Advanced Commentary
Texts -- The Song of Songs 4:1-14 (NET)
Pericope
NET
- Sos 4:1-7 -- The Wedding Night: Praise of the Bride
- Sos 4:8-11 -- The Wedding Night: Beautiful as Lebanon
- Sos 4:12--5:1 -- The Wedding Night: The Delightful Garden
Bible Dictionary
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Personification
[nave] PERSONIFICATION Of wisdom, Prov. 1; 2:1-9; 8; 9. possibly of the Church or Israel, Song 1-8.
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Fellowship
[nave] FELLOWSHIP. Eccl. 4:9-12; Amos 3:3 See: Fraternity; Fellowship. With God Gen. 5:22, 24; Gen. 6:9; Ex. 29:45; Ex. 33:14-17; Lev. 26:12; Isa. 57:15; Zech. 2:10; Mark 9:37; John 14:23; John 17:21, 23; 2 Cor. 6:16; 2 Cor. 13:...
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Song
[nave] SONG Sung at the passover, Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26. Didactic, Deut. 32. See: Psalms, Didactic. Impersonation of the church, Song 1-8. Of Moses and the Lamb, Rev. 15:3, 4. New, Psa. 33:3; 40:3. Prophetic, See: Psalms, P...
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Bridegroom
[nave] BRIDEGROOM Ornaments of, Isa. 61:10. Exempt from military duty, Deut. 24:5. Companions of, Judg. 14:11. Joy with, Matt. 9:14; Mark 2:19, 20; Luke 5:34, 35. Parable of, Matt. 25:1-13. Song of, Song 4:7-16. Figurative E...
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Spikenard
[isbe] SPIKENARD - spik'-nard (nerd; nardos (Song 1:12; 4:14); neradhim; nardoi (Song 4:13), "spikenard plants"; nardos pistike (Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3), "pure nard," margin "liquid nard"; the English word is for "spiked nard," which com...
[smith] (Heb. nerd) is mentioned twice in the Old Testament viz. in (Solomon 1:12; 4:13,14) The ointment with which our Lord was anointed as he sat at meat in Simon?s house at Bethany consisted of this precious substance, the costlin...
[nave] SPIKENARD An aromatic plant, Song 4:13, 14. Perfume prepared from, Song 1:12. A fragrant oil from, used in anointing, Mark 14:3; John 12:3.
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Myrrh
[isbe] MYRRH - mur: (1) (mor or mowr; Arabic murr]): This substance is mentioned as valuable for its perfume (Ps 45:8; Prov 7:17; Song 3:6; 4:14), and as one of the constituents of the holy incense (Ex 30:23; see also Song 4:6; 5:1...
[nave] MYRRH, a fragrant gum. A product of the land of Canaan, Song 4:6, 14; 5:1. One of the compounds in the sacred anointing oil, Ex. 30:23. Used as a perfume, Esth. 2:12; Psa. 45:8; Prov. 7:17; Song 3:6; 5:13. Brought by wise ...
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PALESTINE, 3
[isbe] PALESTINE, 3 - IV. Palestine in the Poetic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Job: In Job the scene is distinctively Edomite. Uz (Job 1:1; compare Gen 22:21 the English Revised Version; Jer 25:20; Lam 4:21) and Buz (Job ...
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GARDEN
[isbe] GARDEN - gar'-d'-n (gan, gannah, ginnah; kepos): The Arabic jannah (diminutive, jannainah), like the Hebrew gannah, literally, "a covered or hidden place," denotes in the mind of the dweller in the East something more than t...
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Amana
[isbe] AMANA - a-ma'-na, ('amanah): A mountain mentioned in Song 4:8 along with Lebanon, Senir and Hermon. The name probably means the "firm," or "constant." "From the top of Amana" is mistranslated by the Septuagint apo arches pis...
[smith] (a covenant), apparently a mountain in or near Lebanon. (Solomon 4:8) It is commonly assumed that this is the mountain in which the river Abana, (2Â Kings 5:12) has its source.
[nave] AMANA, a mountain mentioned in Song 4:8.
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HAIR
[isbe] HAIR - har (se`ar, sa`ar, Aramaic se`ar, and their derivatives; thrix, gen. case trichos, kome): 1. Hair Fashions: Hair was worn in different fashions by the Orientals of Biblical times, and not always in the same way among ...
[smith] The Hebrews were fully alive to the importance of the hair as an element of personal beauty. Long hair was admired in the case of young men. (2Â Samuel 14:26) In times of affliction the hair was altogether cut off. (Isaiah ...
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Leopard
[isbe] LEOPARD - lep'-erd ((1) namer (Song 4:8; Isa 11:6; Jer 5:6; 13:23; Hos 13:7; Hab 1:8); compare Arabic nimr, "leopard." (2) Chaldaic nemar (Dan 7:6). (3) pardalis (Rev 13:2; Ecclesiasticus 28:23); compare nimrim Nimrim (Isa 1...
[smith] (Heb. namer) is invariably given by the Authorized Version as the translation of the Hebrew word, which occurs in the seven following passages: (Solomon 4:8; Isaiah 11:6; Jeremiah 5:6; 13:23; Daniel 7:6; Hosea 13:7); Habb 1:8...
[nave] LEOPARD A carnivorous animal, Song 4:8. Fierceness of, Jer. 5:6; 13:23; Hos. 13:7; Hab. 1:8. Figurative Dan. 7:6. Taming of, the triumph of the gospel, Isa. 11:6.
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VEIL
[smith] With regard to the use of the veil, it is important to observe that it was by no means so general in ancient as in modern times. Much of the scrupulousness in respect of the use of the veil dates from the promulgation of the ...
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MARRIAGE
[smith] Its origin and history . --The institution of marriage dates from the time of man?s original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied i...
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Shenir
[isbe] SHENIR - she'-ner (senir, shenir): Only found in Song 4:8 (Massoretic Text). See SENIR.
[nave] SHENIR, called also Senir. Amorite name of Mount Hermon, Deut. 3:9; 1 Chr. 5:23; Song 4:8; Ezek. 27:5.
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VEIL (1)
[isbe] VEIL (1) - val: The following words are so translated in English Versions of the Bible (sometimes the King James Version vail): (1) miTpachath, Ruth 3:15 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "ma...
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SAFFRON
[isbe] SAFFRON - saf'-run (karkom; krokos): Identical with the Arabic kurqum, the same as za`faran, "saffron." The source of the true saffron is Crocus sativus (Natural Order, Indaceae), a plant cultivated in Palestine; there are 8...
[smith] (yellow). (Solomon 4:14) Saffron has front the earliest times been in high esteem as a perfume. "It was used," says Rosenmuller, "for the same purposes as the modern pot-pourri." The word saffron is derived from the Arabic za...
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POMEGRANATE
[isbe] POMEGRANATE - pom'-gran-at, pom-gran'-at, pum'-gran-at (rimmon (tree and fruit); the Hebrew name is similar to the Arabic, Aramaic and Ethiopic; rhoa): 1. A Tree Characteristic of Palestine: One of the most attractive and mo...
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Camphire
[smith] There can be no doubt that "camphire" is the Lawsonia alba of botanists, the henna of Arabian naturalists. The henna plant grows in Egypt, Syria, Arabia and northern India. The flowers are white and grow in clusters, and are ...
[nave] CAMPHIRE, a shrub bearing fragrant flowers, not related to camphor, Song 1:14; 4:13.
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Honey
[isbe] HONEY - hun'-i (debhash; meli): One familiar with life in Palestine will recognize in debhash the Arabic dibs, which is the usual term for a sweet syrup made by boiling down the juice of grapes, raisins, carob beans, or date...
[nave] HONEY. Ex. 16:31; 2 Sam. 17:29; Prov. 25:27; Song 4:11; Isa. 7:15; Matt. 3:4; Luke 24:42. Not to be offered with sacrifices, Lev. 2:11. Found in rocks, Deut. 32:13; Psa. 81:16; upon the ground, 1 Sam. 14:25. Samson's rid...
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LILY
[isbe] LILY - lil'-i (shushan (1 Ki 7:19), shoshannah (2 Ch 4:5; Song 2:1 f; Hos 14:5); plural (Song 2:16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2 f; 7:2; Ecclesiasticus 39:14; 50:8); krinon (Mt 6:28; Lk 12:27)): The Hebrew is probably a loan word from the...
[smith] (Heb. shushan, shoshannah). Although there is little doubt that the Hebrew word denotes some plant of the lily species, it is by no means certain what individual of this class it specially designates. The plant must have been...
Arts
Resources/Books
Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)
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45:1 The psalmist claimed to be full of joy and inspiration as he composed this song. He said what he did out of a full heart.45:2 To him the king was the greatest man he knew. One evidence of this was his gracious speech for...
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Many references to Solomon throughout the book confirm the claim of 1:1 that Solomon wrote this book (cf. 1:4-5, 12; 3:7, 9, 11; 6:12; 7:5; 8:11-12; 1 Kings 4:33). He reigned between 971 and 931 B.C.How could Solomon, who had...
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I. The superscription 1:1II. The courtship 1:2-3:5A. The beginning of love 1:2-111. Longing for the boyfriend 1:2-42. The girl's insecurity 1:5-83. Solomon's praise 1:9-11B. The growth of love 1:12-3:51. Mutual admiration 1:1...
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Perhaps the outstanding characteristic of this first major section of the book is the sexual restraint that is evident during the courtship. This restraint contrasts with the sexual intimacy that characterizes the lovers afte...
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Whereas the setting so far had been Israel, it now shifts to the Shulammite's home that was evidently in Lebanon (cf. 4:8, 15).2:8-9 The girl described her young lover coming for a visit in these verses. He was obviously eage...
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Weddings in Israel took place before the local town elders rather than before the priests (e.g., Ruth 4:10-11). They transpired in homes rather than in the tabernacle or temple (or synagogue later). They were civil rather tha...
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His bride's beauty ravished Solomon. His praise in verses 1 and 7 frames his description of her in verses 1-6.4:1 Women in Solomon's culture did not always wear a veil. Before their wedding they put one on and did not take it...
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In these verses Solomon evidently praised his bride for giving herself wholly to him as he had asked.4:9 "Sister"was evidently an affectionate term for wife (cf. vv. 10, 12; 5:1-2; Tobit 7:16; 8:4, 7).4:10 Again the word tran...
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4:12 Solomon praised his bride's virginity also. She had kept herself a virgin for the man she would marry.4:13-14 She was like a garden full of beautiful and pleasing plants that was now open to Solomon.68These spices, fruit...
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4:16 The Shulammite invited Solomon to take her completely. She called on the winds to carry the scents to which Solomon had referred so he would find full satisfaction (cf. vv. 13-14).5:1 Solomon exulted in the joy that unio...
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5:2 Again the woman dreamed (cf. 3:1-4). In her dream her husband came to her having been out of doors in the evening. His mind appears to have been on making love in view of what follows.5:3-4 However she had lost interest. ...
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This section that provides a window into the intimate relationship of Solomon and his wife shows how their love had matured since their wedding (cf. 4:1-11).
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6:16 Yahweh commanded the Judahites to compare the paths in which they could walk. Then they should ask their leaders to direct them in the good old paths, the teachings of the Mosaic Covenant. Then they should walk in those ...
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14:4 When Israel repented, the Lord promised to heal the apostasy of the Israelites that had become a fatal sickness for them (cf. 6:1). He also promised to bestow His love on them generously because then He would no longer b...