Song of Songs 5:1-8

Man

1 I have come to my garden-my sister, my bride. I gather[a] my myrrh with my spices. I eat my honeycomb with my honey. I drink my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink, be intoxicated with love![b][c]

Narrator

2

Woman

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My love is knocking![d] Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. For my head is drenched with dew, my hair with droplets of the night.

Man

3

Woman

3 I have taken off my clothing. How can I put it back on? I have washed my feet. How can I get them dirty?
4 My love thrust his hand through the opening, and my feelings were stirred for him.
5 I rose to open for my love. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened to my love, but my love had turned and gone away. I was crushed[e] that he had left.[f] I sought him, but did not find him.[g] I called him, but he did not answer.
7 The guards who go about the city found me.[h] They beat and wounded me; they took my cloak[i] from me- the guardians of the walls.[j]
8 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:[k] if you find my love, tell him that I am lovesick.[l]

Song of Songs 5:1-8 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.

Footnotes 12

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