Song of Solomon 8:8-14

8 Our sister is little, and hath no teats; what shall we do to our sister, in the day when she shall be spoken to? (Our sister is little, or young, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister, on the day when she shall be spoken for?)

9 If it is a wall, build we thereon silveren towers; if it is a door, join we together with boards of cedar. (If she is a wall, then we shall build silver towers upon her; if she is a door, then we shall altogether enclose her with cedar boards.)

10 I am a wall, and my teats be as a tower; since I am made as finding peace before him. (I am a wall, and my breasts be like towers; and so I am able to find peace with him/and so I am able to bring him peace.)

11 A vinery was to the peaceable; in that city, that hath peoples, he betook it to keepers; a man bringeth a thousand pieces of silver for the fruit thereof. (Solomon had a vineyard in Baalhamon; he rented it out to guardians, or to farmers; and each of them bringeth a thousand pieces of silver to him as payment for its fruit.)

12 The vinery is before me; a thousand be of thee peaceable, and two hundred to them that keep the fruits thereof. (My own vineyard is before me; so let the thousand pieces of silver be for thee, O Solomon, and two hundred more for those who guard thy fruits.)

13 Friends harken (to) thee, that dwellest in orchards; make thou me to hear thy voice. (Friends listen to thee, thou who livest in the garden; let me also hear thy voice.)

14 My darling, fly thou; be thou made like a capret, and a calf of harts, on the hills of sweet smelling spices. (My darling, fly thou; be thou made like a gazelle, or a hart calf, on the hills of sweet smelling spices.)

Song of Solomon 8:8-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 8

This chapter begins with an ardent wish of the church for a free and intimate converse with Christ; declaring what she would do to him, and for him, should she have such an interview with him, So 8:1,2; what familiarity should be between them, So 8:3; charging the daughters of Jerusalem not to give him any disturbance, So 8:4. Upon which they inquire who she was that was in such a posture they saw her in, So 8:5; when the church, instead of giving them an answer, says some things concerning her beloved, on whom they saw her leaning; and makes some requests to him for more nearness to him, and manifestations of his love to her; urged from the strength her love and affections to him, which was invincible, So 8:6,7. Next follows a speech of the church about her little sister; expressing a concern for her, and what she would do to her and with her, So 8:8,9; and the answer of the little sister, declaring what she, was, and what she enjoyed, So 8:10; then the words of the church again, concerning her husband's vineyard; the place, keepers, and profit of it, So 8:11,12. And the chapter, and with it the Song, is concluded with a request of Christ to the church, that he might hear her voice, So 8:13; and with a petition of hers to him, that he would come quickly to her, So 8:14.