Song 5:8-16

8 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you, if you find my beloved, tell him I am sick with love.

The Friends

9 How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

The Bride

10 My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

11 His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside the streams of water, bathed in milk and mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.

14 His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is polished ivory bedecked with sapphires.

15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.

16 His mouth ^[a] is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Song 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] Hebrew palate