Song of Songs 5:10-16

Woman

10 My love is fit and strong,^[a] notable among ten thousand.

11 His head is purest gold. His hair is wavy^[b] and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves^[c] beside streams of water, washed in milk and set like jewels.^[d]

13 His cheeks^[e] are like beds of spice, towers of^[f] perfume. His lips are lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.^[g]

14 His arms^[h] are rods of gold set^[i] with topaz.^[j] His body^[k] is an ivory panel covered with sapphires.

15 His legs are alabaster pillars set on pedestals of pure gold. His presence^[l] is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.

16 His mouth is sweetness. He is absolutely desirable.^[m] This is my love, and this is my friend, young women of Jerusalem.

Song of Songs 5:10-16 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 is radiant and ruddy
• [b]. Or is [like] palm leaves; Hb obscure
• [c]. Sg 1:15; 4:1
• [d]. Lit milk sitting in fullness
• [e]. Sg 1:10
• [f]. LXX, Vg read spice, yielding
• [g]. Sg 5:5
• [h]. Lit hands
• [i]. Lit filled; Sg 5:2,12
• [j]. Probably yellow topaz
• [k]. Lit abdomen
• [l]. The total effect of his appearance
• [m]. Sg 4:7