Song of Solomon 1.

¹The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s. Beloved ²Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine. ³Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured out, therefore the virgins love you. ⁴Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his rooms. Friends We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! Beloved They are right to love you. ⁵I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar’s tents, like Solomon’s curtains. ⁶Don’t stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven’t kept my own vineyard. ⁷Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; For why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? Lover ⁸If you don’t know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents. ⁹I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots. ¹⁰Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. ¹¹We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver. Beloved ¹²While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. ¹³My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts. ¹⁴My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. Lover ¹⁵Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves. Beloved ¹⁶Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant. Lover ¹⁷The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs.

Commentary (3)

Adam Clarke

The bride's love to her spouse, Sol 1:1-5. She conffieuses her unworthiness; desires to be directed to the flock, Sol 1:6, Sol 1:7; and she is directed to the shepherds' tents, Sol 1:8. The bridegroom describes his bride, and shows how he will provide for her, and how comfortably they are accommodated, Sol 1:9-17.

John Gill

In this chapter, after the general title of the book, Sol 1:1, the church expresses her strong desires, and most ardent wishes, for some fresh discoveries of the love of Christ to her, and for communion with him; having tasted of his love, smelt a sweet savour in his grace, and enjoyed fellowship with him in his house, Sol 1:2. She observes her blackness and uncomeliness in herself; the trials and afflictions she met with from others; and her carelessness and negligence of her own affairs, Sol 1:5; and entreats her beloved to direct her where she might meet with him, feeding his flocks, and giving them rest, to which he returns a kind and gracious answer; gives her proper instructions where to find him, Sol 1:7; and commends her beauty; sets forth her amiableness and loveliness, by various metaphors; and makes promises of more grace and good things to her, Sol 1:9. And then she declares what a value she had for Christ, her beloved; and how precious he was unto her, like a bundle of myrrh, and a cluster of camphire, Sol 1:12. Christ again praises her beauty; and particularly takes notice of her eyes, and her modest look, Sol 1:15; and she returns the encomium back to him, and expresses her pleasure and satisfaction in the house he had built for her, and the furniture of it, Sol 1:16.

JFB

(CANTICLE I)--THE BRIDE SEARCHING FOR AND FINDING THE KING. (Son. 1:2-2:7)

The song of songs--The most excellent of all songs, Hebrew idiom (Exo 29:37; Deu 10:14). A foretaste on earth of the "new song" to be sung in glory (Rev 5:9; Rev 14:3; Rev 15:2-4).

Solomon's--"King of Israel," or "Jerusalem," is not added, as in the opening of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, not because Solomon had not yet ascended the throne [MOODY STUART], but because his personality is hid under that of Christ, the true Solomon (equivalent to Prince of Peace). The earthly Solomon is not introduced, which would break the consistency of the allegory. Though the bride bears the chief part, the Song throughout is not hers, but that of her "Solomon." He animates her. He and she, the Head and the members, form but one Christ [ADELAIDE NEWTON]. Aaron prefigured Him as priest; Moses, as prophet; David, as a suffering king; Solomon, as the triumphant prince of peace. The camp in the wilderness represents the Church in the world; the peaceful reign of Solomon, after all enemies had been subdued, represents the Church in heaven, of which joy the Song gives a foretaste.

Cross-references (97)

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 10

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17