Song of Solomon 5:4-14

4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole [of the door]; And my bowels yearned for him.

5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dropped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the lock.

6 I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself; he was gone: My soul went forth when he spoke. I sought him, but I found him not; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7 The watchmen that went about the city found me; They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved, ... What will ye tell him? -- That I am sick of love.

9 What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, Thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, That thou dost so charge us?

10 My beloved is white and ruddy, The chiefest among ten thousand.

11 His head is [as] the finest gold; His locks are flowing, black as the raven;

12 His eyes are like doves by the water-brooks, Washed with milk, fitly set;

13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, raised beds of sweet plants; His lips lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

14 His hands gold rings, set with the chrysolite; His belly is bright ivory, overlaid [with] sapphires;

Song of Solomon 5:4-14 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

• [a]. Or 'adjure:' and so in ver. 9; ch. 8.4; see also ch. 2.7.
• [b]. Strictly, 'lifted up as a banner.'
• [c]. Or 'wrought-work of.'