125 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thy neck [is] as a tower of ivory,.... Two things recommend the neck, erectness and whiteness; both are here expressed, the one by a "tower", the other by "ivory"; hence a fine beautiful neck is called an ivory one (t); and for the same reason it sometimes has the epithet of "snowy" (u), and sometimes of "marble" (w). Of the church's neck, as it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thine head upon thee [is] like Carmel,.... Set with hair, thick and long, as Carmel with plants and trees. Now Christ is the church's Head in various senses; he is her federal and representative Head in eternity and time; her political Head, as a King to his subjects; an economical Head, as the husband to the wife, as parents to their children,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!] These are the words of the King in the galleries, wondering at the church's beauty, it being incomparable and inexpressible, it could not be said well how great it was; and expressing the strength of his love to her, which was invariably the same as ever. Of the "fairness" of the church,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
This thy stature is like to a palm tree,.... Made up of the above parts commended, and others had in view, as appears from the relative "this". The word for "stature" properly signifies height, tallness, and erectness; and which were reckoned agreeable in women, as well as men; [See comments on 1 Samuel 9:2]; hence methods are often made use of to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I said, I will go up to the palm tree,.... Which is easy of ascent; having, in the bark of the trunk or body of the tree, rings like steps, whereby the eastern people climb it with incredible swiftness, as Pliny (n) relates: these steps are made by the lower boughs being lopped off, whose knots, or "pollices", as Dr. Shaw (o) calls them, being...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I [am] my beloved's,.... These are the words of the church, strongly expressing the assurance of faith she had of her union to Christ, and interest in him; which shows that "that" grace is attainable, and that there may be a continuation of the exercise of it; it may be expressed again and again, as it is by the church in this Song, So 2:16; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Come, my beloved,.... The word come is often used by Christ, and here by the church, in imitation of him; see So 2:10. This call is the call of the church upon Christ, to make good his promise, So 7:8; and is an earnest desire after the presence of Christ, and the manifestations of his love; which desire is increased the more it is enjoyed; and it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Let us get up early to the vineyards,.... After a night's lodging in the fields, or among the "Cyprus trees". By which "vineyards" may be meant particular churches, gathered according to Gospel order, and distinguished from the world, planted with fruitful vines, and fenced by almighty power: hither the church proposes to "get up early", very...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The mandrakes give a smell,.... Or, "those lovely flowers", as Junius and Tremellius, and Piscator, translate the words; even those the church proposed to give to her beloved, when in the fields Some take them to be violets; others, jessamine; others, more probably, lilies (g); as the circumstances of time and place, when and where they...
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...
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...