Song of Solomon 2:4

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. HE BROUGHT ME TO THE BANQUETING HOUSE - Hebrew, 'house of wine.' Historically fulfilled in the joy of Simeon and Anna in the temple over the infant Saviour, and that of Mary too (cf. ); typified. ; also in the erection of the temple of Solomon, the spiritual banqueting house of Israel. Spiritually, the bride or beloved is led () first into the King's chambers, thence is drawn after Him, in answer to her prayer; is next received on a grassy couch under a cedar kiosk; and at last in a 'banqueting hall,' such as Josephus says Solomon had in his palace, 'wherein all the vessels were of gold.' The transition is from holy retirement to public ordi...

1-7 Believers are beautiful, as clothed in the righteousness of Christ; and fragrant, as adorned with the graces of his Spirit; and they thrive under the refreshing beams of the Sun of righteousness. The lily is a very noble plant in the East; it grows to a considerable height, but has a weak stem. The church is weak in herself, yet is strong in Him that supports her. The wicked, the daughters of this world, who have no love to Christ, are as thorns, worthless and useless, noxious and hurtful. Corruptions are thorns in the flesh; but the lily now among thorns, shall be transplanted into that paradise where there is no brier or thorn. The world is a barren tree to the soul; but Christ is a fruitful one. And when poor souls are parched with convictions of sin, with the terrors of the law, or the troubles of this world, weary and heavy laden, they may find rest in Christ. It is not enough...

Verse Song of Solomon 2:4. _HE BROUGHT ME TO THE BANQUETING HOUSE_] Literally, _the_ _house of wine_. The ancients preserved their wine, not in barrels or dark cellars under ground, as we do, but in large _pitchers_, ranged against the wall in some upper apartment in the house, the place where they kept their most precious effects. We have a proof of this in HOMER: - Ως φαν· ὁ δ' ὑψοραφον θαλομον κατεβησατο πατρος Ευρυν, ὁθι νητος χρυσος και χαλκος εκειτο, Εσθης τ' εν χηλοισιν, ἁλις τ' ευωδες ελαιον. Εν δε πιθοι οινοιο παλαιου ἡδυποτοιο Εστασαν, ακρητον θειον ποτον εντος εχοντες, Ἑξειης ποτε τοιχον

The bride’s answer: “As the ‘tappuach’ with its fragrant fruit excels the barren trees of the wild wood, so my beloved his associates and friends etc.” תפוח _tappûach_ may in early Hebrew have been a generic name for apple, quince, citron, orange etc. Song of Solomon 2:4 HIS BANNER - As the standard is the rallying-point and guide of the individual soldier, so the bride, transplanted from a lowly station to new scenes of unaccustomed splendor, finds support and safety in the known attachment of her beloved. His “love” is her “banner.” The thought is similar to that expressed in the name “Jehovah-nissi” (see the Exodus 17:15 note)....

EXPOSITION SONG OF SOLOMON 2:2 AS A LILY AMONG THORNS, SO IS MY LOVE AMONG THE DAUGHTERS. The king responds, taking up the lovely simile and giving it a very apt and charming turn, "My love is beyond comparison the chief and all around her are not worthy of notice beside her." The meaning is not thorns on the tree itself. The word would be different in that case. Rather it is thorn plants or bushes (_choach_);_ _see 2 Kings 14:9. _The daughters_;_ i.e._ the young damsels. The word "son" or "daughter" was commonly so used in Hebrew, the idea being that of simplicity, innocence, and gentleness. Song of Solomon

HE BROUGHT ME TO THE BANQUETING HOUSE,.... Or "into" it q. The "house of wine" r, as it is literally in the original; either the "wine cellar" s, as some, where stores of it were kept; or, the "place of fasting" t, as others, and, as we render it, a "banqueting house"; where it was distributed and drank; a banquet of wine being put for a feast, and here the nuptial feast; and may design the Gospel feast in the house of God, where there is plenty of the wine of Gospel truths, and provisions of rich food, with which believers are sweetly refreshed and delightfully regaled: and to be brought hither, under the drawings and influences of divine grace, is a special privilege, a distinguishing layout; and show a great condescension in Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, to take his people by the hand, as it were, and introduce them into his house, so well furnished, and to a table so...

We believe that this song sets forth the mutual love of Christ and his believing people. It is a book of deep mystery, not to be understood except by the initiated; but those who have learnt a life of sacred fellowship with Jesus will bear witness that when they desire to express what they feel they are compelled to borrow expressions from this matchless song. Samuel Rutherford, in his famous letters, when he spoke of the love of Christ as shed abroad in his heart, perhaps was scarcely conscious that he continually reproduced the expressions of the song, but so it is. They were naturally fresh enough from him, but they came from this wonderful book. It stands in the middle of the Bible. It is the holy of holies the central point of all. Thus he speaks the glorious «greater than Solomon.» Song of Solomon 2:1. I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the val

CHAPTER 2 The voice of the bride is heard again in the opening verses of this chapter; some understand it as meaning the Messiah speaking of Himself as the Rose and the Lily of the valley, but it is rather the bride. She is in her purity and separation like the lily among thorns, among the apostates of the nation during the end of the Jewish age. Of the Messiah she speaks as the apple-tree. She has no fruit of herself, but rests under Him as the blessed fruit-bearer. Under Him she finds her shelter, while He protects her and she can enjoy His fruit under His shadow. There she, and all true believers have rapture and rest and enjoy His fruit, which is sweet to the taste. The Bridegroom has brought her to His own place. She is in the house of wine (the better translation, instead of banqueting house). Unlimited joy and gladness are now her portion; the banner of love is over her; while she...

MUTUAL PRAISE AND PRAISE OF LOVE. The bride sets herself forth as the Rose (_meadow saffron_ or _crocus_) of Sharon (or _the plain_) and the Lily (_scarlet anemone?_) of the valley. To this the lover replies that other young women are in comparison to her the thorns among which those lilies often grow. This is not a cynical attack on womankind, but shows the idealising power of love for _the_ one. The appropriate reply is that he also stands out from among men as the apple (or quince) tree among trees, a tree which gives grateful shade and a pleasant aromatic fruit; it is joy to be in his company as it was a delight to sit under the shadow of such a tree. This thought is now expanded as the young woman dwells upon the delights of love. For BANQUETING HOUSE the literal rendering of _mg., house of wine_ is to be preferred: as it is not likely that the phrase is a proper name, it is probabl...

BANQUETING HOUSE. vine-arbour or vineyard-bower. HIS BANNER OVER ME WAS LOVE. he overshaded me with love; _degel,_ from _dagal,_ to shade; then an ensign because of the shade it gives and protection which it ensures. LOVE. Hebrew. _'ahabah_ (feminine) See note on Song of Solomon 2:7....