The Beloved Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes. Song of Solomon 1:15
These early chapters are filled with delicate and beautiful images that convey the wonder of developing love.
1:1 Like the superlative expressions “holy of holies” or “king of kings,” song of songs means “the loveliest of songs.” Which is Solomon’s: There are two principal speakers in this book, the woman (the Shulamite) and the man (Solomon). Even though Solomon wrote this book, interestingly enough the point of view presented is largely that of his bride.
1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
1:7 you whom I love: A more literal rendering might be, “whom my soul (my inner being) loves.” Hee the young woman mentally addresses Solomon, her husband. She pictures him as the shepherd of Israel. One who veils herself: Solomon, as king, was busy with affairs of state. The young bride does not want to veil herself as a prostitute would in order to get his attention, nor does she want to be left alone. She desires to be his true companion.
7 (To Her Beloved) Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself [6] By the flocks of your companions?
1:9 Here is yet another term for love in the book, the rarer word meaning “dear companion.” My filly: In Solomon’s time the horse was the companion of kings. Solomon loved horses, particularly those from Egypt. Eventually he had a stable of 12,000 horses with 1,400 chariots (1 Kin. 10:25).
9 I have compared you, my love, To my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots.
1:11 ornaments: These are kind words from the women of the court. Their kindness is remarkable, since each of these women may have hoped to be chosen by the king (as v. 3 indicates).
11 The Daughters of Jerusalem We will make you [7] ornaments of gold With studs of silver.
1:12 his table: That is, the setting of the wedding banquet.
12 The Shulamite While the king is at his table, My spikenard sends forth its fragrance.
1:13, 14 This verse refers to an oriental custom for a woman to wear a small bag of myrrh, a perfumed ointment, around her neck at night. All the next day a lovely fragrance would linger about her. The youg woman says that beginning that night, it would be her husband who would lie with her. My beloved: Here the noun beloved is related to the word translated “love” in v. 2, referring to sexual love. En Gedi” David, Solomon’s father, had found refreshment and protection from the vindictive king Saul in this oasis on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea (1 Sam 24).
13 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, That lies all night between my breasts. 14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms In the vineyards of En Gedi.
1:15 Behold, you are fair: The word fair means “beautiful.” My love: This term is used for the first time in the book; it means “dear friend.” Dove’s eyes: The idea is purity, innocence and beauty.
15 The Beloved Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes.
1:17 beams of our houses are cedar: House may mean “grand house” or “mansion.” As the Shulamite lies on their wedding bed, she observes the marvelous cedar beams above her head. The opulence of Solomon’s personal and public buildings in Jerusalem is well documented.
17 The beams of our houses are cedar, And our rafters of fir.
** Love is extravagant. Love does not calculate. Efficiency has nothing to do with it. Love considers the lover first as Solomon did by speaking for her. Love, like diamond, that does not change and last forever is the object of desire God planted in our hearts. People considered to be of lower class by the world who work with their hands and keep themselves pure will be chosen to enjoy that bliss in the end.
1 1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 The Shulamite Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth– For your [1] love is better than wine. 3 Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you. 4 Draw me away! The Daughters of Jerusalem We will run after you. [2] The Shulamite The king has brought me into his chambers. The Daughters of Jerusalem We will be glad and rejoice in you. [3] We will remember your [2] love more than wine. The Shulamite Rightly do they love you. [3] 5 I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. 6 Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.
7 (To Her Beloved) Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself [6] By the flocks of your companions? 8 The Beloved If you do not know, O fairest among women, Follow in the footsteps of the flock, And feed your little goats Beside the shepherds’ tents.
The Bride and the Bridegroom
9 I have compared you, my love, To my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots. 10 Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with chains of gold. 11 The Daughters of Jerusalem We will make you [7] ornaments of gold With studs of silver.
12 The Shulamite While the king is at his table, My spikenard sends forth its fragrance. 13 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, That lies all night between my breasts. 14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms In the vineyards of En Gedi. 15 The Beloved Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes. 16 The Shulamite Behold, you are handsome, my beloved! Yes, pleasant! Also our bed is green. 17 The beams of our houses are cedar, And our rafters of fir.
