DAWN

     Explanation: In Song of Solomon 6 the chapter begins with a quest to find Solomon. Abishag finds him; and Solomon is so enraptured with her that he can hardly bear it. He compares her to the queens, concubines, and virgins of his court; and she is more magnificent than all of them. Likewise, her heart is carried away with Solomon. And the chorus compares her to the magnificence of two armies. Today's painting depicts a courtly couple, such as Abishag and Solomon, enjoying one another's company.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Song of Solomon 5. Song of Solomon 7. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Song of Solomon 6. ]

     As the chapter opens, the chorus asks Abishag where her beloved has gone; and they offer to seek him with her (1).
     She tells them that he has gone into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed there and to gather lilies (2). She says that she is her beloved's and he is hers, and he feeds among the lilies (3).
     Solomon speaks to her, praising her beauty (4). He asks her to turn away her eyes from him because they have overcome him; and he says that her hair is like a flock of goats that appear from Gilead (5). Her teeth are like a flock of sheep, washed, bearing twins, and not one of them is barren (6). Her temples are like a slice of pomegranate (7). He mentioned that there were 60 queens, and 80 concubines, and virgins without number. These numbers place the events described in this chapter at an early stage in Solomon's reign, Eventually, as mentioned in 1 Kings 11:3, to he had "700 wives, princesses (queens), and 300 concubines" (8). But she is one [i.e., she stands alone], the only one of her mother, the choice of her who gave her birth. The daughters saw her, and blessed, as did the queens and the concubines, and they praised her (9). She was like the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as an army with banners (10).
     She went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded (11). And before she was aware, her soul became like the chariots of Amminadib. This seems to mean that her heart raced toward Solomon like driven chariots. (12).
     The chorus asks her to return that they may see her. One asked another what they would see in her. They echoed one of Solomon's praises, saying that she is like a company of two armies (13).

The Fourth Quest (Continued) - Love Sought & Found in the City (5:2 - 7:11)

Chorus

¹ Whither is thy beloved gone,
O thou fairest among women?
whither is thy beloved turned aside?
that we may seek him with thee.

Abishag

² My beloved is gone down into his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to feed in the gardens,
and to gather lilies.
³ I am my beloved's,
and my beloved is mine:
he feedeth among the lilies.

Solomon

⁴ Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah,
comely as Jerusalem,
terrible as an army with banners.
⁵ Turn away thine eyes from [before] me,
for they have overcome me:
thy hair is as a flock of goats
that appear from Gilead.
⁶ Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep
which go up from the washing,
whereof every one beareth twins,
and there is not one barren among them.
⁷ As a piece of a pomegranate
are thy temples [from]within thy locks.
⁸ There are threescore queens,
and fourscore concubines,
and virgins without number.
⁹ My dove, my undefiled is but one;
she is the only one of her mother,
she is the choice one of her that bare her.
The daughters saw her, and blessed her;
yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
¹⁰ Who is she that looketh forth as the morning,
fair as the moon, clear as the sun,
and terrible as an army with banners?

Abishag

¹¹ I went down into the garden of nuts
to see the fruits of the valley,
and to see whether the vine flourished,
and the pomegranates budded.
¹² Or ever I was aware,
my soul made me like the chariots of [the people of] Amminadib [or, the princes].

Chorus

¹³ Return, return, O Shulamite;
return, return, that we may look upon thee.
What will ye see in the Shulamite?
As it were the company of two armies.