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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Song of Solomon 6:8

There are threescore queens. — Presumably a description of Solomon’s harem (from comp. with Song of Solomon 8:11), though the numbers are far more sober than in 1 Kings 11:3. Probably the latter marks a later form of the traditions of the grand scale on which everything at the court of the monarch was conducted, and this, though a poetic, is a truer version of the story of his loves. The conjunction of alamôth with concubines, pilageshîm (comp. παλλακή, pellex), decides for translating it puellœ rather than virgines.

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See also Song of Solomon 6:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Song of Solomon 6:8. _THERE ARE THREESCORE QUEENS_] Though there be _sixty_ _queens_, and _eighty concubines_, or _secondary wives_, and _virgins_ _innumerable_, in my _harem_, yet thou, _my dov...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The section might be entitled, “Renewed declaration of love after brief estrangement.” Song of Solomon 6:4 TIRZAH ... JERUSALEM - Named together as the then two fairest cities of the land. For Jerusa...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 6 The description of Her Beloved was addressed to the daughters of Jerusalem. Their answer is recorded in the beginning of this chapter. Her outburst of praise, her glowing testimony of Him,...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    SONG OF SOLOMON 6:8 F. THE SIMPLE HOME NOBLER THAN THE ROYAL HAREM. The reference is probably to Solomon's domestic establishment as pictured in the historical books (1 Kings 11:3); some critics chang...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THERE ARE: i.e.. have. THREESCORE. The numbers are not the same as in 1 Kings 11:3, because. different period is referred to. VIRGINS. damsels. See note on Song of Solomon 1:3....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Song of Solomon 6:4-13. The King fascinated Here we have a renewed assault by Solomon. Just after the Shulammite's impassioned claim to belong wholly to her lover her royal persecutor returns, and bu...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    This is evidently a description of a hareem, and it can only be Solomon's own. The word translated _are_here is somewhat anomalous, and Budde would substitute -to Solomon are." But this is a much more...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT 6:17:10 _Court Ladies:_ Inquiry, Song of Solomon 6:1 _Shulammite:_ Answer, Song of Solomon 6:2Avowal, Song of Solomon 6:3 _Solomon:_ Interview with the Shulammite,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. THREESCORE - indefinite number, as . These are witnesses of the espousals; rulers of the earth contrasted with the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A DREAM. HIS BEAUTY AND HERS 2-7. Another dream of hers, with a painful ending. The accumulation (Song of Solomon 5:2) of names of endearment reminds us of the frequent repetition, by a Palestinian b...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    A WONDERFUL SONG ABOUT LOVE SONG OF SONGS _MARK KIRKPATRICK_ CHAPTER 6 THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM V1 Where has your lover gone, most beautiful among women?...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    In the end, Solomon would have 700 wives. And 300 other women lived with him in the palace (1 Kings 11:3). So we can see that Solomon is still a young man in this Song. Solomon married these women fo...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    שִׁשִּׁ֥ים הֵ֨מָּה֙ מְּלָכֹ֔ות וּ שְׁמֹנִ֖ים פִּֽילַגְשִׁ֑ים...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    MYSTICAL INTERPRETATIONS THUS far we have been considering the bare, literal sense of the text. It cannot be denied that, if only to lead up to the metaphorical significance of the words employed, tho...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    2. Solomon (Song of Solomon 6:4; Song of Solomon 7:1). His Musing. (a) Description of the Shulamite (Song of Solomon 6:4 a). (b) Effect on the Virgins of the Vision of Her ...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    There are (d) sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and virgins without number. (d) Meaning that the gifts are infinite which Christ gives to his Church: or that his faithful are many in number....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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....

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 6 AND 7. And this experience makes her understand through grace another aspect of her relationship, proving a real progress in the intelligence of grace and c...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THERE ARE THREESCORE QUEENS, AND FOURSCORE CONCUBINES, AND VIRGINS WITHOUT NUMBER. In this verse and Song of Solomon 6:9 the church is commended as she stood related to others; and is compared with th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. Ver. 8. _There are threescore queens, and fourscore, &c._] Or as some read it, hypothetically, Be there sixty queens...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _There are threescore queens_ A certain number for an uncertain. The sense seems to be this: there are many beautiful queens and concubines in the world, in the courts of princes, but none of them is...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    There are threescore queens and fourscore concubines and virgins without number, these idealized figures being introduced here only for the sake of comparison, to bring out all the more strongly the u...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE CONFESSION OF THE CHURCH REWARDED. The Further Confession and Christ's Answer. The bride having answered the first question of the "daughters of Jerusalem" for a description of her soul's Brideg...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    4-10 All the real excellence and holiness on earth centre in the church. Christ goes forth subduing his enemies, while his followers gain victories over the world, the flesh, and the devil. He shows...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THREESCORE QUEENS, AND FOURSCORE CONCUBINES; a certain number for an uncertain. The sense seems to be this, There are many beautiful queens and concubines in the world, in the courts of princes, and p...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Song of Solomon 6:8 sixty H8346 queens H4436 eighty H8084 concubines H6370 virgins H5959 number H4557...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SECTION 5. The Nightmare Is Over And She Is Again With Her Beloved (Song of Solomon 6:4). In this brief song the Beloved now describes the beauties of the one he loves in such a way that the daughter...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The Bridegroom applauds the beauty of the Bride, preferring her before all others. CHARACTERS: Solomon, Bride (Christ, Church). CONCLUSION: Christ takes delight in His redeemed and in the w...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Song of Solomon 6:1. _Whither is thy beloved gone?_ These are words of the ladies of honour, tenderly interested for their princess in a moment of anxiety. _That we may seek him with thee._ Thus shoul...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _There are threescore queens._ WOMAN’S RIGHTS So Solomon, by one stroke, sets forth the imperial character of a true Christian woman. She is not a slave, not a hireling, not a subordinate; but a que...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON SONG OF SOLOMON 6:8 Notice how the numbers increase from SIXTY to EIGHTY to WITHOUT NUMBER. The woman is without equal. All women, even royal w

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    The King’s Admiration of His Bride SCENE SECOND. Place: _The Royal Garden_. Speaker: _The King to Shulamite_ Song of Solomon 6:4 THE KING Thou art beautiful, O, my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusal...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION SONG OF SOLOMON 6:1 WHITHER IS THY BELOVED GONE, O THOU FAIREST AMONG WOMEN? WHITHER HATH THY BELOVED TURNED HIM, THAT WE MAY SEEK HIM WITH THEE? The dialogue still continues, possibly bec...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now the daughters of Jerusalem respond to her, the chorus sings back. Where has your beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither or where is your beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 11:1; 2 Chronicles 11:21; Psalms 45:14; Revelation 7:9...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Threescore — A certain number for an uncertain. The sense seems to be this, there are many beautiful queens and concubines in the world, in the courts of princes, but none of them is to be compared wi...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Why are Solomon’s wives and concubines listed as 140 when he had 1,000? PROBLEM: Here Solomon is said to have had only 140 wives and concubines, but 1 Kings 11:3 gives the number of 1,000. SOLUTION:...

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