15 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 6 The discourse between the church and the daughters of Jerusalem is continued in this chapter: they inquire whither her beloved was gone, in order to seek him with her, So 6:1; she tells them where he was gone, and for what purpose he went thither, and what he was doing there; and claims and asserts her interest in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women?.... The title is the same used by them, and by Christ before them, So 1:8; and here repeated, to assure her that they were serious in asking this question, and that it was in great respect to her they put it; and which, to the same sense, in other words, is expressed, whither is thy beloved...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter, I. The daughters of Jerusalem, moved with the description which the church had given of Christ, enquire after him, ver. 1. II. The church directs them where they may meet with him, ver. 2, 3. III. Christ is now found of those that sought him, and very highly applauds the beauty of his spouse, as one extremely smitten with it (ver....
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
My beloved is gone down into his garden,.... Which may be said by Solomon, in allusion to what he himself was wont to do, as Josephus (q) relates; who used to go very early in a morning in great pomp to Etham, about two miles from Jerusalem, a pleasant place, abounding with gardens and flows of water: or respect may be had to the king's gardens...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I [am] my beloved's, and my beloved [is] mine,.... Expressive of interest in Christ, and union to him, and of her faith therein; which still continued, notwithstanding her unbecoming behavior toward Christ, and her many infirmities, So 5:2. Aben Ezra connects the words with the preceding, "my beloved is gone", c. but though he is, and I am left...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thou [art] beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah,.... These are the words of Christ, who had been absent for some time, and till now silent; but, like another Joseph, could not refrain any longer, but makes himself known to his church, and bursts out in strong expressions of love to her, and in high commendations of her; for, notwithstanding her...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Turn away thine eyes from me,.... Her eyes of faith and love; not through dislike of them, but as ravished with them; his passions were so struck by them, and his heart pierced with them, that he could stand it out no longer against her; see So 4:9. Some render the words, "turn about thine eyes over against me" (b); this being the first time of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thy teeth [are] as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof everyone beareth twins, and [there is] not one barren among them]. [See comments on So 4:2].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As a piece of a pomegranate [are] thy temples within thy locks. The same descriptions are given in So 4:3; [See comments on So 4:3]; and these are repeated, to show the reality of the church's beauty, and for the sake of confirmation; and that it still continued the same, notwithstanding her failings and infirmities; and that Christ had the same...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. In this verse and So 6:9 the church is commended as she stood related to others; and is compared with them, and preferred to them. The words may be considered either as an assertion, "there are", c. or as a supposition, "though there be", c. yet Christ's church is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
My dove, my undefiled, is [but] one,.... Of these titles, see So 2:14. Christ's church is called one, in distinction from the many before mentioned; and either designs her small number, in comparison of the nations of the world, and of false churches, like one to sixty or eighty, and even to an innumerable company; see Ecclesiastes 9:14 Lu 12:32;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, αως αντελλοισα, as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I went down into the garden of nuts,.... This is very properly taken notice of in this song of love; it being usual for newly married persons to get nuts, and throw them among children, to make pastime; to signify, among other things, that they now renounced childish things (u). These are the words of Christ, declaring to the church where he went,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Or ever one was aware, my soul made me [like] the chariots of Amminadib. These are either the words of the church or of Christ, saying, "I know not" (y) as the first clause may be rendered: if the words of the church, the sense may be, that though she knew not where her beloved was gone, when he went from her, yet she ran about in search of him as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return,.... By whom the church is meant, so called from her being the spouse of Christ, the true Solomon; it being common for the wife to have the same name with her husband; thus, with the Romans, if the man's name was Caius, the woman's name was Caia: is the name of Christ Solomon? the church's name is...