1Milý můj sstoupil do zahrady své, k záhonkům věci vonných, aby pásl v zahradách, a aby zbíral lilium. 2Já jsem milého mého, a milý můj jest můj, kterýž pase mezi lilium. 3Krásná jsi, přítelkyně má, jako Tersa, pěkná jako Jeruzalém, hrozná jako vojsko s praporci. 4Odvrať oči své od patření na mne, nebo ony mne posilují. Vlasy tvé jsou jako stáda koz, kteréž vídati v Galád. 5Zubové tvoji jsou podobní stádu ovcí, když vycházejí z kupadla, z nichž každá mívá po dvém, a mezi nimiž není žádné neplodné. 6Jako kus jablka zrnatého židoviny tvé mezi kadeři tvými. 7Šedesáte jest královen, a osmdesáte ženin, a mladic bez počtu; 8Jediná jest však má holubice, má upřímá, jedinká při matce své, nepoškvrněná při své rodičce. Spatřivše ji dcery, blahoslavily ji, královny a ženiny chválily ji, řkouce: 9Která jest to, kterouž viděti jako dennici, krásná jako měsíc, čistá jako slunce, hrozná jako vojsko s praporci? 10Do zahrady vypravené sstoupila jsem, abych spatřila ovoce údolí, abych viděla, kvete-li vinný kmen, a pučí-li se jabloně zrnaté. 11Nezvěděla jsem, a žádost má ponukla mne na vůz přednějších z lidu mého. 12Navrať se, navrať, ó Sulamitská, navrať se, navrať, ať na tě patříme. Co uzříte na Sulamitské? Jako zástup vojenský.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 Historically, at Jesus Christ's crucifixion and burial, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, and others, joined with His professed disciples. By speaking of Jesus Christ, the bride does good not only to her own soul, but to others (see on
Άσμ. 1:4;
Μαλ. 3:16;
Ματθ. 5:14-
Ματθ. 5:16). Compare the hypocritical use of similar words (
Ματθ. 2:8).
2 gone down--Jerusalem was on a hill (answering to its moral elevation), and the gardens were at a little distance in the valleys below.
beds of spices--(balsam) which He Himself calls the "mountain of myrrh," &c. (
Άσμ. 4:6), and again (
Άσμ. 8:14), the resting-place of His body amidst spices, and of His soul in paradise, and now in heaven, where He stands as High Priest for ever. Nowhere else in the Song is there mention of mountains of spices.
feed in . . . gardens--that is, in the churches, though He may have withdrawn for a time from the individual believer: she implies an invitation to the daughters of Jerusalem to enter His spiritual Church, and become lilies, made white by His blood. He is gathering some lilies now to plant on earth, others to transplant into heaven (
Άσμ. 5:1;
Γέν. 5:24;
Μάρκ. 4:28-
Μάρκ. 4:29;
Πράξ. 7:60).
3 In speaking of Jesus Christ to others, she regains her own assurance. Literally, "I am for my beloved . . . for me." Reverse order from
Άσμ. 2:16. She now, after the season of darkness, grounds her convictions on His love towards her, more than on hers towards Him (
Δευτ. 33:3). There, it was the young believer concluding that she was His, from the sensible assurance that He was hers.
4 Tirzah--meaning "pleasant" (
Εβρ. 13:21); "well-pleasing" (
Ματθ. 5:14); the royal city of one of the old Canaanite kings (
Ιησ. 12:24); and after the revolt of Israel, the royal city of its kings, before Omri founded Samaria (
1Βασ. 16:8,
1Βασ. 16:15). No ground for assigning a later date than the time of Solomon to the Song, as Tirzah was even in his time the capital of the north (Israel), as Jerusalem was of the south (Judah).
Jerusalem--residence of the kings of Judah, as Tirzah, of Israel (
Ψαλ. 48:1, &c.;
Ψαλ. 122:1-
Ψαλ. 122:3;
Ψαλ. 125:1-
Ψαλ. 125:2). Loveliness, security, unity, and loyalty; also the union of Israel and Judah in the Church (
Ησ. 11:13;
Ιερ. 3:18;
Ιεζ. 37:16-
Ιεζ. 37:17,
Ιεζ. 37:22; compare
Εβρ. 12:22;
Αποκ. 21:2,
Αποκ. 21:12).
terrible--awe-inspiring. Not only armed as a city on the defensive, but as an army on the offensive.
banners--(See on
Άσμ. 5:10;
Ψαλ. 60:4); Jehovah-nissi (
2Κορ. 10:4).
5 (
Άσμ. 4:9;
Γέν. 32:28;
Έξ. 32:9-
Έξ. 32:14;
Ωσ. 12:4). This is the way "the army" (
Άσμ. 6:4) "overcomes" not only enemies, but Jesus Christ Himself, with eyes fixed on Him (
Ψαλ. 25:15;
Ματθ. 11:12). Historically,
Άσμ. 6:3-
Άσμ. 6:5, represent the restoration of Jesus Christ to His Church at the resurrection; His sending her forth as an army, with new powers (
Μάρκ. 16:15-
Μάρκ. 16:18,
Μάρκ. 16:20); His rehearsing the same instructions (see on
Άσμ. 6:6) as when with them (
Λουκ. 24:44).
overcome--literally, "have taken me by storm."
6 Not vain repetition of
Άσμ. 4:1-
Άσμ. 4:2. The use of the same words shows His love unchanged after her temporary unfaithfulness (
Μαλ. 3:6).
8 threescore--indefinite number, as in
Άσμ. 3:7. Not queens, &c., of Solomon, but witnesses of the espousals, rulers of the earth contrasted with the saints, who, though many, are but "one" bride (
Ησ. 52:15;
Λουκ. 22:25-
Λουκ. 22:26;
Ιωάν. 17:21;
1Κορ. 10:17). The one Bride is contrasted with the many wives whom Eastern kings had in violation of the marriage law (
1Βασ. 11:1-3).
9 Hollow professors, like half wives, have no part in the one bride.
only one of her mother--namely, "Jerusalem above" (
Γαλ. 4:26). The "little sister" (
Άσμ. 8:8) is not inconsistent with her being "the only one"; for that sister is one with herself (
Ιωάν. 10:16).
choice-- (
Εφεσ. 1:4;
2Θεσ. 2:13). As she exalted Him above all others (
Άσμ. 5:10), so He now her.
daughters . . . blessed her-- (
Ησ. 8:18;
Ησ. 61:9;
Ιεζ. 16:14;
2Θεσ. 1:10). So at her appearance after Pentecost (
Πράξ. 4:13;
Πράξ. 6:15;
Πράξ. 24:25;
Πράξ. 26:28).
10 The words expressing the admiration of the daughters. Historically (Acts 5:24-39).
as the morning--As yet she is not come to the fulness of her light (
Παρ. 4:18).
moon--shining in the night, by light borrowed from the sun; so the bride, in the darkness of this world, reflects the light of the Sun of righteousness (
2Κορ. 3:18).
sun--Her light of justification is perfect, for it is His (
2Κορ. 5:21;
1Ιωάν. 4:17). The moon has less light, and has only one half illuminated; so the bride's sanctification is as yet imperfect. Her future glory (
Ματθ. 13:43).
army-- (
Άσμ. 6:4). The climax requires this to be applied to the starry and angelic hosts, from which God is called Lord of Sabaoth. Her final glory (
Γέν. 15:5;
Δαν. 12:3;
Αποκ. 12:1). The Church Patriarchal, "the morning"; Levitical, "the moon"; Evangelical, "the sun"; Triumphant, "the bannered army" (
Αποκ. 19:14).
11 The bride's words; for she everywhere is the narrator, and often soliloquizes, which He never does. The first garden (
Άσμ. 2:11-
Άσμ. 2:13) was that of spring, full of flowers and grapes not yet ripe; the second, autumn, with spices (which are always connected with the person of Jesus Christ), and nothing unripe (
Άσμ. 4:13, &c.). The third here, of "nuts," from the previous autumn; the end of winter, and verge of spring; the Church in the upper room (
Πράξ. 1:13, &c.), when one dispensation was just closed, the other not yet begun; the hard shell of the old needing to be broken, and its inner sweet kernel extracted [ORIGEN] (
Λουκ. 24:27,
Λουκ. 24:32); waiting for the Holy Ghost to usher in spiritual spring. The walnut is meant, with a bitter outer husk, a hard shell, and sweet kernel. So the Word is distasteful to the careless; when awakened, the sinner finds the letter hard, until the Holy Ghost reveals the sweet inner spirit.
fruits of the Valley--MAURER translates, "the blooming products of the river," that is, the plants growing on the margin of the river flowing through the garden. She goes to watch the first sproutings of the various plants.
12 Sudden outpourings of the Spirit on Pentecost (
Πράξ. 2:1-
Πράξ. 2:13), while the Church was using the means (answering to "the garden,"
Άσμ. 6:11;
Ιωάν. 3:8).
Ammi-nadib--supposed to me one proverbial for swift driving. Similarly (
Άσμ. 1:9). Rather, "my willing people" (
Ψαλ. 110:3). A willing chariot bore a "willing people"; or Nadib is the Prince, Jesus Christ (
Ψαλ. 68:17). She is borne in a moment into His presence (
Εφεσ. 2:6).
13 Entreaty of the daughters of Jerusalem to her, in her chariot-like flight from them (compare
2Βασ. 2:12;
2Σαμ. 19:14).
Shulamite--new name applied to her now for the first time. Feminine of Solomon, Prince of Peace; His bride, daughter of peace, accepting and proclaiming it (
Ησ. 52:7;
Ιωάν. 14:27;
Ρωμ. 5:1;
Εφεσ. 2:17). Historically, this name answers to the time when, not without a divine design in it, the young Church met in Solomon's porch (
Πράξ. 3:11;
Πράξ. 5:12). The entreaty, "Return, O Shulamite," answers to the people's desire to keep Peter and John, after the lame man was healed, when they were about to enter the temple. Their reply attributing the glory not to themselves, but to Jesus Christ, answers to the bride's reply here, "What will ye see" in me? "As it were," &c. She accepts the name Shulamite, as truly describing her. But adds, that though "one" (
Άσμ. 6:9), she is nevertheless "two." Her glories are her Lord's, beaming through her (
Εφεσ. 5:31-
Εφεσ. 5:32). The two armies are the family of Jesus Christ in heaven, and that on earth, joined and one with Him; the one militant, the other triumphant. Or Jesus Christ and His ministering angels are one army, the Church the other, both being one (
Ιωάν. 17:21-
Ιωάν. 17:22). Allusion is made to Mahanaim (meaning two hosts), the scene of Jacob's victorious conflict by prayer (
Γέν. 32:2,
Γέν. 32:9,
Γέν. 32:22-
Γέν. 32:30). Though she is peace, yet she has warfare here, between flesh and spirit within and foes without; her strength, as Jacob's at Mahanaim, is Jesus Christ and His host enlisted on her side by prayer; whence she obtains those graces which raise the admiration of the daughters of Jerusalem.