
Text -- The Song of Songs 3:3 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
men - The ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church.

Wesley: Sos 3:3 - -- She does not name him, because she thought it needless, as supposing a person of such transcendent excellency could not be unknown to men in that capa...
She does not name him, because she thought it needless, as supposing a person of such transcendent excellency could not be unknown to men in that capacity. Their answer is not mentioned, either because they gave her no satisfactory answer, or because by their silence she gathered that they were unable to inform her; and being eager in the pursuit, she would not lose time.
JFB: Sos 3:3 - -- Ministers (Isa 62:6; Jer 6:17; Eze 3:17; Heb 13:17), fit persons to consult (Isa 21:11; Mal 2:7).

JFB: Sos 3:3 - -- The general ministry of the Word "finds" individually souls in quest of Jesus Christ (Gen 24:27, end of verse Act 16:14); whereas formalists remain un...
TSK -> Sos 3:3

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Sos 3:3
The city - One near the bride’ s native home, possibly Shunem.
Poole -> Sos 3:3
Poole: Sos 3:3 - -- The watchmen the ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church, who are oft called watchmen, as Isa 62:6 Eze 3:17 , and elsewhere.
That go about the...
The watchmen the ministers of Christ, and rulers of the church, who are oft called watchmen, as Isa 62:6 Eze 3:17 , and elsewhere.
That go about the city to prevent disorders and dangers by night.
Found me whilst they walked round about the city, according to their duty.
To whom I said without either fear or shame, as being transported and wholly swallowed up with love,
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? she doth not name him, because she thought it needless, as supposing that a person of such transcendent excellency could not be unknown to men in that public capacity. Their answer is not mentioned, either because they gave her no answer, at least no satisfactory answer, or because by their silence she gathered that they were unable or unwilling to inform her; and being eager in the pursuit of her Beloved, she would not lose time in impertinent discourses with them.
Haydock -> Sos 3:3
Haydock: Sos 3:3 - -- City. To prevent fires, &c. God will require the souls of the flock at the hands of his pastors.
City. To prevent fires, &c. God will require the souls of the flock at the hands of his pastors.
Gill -> Sos 3:3
Gill: Sos 3:3 - -- The watchmen that go about the city found me,.... By whom are meant the ministers of the Gospel; who are called watchmen, as the prophets were under t...
The watchmen that go about the city found me,.... By whom are meant the ministers of the Gospel; who are called watchmen, as the prophets were under the Old Testament, Isa 52:8; in allusion to watchmen in cities; and are so called in regard to themselves, it being their duty to watch over themselves; and to their doctrine, and all opportunities to preach it, and the success of it: their business with respect to others is to give the time of night; to point out the state and condition of the church; to give notice of danger to sinners in the broad road to destruction; and to saints, through the prevalence of error, heresy, and immorality; all which require sobriety, vigilance, prudence, courage, and faithfulness; and show the necessity and utility of the Gospel ministry, and the awfulness of it; and the care Christ takes of his churches, in providing such officers in them. These are said to "go about the city", denoting their industry and diligence; and being in the way of their duty, they "found" the church, fell upon her case in their ministry, and hit it exactly; which shows the efficacy of the word under a divine direction; which finds out sinners, and their sins; saints, and their particular cases, unknown to ministers; and the church, having met with something suitable to her case under their ministry,
to whom I said, took an opportunity privately to discourse with them, and put this question to them,
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? meaning Christ; who was still the object of her love, and uppermost in her thoughts; whom she thus describes, without mentioning his name, as if he was the only "Him" in the world worthy of any regard; which shows how much he was in her mind, how much the desires and affections of her soul were towards him, and that these ministers needed no other description of him. No answer is returned to her question that is recorded; not because they were not able to give one, nor because they did not; and if they did not, it might be owing to her haste, not waiting for one; and if they did, she not being able to apply it to her case, no notice is taken of it: however, though she did not find immediate relief by them, yet she met with something from them that was of use to her afterwards, as appears by what follows.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes: Sos 3:3 Heb “the one whom my soul loves – have you seen [him]?” The normal Hebrew word-order (verb-subject-direct object) is reversed in 3:3...
Geneva Bible -> Sos 3:3
Geneva Bible: Sos 3:3 The ( c ) watchmen that go about the city found me: [to whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
( c ) Which declares that we must seek to all o...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Sos 3:1-11
TSK Synopsis: Sos 3:1-11 - --1 The church's fight and victory in temptation.6 The church glories in Christ.
MHCC -> Sos 3:1-5
MHCC: Sos 3:1-5 - --It was hard to the Old Testament church to find Christ in the ceremonial law; the watchmen of that church gave little assistance to those who sought a...
Matthew Henry -> Sos 3:1-5
Matthew Henry: Sos 3:1-5 - -- God is not wont to say to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain; and yet here we have the spouse for a great while seeking her beloved in vain, b...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Sos 3:3
Keil-Delitzsch: Sos 3:3 - --
Shulamith now relates what she further experienced when, impelled by love-sorrow, she wandered through the city:
3 The watchmen who go about in the...
Constable: Sos 1:2--3:6 - --II. THE COURTSHIP 1:2--3:5
Perhaps the outstanding characteristic of this first major section of the book is the...

Constable: Sos 3:1-5 - --3. The pain of separation 3:1-5
Another incident unfolds in this pericope (vv. 1-4) and conclude...
