Bible Commentaries
Song of Solomon 4

Verse 1

Behold. The words of the shepherd approaching the Shulamite.

my love = my friend. Hebrew. ra'yah. See note on Song of Solomon 1:9 . Feminine, showing the speaker and the one spoken to.

behold = gaze on.

doves' eyes. Referring to the large melting eye of the dove: a "clean" bird.

within thy locks = behind (or through) thy veil.

that appear = springing down.

Verse 2

even = evenly.

whereof every one bear twins = all of which are paired.

barren = bereaved, as in Jeremiah 18:21 .

Verse 3

thread = braid.

speech = mouth.

temples = cheeks.

piece = part.

Verse 6

Until = When. The Shulamite speaks in Song of Solomon 4:6 , referring to Song of Solomon 2:17 , answering that that very evening she will quit Jerusalem and go to their delightful country.

break = cools. Compare Song of Solomon 2:17 .

Verse 7

Thou art all fair, my love. The shepherd speaks: "love" being here feminine again.

Verse 8

Come = Thou wilt come.

Lebanon . . . Amana . . . Shenir . . . Hermon . . . the lions' dens ,

. . . the mountains of the leopards. He gives these names to Jerusalem and the royal residence.

my spouse = my betrothed.

lions . . . leopards: denote the king and his courtiers. Compare Ezekiel 19:7 ; Ezekiel 22:25 .Nahum 2:12 .

Verse 9

ravished my heart = put heart into me.

one. It was customary to unveil one eye in conversation.

of: or round.

Verse 10

fair = sweet.

love = endearments. Hebrew. dodim, as in Song of Solomon 1:2 , Song of Solomon 1:4 , and Song of Solomon 7:12 .

my sister, my spouse = my sister betrothed.

wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27 .

Verse 11

drop as = drop [honey] as.

Verse 12

A garden. Note the Alternation in verses: Song of Solomon 4:12-15 : c | 12-. Garden. d | -12. Spring. c | 13, 14. Garden fruits. d | 15. Fountain.

inclosed = closed: bolted and barred.

shut up. Same word as "inclosed" (above).

Verse 13

an orchard = a paradise. See note on Ecclesiastes 2:5 .

camphire = henna, or cypress.

Verse 14

all trees of frankincense = all sorts of frankincense trees.

spices = spice plants.

Verse 15

A fountain = [With] a fountain.

fountain of gardens = a garden-fountain, without which no garden was complete.

Let my beloved. The Shulamite speaks in response, with the eloquent brevity of her overwrought feelings.

my beloved. Here, masculine, which shows who the speaker of this sentence is.

his = its.