Song of Songs 8:5

Friends

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved?

She

5 Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth.

Song of Solomon 8:5 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor.
New Living Translation (NLT)
5 Who is this sweeping in from the desert, leaning on her lover? Young Woman I aroused you under the apple tree, where your mother gave you birth, where in great pain she delivered you.
The Message Bible (MSG)
5 Who is this I see coming up from the country, arm in arm with her lover? I found you under the apricot tree, and woke you up to love. Your mother went into labor under that tree, and under that very tree she bore you.
American Standard Version (ASV)
5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee: There thy mother was in travail with thee, There was she in travail that brought thee forth.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
5 Who is this young woman coming from the wilderness with her arm around her beloved? Under the apple tree I woke you up. There your mother went into labor with you. There she went into labor and gave birth to you!
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
5 "Who is this woman coming up from the desert? She's leaning on the one who loves her." The woman says to the king, "Under the apple tree I woke you up. That's where your mother became pregnant with you. She went into labor, and you were born there.

Song of Songs 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 8:5

(Who [is] this that cometh up from the wilderness?
&c.] Which words are spoken by the daughters of Jerusalem, occasioned by her charge to them, by which they were excited to look more earnestly at her, whom Christ had indulged with so much nearness to him; at which they express their surprise, and describe her by her ascent "from the wilderness"; that is, of the world, out of which she was chosen and called; and from a state of nature, out of which she was brought; and was rising up in a state of grace to a state of glory; (See Gill on Song of Solomon 3:6); leaning upon her beloved);
faith in Christ, whom her soul loved, and who loved her, is signified hereby; see ( Isaiah 50:10 ) ; which is the grace by which believers lean on the person of Christ, for acceptance with God; on his righteousness, for justification; on his fulness, for the supply of their wants; and trust in his blood for pardon and cleansing, The word is only used in this place, and is differently rendered: by some, "casting herself" F12 on him; as sensible sinners do at first conversion, when they venture their souls on Christ, commit the care and keeping of them to him, and trust their whole salvation with him: by others, "joining, associating" F13; cleaving to him, keeping company with him, from the use of the word F14 in the Arabic tongue; so such souls give up themselves to Christ; cleave to him, with full purpose of heart; walk with him, and walk on in him, as they have received him: by others, "rejoicing" or "delighting" F15 herself in him; in the view of his personal glory, transcendent excellencies, inexhaustible fulness, and searchable riches: the Septuagint version is, "strengthened", or "strengthening herself on her beloved"; deriving all her strength from him, to exercise grace, perform duty, withstand temptation, and persevere to the end, conscious of her own weakness; faith, in every sense of the word, is intended; I raised thee up under the apple tree;
not the words of Christ concerning the church, since the affixes are masculine; but what the church said concerning Christ, when leaning on his arm as she went along with him: so the words may be connected with the preceding, by supplying the word "saying", as Michaelis observes; relating a piece of former experience, how that when she was under the apple tree, sat under the shadow of it, ( Song of Solomon 2:3 ) ; that is, under the ordinances of the Gospel; where, having no sensible communion with Christ for some time, he being as it were asleep, she, by her earnest prayers and entreaties, awaked him, and raised him up, to take notice of her; whereby she enjoyed much nearness to him, and familiarity with him; there thy mother brought thee forth, there she brought thee forth
[that] bare thee;
which may be said either concealing the Old Testament church, who conceived hope of the coming of Christ, waited for it, and was often like a woman in pain until he was brought forth, which at length was done, to the joy of those that looked for him; or of the New Testament church, hoping, looking, waiting for the second coming of Christ, in the exercise of faith and prayer, and is like a woman in travail, and will be until he makes his appearance; and both may be meant, the one by the former, the other by the latter phrase, and may be the reason of the repetition of it. It may be applied to the apostles of Christ, who travailed in birth, until Christ was brought forth into the Gentile world, through the preaching of the Gospel; and so to all Gospel ministers, who are in like case until Christ be formed in the souls of men; which is no other than the new birth, and is attended with pain like that of a woman in travail; and every regenerate person may be said, in this sense, to be Christ's mother, as well as his brother and sister, ( Matthew 12:50 ) ; and each of the above things are usually done under and by the means of the word and ordinances; which may be signified by the apple tree, or, however, the shadow of it.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (tqprtm) "injiciens se", Cocceius.
F13 "Adjungens se", Montanus; "associans se", Brightman, Schmidt, Marckius, Michaelis; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Joseph Kimchi, & R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel. Moed, fol. 19. 1.
F14 "Raphak, comes fuit; rephik, comes itineris; socius", Golius, col. 1018, 1019.
F15 "Deliciis affluens", V. L. "delicians", some in Mercerus, so Kimchi.

Song of Songs 8:5 In-Context

3 His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me.
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Song of Songs 3:6
  • 2. S Song of Songs 3:4
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