the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New King James Version
Song of Solomon 6:13
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Young Women of Jerusalem
Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam. Come back, come back, that we may see you again.Young Man
Why do you stare at this young woman of Shulam, as she moves so gracefully between two lines of dancers?Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look at you. Why will you look at the Shulammite, As on the dance of Mahanaim?
Come back, come back, woman of Shulam. Come back, come back, so we may look at you! Why do you want to look at the woman of Shulam as you would at the dance of two armies?
The Lover to His Beloved:
Turn, turn, O Perfect One! Turn, turn, that I may stare at you!The Beloved to Her Lover:
Why do you gaze upon the Perfect One like the dance of the Mahanaim?Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of Mahanaim?
"Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may gaze at you." (The Bridegroom) "Why should you gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two armies?
Others
Return, return, O Shulammite, return, return, that we may look upon you.He
Why should you look upon the Shulammite, as upon a dance before two armies?Turne ayen, turne ayen, thou Sunamyte; turne ayen, turne ayen, that we biholde thee. What schalt thou se in the Sunamyte, no but cumpenyes of oostis?
Return, return, O Shulammite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, as upon the dance of Mahanaim?
Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you. Why do you look at the Shulammite, as on the dance of Mahanaim?
Their Friends Speak: Dance! Dance! Beautiful woman from Shulam, let us see you dance! She Speaks: Why do you want to see this woman from Shulam dancing with the others?
Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, As upon the dance of Mahanaim?
Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, so that our eyes may see you. What will you see in the Shulammite? A sword-dance.
[Chorus] Where has your darling gone, you most beautiful of women? Which way did your darling turn, so that we can help you find him?
[She]
My darling went down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens and to gather lilies. I belong to the man I love, and he belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies.[He]
You are as beautiful as Tirtzah, my love, as lovely as Yerushalayim, but formidable as an army marching under banners. Turn your eyes away from me, because they overwhelm me! Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Gil‘ad. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep that have just come up from being washed; each of them is matched, and none of them is missing. Your cheeks are like a pomegranate split open behind your veil. There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, as well as young women beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, her mother's only child, the darling of the one who bore her. The daughters see her and call her happy; the queens and concubines praise her. "Who is this, shining forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun" — but formidable as an army marching under banners?[She]
I had gone down to the nut orchard to see the fresh green plants in the valley, to see if the vine had budded, or if the pomegranate trees were in bloom. Before I knew it, I found myself in a chariot, and with me was a prince.Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee.—What would ye look upon in the Shulamite?—As it were the dance of two camps.
Come back, come back, Shulamith! Come back, come back, so we may look at you. Why are you staring at Shulamith, as she dances the Mahanaim dance?
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="sol.6.1" class="versetxt"> 'Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? Whither hath thy beloved turned him, that we may seek him with thee?' 'My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, that feedeth among the lilies.' Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that trail down from Gilead. Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes, which are come up from the washing; whereof all are paired, and none faileth among them. Thy temples are like a pomegranate split open behind thy veil. There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and maidens without number. My dove, my undefiled, is but one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her happy; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. Who is she that looketh forth as the dawn, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners? I went down into the garden of nuts, to look at the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower. Before I was aware, my soul set me upon the chariots of my princely people.
Returne, returne, O Shulamite; returne, returne, that we may looke vpon thee: what will yee see in the Shulamite? as it were the company of two armies.
"Return, return, O Shulammite! Return, return, that we may look upon you!" "Why should you look upon the Shulammite, as upon a dance in front of two armies?"
Return, return, O Shulammite! Return, return, that we may look upon you. Why should you look upon the Shulammite, as upon a dance before two armies?
Returne, returne, O Shulamite, returne: returne that we may behold thee. What shal you see in the Shulamite, but as the company of an armie?
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon you. What will you see in the Shulamite, who comes down joyfully, like the rejoicing of a host?
The Women
Dance, dance, girl of Shulam. Let us watch you as you dance.The Woman
Why do you want to watch me as I dance between the rows of onlookers?THEYReturn, return, O Shulamite, Return, return, that we may look on thee! SHEWhat would ye look on in the Shulamite? THEYAs it were the dance of a double camp…
(6-12) Return, return, O Sulamitess: return, return that we may behold thee.
Return, return, O Shu'lammite, return, return, that we may look upon you. Why should you look upon the Shu'lammite, as upon a dance before two armies?
Turne agayne turne agayne O thou perfect one, turne agayne turne agayne and we wyll loke vpon thee: What will ye see in the Sulamite? She is lyke men of warre singing in a companie.
Come back, come back, Shulammite!Come back, come back, that we may look at you!
Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of Machanayim?
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
Turn, turn, O Shulammite! Turn, turn so that we may look upon you! Why do you look upon the Shulammite as at a dance of the two armies?
Return, return, O Shulamite! Return, return, that we may gaze upon you. What will you see in the Shulamite? As it were the dance of two army camps.
Return, return, O Shulammith! Return, return, and we look upon thee. What do ye see in Shulammith?
Turne againe, turne againe (O thou Sulamite) turne agayne, turne agayne, that we maye loke vpon the. What pleasure haue ye more in ye Sulamite, than when she daunseth amonge the men of warre?
Dance, dance, dear Shulammite, Angel-Princess! Dance, and we'll feast our eyes on your grace! Everyone wants to see the Shulammite dance her victory dances of love and peace.
"Come back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, so that we may look at you!" The Groom "Why should you look at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two armies?
"Come back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you!" "Why should you gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two companies?
"Come back, come back, O Shulammite;Come back, come back, that we may behold you!""Why should you behold the Shulammite,As at the dance of the two companies?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
return: Song of Solomon 2:14, Jeremiah 3:12-14, Jeremiah 3:22, Hosea 14:1-4
What: Song of Solomon 1:6, Luke 7:44, Luke 15:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:10
Shulamite: Genesis 49:10, Psalms 76:2, Isaiah 8:6, John 9:7, Hebrews 7:2
As: John 10:16, Romans 3:29, Ephesians 2:14-17
two armies: or, Mahanaim, Genesis 32:2, Romans 7:23, Galatians 5:17, Ephesians 6:10-19
Reciprocal: Psalms 45:14 - virgins
Cross-References
Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.
"Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return,.... By whom the church is meant, so called from her being the spouse of Christ, the true Solomon; it being common for the wife to have the same name with her husband; thus, with the Romans, if the man's name was Caius, the woman's name was Caia: is the name of Christ Solomon? the church's name is Shulamite; see Jeremiah 23:6. The word from which this is derived signifies both perfection and peace; and the church may be called the Shulamite from her perfection, not in herself, but in Christ, in whom she is complete, and perfectly comely through his righteousness; and is also denominated from the peace which she has from Christ, and he has made for her through his blood, and he gives unto her by his Spirit; and from what she does or should enjoy in her members, and from what she will be possessed of to all eternity. Now the church, the Shulamite, is very importunately desired by the daughters of Jerusalem to return; which is said no less than four times, which shows how vehemently desirous they were of her company: and perceiving she was about to go from them, most earnestly press her to return, or to "turn" b; to turn herself, that her beauty and comeliness might be more plainly seen; for this is the end proposed by them,
that we may look upon thee; that they might still have more opportunity of viewing her, and more narrowly to examine her beauty, for which she was so much commended; and that they might enjoy more of her company and conversation, which had been, and they might hope would be, more useful and instructive to them. A question upon this follows,
What will ye see in the Shulamite? which question is put, either by the daughters among themselves; some wishing for her return, and others asking what they expected to see in her, should she return: or rather it is put by the church herself; who asks the daughters, what they expected to see in her, a poor, mean, unworthy creature, not fit to be looked on, having nothing extraordinary, nor indeed valuable or of worth, in seeing of her? Which question is thus answered,
As it were the company of two armies: either by the daughters, declaring what they expected to see in the church; either such a glorious and joyful meeting between Christ and her, as is often between great persons, attended with singing and dancing; so the word for company is rendered by the Septuagint c "choroi", a "company" of those that dance and sing; see Psalms 68:24; or such an appearance as an army makes at the reception of their prince, when it is divided into two bands, for the sake of greater honour and majesty. Or rather this answer is returned by the church herself; signifying that nothing was to be seen in her but two armies, flesh and Spirit, sin and grace, continually warring against each other; which surely, she thought, could be no desirable and pleasing sight to them; see Romans 7:23.
b שובי επιστρεφε, Sept. "convertere", Sanctius, Marckius. c כמחלת ως χοροι, Sept. "sicut chorus", Vatablus, Marckius, Michaelis, & alii.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Return, return - About to withdraw, the bride is recalled by the chorus, desiring yet a little longer to contemplate a grace and beauty which has won all hearts.
Shulamite - Probably the same as “Shunamite,” i. e., a native of the town or district of Shunem, situated in the territory of Issachar Joshua 19:18, on the slopes of the Little Hermon, overlooking the plain of Jezreel. It is now called Salem.
See - Look or gaze at. The bride’s modest reply, taking up their words, and wondering at their request. The chorus answer with a further petition.
As it were the company of two armies - Or, rather, the dance of Mahanaim (see the margin), a well-known sacred dance, taking its name from the locality in which it originated Genesis 32:2; Joshua 21:38. Some, taking “Mahanaim” to be an ordinary designation for “the Angels” or “Angelic Hosts,” render here “a dance as it were of angel-choirs,” i. e., one of special grace and beauty. The former of these interpretations is to be preferred.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Song of Solomon 6:13. Return, O Shulamite — This appears to be addressed to the bride, as now the confirmed, acknowledged wife of Solomon; for שולמית shulammith, appears to be a feminine formed from שלמה shelomoh, or שלמון shelomon, as we form Charlotte from Charles; Henrietta, from Henry; Janette, from John, c.
The company of two armies. — Or the musicians of the camps. She is as terrible as hosts of armed men, on the ground of what is said on Song of Solomon 6:4-5. The two armies may refer to the choirs of the bride's virgins, and the bridegroom's companions but the similitude is not very perceptible. The Targum explains it of "the camps of Israel and Judah:" as if the bridegroom should say, "My beloved possesses all the perfections both of the Israelitish and Jewish women." But how little satisfaction do the best conjectures afford!
With this chapter the fifth night is supposed to end.
