Song of Solomon 5:2-16

2 "I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: 'Open to me, ¹my sister, my darling, ²My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My ³locks with the damp of the night.'

3 "I have ⁴taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have ⁵washed my feet, How can I dirty them again?

4 "My beloved extended his hand through the opening, And my ⁶feelings were aroused for him.

5 "I arose to open to my beloved; And my hands ⁷dripped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the bolt.

6 "I opened to my beloved, But my beloved had ⁸turned away and had gone! My heart went out to him as he ⁹spoke. I ¹⁰searched for him but I did not find him; I ¹¹called him but he did not answer me.

7 "The ¹²watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, They struck me and wounded me; The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.

8 "I ¹³adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For ¹⁴I am lovesick *."

9 "What kind of beloved is your beloved, O ¹⁵most beautiful among women? What kind of beloved is your beloved, That thus you adjure us?"

Admiration by the Bride

10 "My beloved is dazzling and ¹⁶ruddy, ¹⁷Outstanding among ten thousand.

11 "His head is like gold, pure gold; His ¹⁸locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven.

12 "His ¹⁹eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And reposed in their ²⁰setting.

13 "His cheeks are like a ²¹bed of balsam, Banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips are ²²lilies ²³Dripping with liquid myrrh.

14 "His hands are rods of gold Set with ²⁴beryl; His abdomen is carved ivory Inlaid with ²⁵sapphires.

15 "His legs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; His appearance is like ²⁶Lebanon Choice as the ²⁷cedars.

16 "His ²⁸mouth is full of sweetness. And he is wholly ²⁹desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."

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Song of Solomon 5:2-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 5

This chapter begins with Christ's answer to the church's request; in which he informs her, that he was come into his garden, as she desired, and gives an account of what he had done there; and kindly invites his dear friends to feast with him there, So 5:1; Then she relates her case and circumstances, which followed upon this, her sleepy frame, and ungrateful carriage to her beloved; which he resenting, withdrew from her, and this gave her sensible pain, So 5:2-6; what treatment she met with from the watchmen; her charge to the daughters of Jerusalem; and the questions they asked about her beloved, So 5:7-9; which put her upon giving a large description of him, by each of his parts, head, hair So 5:10-15; And the chapter is concluded with a general commendation of him and his loveliness, and a claim of interest in So 5:16.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 29

1. Song of Songs 4:9
2. Song of Songs 2:14; Song of Songs 6:9
3. Song of Songs 5:11
4. Luke 11:7
5. Genesis 19:2
6. Jeremiah 31:20
7. Song of Songs 5:13
8. Song of Songs 6:1
9. Song of Songs 5:2
10. Song of Songs 3:1
11. Proverbs 1:28
12. Song of Songs 3:3
13. Song of Songs 2:7; Song of Songs 3:5
14. Song of Songs 2:5
15. Song of Songs 1:8; Song of Songs 6:1
16. 1 Samuel 16:12
17. Psalms 45:2
18. Song of Songs 5:2
19. Song of Songs 1:15; Song of Songs 4:1
20. Exodus 25:7
21. Song of Songs 6:2
22. Song of Songs 2:1
23. Song of Songs 5:5
24. Exodus 28:20; Exodus 39:13; Ezekiel 1:16; Daniel 10:6
25. Exodus 24:10; Exodus 28:18; Job 28:16; Isaiah 54:11
26. Song of Songs 7:4
27. 1 Kings 4:33; Psalms 80:10; Ezekiel 17:23; Ezekiel 31:8
28. Song of Songs 7:9
29. 2 Samuel 1:23

Footnotes 14

[a]. BRIDE
[b]. Lit "filled"
[c]. Lit "drops"
[d]. Lit "bowels"
[e]. Lit "passing"
[f]. Lit "soul"
[g]. CHORUS
[h]. Or "What is your beloved more than another beloved"
[i]. Or "What is your beloved more than another beloved"
[j]. BRIDE
[k]. Lit "Lifted up banner"
[l]. Lit "sitting upon"
[m]. Lit "lapis lazuli"
[n]. Lit "palate"