Tanak Foundations-Concepts in Song of Songs-Chapter 6

Song 6.1 tells us the nations respond.

v 1…Where has your beloved gone (left her alone and this alludes to the times in Jewish history where it seemed Israel/kahal/bride was left alone. This idea is so real that Christianity developed a whole theology based on what they perceived as God abandoning Israel called Replacement Theology), O most beautiful among women (the most beautiful among nations-Dan 11.37)? Where has your beloved turned (to join you) that we may seek him with you (after hearing all about him, they desire to know him, too. This alludes to when the non-Jews turned to Yehovah in history after seeing God’s deeds with Israel).

Song 6.2-3 is Israel’s/bride/kahal’s response.

v 2…My beloved has gone down to his garden (Gan Eden, his people-Isa 5.7, literally the king’s garden), to the beds of balsam (spices and seen as righteous deeds), to pasture (feed) in the gardens (to feed his flocks there, teach the word and Torah) and gather lilies (shoshanim, trumpet-shaped, a rose and speaks of righteousness).

v 3…I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (mutual, and you cannot separate one from the other-Rom 8.35), he who pastures (feeds) his flock among the lilies (scene of peace, wisdom, and rest).

Song 6.4-11 is Yehovah/Messiah/groom responding to Israel/kahal/bride in praise.

v 4…You are as beautiful as Tirzah (pleasant), my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem (when you desire Yehovah and his ways-Psa 50.2; Lam 2.15), as awesome as an army with banners (like they were in the wilderness of their betrothals when all feared them).

v 5…Turn your eyes away from me (fixed on him with longing) for they (the eyes) have confused me (her eyes of faith have conquered his heart); your hair is like a flock of goats (black and luxuriant) that have descended from Mount Gilead (heap of testimony).

v 6…Your teeth (sharp, even, like scholars who can tear and cut false teachings) are like a flock of ewes (white, pure, useful for wool, making tzitzit, sinews for harps) which come up from their washing (clean with repentance and washed with the word), all of which bear twins (two rows, fruitful) and not one among them has lost her young (none missing, no miscarriage of action).

v 7…Your temples (seat of the mind, intellect, thoughts) are like a slice of pomegranate (full of seeds of the Torah, red like the blood) behind your veil (kedusha or consecration, set apart).

v 8…There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number (there are many beautiful queens, concubines, and maidens in courts all over the world, but none can be compared to his bride).

v 9…But my love, my perfect one, is unique (among the nations just mentioned above-Deut 32.9; 2 Sam 7.23; Gen 25.27), she is her mother’s only (dear and precious), she is the pure (child) of the one who bore her (the Shekinah, the spiritual mother, Jerusalem above-Gal 4.26-31). The maidens (nations) saw her and called her blessed (Mal 3.12), the queens and the concubines praised her (even heathen kings saw what Yehovah did for Israel/kahal/bride and had to admit God’s power on behalf of his people-Isa 49.23).

v 10…Who is this that grows like the dawn (increasing in brightness of the future redemption-Isa 60.1); as beautiful as the full moon (Israel reflecting the sun at the fullest), as pure as the sun (seen as Yehovah/Messiah/groom-Psa 19.4; Isa 30.26; Mic 7.8; Mal 4.2), as awesome as an army with banners (moving to victory).

v 11…I went down (descended) to the orchard (Israel/kahal) of nut trees (the people with a very hard shell, but if it falls into the dirt the contents are not defiled-Mic 7.1-2) to see the blossoms (good deeds) of the valley (well-watered by the word), to see whether the vine (Israel) had budded (flowered in Yehovah-Matt 21.33), the pomegranates had bloomed (observing the Torah, love Yehovah-John 14.15).

Song 6.12 has Israel/kahal responding after hearing all about her past.

v 12…Before I was aware (literally “I did not know”), my soul set me over the chariots of my noble people (she was astounded by her elevation).

Song 6.13 is the response of the nations.

v 13…Come back (return), come back, O Shulamite (peaceful one, alludes to the name Shlomo and being called by her husband’s name-Isa 4.1); come back (return), come back, that we may gaze on you (and contemplate your beauty -Deut 4. 6-8);

The Shulamite (Israel/kahal) responds with amazement that the nations want to honor her:

Why should you gaze at the Shulamite (meaning “Why do you look at me, I am just a plain country girl”; Shulamite is elated with her husband’s name, a peaceful one), as at the dance of the two companies (this alludes to Machanaim where Jacob is met by a vision of angels in the valley of Sukkot in Gen 32.1-2, making two companies of angels and man . The meaning is “something more than human is here”)?

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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