1.
Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.
2.
My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
3.
I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.
4.
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
5.
Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.
6.
Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
7.
As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.
8.
There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
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.
10.
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
The chorus address the bride here only as the Shulamite, and beg her to perform for their entertainment a sacred dance (see Song of Solomon 6:13) of her own country. The bride, after complying with their request, while they sing some stanzas in her praise Song of Solomon 7:1-5, and after receiving fresh commendations from the king Song of Solomon 7:6-10, invites him to return with her to her mother’s house Song of Solomon 7:11-4. Many Jewish allegorists interpret the whole as referring to the times of the second temple, and to the present dispersion of Israel, during which, God continuing to vouchsafe His mercy, Israel prays for final restoration, the coming of Messiah, and the glory of the latter day. Christian interpreters have made similar applications to the now militant Church looking for the Second Advent, or to the ancient synagogue praying for the Incarnation.
As the morning - The glorious beauty of the bride bursts upon them like a second dawn, as she comes forth to meet them at the commencement of another day. Special poetical words are used for “sun” (burning heat) and “moon” (white one). The same terms are applied to sun and moon in Isaiah 24:23; Isaiah 30:26.
11.
I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.
12.
Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
13.
Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
Return, return - About to withdraw, the bride is recalled by the chorus, desiring yet a little longer to contemplate a grace and beauty which has won all hearts.
Shulamite - Probably the same as “Shunamite,” i. e., a native of the town or district of Shunem, situated in the territory of Issachar Joshua 19:18, on the slopes of the Little Hermon, overlooking the plain of Jezreel. It is now called Salem.
See - Look or gaze at. The bride’s modest reply, taking up their words, and wondering at their request. The chorus answer with a further petition.
As it were the company of two armies - Or, rather, the dance of Mahanaim (see the margin), a well-known sacred dance, taking its name from the locality in which it originated Genesis 32:2; Joshua 21:38. Some, taking “Mahanaim” to be an ordinary designation for “the Angels” or “Angelic Hosts,” render here “a dance as it were of angel-choirs,” i. e., one of special grace and beauty. The former of these interpretations is to be preferred.