Song of Solomon 5:8-16

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;

15 His legs, pillars of marble, set upon bases of fine gold: His bearing as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars;

16 His mouth is most sweet: Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, yea, this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Song of Solomon 5:8-16 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.

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.'