Song of Solomon 6
Question of women of Jerusalem verse 1
Whither is your beloved gone – O you fairest among women?
whither is your beloved turned aside?
that we may seek him with you
Bride responses to the question verse 2- 3
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
he feeds among the lilies
Groom compares her beauty to cities verse 4
You are beautiful – O my love -as Tirzah
comely as Jerusalem
terrible as an army with banners
Groom compliments her appearance verse 5- 7
Turn away your eyes from me – for they have overcome me
your hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead
Your teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up for the washing
whereof every one bears twins
and there is not one barren among them
As a piece of pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks
Groom compares her to other women verse 8- 9
There are threescore queens – and fourscore concubines
and virgins 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 bare her
The daughters saw her – and blessed her
yea – the queens and the concubines
and they praised her
Groom compares her to sun and moon verse 10
Who is she that looks forth as the morning – fair as the moon
clear as the sun – and terrible as an army with banners?
Bride states her location verse 11- 12
I went down into the garden of nuts
to see the fruits of the valley
to see whether the vine flourished
and the pomegranates budded
OR ever I was aware
my soul made me
like the chariots of Amminadib
Women of Jerusalem tell her to return verse 13a
Return – return – O Shulamite
return – that we may look upon you
Groom asks question verse 13b
What will you see in the Shulamite?
as it were the company of two armies
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Whither is your beloved gone, O you fairest among women? Whither is your beloved turned aside? That we may seek him with you. (1730 “beloved” [dowd] means a person dearly loved and cherished, sometimes preferred above all others and treated with partiality, or object of love.)
DEVOTION: Solomon had many wives in his lifetime. We are usually only married to one wife in our lifetime. Our love for our one wife should be just as precious to us as if we were a king with many wives. He was a poet and wrote what the LORD allowed to be put into the Bible.
Marriage is supposed to be one where there are compliments passed out to one another. Too often, even in Christian marriages, there is not as many compliments but a lot of complaining which is not suppose to be happening.
God wants our marriages to be an example to others and that is not an easy at times. It takes prayer and a purposeful attitude to make sure that we compliment our spouse before others.
If Christian marriage is ordained of God and it is then we need to show the LORD to others through our treatment of our spouse. This takes work and it has to be done in love.
When a non-Christian sees us together do they see our love for one another or do they see something else?
God can give us the ability to make our marriage better each year if we trust HIM to give us the love HE wants us to show for all of our married life.
CHALLENGE: When people look at our marriage to they see love or a complaining spirit? We need to have a complimenting spirit that comes with the help of the Holy Spirit in our life!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feeds among the lilies.
(7462 “feeds” [ra‘ah] means to tend a flock, pasture ones flock, pasture it, keep company with, herdsman, shepherd, pastor or graze.)
DEVOTION: The husband and wife are separated. He is a king and a shepherd. He is grazing his flock where they can eat well. The rest of the chapter deals with the Solomon telling her that she is unique among the women of Israel. She is one of a kind. He continues to compliment her.
She continues to compliment him. She realizes that he has responsibility for the nation of Israel. That is his flock that needs fed. He takes his responsibility seriously. The other women want to know what is going on in their relationship. She tells them that everything is good. Separation is not always bad. There is times in all marriages when there can be separation because of business or health or family. Our responsibility is to keep the home fires burning while one is absent from the other. We also have the responsibility to compliment on another.
If the husband is a type of Christ, HE leads us where we can feed well. HE has given us the Word of God to learn and share with others. We pray for our daily bread. That means we have to come into HIS presence each day to be fed.
If the husband is not a type of Christ, a husband is one who has to take care of his family with the help of his wife. There should be a mutual feeding from the Word of God. Couples should have devotions together. Families should have devotions together. Spiritual food is always more important than physical food.
Part of the spiritual food can be the mutual complimenting of each other in the LORD. Remember no flattery, only genuine compliments. Each spouse has only good to say about the other. It is a great picture.
CHALLENGE: Feed your flock husbands. Your example last a lifetime for good or bad. The LORD holds the husband responsible for leading the family.
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: 9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. (8535 “undefiled” [tawm] means complete, perfect, whole, upright, blameless, or flawless.)
DEVOTION: Solomon is stating that this woman is one of a kind. She is perfect in looks. She is upright in life. She is a worker.
There is a comparison between the other wives and concubines of Solomon. It is stated that he had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (I Kings 11: 3). So this was early in his reign. We find that Solomon allowed his wives from other nations lead him away from the LORD.
This bride is from his tribe. She is one that worships the same God as he worshiped. He was still looking to follow the LORD. However, one of the rules for kings was that they were not to multiply wives (Deut. 17: 17).
There are five rules for an elected king: King has to be from the nation of Israel; King is not to multiply horses; King is not to multiply wives; King is not to multiply silver and gold; and he is to write a copy of the law of God and he is to read it all the days of his life. Why did the LORD establish these rules? Deuteronomy 17: 19, 20 states “that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: that his heart by not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandments, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”
The LORD knew that Israel was going to have a king someday. Solomon asked for wisdom from the LORD. The LORD gave him wisdom and much more but it turned his heart away from the LORD.
It is thought that he wrote Ecclesiastes last and realized that after all is said and done that fearing God and keeping HIS commandments is the only way to live your life.
CHALLENGE: Look for the guidelines the LORD gives for marriage and follow them to have a good marriage and a proper relationship with the LORD. Honor the LORD in your marriage. Keep your spouse close.)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 12 Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. (5971 “Ammi” [‘am] means people, nation, folks, country-men, or group of human beings of a general kind./ 5081 “nadib” [nadiyb] means princely, noble, leader, son of a king.)
DEVOTION: The deep desire that is found by two people who are in love with each other is normal for those who want to be married for the rest of their life. Here we have a woman who is not apparently of royal blood that is going to marry the love of her life, the son of David, Solomon.
We find that many commentators look at this book as a symbol of the love between Christ and the church. There should be such a love between every believer and Christ. There should be a desire to search for the one we love on a regular basis.
Here we find that the bride is chasing after her future husband. She wants to be with him at all time. This should also be the desire of every believer in their relationship with Jesus Christ. This should also be the desire of a husband and wife today. Both of these are rare as our society is not one to encourage marriages that last for a lifetime.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ is for a lifetime but also a day to day relationship that needs to be encourage by fresh communications.
Some commentators also think that this is a proper name of a general who could drive his chariot the fastest of any other person who has driven a chariot. She wanted to see her husband fast.
CHALLENGE: Closeness to the one we love should be a desire that drives us closer to our spouse and our Savior. How fast each morning do we seek the presence of the LORD? Is it an overwhelming desire each day?
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
60 queens verse 8, 9
80 concubines verse 8, 9
Virgins verse 8
Mother verse 9
Army with banners verse 10
Chariots of Amminadib verse 12
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Beloved verse 1- 3
Fairest among women verse 1
Beautiful verse 4
Love verse 4
Compliment spouse verse 7, 9
Praise verse 9
Work ethic verse 11
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Solomon verse 1- 13
Tirzah
Sixty queens
Eighty concubines
Virgins without number
Dove
Undefiled
Tirzah verse 4
Jerusalem verse 4
Shulamite verse 13
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
When the husband’s first words in the garden were words of praise, she “became enraptured”; she was beside herself with joy. He then placed her on his own chariot at the head of his entourage. As they left, the inhabitants begged her to stay (come back-stated four times in v. 13) and the lover noted the intensity of their desire to gaze on the Shulammite. The Hebrew word rendered “Shulammite” is actually the feminine form of the name Solomon. Thus it means the “Solomoness.” “How you gaze …?” (v. 13b) is better than why would you gaze …? They gazed at her and her beauty, he said, as if they were viewing a graceful dance. In some way the town of Mahanaim is associated here with the dance, though the point of the association is not clear. Mahanaim was east of the Jordan River where David fled from Absalom (2 Sam. 17:24). (Deere, J. S. (1985). Song of Songs. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1022). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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13 The women of the palace call after her as she flies by, wanting to see again the look on her face that speaks volumes about the joy of a restored relationship. In the second half of v 13 the king expresses his delight at the way the women of the palace are caught up in their entertainment. He says it is just like the excitement of watching a lively, exuberant dance. (Balchin, J. A. (1994). The Song of Songs. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 626). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.)
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6:13 The chorus calls the bride back from her daydreams and reminds her that she is Solomon’s queen. Shulamite: The term is not a name but a title. It may mean “a woman from the village of Shulam.” However, the hometown of the woman is usually thought to be Shunem. Her title sounds very much like the Hebrew pronunciation for the name Solomon. Both words are related to the Hebrew word for peace (shalom). the dance of the two camps: In Hebrew, the word is Mahanaim, the town where David fled as a fugitive from Absalom (2 Sam. 17:24). The woman offers to dance before her beloved so that he might enjoy her beauty in lovely motion. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (So 6:13). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
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6:13 Come back, come back. This is best understood as being spoken by the daughters of Jerusalem. In effect, they beckon the bride back to the royal palace. Shulammite. A resident of Shunem, a part of the Land allotted to Issachar (cf. Jos 19:18). Why should you gaze. This is best understood as being spoken by the beloved. This probably refers to some form of marital dance associated with the city of Mahanaim which would be inappropriate for anyone other than Solomon to witness. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (So 6:13). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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As previously noted, imperative verbs often signal significant shifts in speech patterns or breaks in the dramatic action of the poem. This section (6:13–7:9) marks the maiden’s last appearance among the harem women and records Solomon’s final attempt to woo and wed the Shulamite. The women urge her to return (6:13a), apparently to dance. The fourfold repetition of their plea emphasizes their urgency and the seriousness of the situation (the maiden’s departure from the harem?). The verse implies that the maiden has been or intends to go somewhere away from the palace confines. Presumably the shepherd has arrived to claim the maiden as his own, or she has refused to participate in the harem dance (at the wedding feast—perhaps her own?). Whatever the reason, it is the maiden’s continued refusal of the king that finally induces him to release her from the harem and any betrothal obligations.
The maiden has no interest in being a court spectacle for the friends of the king. The Shulamite has no intention of submitting to inspection by the male onlookers in attendance (the verb look is masculine in form = “why should you men look?”) This exchange (6:13b) contains the only Old Testament occurrence of the appellative Shulamite. Shulam was probably the home of the maiden. The location of the site is unknown but the village of Shunem near Mount Tabor in the region of Galilee is regarded as the most likely identification. The meaning of the last colon eludes interpreters. The phrase literally means “the dance of the two armies” (niv Mahanaim, a proper name; jb two rows; neb the lines). Exact meaning notwithstanding, the maiden shuns the idea of being made an exhibition at the court dance. (Elwell, W. A. (1995). Song. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, pp. 463–464). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.)
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Ver. 13. Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, &c.] 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 Jer. 23:6 and 33:16; 1 Cor. 12:12. 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 shews 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; 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 choroi, a company of those that dance and sing; see Psal. 68:24, 25 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 Rom. 7:23; Gal. 5:17. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, pp. 678–679). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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1 John 5
Faith is the fundamental principle in overcoming the world and giving us eternal life.
INSIGHT
John writes: “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (v. 5). Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. John wants us to have assurance of our salvation. So he writes further: “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (vv. 11-13). If you believe in Jesus as Your personal Savior, you have the Son of God and you have eternal life.
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THE UNUSUAL AND THE SPECTACULAR
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13
There is a tendency in mankind to pay great attention to and to concentrate upon the unusual and the spectacular. We seem to do that instinctively; I suppose it is one of the results of the Fall. Anything unusual or exceptional always attracts attention much more than the usual and the ordinary; that is why some sort of calamity or extraordinary thing in nature always attracts and interests us much more than the perpetual and wonderful things of nature from day to day. Wordsworth said about himself at the end of his great ode Intimations of Immortality:
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.
That is right, and we ought all to put it like that. But the trouble with most of us is that because it is always there we do not marvel at it; that little flower in the hedgerow does not give rise in us thoughts that “lie too deep for tears.” But if we see a tree struck by lightning we are interested because it is unusual, because it is exceptional.
Now, we tend to do that self-same thing in the whole matter of Christian experience. I attribute this to the Fall, and, of course, one must point out in passing that this is something that tends to be organized and often becomes a business. Those who produce books know that the spectacular always appeals to the mind; so they pick out exceptional cases and give them great publicity. But this contradicts essential New Testament teaching. The New Testament never lays stress upon the way in which certainty comes to us; what it is interested in is the fact that it has come.
A Thought to Ponder: There is a tendency in mankind to pay great attention to the spectacular.
I suppose it is one of the results of the Fall. (From Life in God, pp. 104-105, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
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Closed-Door Meeting
All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name?” ACTS 9:21
Julie doesn’t know how many hours she spent praying that God would show her husband the love of Jesus. But Gene wasn’t your typical live-and-let-live non-believer. This was one hardened guy. Rigid. Stubborn. Extremely controlling.
Nothing had the power to crack that rough exterior. Not leukemia. He had weathered that crisis without noticeable cracking. Not prostate cancer. If the door of his heart had opened any, it was barely recognizable.
But for some reason, when FamilyLife put on a marriageconference at the church Julie attended, Gene grudgingly agreed to attend. Not for the religious stuff. Certainly not for the cheap refreshments. Maybe he knew if he stayed home, he wouldn’t have an excuse for not fixing the kitchen faucet.
Who knows?
As they sat through the early sessions, he was bristling and arguing. He couldn’t believe people actually believed in an actual devil who actually wreaked actual havoc in people’s lives. What a convenient excuse for one’s failures, he thought.
But in one of the last sessions, as the conference speaker was sharing about the wide chasm between God and man, the truth unexpectedly converged in Gene’s heart. Even today, he’s baffled by what happened at that moment.
While Julie was focusing on the message being delivered, Gene tapped her on the shoulder and directed her attention to three words he’d written in his notebook: “I GET IT.” They were the three sweetest words she’d ever read.
They slipped out into a break room where they fell into each other’s arms.
He sobbed. She sobbed. He asked for forgiveness. She sobbed even more. And in another miracle of grace, God proved again that no one is beyond the reach of the gospel.
Not even a husband who wants nothing to do with it.
DISCUSS
Do you know a couple where only one is a Christian? Discuss how you could reach out and share the gospel with the non-believer.
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