The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 51

spirltt1nl life there are such experiences. haps the meaning is the same-By the pnrity The intensity of religious feeling is closely and blessedness of n. simple country life, I connected with physical exhaustion, end adjure you not to interfere with the conrse whon the soul ories for help and longs for of true love. It is much debated whether the comfort, the presence of the Saviour is meaning is, "Do not excite or stir up Jove," revenlod ; the wenknoss is changed into or, 11 Do not disturb love in its peacefnl de- strength. The npostolio seer in the A~o- light." It certainly must be maintained that onlypse describes himself as overcome with by" love" is meant "the lover." The refer~ the glory of ,the Saviour's appenrance, and ence is to the passion oflove itaeH. A similar being brought b1LCk to himself by his voice expression is used of the feeling of jealousy (Rev. i. 17). (Isa. xiii. 13). The verb 11\y (pie]) is added Ver. 6.-His left hand is under my head, to strengthen the idea, e.nd is always used and his right hand doth embrace me. We in the sense "to excite or awaken," as Prov. may render the verb either ns indicative or x. 12 of strife; Ps. Ixxx. 3 of strength or imperatirn. The hand gently smooths with power. ·we mast not for a moment thi11k of loving cnresses. The historical sense is any artificial excitement of love as referred more in e.ccorda.nco with the context, as the to. The idea is-See what a blessed thing next verse is an appeal to the attendant is pure and natural affection : let not love ladies. Behold my happiness, how my be forced or unnatural. But there a.re those Beloved comforts me I who dispute this interpretation. They think Ver. 7.~I adjure yon, 0 daughters of that the main idea of the whole poem is not the Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the binds of spontaneity of love, but a commendation of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awe.ken pnre and chaste conjugal affection, as opposed love, until it please. The fact that these to the dissoluteness and sensuality fostered words occur again in eh. iii. 5 and viii. 4 by polygamy. They would therefore take shows that they are a kind of chorus or the abstract "love " for the concrete '' loved relrain. It is also evident that they are in one," as in eh. vii. 6 The bride would not the lips of Shulamith the bride. Some have have the beloved one aroused by the in- suggested that they a.re uttered by some trusion of others ; or the word II love " may be one else, e.g. the queen - mother subse- taken to mean" the dream of love." Which- quently referred to, Solomon himself, the ever explanation is chosen, the sense is heavenly Bridegroom, the shepherd - lover substantially the same-Let me rejoice in from whom Shulamith had been ta.ken. my blesserlness. The bride is seen at the But all these suggestions are unnecessary close of this first pa.rt of the poem in the and unsupported. The natural and simple arms of the bridegroom. She is lost in him, view is that the same voice is speaking as and his happiness is hers. She calls upon in ver. 6. Bnt what is the meaning of this the daughters of Jerusalem to rejoice with adjuration? Is it merely, "I throw myself her. This is, in fa.et, the key-note of the on the sympathy you have already ex- song. The two main thoughts in the poem pressed"? Ewe.Id well remarks, '' In com- a.re the purity of love and the power of love. mon life people swore by things which be- The reference to the roes and gazelles of longed to the subject of conversation or the field fa not so much to their shyness were especially dear to the speaker. As, and timidity as to their purity, as di1r- therefore, the warrior swenrs by his sword ; tinguished from the creatures more close ns Mohammed by the soul, of which he is to oities; hence the appeal to the daughters just a.bout to speak (see Koran, eh. xci. 7); so of Jerusalem, who, 0.8 being ladies of the here Shulamith by the lovely gazelles, since metropolis, might not sympathize as they she is speaking of love." 'l'he Iere.elitee should with the country maiden. The rest were permitted to Rdjure by that which is of the poem is n remembrance of the pa.rt not God, but they would only solemnly which illustre.te8 o.nd confirms the sentiment swear by God himself. Delitzsch thinks of the refrain-Let the pure love seek its this is the only example of direct adjum- own perfection ; let its o,vn plea.sure be tion in Scripture without the nnme of God. realized. So, spiritually, let grace complete The meaning has probably been sought too what grace begins. " Blessed are all those far awo.y. The bride is perfectly happy, who trust in him." but she is oonsoious that suoh exquisite Ver. 8--eh. iii. 5.-Part II. SONG OF happiness may be disturbed, the dream of SmJLAMITll IN THE ElllBRACE OF SOLOMON, her delight broken through. She oompares herself to a roe or a gazelle, the most timo- Recollections of the wooing-time in the reue and shy of creatures (see Prov. v. 19). north. The Septuagint he.a a peculinr rendering, Ver. 8.-The voioe of my beloved! behold, which points to B different reading of the he oometh, lea.ping upon the mountains, original, ,,, /l1111uµ.lo-1 ,cul ltrx11crEITI TOU 4-ypou, skipping upon the hills. There can be little " by the power and virtues of the field." Per- doubt as to the meaning of this song. The 40 THE SONG OF SOLOMON.