The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 132

tmbs it. Bhuh1mith has forsaken her first presence left its fragrance on that which he Jovo. She relates it with sorrow, but not touched, in either case it is the lover himself with despondency. Bho comes to herself who is spoken of. Hie very hand, wherever agu.in, e.ntl her ropente.noe and restoration it has been, leaves behind it ineffable delight. aro the occasion for pouring out the fulneee Hie presence reveals itself everywhere. Those of her u.ffeotion, which he.d never really who go after him know that he is not far off changed, though it has been checked and by the traces of bis loving approaches to restrained by self-indulgence. How true a them. The spiritual meaning is too plain picturo both of the individual eonl and of to need much exposition. the Ohurch in ite decline! "Leave me to Ver. 6.-I opened to my beloved ; but my myself; let me lie at ea.ea in my luxury and beloved had withdrawn himself, and was my smooth, ccnventione.l ways and self- gone. My soul had failed me when he spake : flattering deceit." I sought him, but I oould not find him; I Ver. 4.-My beloved put in hie hand by the called him, but he gave me no answer. Tbo hole of the door, and my heart was moved meaning is this-The voice of my beloved for him. The door-hole is a pa.rt of the door struck my heart; but in the consciousness pierced through at the upper part of the lock, that I bad estranged myself from him I or door-bolt (iinci71?), that is, by the opening could not openly meet him, I could not offer from without to within, or through the open- him mere empty excuses. Now I am mado ing, as if, i.e., to open the door by pressing sensible of my own deficiency. I call after back the lock or bolt from within. There him. I long for his return, but it is in vain was some obstacle. He failed to open it. ( cf. the two disciples going to Emmaus, Luke It bad not been left so that he could easily xxiv., "Did not our heart burn within us," obtain admittance. The metaphor is very etc.?). Similar allusion to the effect ef the voice apt and beautiful. How much he loved her I of the beloved is found in Terence, • And.,' How be tried to come to her I As applied to i. 5. 16, "Oratio hair," etc. The failing or the Saviour, what infinite suggestiveness I departing of the soul at the sound of the He would be with us, and not only knocks voice must refer to the lack of response at at the door, but is impatient to enter; tries the time, therefore it was that she sought the lock, and too often finds it in vain; he is him and cried out after him. When he spake; repelled, he is resisted, he is coldly excluded. literally, in his speaking; i.e. when he said, My heai-t was moved for him. '!IP.," my inner "lwillnotnowcome because at first refused;" cf. Prov. i. 20-33, the solemn warning being" (of. Ise.. lxiii. 15, where the same word against the loss of opportunity. It is a coin- is used of God). It is often employed to ex- cidence between the two books of Solomon press sympathy and affection, especially with which cannot be disregarded. If there is uny tende1· regret. The later authorities, a.a the spiritual meaning at all in Solomon's Song, older translations, have "to him" (1'71!), i.e. it certainly is a book which he wl.Jo wrote over him, or on acccuut of him, in the thought the first chapter of Proverbs is likely to have of his wounded heart. written. Ver. 5.-I rose up to open to my beloved; Ver. 7.-The watoh.men that go about the and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my city found me, they emote me, they wounded fingers with liquid myrrh, upon the handles me; the keepers of the walls took away my ofthe bolt. The meaning seems to be that mantle from me. The intention is to show the Jover had come to the door perfumed as into what evil she fell by having to seek her if for a festival, end the costly ointment whioh beloved instead of being with him. She is he brought with him bee dropped on the mistaken and misjudged; she is smitten a1Hl handles of the bolts. Similar ullusions m11v wounded with reproaches and false o.ccusa· be found in Lucretius and other heathen tions, as tbough she were a guilty ;uHl evil- writers. This description ia, of course, in- minded woman. She is subjected to abuse applicable to the shepherd-theory. It would and ill treu.tmeat from those who should be not be o. rough country swain that came thus her guardians. She h11d hard work to escape, perfume«J ; but Solomon is thought of ns o.t leaving her robe behind her (cf. Gen. xxxix. once king and lover. It would be stretch- 12). 1'he redhidll, like ridhci iu Arabic, is a ing ihe poetry too far to suppose that Shula- pl11id-like upper garment thrown over the mith meant the n11turnl sweetness of her shoulders-so says Aben Ezra; but it is de- love1· was the perfume. Neither is there any rived, no doubt, from the root "to m,,ko probability in the explanation that she broad or thin," "to spread out "-perlrn ps, dipped her hand in perfumed oil before she therefore, "11, thin, light upper robe" which opened the door. '!'hat would destroy all was worn ovor the chiton, 11, summer over- the form and beauty of the dream. It is her dress, a cloak (LXX., 8,plo·Tpav: Jerome, lovel" whose fragmnoe she celebrates, not her paUium; Luther, Schleier). If we take the own. Whether he brought perfumes with dream thus described, and which seems to him, or the innate personal sweetness of his oonclude at this poiut, as relo.ted to the sur•  122 THE SONG OF SOLOMON. [cu. v. t-1G.