Shir Hashirim 1:1

1 Shir HaShirim, which is Sh’lomo’s

Shir Hashirim 1:1 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 1:1

The Song of songs, which [is] Solomon's.
] Wrote by Solomon, king of Israel, as the "amanuensis" of the Holy Ghost; and not by Hezekiah and his men, as the Jews say ^F11: or, "concerning Solomon" {l}; Christ, of whom Solomon was a type; see ( Song of Solomon 3:7 ) ; of his person, excellencies, love to his church, care of her, and concern for her; and of the nearness and communion he admitted her to, and indulged her with the Jews have a saying ^F13, that wherever the word Solomon is used in this song, the Holy One is meant, the holy God, or Messiah: it is called "the Song of songs", because the most excellent, as the Holy of holies, King of kings which, with the Hebrews, express a superlative; this being more excellent than the one hundred and five songs, written by Solomon, or than any human composure whatever; yea, preferable to all Scriptural songs, as to subject, manner of style, and copiousness of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 15. 1.
F12 (hmlvl) "de Solomone", Cocceius.
F13 Maimon. Yesode Hatorah, c. 6. s. 12.

Shir Hashirim 1:1 In-Context

1 Shir HaShirim, which is Sh’lomo’s

2 Let him kiss me with the neshikot (kisses) of his mouth; for better is dodecha (thy love) than yayin (wine).

3 Tovim is the fragrance of thy shmanim (ointments); thy shem (name) is like shemen (ointment) poured forth; therefore do the alamot love thee [alamot, young unmarried virgins; pl of almah virgin; see Shir HaShirim 6:8; Yeshayah 7:14; Bereshis 24:43; Shemot 2:8; Mishlei 30:19, where the word has this explicit or implicit meaning throughout the Tanakh; see page vii].

4 Draw me; so will we run after thee; the Melech hath brought me into his chadarim (chambers); we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will extol dodecha (thy love) more than yayin; uprightly have they loved thee.

5 Shechorah (black, dark, sun-blackened) am I, yet lovely, O ye banot Yerushalayim, like the oholim (tents) of Kedar, like the curtains of Sh’lomo.