Song of Songs 5

The marriage postponed
Deepened admiration for the Lover

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Text
Explanation
This verse and the previous one are at the center of the chiastic literary structure of the book. They are also the center according to the division into chapters. See on 4:16.  Remember that passages linked to often include more than one verse.
 1 ¶ I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.   I am come As we saw at the end of the previous chapter, this verse and the previous one express the complete harmony we need with Christ for salvation. In the story of the ten virgins, "... they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut." (Matt. 25:10).
  I have gathered ... eaten As we might expect considering the story of the virgins.
  O friends; drink ... abundantly Others are invited.
  Here Christ, as Solomon, has come! This is our hope tt0213. He promised that He would return and take us home jn1401. Also ac0109. But as we continue to read we find that something went terribly wrong.
  This literary center of the book is discussed briefly in a note for re1009
.2 ¶ I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.   Sleep ... heart waketh The could be a dream but the whole book is like a dream. Her awakened heart could be in a dream. Then, awake, she hears her lover. In the story of the virgins, "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." (Matt. 25:5) until the groom came.
  Voice of my beloved ... Open to me What joy. He had come!
  My dove, my undefiled She was spiritually pure so0407.
  Head ... with dew ... drops of the night He had been waiting outside in the dark perhaps for the time to come to her.
.3  I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?   Put off my coat It was the custom to use one's robe (outer garment) for warmth while sleeping. She may have taken it off in anticipation of the consummation of her marriage. The coat or robe may have symbolized self-righteousness is6406. Washed feet may represent being cleansed from sin jn1310. She hesitated.
 4  My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.   Hand "extended his hand through the opening " (NASB). She saw his hand in providence.
  Bowels were moved In modern English, "heart was stirred." In ancient times the bowels were thought to be the seat of the emotions. She was convinced.
 5  I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
.6  I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
  Hands dropped ...myrrh She opened with joyful anticipation. Compare his head and hair v2.
  Opened ... gone What a disappointment! See on re1010.
  Sought [looked for] him but... Jesus promised that those who seek find mt0707. She would find him later.
.7  The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.   Watchmen ... smote [struck/hit]  The religious leaders who opposed. Compare mt2448-50.
  Took away ... veil They declared that her anticipation of marriage was false. Wall keepers should have protected her.
.8  I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.   Charge you This is the third of four charges or appeals to the church members. Compare 2:7; 3:5; 8:4.
  Sick of love Disappointed in love.
 9 ¶ What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?   Why ... more than another? Could there be another? The Christian church which slipped away from following the Bible set up a system of worshipping men da0708, 2th0204. It pretended to forgive sins, something only God can do 1ti0205. It became "another" and there were daughters, too re1705.
.10  My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.   White Or "radiant." (NIV). Solomon here symbolizes the Lord Jesus.
  Chiefest among Literally "the unique one among the chief princes." He is not only the best but leader of the angelic host. See the parallel passage from Daniel da1013 and context. For "Michael" as Christ also see on re1207 which points to an identification of Michael.
 11  His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
 12  His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
 13  His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
  Head ... gold See on 3:11, "crowned." Also we find symbolism from Nebuchadnezzar da0237 and David ps02103.
 14  His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
 15  His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
  Legs are as pillars Compare re1001.
.16  His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.   Altogether lovely Everything about our Lord is glorious. This the climax of the description 1pe0118.
  Friend A close relationship jn1515.
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