20 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 8 This chapter begins with an ardent wish of the church for a free and intimate converse with Christ; declaring what she would do to him, and for him, should she have such an interview with him, So 8:1; what familiarity should be between them, So 8:3; charging the daughters of Jerusalem not to give him any...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
O that thou [wert] as my brother,.... Or, "who will give thee as a brother to me?" (q) an usual form of wishing, Deuteronomy 5:29 Psalms 14:7. The church here not only requests that Christ would be like a brother to her, but appear to be really one, and to act the part of one towards her; with whom she might as freely converse as brother and...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The affections between Christ and his spouse are as strong and lively here, in this closing chapter of the song, as ever, and rather more so. I. The spouse continues her importunity for a more intimate communion and fellowship with him, ver. 1-3. II. She charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to interrupt her communion with her beloved (ver. 4);...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I would lead thee, [and] bring, thee into mother's house,.... The general assembly and church of the firstborn is mother to the church visible, to particular churches and believers, where they are born, educated, and brought up; for which they have a great affection, as persons usually have for the place of their nativity and education. And here...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
His left hand [should be] under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. That is, when she should have the presence of Christ in her mother's house. Or the words are a petition that so it might be, "let his left hand", c. (g) or a declaration of what she did enjoy, "his left hand is under my head", &c. (h), [See comments on So 2:6]. (g)...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
(Who [is] this that cometh up from the wilderness?.... Which words are spoken by the daughters of Jerusalem, occasioned by her charge to them, by which they were excited to look more earnestly at her, whom Christ had indulged with so much nearness to him; at which they express their surprise, and describe her by her ascent "from the wilderness";...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm,.... These are still the words of the church, speaking to Christ as she walked along with him, as the affixes in the Hebrew text show; in which she desires to have a fixed abiding place in his heart; to continue firmly in his love, and to have further manifestations of it; to be always...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it,.... The love of the church to Christ, which is inextinguishable and insuperable, by the many waters and floods of wicked and ungodly men; neither by their flattery and fair promises; nor by their cruel edicts, force and persecution; by neither can they withdraw the love of the saints...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
We have a little sister,.... Which seems to be the Gentile church, so called by the Jewish church; for as the church catholic, or universal, with respect to its parts, is called a mother, as often in this Song; so these parts, with respect to each other, as the Jewish and Gentile churches, may be called sisters; and the rather, as they belong to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If she [be] a wall,.... Built upon a sure foundation; and firmly established in her faith on Christ, and love to him; and is constant therein, and stands as a wall against the attacks of enemies (b); we will build upon her a palace of silver; though at first but as a side wall, yet should become a complete habitation, even a palace for Christ, the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I [am] a wall,.... The words of the little sister, or Gentile church; either wishing she was what was supposed, and desiring to be in a well settled state, "O that I was a wall!" or as asserting (d) that she was in such a state, well walled; God was a wall of fire about her; salvation was appointed as walls and bulwarks to her; she was one of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon,.... The little sister, or Gentile church, goes on to give an account of the success of the Gospel, the planting of churches, and the establishment of the interest of Christ in the Gentile world, together with the advantages that accrued to Christ from it; for not Solomon literally, but a greater than he, is...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: “The great Husbandman has graciously let his vineyard out to me, that I may keep it, and dress it; he has made it mine for the time being. I have some ground...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
My vineyard, which [is] mine, [is] before me,.... These are either the words of Christ, asserting and confirming his right and property in his vineyard, the church; and which he distinguishes from and prefers to all others; and which being said to be before him denotes his exact knowledge of every vine in it, not a plant escaping his watchful eye;...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred. This is our resolve, — that our greater Solomon shall have the profits and proceeds of his own vineyard. It is ours on lease, but the freehold is his. He “must have a thousand,” and we shall be well content with our share of the vintage, joyful and glad that...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thou that dwellest in the gardens,.... These are the words of Christ to the church, describing her by her habitation, and may be rendered, "O thou, inhabitress of the gardens" (i); the word used being in the feminine gender, which determines the sense of it, as belonging to the church: but the Septuagint version renders it by a word in the...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. “For to hear that voice will be far better than the ‘two hundred’ which shall be my share of the fruit. If I may have thee with me, O my Lord, I will be better pleased, though my portion of fruit should be very small indeed, for in having thee my portion...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Make haste, my beloved,.... These are the words of the church, to Christ, calling him her "beloved"; a title often used in this Song, see So 1:13; and is continued to the last; for Christ was still the object of her love; and she had now a comfortable sense of her interest in him, and claimed it; and makes use of this title, not only to...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Make haste, my beloved, “Do not let me have to wait long for thee, O my Beloved! Even at the beginning of this service, cause me to realize thy presence.” Son_8:14. And be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. “Are there mountains that divide me from thee? Come and leap over them; for thou art swift of foot, and sure...