Song of Solomon 5:1-11

1 I came into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh and my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk: eat, O friends; drink, beloved, drink abundantly.
2 I sleep, but my heart watches for the voice of my beloved that knocks at the door, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
5 I rose up to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone; my soul went after his speech; I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.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 outer cloak from me.
8 I charge you, O virgins of Jerusalem, if ye should find my beloved that ye cause him to know how sick I am with love.
9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O 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 standard-bearer among the ten thousands.
11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy and black as a raven.

Song of Solomon 5:1-11 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010