Advanced Commentary

(ex.: John 3:14-18)

Table of Contents Bible Dictionary
Hymns
Arts
Questions
Resources/Books

Context
5:1 The Lover to His Beloved: I have entered <0935> my garden <01588>, O my sister <0269>, my bride <03618>; I have gathered <0717> my myrrh <04753> with <05973> my balsam spice <01314>. I have eaten <0398> my honeycomb <03293> and my honey <01706>; I have drunk <08354> my wine <03196> and my milk <02461>! The Poet to the Couple: Eat <0398>, friends <07453>, and drink <08354>! Drink freely <07937>, O lovers <01730>! 5:2 The Beloved about Her Lover: I <0589> was asleep <03462>, but my mind <03820> was dreaming <05782>. Listen <06963>! My lover <01730> is knocking <01849> at the door! The Lover to His Beloved: “Open <06605> for me, my sister <0269>, my darling <07474>, my dove <03123>, my flawless <08535> one! My head <07218> is drenched <04390> with dew <02919>, my hair <06977> with the dampness <07447> of the night <03915>.” 5:3 The Beloved to Her Lover: “I have already <0349> taken off <06584> my robe <03801>– must I put <03847> it on <03847> again? I have already <0349> washed <07364> my feet <07272>– must I soil <02936> them again?” 5:4 My lover <01730> thrust <07971> his hand <03027> through <04480> the hole <02356>, and my feelings <04578> were stirred <01993> for <05921> him. 5:5 I <0589> arose <06965> to open <06605> for my beloved <01730>; my hands <03027> dripped <05197> with myrrh <04753>– my fingers <0676> flowed <05674> with myrrh <04753> on <05921> the handles <03709> of the lock <04514>. 5:6 I <0589> opened <06605> for my beloved <01730>, but my lover <01730> had already turned <02559> and gone away <05674>. I <05315> fell <03318> into despair when he departed <01696>. I looked for <01245> him but did not <03808> find <04672> him; I called <07121> him but he did not <03808> answer <06030> me. 5:7 The watchmen <08104> found <04672> me as they made <05437> their rounds <05437> in the city <05892>. They beat <05221> me, they bruised <06481> me; they took away <05375> my cloak <07289>, those watchmen <08104> on <05921> the walls <02346>! 5:8 The Beloved to the Maidens: O maidens <01323> of Jerusalem <03389>, I command <07650> you– If <0518> you find <04672> my beloved <01730>, what <04100> will you tell <05046> him? Tell him that I <0589> am lovesick <0160> <02470>! 5:9 The Maidens to The Beloved: Why <04100> is your beloved <01730> better than others <01730>, O most beautiful <03303> of women <0802>? Why <04100> is your beloved <01730> better than others <01730>, that you would command <07650> us in this <03602> manner? 5:10 The Beloved to the Maidens: My beloved <01730> is dazzling <06703> and ruddy <0122>; he stands out <01713> in comparison to all other <07233> men. 5:11 His head <07218> is like the most pure gold <06337> <03800>. His hair <06977> is curly <08534>– black <07838> like a raven <06158>. 5:12 His eyes <05869> are like doves <03123> by <05921> streams <0650> of water <04325>, washed <07364> in milk <02461>, mounted <03427> like <05921> jewels <04402>. 5:13 His cheeks <03895> are like garden beds <06170> full of balsam trees <01314> yielding perfume <04840>. His lips <08193> are like lilies <07799> dripping <05674> with drops <05197> of myrrh <04753>. 5:14 His arms <03027> are like rods <01550> of gold <02091> set <04390> with chrysolite <08658>. His abdomen <04578> is like polished <06247> ivory <08127> inlaid <05968> with sapphires <05601>.

• Sos 5:2-7 -- The Trials of Love: The Beloved's Dream of Losing Her Lover
• Sos 5:8-16 -- The Triumph of Love: The Beloved Praises Her Lover

• LOCKS

  [isbe] LOCKS - loks ((1) tsitsith, (2) pera'; (3) machlaphah, (4) qewutstsah): See in general the article on HAIR. (1) The first word, tsitsith, means really a tassel, such as is worn by the Jews on the four corners of the prayer-s...
  

• 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:...
  

• FIT, FITLY

  [isbe] FIT, FITLY - fit'-li: The word "fit" (adjective and verb) occurs a few times, representing nearly as many Hebrew and Greek words. the Revised Version (British and American) frequently alters, as in Lev 16:21 (`itti, "timely,...
  

• FINE

  [isbe] FINE - fin (adj., from Latin finire, "to finish"): Indicates superior quality. Only in a few instances does "fine" represent a separate word: (1) Tobh, "good," qualifies gold (2 Ch 3:5,8, "fine gold"; compare Gen 2:12, "good...
  

• DROP, DROPPING

  [isbe] DROP, DROPPING - "To drop" expresses a "distilling" or "dripping" of a fluid (Jdg 5:4; Prov 3:20; Song 5:5,13; Joel 3:18; Am 9:13; compare 1 Sam 14:26, "the honey dropped" (margin "a stream of honey")); Job 29:22 and Isa 45:...
  

• DRESS

  [isbe] DRESS - In the Hebrew and Greek there is a wonderful wealth of terminology having to do with the general subject of dress among the ancient Orientals. This is reflected in the numerous synonyms for "dress" to be found in Eng...
  [smith] This subject includes the following particulars: Materials; Color and decoration; Name, form, and mode of wearing the various articles; Special usages relating thereto. Materials .--After the first "apron" of fig leaves, (Ge...
  

• DOVE

  [isbe] DOVE - duv (tor, yonah; peristera; Latin Zenaedura carolinensis): A bird of the family Columbidae. Doves and pigeons are so closely related as to be spoken and written of as synonymous, yet there is a distinction recognized ...
  

• DEW

  [isbe] DEW - du (Tal; drosos). 1. Formation of Dew: Two things are necessary for the formation of dew, moisture and cold. In moist countries there is less dew because the change in temperature between day and night is too small. In...
  

• DEFILE; DEFILEMENT

  [isbe] DEFILE; DEFILEMENT - de-fil', de-fil'-ment (Anglo-Saxon, afylau, etc.; Middle English, defoulen, "make foul," "pollute," render (the King James Version) 9 Hebrew roots (the Revised Version (British and American) six): ga`al,...
  

• COLOR; COLORS

  [isbe] COLOR; COLORS - kul'-er, kul'-erz: The word translated "color" in the King James Version is `ayin, which literally means "eye" or "appearance," and has been so translated in the Revised Version (British and American). In the...
  

• CHIEF

  [isbe] CHIEF - chef: The English word is in the King James Version of Old Testament the translation of some 17 different Hebrew words, most frequently of ro'sh, "head," sar, "prince," and re'shith, "beginning." The principal change...
  

• CHEEK; CHEEKBONE

  [isbe] CHEEK; CHEEKBONE - chek, chek'-bon: (1) lechi; siagon, "the jaw," "jaw-bone," "side of the face." The Hebrew word denotes originally freshness and rounded softness of the cheek, a sign of beauty in youth and maiden (Song 1:1...
  

• BUSHY

  [isbe] BUSHY - boosh'-i: Found in Song 5:11 as the translation of taltal, meaning trailing, pendulous (Septuagint elatai, literally "ductile"); the Revised Version, margin reads "curly."
  

• BOLT

  [isbe] BOLT - bolt (na`al, "to bind up"): The ancient Hebrews had fastenings of wood or iron for the doors of houses (2 Sam 13:17,18; Song 5:5), city gates (Neh 3:3,6,13-15), prison doors, etc. (Isa 45:2), which were in the form of...
  

• BODY

  [isbe] BODY - bod'-i: I. PHILOLOGICAL: Generally speaking, the Old Testament language employs no fixed term for the human body as an entire organism in exact opposition to "soul" or "spirit." Various terms were employed, each of wh...
  

• BEARD

  [isbe] BEARD - berd: (1) Western Semites in general, according to the monuments, wore full round beards, to which they evidently devoted great care. The nomads of the desert, in distinction from the settled Semites, wore a clipped ...
  

• BATH; BATHING

  [isbe] BATH; BATHING - bath, bath'-ing. 1. Ordinary Bathing: Bathing in the ordinary, non-religious sense, public or private, is rarely met with in the Scriptures. We find, however, three exceptional and interesting cases: (1) that...
  

• BANK

  [isbe] BANK - bank: (1) (saphah, "lip," "edge"): "By the bank of the Jordan" (2 Ki 2:13); "Upon the bank of the river were very many trees" (Ezek 47:7,12). (2) (gadhah, "cuttings"): Always of banks overflowed (Josh 3:15; 4:18; Isa ...
  

• BALSAM

  [isbe] BALSAM - bol'-sam (basam, besem; hedusmata; thumiamata): Is usually "spices" but in the Revised Version, margin (Song 5:1,13; 6:2) is rendered as "balsam." It was an ingredient in the anointing oil of the priests (Ex 25:6; 3...
  

• ADJURATION

  [isbe] ADJURATION - ad-ju-ra'-shun: The act of requiring or taking a solemn oath. In a time of military peril Saul adjured the people ('alah, "to take oath") and they took oath by saying "Amen" (1 Sam 14:24). When Joshua pronounced...
  

• Song of Songs

  

• [Sos 5:9] Wond’ring World Inquires To Know, The

  The wond’ring world inquires to know Why I should love my Jesus so: “What are His charms,” say they, “above The objects of a mortal love?” Yes! my Belovèd, to my sight Shows a sweet mixture, red and white: All human beauties, all divine, In my Belovèd meet and shine. White is His soul, from blemish free; Red with the blood He shed for me; The fairest of ten thousand fairs; A sun among ten thousand stars. His head the finest gold excels; There wisdom in perfection dwells, And glory like a crown adorns Those temples once beset with thorns. Compassions in His heart are found, Hard by the signals of His wound: His sacred side no more shall bear The cruel scourge, the piercing spear. His hands are fairer to behold Than diamonds set in rings of gold; Those heav’nly hands, that on the tree Were nailed, and torn, and bled for me! Though once He bowed His feeble knees, Loaded with sins and agonies, Now on the throne of His command His legs like marble pillars stand. His eyes are majesty and love, The eagle tempered with the dove; No more shall trickling sorrows roll Through those dear windows of His soul. His mouth, that poured out long complaints, Now smiles and cheers His fainting saints; His countenance more graceful is Than Lebanon with all its trees. All over glorious is my Lord; Must be beloved, and yet adored; His worth if all the the nations knew, Sure the whole earth would love Him, too.

  Play

  source: Cyberhymnal

• [Sos 5:10] Savior Comes, No Outward Pomp, The

  The Saviour comes, no outward pomp, Bespeaks His presence nigh; No earthly beauty shines in Him, To draw the carnal eye. Refrain All beauty may we ever see, In God’s belovèd Son, The chiefest of ten thousand He, The only lovely One! Rejected and despised of men, Behold a man of woe! Grief was His close companion here, Through all His life below. Refrain Yet all the griefs He felt were ours, Ours were the woes He bore; Pangs not His own, His spotless soul, With bitter anguish tore. Refrain We all like sheep had gone astray, In ruin’s fatal road; On Him were our transgressions laid; He bore the mighty load. Refrain

  Play

  source: Cyberhymnal

• Where did the idea that Jesus is the Rose of Sharon come from?
  This may have developed from those who see the Song of Solomon as a picture of Christ and the church, though this is certainly not the primary purpose of this book and is really a strong typological use the book. Below are co...

Back to Commentary Page