Song of Solomon 1:2

Solomon’s Love for a Shulamite Girl

1 The ^asong of songs, which is Solomon’s.

The Banquet

The Shulamite

2 Let him kiss me with the¹ kisses of his mouth—
^aFor¹ your love is better than wine.

3 Because of the fragrance of your good ointments,
Your name is ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you.

4 ^aDraw me away!
^bWe will run after¹ you.
The king ^chas brought me into his chambers.
We will be glad and rejoice in¹ you.
We will remember your love more than wine.
Rightly do they love you.

The Daughters of Jerusalem The Shulamite The Daughters of Jerusalem The Shulamite

5 I am dark, but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.

6 Do not look upon me, because I am dark,
Because the sun has¹ tanned me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me the keeper of the vineyards,
But my own ^avineyard I have not kept.

(To Her Beloved)

7 Tell me, O you whom I love,
Where you feed your flock,
Where you make it rest at noon.
For why should I be as one who¹ veils herself
By the flocks of your companions?

The Beloved

8 If you do not know, ^aO fairest among women,
¹Follow in the footsteps of the flock,
And feed your little goats
Beside the shepherds’ tents.

9 I have compared you, ^amy love,
^bTo my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

<< Song of Solomon 1:1

Song of Solomon 1:3 >>

Song of Solomon 1:2-4

the prologue. - The Song commences with two stanzas in praise of the king (now absent) by a chorus of virgins belonging to the royal household. Expositors, Jewish and Christian, interpret the whole as spoken by the Church of the heavenly Bridegroom.

Song of Songs 1:2

Let him kiss me - Christian expositors have regarded this as a prayer of the Church under the old covenant for closer communion with the Godhead through the Incarnation. Thus, Gregory: "Every precept of Christ received by the Church is as one of His kisses."

Thy love - Better as margin, i. e., thy endearments or tokens of affection are more desired than any other delights.

Song of Songs 1:3

Because ... - Better, For fragrance are thine ointments good, making with the clause that follows two steps of a climax: "thy perfumes are good, thy name the best of all perfumes." "Ointments" here are unguents or fragrant oils largely used for anointing at entertainments (compare Psalms 23:5; Luke 7:46; John 12:3).

Thy name ... poured forth - As unguents are the sweeter for diffusion, so the king' s name the wider it is known.

Song of Songs 1:4

The king hath brought me - Made me a member of his household. This is true of every member of the chorus as well as of the bride.

The upright love thee - Better as in the margin: uprightly do they (i. e., "the virgins" of Song of Songs 1:3) love thee. Compare the use of the same word in Psalms 58:1; Proverbs 23:31.

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Song of Solomon 1:3 >>

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