Introduction: Once again, the Song of Songs continues with more of the same in this particular verse.
1. Hear the Shulamite. - Song 4:6
"Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense."
- In this most beautiful song, the voice suddenly changes to that of the Shulamite. We know this because verse 6 refers back to her words in 2:17, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether."
- There, her desire was expressed clearly as she gazed toward the mountains through her window.
- Now, she says she is ready to leave the place where she is being held against her will. She wants to go home that very evening.
2. Hear the shepherd. - Song 4:7-16a
- Words are important. This song recounts the precious words of both the Shulamite and her betrothed.
* Verse 7, "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." We know it is the shepherd's voice, because "my love" is feminine. In essence, he says she is his beautiful friend!
* Verse 8, "Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards." He says that she will come with him AWAY from Lebanon. He gives these names to Jerusalem and all of Solomon's royalty who live there. "...lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards" refer to Solomon and those who help him rule. (See Ezekiel 19:7; 22:25, and Nahum 2:12 where the royalty rulers were compared to these animals' attributes.)
* Verse 9, "Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck." Interesting. She made his heart beat faster [ravished] with only one of her eyes. The custom of the day was to uncover only one eye when engaging in conversation. He commented on her necklace as well.
* Verse 10, "How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!" As mentioned in verse 9, he calls her his "sister," a sweet name of endearment meaning his "beloved bride to be." The word for "wine" can mean alcoholic drink or simply grape juice. I believe it is juice because of the word "better," which means "to be well with, be good for." She was good for him. "Spouse" refers to their engagement as being betrothed to one another.
* Verse 11, "Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon." All that came from her lips dripped as honey would drip. Not only was she good for him [better], her words were not hurtful to him [honeycomb, honey, milk].
* Verse 12, "A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed." Being the love prisoner of Solomon, he compares her to a garden, a spring, and a fountain, each barred and shut in.
* Verses 13-15, "Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon." In essence, he told her it was wrong for her to be enclosed as a prisoner.
* Verse 16a, "Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out..." He wanted her released.
3. Hear her response. - Song 4:16b
"...Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits."
- "My beloved" is masculine here indicating that the Shulamite answers in response to her shepherds kind words.
- He compared her to:* A garden.
* A spring.
* Fragrant garden fruits.
* A fountain in the garden.- She responds:
* Parton translation, "If we can get me out of this place, we can get married, and you can have all the water and fruit you want!"
Conclusion: Isn't it amazing that all she wanted was to be set free from the enticements of King Solomon? She was not saving the fruits of her garden for the king; she was saving them for her shepherd.
The most important thought found in Song of Solomon is that
of communion. One of the main reasons for the book is to tell
us how Jesus delights in being with us and how we ought to delight
in spending time with Him. One day, when we drop this robe of
flesh and rise to meet Him in the skies, our communion will be
complete. Let's not allow the god of this world to entice us to
sell cheaply that which belongs to our Great Shepherd, our Betrothed,
our sweet Friend, our Jesus!