we have mah instead of ‘im = Why incite, &c.
you. See note on Son 2:7.
stir not up . . . awake. See note on Son 2:7, and Compare Son 3:5.
love. Hebrew. ‘ahabah (feminine) Used of love in the abstract. See notes on Son 2:4, and Son 3:5.
he = she.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
charge: Son 2:7, Son 3:5
that ye stir not up, nor awake: Heb. why should ye stir up, or, why awake, etc.
Reciprocal: Son 1:13 – he shall Son 5:8 – charge Luk 23:28 – daughters
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:4 {c} I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not, nor awake [my] love, until he please.
(c) Read Son 3:5.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Solomon again urged his wife’s friends not to try to awaken her love for him artificially but to let love take its natural course (cf. Son 2:7; Son 3:5). Her love was now fully alive and needed no further stimulation.
This section (Son 5:2 to Son 8:4), that began with estrangement, ends with the lovers entwined in each other’s arms.