---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Song of Solomon 3:1. By night on my bed I sought him — It appears that the bridegroom only saw the bride by night: that on the night referred to her"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/song-of-solomon/3"
---

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:1](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/1). ***By night on my bed I sought him*** — It appears that the bridegroom only saw the bride *by night*: that on the night referred to here he did not come as usual. The bride troubled on the account, rose and sought him, inquired of the city guards, and continued to seek till at last she found him, and brought him to her apartment, [Song of Solomon 3:2-4](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/2-4).

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:4](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/4). ***Into my mother's house*** — The *women* in the East have all *separate apartments*, into which no person ever attempts to enter except the *husband*. We find *Isaac* bringing *Rebecca* into his *mother's tent*, when he made her his wife, [Genesis 24:67](../../../kjv/genesis/24/67). What is here related appears to refer to the third night of the nuptials.

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:5](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/5). ***I charge you*** — The same adjuration as before, [Song of Solomon 2:7](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/2/7).

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:6](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/6). ***Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness*** — Going to Egypt was called *descending* or *going down*, coming from it was termed *coming up*. The bride, having risen, goes after her spouse to the country, and the clouds of incense arising from her *palanquin* seemed like *pillars of smoke*; and the appearance was altogether so splendid as to attract the admiration of her own women, who converse about her splendour, excellence, &c., and then take occasion to describe Solomon's nuptial bed and chariot. Some think that it is the *bridegroom* who is spoken of here.
With this verse the *third night* is supposed to end.

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:7](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/7). ***Threescore valiant men*** — These were the *guards* about the pavilion of the bridegroom, who were placed there *because of fear* *in the night*. The *security* and *state* of the prince required such a guard as this, and the passage is to be *literally* understood.

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:8](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/8). ***They all hold swords*** — They are swordsmen. Every man has a sword, and is well instructed how to use it.

Verse 9. ***Of the wood of Lebanon.*** — Of the *cedar* that grew on that mount. It is very likely that a *nuptial bed*, not a *chariot*, is intended by the original word אפיון *appiryon*. *Montanus* properly translates it *sponsarum thalamum*, a nuptial bed. It may, however, mean a *palanquin*.

Verse 10. ***The pillars*****- of*****silver*** — The *bedposts* were made of silver, or *cased* with wrought silver plates, like the king's chairs brought from Hanover, now, in one of the staterooms in *Windsor Castle*.
***The bottom thereof*****of*****gold*** — This may refer to *cords* made of *gold thread*, or to the *mattress*, which was made of cloth ornamented with gold.
***The covering*****- of*****purple*** — Most probably the *canopy*.
***The midst - paved*****with*****love*** — The *counterpane*, a superb piece of *embroidery*, wrought by some of the noble maids of Jerusalem, and, as a proof of their affection, respect, and love, presented to the bride and bridegroom, on their nuptial day. This is most likely to be the sense of the passage, though some suppose it to refer to the whole court.
A Turkish couch is made of wooden *lattices* painted and gilded; the inside is painted with baskets of flowers and nosegays, intermixed with little *mottoes* according to the fancy of the artist. Solomon's couch may have been of the same kind, and decorated in the same way; and the *paving with love* may refer to the amatory verses worked either on the counterpane, hangings, or embroidered carpet. And as this was done by the *daughters of* *Jerusalem*, they might have expressed the most striking parts of such a *chaste history of love* as Halaly's *Leely* and *Mejnoon* on the different parts. I see that Dr. *Good* is of this opinion. It is sufficiently probable.

Verse [Song of Solomon 3:11](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/3/11). ***Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion*** — This is the exhortation of the *companions* of the *bride* to the *females* of the *city* to examine the superb appearance of the bridegroom, and especially the *nuptial crown*, which appears to have been made by *Bathsheba*, who it is supposed might have lived till the time of Solomon's marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh. It is conjectured that the *prophet* refers to a *nuptial crown*, [Isaiah 61:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/61/10). But a *crown*, both on the *bride* and *bridegroom*, was common among most people on such occasions. The nuptial crown among the Greeks and Romans was only a chaplet or wreath of flowers.
***In the day of the gladness of his heart.*** — The day in which all his wishes were crowned, by being united to that female whom beyond all others he loved.
Here the *third day* is supposed to end.

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