The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 53

Ver. 14.-0 my dove, that a.rt in the clefts up some well-known conntry ditty, and sinrs of the rook, in the oovert of the steep places, it outside the window a.a a playful repetition let me see thy oountene.nce, let me hee.r thy of the invitation to appear? The words rlo voioe; for sweet is thyvoioe, and thy oounte- seem to be arranged in somewhat of a nanoe is ,comely. The wood-pigeon builds lyrical form- in clefts of rocks and in steep rocky places " Catch us the foxes, (see Jer. xlviii. 28: and cf. Pe. lxxiv. 19; Foxes the little ones, lvi. 1: Hoe. vii. 11). The bridegroom is Wasting our vineyardA, still addressing his beloved one, who has not When our vineyards are blossoming." yet come forth from the house in the rocks, though she has shown herselfo.t the window. The foxes (Bhualim), or little jackals, wcro The language is highly poetical, and may very numerous in Palestine (see Judg. xv. be compared with similar words in Homer 4; Lam. v.18; Ps. !xiii. 11; Neh. iv. 3; and Virgil (cf. 'Iliad,' xxi. 493; '1Eneid,' v. 1 S1,m, xiii. 17). The little jflckals were 218, etc.). The Lord loveth the sight of seldom more than fifteen inches high. his people. He delighteth in their songs 'fhere wonld be nothing unsuitable in the and .in their prayers. He is in the midst of address to a. maiden to help to catch such their assemblies. Secret religion is not the small animals. The idea. of the song is- highest religion. The highest emotions of Let us all join in taking them. Some think the soul do not decrease in their power as that Shula.mith is inviting the Iring to call they are expressed. They become more and his attendants to the work. But when two more a ruling principle of life. '!'here e.re lover, thus approach one another, it is not many who need this encoure.gement to corue likely that other, would be thought of. forth out of secrecy, out of solitude, out of However the words be viewed, the typical their own private home e.nd individual meaning can scarcely be missed. The idea thoughts, and ree.lize the blessing of fellow- of clearing the vineyards of depredators well ship with the Lord and with his people. suits the general import of the poem. Let Ver. 15.-Take us the foxes, the little the blossoming love of the soul be without foxes, the.t spoil the vineyards; for our vine- injury and restraint. Let the rising faith yards are in blossom. There is some diffi- and affection be carefully guarde,l. Both culty in deciding to which of the persons individuals and communities do well to think this speech is to be e.ttributed. It is most of the little foxes that spoil the vines. naturally, however, assigned to the bride, Ver. 16.-My beloved is mine, and I am e.nd this is the view of the majority of critics. his; he feedeth (his 11.ock) among the lilies. Hence she refers to the vineye.rds e.s "our These are the words of the bride. The vineye.rds," which the bridegroom could latter clause is repeated in eh. vi. 2, with sce.rcely say. On the other hand, it mnst be the addition, "in the gardens," and it is e.cknowledged that the words e.re abrnpt evident that Solomon is lovingly regarded rege.rded as a response to the beautiful as a shepherd, because Shulamith delight, appeal of the lover. The following are the to think of him as fully sympathizing with remarks ofDelitzsch on the subject: "This her simple country life. She idealizes. The is a vine-dresser's ditty, in accord with words may be t(lken as either the response Shula.mith's experience as the keeper of a given at the time by the maiden to the vineyard, which, in a figure, aims at her love- invitation of her lover to come forth into relation. 'fhe vineyards, beautiful with the vineye.rds, or as the breathing of love as fragrant blossoms, point to her covenant of she lies in the arms of Solomon. Lilies are love, and the foxes, the little foxes, which the emblem of purity, lofty elevation aliove might destroy those united vineyards, point that which is common. Moreover, the lily- to all the great and little enemies and stalk is the symbol of the life of regenera- adverse circumstances which threaten to tion among the mystical medireva.lists. Mary guow and destroy love in the blossom ere it the Virgin, the Rosa mystica, in ancient has reached tbe ripeness of full enjoyment." paintings is represented with a lily in her Some think that Shulamith is giving the hand at the Annunciation. The people of reason why she cannot immediately join her God were called by tile Jewish priests "a beloved, referring to the duties enjoined people of lilies." So Mary was the lily of upon her by her brethren. But there is lilies in the lily community; the sanctissima an awkwardness in this explanation. The in the cvmmrrnio sanctorum. There may lie simplest and most straightforward is that an allusion to the lily-forms a.round Solomon which connects the words immediately with in his palace-the daughters of Jerusalem: the invitation of the lover to come forth into in that case the words must be to.ken o.s the lovely vineyards. Is it not an allusion to spoken, not in remembrance of the first love, the playful plea.sure whioh the young people but in present joy iu Solomon's embuce. would find among the vineye.rds in cha.sing Some would render the words as simply the little foxes?. 11nd may not the lover take pre.ise of Solomon himself," who, wherever  42 THE SONG OF SOLOMON. [CH, If, 1-17,