Song of Solomon 3:10

10 he made the pillars thereof of silver; he made a golden resting place, a going up of purple; and he arrayed the middle things with charity, for the daughters of Jerusalem. (he covered its pillars, or its posts, with silver; and its golden seat had a purple cushion, lovingly woven by the daughters of Jerusalem.)

Song of Solomon 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

Song of Solomon 3:10

He made the pillars thereof [of] silver
The truths and doctrines of the Gospel are the "pillars" of it; which, like pillars, are solid and substantial, and continue firm and immovable, and are of great use to support the children of God under the several trials and exercises they are attended with; and, for their utility, value, and duration, are said to be of "silver", and are as carefully to be sought for and into as that is, and even to be preferred to it, being of more worth than "thousands of gold and silver"; the ministers of the Gospel are sometimes compared to pillars, and the church itself is said to be the pillar and ground of truth, ( Galatians 2:9 ) ( 1 Timothy 3:15 ) ;

the bottom thereof [of] gold;
Christ, the golden bottom of the Gospel, the sum and substance of it, the principal subject in it to be insisted on; he is laid in it as the bottom, ground, and foundation of faith and hope, and of everlasting life and salvation; and for its richness, firmness, and duration, may be said to be of gold, as the street of the New Jerusalem, ( Revelation 21:21 ) ; or its "pavement" F2, as the word here signifies. The Septuagint render it, a "reclining" F3 place, to sit and rest, or lean upon; such is Christ;

the covering of it [of] purple;
or the top of it; the word signifies a chariot itself: it may respect such doctrines of the Gospel which relate to redemption, pardon of sin, and justification through the blood of Christ; and all under the purple covering of the blood of Christ are secure from wrath to come, and go safe to heaven;

the midst thereof being paved [with] love, for the daughters of
Jerusalem;
the carpet wrought with lovely figures or with love stories: the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel are full of love, of God in Christ, in providing Christ as a Saviour, and sending him to be one; and of the love of Christ in assuming human nature, and suffering and dying in it for sinners, even for Jerusalem sinners; the Gospel sets forth the heart of Christ as "inflamed" F4, as the word here used signifies, with love to the daughters of Jerusalem, his dear children, which moved him to do all he did and suffered for them; and could his heart be looked into, the very images of these persons would be seen upon it: the ordinances of the Gospel are designed both to set forth, in the most striking manner, the love of Christ to his sons and daughters, for whose sake he became man and suffered death, and to draw forth their love to him; so the words may be rendered, "paved with love by the daughters of Jerusalem" F5, or "with the love of them" F6 how delightful must it be to ride in such a chariot, or sit under such a ministry, where there is nothing but love! moreover, the whole description of the "bride chamber", which some choose to render the word for "chariot" by, well agrees with the New Jerusalem state, as given in ( Revelation 21:1-27 ) , where the church being as a bride prepared for her husband, will be introduced, the nuptial feast will be kept, and Christ will be seen by the daughters of Zion in all his regal glory, with the royal diadem on his head, as he is described in ( Song of Solomon 3:11 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (wtdypr) "pavimentum ejus", Vatablus, Grotius.
F3 (anakliton) , Sept. "reclinatorium ejus", Arabic interpreter.
F4 (Pwur) "succcensum", Montanus, Marckius; "accensum, sive exustum", some in Vatablus, so Aben Ezra.
F5 (twnbm) "a filiabus", Montanus, Cocceius; so Sept. "a puellis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F6 "Amore foeminarum", Tigurine version; "amore filiarum", Vatablus, Mercerus.

Song of Solomon 3:10 In-Context

8 and all they hold swords, and be most witting to battles; the sword of each man is on his hip, for the dread of nights. (and they all hold swords, and be most knowing about battle, or about fighting; the sword of each man is on his hip, ready for any attack in the night.)
9 King Solomon made to him a seat, of the wood of Lebanon; (King Solomon made for himself a throne out of the wood of Lebanon;)
10 he made the pillars thereof of silver; he made a golden resting place, a going up of purple; and he arrayed the middle things with charity, for the daughters of Jerusalem. (he covered its pillars, or its posts, with silver; and its golden seat had a purple cushion, lovingly woven by the daughters of Jerusalem.)
11 Ye daughters of Zion, go out, and see king Solomon in the diadem, with which his mother crowned him, in the day of his espousing, and in the day of the gladness of his heart. (Ye daughters of Zion, go out, and see King Solomon in his crown, with which his mother crowned him, on the day of his espousing, that is, on his wedding day, yea, on the day when his heart was happy, and full of joy.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.