seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Song of Songs 5
He
1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Friends
Eat, friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.
drink your fill of love.
She
2 I slept but my heart was awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my robe—
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
my heart began to pound for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened for my beloved,
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.
7 The watchmen found me
as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those watchmen of the walls!
8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you—
if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my robe—
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
my heart began to pound for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened for my beloved,
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.
7 The watchmen found me
as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those watchmen of the walls!
8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you—
if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.
Friends
9 How is your beloved better than others,
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?
She
10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.
outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.
a. Song of Songs 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke
I haven't turned to the commentaries, yet. Most of the time... I try to figure out what's going on and then I see if I was right.
I don't think "He" and "she" have hooked up yet. I think he's been at the door twice to take her away.... and she's been panicked both times. Once again.... she's talking about the Night Watchmen picking her up. This time they beat her. I don't think it's likely that the Night Watchman would be beating the future queen.... I don't think they would allow that. Maybe the Night Watchman didn't know this was the future queen. Maybe they thought this was a little girl waiting for her boyfriend. That wasn't done either......
The easy English site has a plausible description of what's going on.
Solomon tries to open the door. But there is a lock on the door. He cannot enter. In 4:12, he said that she was like a garden. But there was a lock on the gate. She replied that she wanted him to enter. And she wanted everyone to smell her beautiful plants.
These thoughts were wonderful. But they were merely ideas. The real test was in verse 2, when he actually came to her door. But she has a lock, so he cannot enter. She had said the right things. But the reality was different.
The young woman is excited when she briefly sees Solomon’s hand. Her attitudes change quickly. But she has already sent him away. She has already failed her test.
The woman does not hesitate now. Her excuses do not matter now. She rushes to prepare to see Solomon. She puts myrrh, which has a beautiful smell, on her hands. And she opens the door. But nobody is there. She is too late.
So the young woman is alone. She wanders round the city. She walks through the streets. There would not be any lights in the streets. So the city is dangerous at night. It is especially dangerous for a young woman who is alone.
This is a very sad verse. The guards are very cruel. Their behaviour is terrible. They laugh at the young woman. They hurt her. They hit her. They even take away her dress, so that she is ashamed.
The guards thought that the woman was very stupid to be out during the night. Only bad women would be outside during the night (Proverbs 7:9-10). Only evil people had a reason to be outside (Job 24:13-16).
Perhaps the guards do not believe that the woman is looking for Solomon.
Perhaps they think that she has spent the night with another man.
Perhaps they imagine that she deserves punishment.
Most of the commentaries talk about the church and "Jesus knocking". I need to remind myself... Jesus hadn't been there yet. This is not, IMHO, about the church. The man came to the door.... she pretended to be retired for the night..... but when she finally got herself together.... he was gone. Then, apparently, she went out into the street looking for him and the Night Watchmen found her. I still think.... rather than "playing" hard to get.... this little girl is really smart and she's avoiding the king. I still think she has a "friend" that she grew up with. I still think she escapes, and she's trying to get back to home and her "friend". She is recaptured.
Look.... here's why I am still on this train of thought. She calls this man her "friend". She hasn't even had a real conversation with wise king Solomon yet. She's talked about her unworthiness.... but they haven't discussed anything else. She's a preteen or teen who's been working in the vineyards with her bothers who are very possessive of her. He's the king of a country.... when have they had a chance to become "friends". He's been to the door twice and she's managed to keep the door between them twice. Maybe her failure to open the door is what got her the beating. Who knows... things were different back then.
How much value can a young virgin have if she's one of 700 wives and 300 concubines? Did Solomon have her taken off the streets? Is that how he wound up with so many wives and concubines and only a few children?
I don't imagine a captive child who has been locked in a room for the king's pleasure would be good reading on a Sunday morning..... especially when most preachers make David and Solomon out to be such godly men.
