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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:8-13

The church is here pleasing herself exceedingly with the thoughts of her further communion with Christ after she has recovered from her fainting fit. I. She rejoices in his approach, Song 2:8. 1. She hears him speak: ?It is the voice of my beloved, calling me to tell me he is coming.? Like one of his own sheep, she knows his voice before she sees him, and can easily distinguish it from the voice of a stranger (John 10:4, 5), and, like a faithful friend of the bridegroom, she rejoices greatly... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:14-17

Here is, I. The encouraging invitation which Christ gives to the church, and every believing soul, to come into communion with him, Song 2:14. 1. His love is now his dove; David had called the church God's turtle-dove (Ps. 74:19), and so she is here called; a dove for beauty, her wings covered with silver (Ps. 68:13), for innocence and inoffensiveness; a gracious spirit is a dove-like spirit, harmless, loving quietness and cleanliness, and faithful to Christ, as the turtle to her mate. The... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:8

The voice of my beloved !.... So says the church, who well knew Christ her beloved's voice; which is known by all believers in him, and is distinguished by them from the voice of others; by the majesty and authority of it; by the power and efficacy of it; by its directing them to himself, and by the pleasure it gives them: and she speaks of it as being very delightful to her; it being the voice of him whom she loved, and a voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:9

My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart ,.... The church, upon the swift and speedy approach of Christ unto her, compares him to these creatures; which are well known for their swiftness F12 "Cervi veloces", Virgil. Aeneid. 5. v. 253. in running, and agility in leaping, as before observed: and, besides these things, Christ may be compared to them on other accounts; they are pleasant and lovely, choice and valuable; bear an antipathy to serpents, which they easily overcome; are very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:10

My beloved spake, and said unto me ,.... Christ, the church's beloved, being so near her, she could distinctly hear and understand what he spoke, and relate the very words: or, "he answered to me" F16 ענה "respondit", Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator, Marckius, Michaelis. ; to a secret petition, put up to him for a more full enjoyment of him; for there is mental as well as vocal prayer, which Christ, as God omniscient, knows full well, and gives answer to: of this may be an answer to her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:11

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. A season of the year which keeps persons within doors, makes going abroad unsafe, unpleasant, and uncomfortable; very unfit for travelling, roads bad, rivers impassable, and journeying very difficult; but now this season being over, and the spring come, the weather fair, and every thing gay and pleasant, it is inviting to be abroad; winter is by some writers F18 "Grandaevumque patrem supplex, miseranda rogabo unam hyemem", Statii... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:12

The flowers appear on the earth ,.... One of the first signs of the spring being come F20 "Ver praebet flores", Ovid. de Remed. Amor. l. 1. v. 188. "Omnia tum florent", ibid. Metamorph. l. 15. Fab. 9. So flowers are called τεκνα εαρος , "the children of the spring", in Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 13. c. 9. p. 608. "Vernus sequitur color, omnis in herbas turget humus", Claudian. de Rapt. Proserp. l. 2. v. 90. ; and make the season delightful and pleasant; the sun returning with its... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:13

The fig tree putteth forth her green figs ,.... Another sign of spring being come, nay, of its being pretty much advanced, since Christ makes this a token of summer being at hand, Matthew 24:32 . Theopompus F5 Apud Atheanei Deipnosoph. l. 3. c. 4. p. 77. speaks of figs in the middle of the spring. This tree puts forth its fruit at once, and does not flower or blossom F6 Plutarch. Sympos. l. 6. problem. 9. Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 20. , wherefore Habakkuk 3:17 is wrongly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:14

O my dove ,.... An epithet sometimes used by lovers F17 "Mea columba", Plauti Casina, Act. 1. Sc. 1. v. 50. Doves were birds of Venus; her chariot was drawn by them, Chartar. de Imag. Deor. p. 218. Vid. Apulci Metamorph. l. 6. , and is a new title Christ gives to his church, to express his affection for her and interest in her; and to draw her out of her retirement, to go along with him. The dove is a creature innocent and harmless, beautiful, cleanly, and chaste; sociable and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 2:15

Take us the foxes ,.... Of which there were great numbers in Judea; see Judges 15:4 ; these words are directed not to angels, nor to civil magistrates, but to ministers of the word; but whether the words of Christ, or the church, is not easy to determine; some think they are the words of the church, who had hitherto been relating what Christ said to her, and who, having neglected her vineyard, Song of Solomon 1:6 ; and now stirred up by Christ to a greater care of it, expresses her... read more

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