Song of Solomon 5:2-7

TEXT 5:28:4

FOURTH SCENEThe King's Palace Song of Solomon 5:2 to Song of Solomon 8:4

Retrospect

Shulammite:

Narration to Court Ladies of another dream, Song of Solomon 5:2-7

TEXT 5:2-7

2.

I was asleep, but my heart waked:

It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh,
saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled;
For my head is filled with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.

3.

I have put off my garment; how shall I put it on?

I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

4.

My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door,

And my heart was moved for him.

5.

I rose up to open to my beloved;

And my hands dropped with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid myrrh,
Upon the handles of the bolt.

6.

I opened to my beloved;

But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone.
My soul had failed me when he spake:
I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7.

The watchmen that go about the city found me,

They smote me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 5:2-7

125.

What is meant by saying that she was asleep but her heart was awake?

126.

How could his voice knock? (it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh)

127.

Define each of the four names given in verse two?

128.

What is suggested by his reference to the excessive dew?

129.

The maid seems more interested in her feet than she is her beloved. How shall we understand this expression in verse three?

130.

If he unlocked the door why didn-'t he come in? Cf. verse four.

131.

As she arose did she use perfume? Or what is meant by the reference to myrrh in verse five?

132.

Why do you think her beloved left?

133.

Where did she look as she searched for him? Cf. verse six.

134.

She evidently ran out of the house. Why did the watchman hit her?

135.

Are the keepers of the walls the same persons as the watchmen? Why take her mantle or veil?

PARAPHRASE 5:2-7

Shulammite to Court Ladies:

2.

I was sleeping, and in dreaming (heard)

The sound of my beloved knocking (and saying),
Open to me, my sister, my companion, my dove, my undefiled!

For my head is drenched with dew,
And my locks with moisture of the night.

3.

(I thought) I have already taken off my gown,

How can I put it on again?
I have already bathed my feet,
How can I soil them?

4.

My beloved put his hand through the grille,

And my heart yearned for him.

5.

I rose up to open to my beloved,

My hands dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with choice myrrh
Upon the handles of the lock,

6.

I opened to my beloved,

But my beloved had withdrawn himself and passed on.
When he had spoken my wits seemed to leave me.
I sought him but I found him not;
I called after him but there was no answer.

7.

The city watchmen found me;

They struck me; they wounded me.
Sentinels of the walls snatched away my veil.

COMMENT 5:2-7

Exegesis Song of Solomon 5:2-7

We are back in the palace of the kingeither at Jerusalem or his residence in the north nearer to Shunem.
It is morning in the chambers of Solomonthe maid from Shunem is recounting to the ladies of the court a vivid dream of the night. It is all so real she almost becomes again a participator as she tells it. I was asleep but I was constantly aware of my beloved from whom I am separated. All at once he was at the gate! I heard his voicehe knockedHe called to me: Open blood of my blood, love of my heart, my alert soft one, my purest one. I have been long in coming to you over many mountains. I have comeall through the night I have hastened to your sidemy head is wet with dew. Let me in. I turned on my bedI hardly knew what was happening. So very foolishly I thought only of myselfI cannot go to himI have undressed and bathed for bedI cannot go out in the courtyard to the gate I will soil my feet. I looked toward the doorhe had already entered the courtyard and was even now at the door of our house. His hand appeared through the hole near the door and attempted to unlock the door. When I saw his dear hand my heart almost stopped. I hardly knew what I was doingI jumped out of bed and threw a mantle over myselfI thought I must meet him with perfumeI dipped my hands in myrrhI hurried to the door, I could not move the lock or hold the handles of the door so full were my fingers with myrrh. When I did at least get the doors open, my beloved was gone! I was beside myselfPerhaps he came in another wayI looked in every room of these courtshe was nowhere to be found. I could yet hear his voice and his dear words of loveI called him, I called him againthere was no answer. I must find him. I will find him. I ran out the open dooracross the courtyard and out into the streets of the city. I had no sooner entered the streets than the watchmen were all around me. One of them struck me. It was a heavy blowI can yet feel the pain. One of the sentinels jerked my veil from me. I do not blame them, I must have appeared as a wanton woman wandering the streets at that hour. Was it only a dreamit was so realwas he really here?

We have chosen this form of narrative to give a degree of the reality that must have been present when it was first told. In our narrative we have tried to include the meaning of the text.

Marriage Song of Solomon 5:2-7

These verses would make a fine section for an evaluation of the actions of the bride and groomhow did they respond to this circumstance? What does it reveal of their character? In this evaluation we can see ourselves. First we shall consider the groom:

He has come a long way at great dangerHe openly gives expression of his heart. He is willing to consider the maid as his sisteri.e., he will treat her in the responsible manner of a brother. At the same time the term sister suggests the strongest blood relationships. He believes the very best of his brideshe is dove-like and pure.A virgin. Even when she does not answer his call or knock, he will yet try to enter. When he is unsuccessful he leaves. We do not know why he left. We could conjecture but it would be futile. the bride:

Her consciousness and sub consciousness was always upon her love. Even when asleep she was yet with him. This being true, she yet responds subconsciously in a selfish manner. Perhaps we could excuse her on grounds of confusion or frustration. One often acts irrationally upon being suddenly awakened. But why should she care about her appearance?or her feet?isn-'t his presence more important than her comfort? Why the excessive myrrh? We do appreciate her concernbut why so concerned? for her lover or for herself? Perhaps we are too critical of the bride. If we are, please correct our evaluation in a discussion on this subject.

Communion Song of Solomon 5:2-7

We now take the maiden's place as we attempt to relate these verses to our Lord and His bride. Oh, that we were as constantly concerned about the presence of our Lord as was the maid in the text. Even when we sleep He is not out of our sub consciousness. How often do we dream of our Lord? We have heard so often Revelation 3:20 misapplied. In the context this verse relates to lukewarm Christians, it reads: To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:14; Revelation 3:19-20). He loves us and believes in uswe are His blood-relative. We are His brother, His sisterwe do have the Holy Doveby His blood and grace we are virginsHe has, at great danger and from a great distance, come to us. How do we react to His knock?to His voice? We are about as mixed up as the maid. His call is never convenientwe are forever half asleep or busy with something or someone else. If He had just timed His coming on another dayor night or when I was better preparedon and on we goI would get my feet dirty if I answered His knockwe are sure you would! He got His feet dirty coming to call on you and me. But He is insistentif we will not answer He will attempt to unlock the doorsee His nail-pierced hand near the latch of your heart? We will get hurt looking for Himthe watchmen of the world will misunderstand our intentions and will tear aside all attempts of concealmentwe will become totally vulnerable! They will wound us deeply! But unlike the dream of the maidwe will find Himin the dark streets or deep needs of our world we shall find Him.

FACT QUESTIONS 5:2-7

175.

What are the circumstances of these verses:

176.

We have used synonymous expressions in describing the maid. Reword them again.

177.

She made a foolish mistake. Why?

178.

There was a time when she was especially moved. When was it?

179.

Why couldn-'t she get the door open?

180.

Where did she make her search?

181.

Why rush out into the streets? Why was she wounded?

182.

Discuss our evaluation of the groom. Have we left something out?

183.

Do we represent the bride accurately? Discuss.

184.

Do you believe there is any practical value in our comments on communion? If so, discuss its meaning in our present day life.