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SoS part 4 - songs 7 to 9
1. The Song of Solomon5 Studies Study 4, Songs 7 - 9 6th October 2010
2. Study 3, Songs 4 - 6 Song 4: The Bride’s Search For Her Beloved Seeking, loving, finding – a fourfold repetition of each idea Bridegroom not found in “broad ways”, so Bride “passed from them” Persecution from “the watchmen”, guidance from the spiritual mother Song 5: The Marriage Procession, Their Beauty Revealed Bridegroom comes “out of the wilderness”, following the judgement “pillars of smoke” – God manifest in the earth once again (cp. Exodus) Seven aspects of spiritual perfection seen in the “all fair” Bride Song 6: The Bride Compared To A Lovely Garden The fruitful land of promise surveyed from “Lebanon... from the top” Bride is set apart from the world, she is “inclosed... shut up... sealed” “my sister, my spouse” – a multifaceted relationship Last time’s study on a single slide
10. Much maligned/misunderstood Variously described by so-called ‘Christian’ writers and higher critics as ‘erotic’ ‘misogynistic’ ‘obscene’ (etc.) All of these accusations completely miss the point and ignore the hidden depths of the book’s content e.g. the symbolic “breasts” of spiritual maturity (8 references) We must ensure that we look beyond the surface appearances in the book, to gain deep instruction
11. “The Book of Love” A search for the English word love and all its variant forms uncovers total 67 appearances: ‘beloved’ (31), ‘love’ (26), ‘loveth’ (5), ‘beloved’s’ (2), ‘loves’ (1), ‘lovely’ (1), ‘wellbeloved’ (1) Different Hebrew words used (5 in total): 39 appearances dowd (masculine noun) Strong: ‘from an unused root meaning properly, to boil, i.e. (figuratively) to love’ BDB: ‘loved one, beloved’ 11 appearances ahabah (feminine noun) Strong: ‘affection’ 9 appearances ra’yah (feminine noun)* Strong:‘a female associate’ BDB: ‘attendant maidens, a companion’ 7 appearances ahab or aheb (masculine verb) Strong: ‘to have affection for’ Vine: ‘equivalent to the English "to love" in the sense of having a strong emotional attachment to and desire either to possess or to be in the presence of the object’ 1 appearance machmad (masculine noun) Strong: ‘delightful... object of affection or desire’ from same root * only appears in SoS
18. Queen (1 verse)5 v. 2-5 His first advent, awakened to Divine Love 5 v. 6-8 Persecution – the anguish of love 5 v. 9-16 Preaching the Gospel of his beauty 6 v. 1 Virgins respond to her teaching 6 v. 2-3 She explains his absence and his work 6 v. 4-9 He comes and proclaims her beauty 6 v. 10 The world wonders at her beauty
19. Song 7 (chapter 5v2 to chapter 6v10) – His First Advent And Love’s Awakening 2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. 3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? 4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. 5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. 6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. 8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. 9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? 10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. 11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. 12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. 13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. 14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. 15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. 16His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. 6v1Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee. 2My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. 3I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies. 4Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. 5Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. 6Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them. 7As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks. 8There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. 9My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. 10Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
20. Song 7 (chapter 5v2 to chapter 6v10) – His First Advent And Love’s Awakening 2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. 3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? 4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. 5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. 6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. 8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. The physical affects of separation from the Bridegroom are seen in the Bride – “my heart waketh” “my bowels were moved for him”“my soul failed” “I am sick of [RSV ‘with’] love”. This is the way that we should feel! “hands dropped with myrrh” – the token of sacrifice, seemingly left behind by the beloved Bridegroom. The Bridegroom has acted first, reaching forth his hand, afterwards the Bride opens “I opened... but my beloved had withdrawn himself” – the Bride through all generations has sensed the nearness of Christ the Bridegroom’s return (who stands and knocks – Rev. 3 v 20) “The watchmen” – as introduced in ch. 3 v 3– who persecute / oppress the Bride. Wayward Judah / Israel described in Isa. 56 v 8-12 as ‘watchmen are blind... ignorant... loving to slumber’
21. Song 7 (chapter 5v2 to chapter 6v10) – His First Advent And Love’s Awakening 9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? 10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. 11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. 12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. 13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. 14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. 15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. 16His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. “What is thy beloved more than another beloved...?” – how would we answer this? The Bride recognises the beauty of the Bridegroom – 10 aspects: “head” royalty/tried faith “locks” Nazarite “eyes” innocence/focus“cheeks” manhood/maturity“lips” beauty/grace “hands” righteous judgment“belly” radiance/incorruption “legs” strong “countenance” beautiful/strong “speech” tasting sweet things(note: description starts at the top and generally works down) “white” – radiant, Son of God (Matt. 17 v 2, 5); “ruddy” – red (Heb. adom), Son of Man “my beloved... my friend” – we are Jesus’ friends if we do as commanded (John 15 v 14)
22. Song 7 (chapter 5v2 to chapter 6v10) – His First Advent And Love’s Awakening 6v1Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee. 2My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. 3I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies. 4Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. 5Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. 6Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them. 7As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks. 8There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. 9My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. 10Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? Repeated description of Bride in verses 5 to 9 (i.e. many of same details as ch. 4 v 1-5). This is just like the repeated description of the Tabernacle in Exodus “Tirzah” – royal city of northern Kingdom before Samaria (1 Kings 15 v 21); “Jerusalem” – ‘the city of the great King’ (Matthew 5 v 35) “terrible as an army with banners”(x2) – the multitudinous bride gloriously saved (note: Psalm 20 v 5 ‘rejoice... salvation... in the name of our God we will set up our banners’) “but one... the only one... the choice one” – there is no other one like her (Gen. 2 v 20-22)
27. Virgins (½ verse)6 v. 11-12 Bringing forth fruit for his coming 6 v. 13 The virgins call her to readiness for his coming
28. Song 8 (chapter 6v11-13) – Awaiting His Coming 11I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. 12Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. 13Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
29. Song 8 (chapter 6v11-13) – Awaiting His Coming 11I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. 12Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. 13Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies. “the garden of nuts” – generally agreed to be walnuts (Hebrew ‘oncer’ egowz, word is probably of Persian origin) “to see... to see whether the vine flourished” – a review of the signs of the times, awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (e.g. Israel’s vine surveyed, cp. Isaiah 5 v 1- 7) “the chariots of Amminadib” – NKJV ‘As the chariots of my noble people’, ESV ‘among the chariots of my kinsman, a prince’, RSV ‘in a chariot beside my prince’ (royal connection) “Return, return” – the virgins call out to the searching Bride, desiring to look upon her (calling her “O Shulamite”– the feminine form of name Solomon – only found here) “the company of two armies” – NKJV, RSV, ESV, NET each have ‘dance’ instead of company. “Two armies” = Heb. mahanaim, pointing forwards to the united Jew and Gentile host
34. Bridegroom (4 verses)7 v. 1-5 The virgins praise her for her perfect beauty 7 v. 6-9 The bridegroom praises her delightful presence
35. Song 9 (chapter 7v1-9) – The Radiant Beauty Of The Bride 7v1How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman. 2Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies. 3Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins. 4Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus. 5Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. 6How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights! 7This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. 8I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples; 9And 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.
36. Song 9 (chapter 7v1-9) – The Radiant Beauty Of The Bride 7v1How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman. 2Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies. 3Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins. 4Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus. 5Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. The virgins also recognise the beauty of the Bride – 10 aspects: “feet” “thighs” “navel” “belly” “breasts” “neck” “eyes” “nose” “head” “hair” (note: description starts at the base and works up) “feet with shoes” – shod with the preparedness that comes from the gospel of peace (Eph. 6 v 15) “navel... round... belly... an heap” – the signs of feminine beauty and fruitfulness (link with a harvest) “eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon... Bath-rabbim” – “Heshbon” = Easton: ‘intelligence’; Hitchcock: ‘invention, industry’ (note: springs, reservoirs, cisterns) “Bath-rabbim” = BDB: ‘daughter of multitudes’ “the king is held in the galleries” – final word thought to mean Strong: ‘a ringlet of hair’, hence NKJV, RSV, ESV, NET all have ‘tresses’ (rather than “galleries”)
37. Song 9 (chapter 7v1-9) – The Radiant Beauty Of The Bride 6How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights! 7This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. 8I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples; 9And 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. “the palm tree” – Heb. tamar, the date palm, from a root meaning to be erect/upright. As well as straightness is known for long period of fruitfulness (can bear fruit for in excess of 100 years, mature tree can bear upwards of 8/9 tonnes of dates during lifetime) “I will go up” – or rather as the RV has it ‘I will climb up’, the way to get to the fruit “thy breasts... clusters” (x2) – the fruitfulness associated with spiritual maturity “the smell of thy nose like apples” – RSV ‘the scent of your breath like apples’; “apples” may be NET ‘apricots’ or YLT ‘citrons’ “the best wine” – that is, the wine of the new covenant (cp. John 2 v 10 & Mark 2 v22) “causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak” – awakening those in spiritual slumber
38. Some brief conclusions A much maligned/misunderstood book, we must look beyond surface appearances We can learn from the richness of the different Hebrew words translated love (including its variant forms) In a very similar way to an exposition of Revelation we must compare scripture with scripture to uncover the meaning of passages (and symbols) Both the Bride and the Bridegroom are described in intricate detail, from which we can gain deep instruction There is intense emotion portrayed in the book, from the pain of separation to the joy of union (do we feel this?)
