Song of Solomon 4:16 NIV

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 4:1-16

A wedding procession (3:6-5:1)As the wedding day approaches, the girl pictures the coming of the bridegroom for her as a royal wedding procession - King Solomon in all his glory coming to this humble country town to claim his bride. She pictures the scene as the procession approaches amid clouds of perfumed incense. The centre of attraction is the king himself, carried on his gold and silver carriage and surrounded by fully armed royal guards in brilliant uniforms (6-11).The bridegroom meets... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Song of Solomon 4:16

THE MAIDEN'S RESPONSE"Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south;Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.Let my beloved come into his garden,And eat his precious fruits."This cannot possibly be the maiden's response to Solomon who is standing right there in front of her. She prays for the winds of heaven to carry the message of her love to her "absent lover."[17] In our understanding of the allegory, the Bride of Christ prays for and longs for the Second Advent. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Song of Solomon 4:16

Song of Solomon 4:16. Awake, O north wind— The bride here takes up the metaphor, and wishes that she could produce any thing to invite or please him. The author of the Observations, remarking that the south wind is extremely hot and troublesome in Palestine, gives a very different interpretation of this text from the usual one. None, I presume, says he, will deny, that the first word may signify awake or arise; all the hesitation, therefore, must be about the second, And come, thou south,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Song of Solomon 4:16

16. Awake—literally, "arise." All besides is ready; one thing alone is wanted—the breath of God. This follows rightly after His death (Song of Solomon 6:12; Acts 2:1-4). It is His call to the Spirit to come (John 14:16); in John 3:8, compared to "the wind"; quickening (John 6:63; Ezekiel 27:9). Saints offer the same prayer (Psalms 85:6; Habakkuk 3:2). The north wind "awakes," or arises strongly, namely, the Holy Ghost as a reprover (Habakkuk 3:2- :); the south wind "comes" gently, namely, the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Song of Solomon 4:1-16

Description of her Charms. Her Invitation1-7. This short poem belongs to the class which the Arabs call wasf, in which the bride's charms are described: they are sung while she is being dressed, or when she exhibits herself in her nuptial array, or on the day subsequent to the ceremony. Here is one that is still to be heard in Palestine:'Oh, her eyes are like the hue of ink drawn by the stylus,And her hair, when she dyed it with henna, like birds'feathers;Her nose as the handle of a ghttering... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Song of Solomon 4:16

(16) Blow upon my garden.—After the description of his beloved’s charms under these figures, the poet, under a companion figure, invokes the “airs of love” to blow upon the garden, that its perfumes may “flow out” for him—that the object of his affections may no longer keep herself reserved and denied to him. Tennyson’s melodious lines are recalled which describe how, when a breeze of morning moves,“The woodbine spices are wafted abroad,And the musk of the roses blown.”Let my beloved . . .—This... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Song of Solomon 4:1-16

Solomon's Garden Song of Solomon 4:12-14 There is one advantage in speaking about a garden the preacher at once enlists the interest of his hearers. The love of plants and flowers is almost universal. Our greatest English essayists have written upon gardens. The father of inductive philosophy had an intense love for the beauties of nature. He says: 'God Almighty first planted a garden; and indeed it is the purest of pleasures'. Abraham Cowley, when dedicating his poem, 'The Garden,' to John... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 4:1-16

TRUE LOVE TESTEDSong of Solomon 1:1-17; Song of Solomon 2:1-17; Song of Solomon 3:1-11; Song of Solomon 4:1-16; Song of Solomon 5:1THE poem opens with a scene in Solomon’s palace. A country maiden has just been introduced to the royal harem. The situation is painful enough in itself, for the poor, shy girl is experiencing the miserable loneliness of finding herself in an unsympathetic crowd. But that is not all. She is at once the object of general observation; every eye is turned towards her;... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Song of Solomon 4:1-16

CHAPTER 4 The King, the Bridegroom speaks of her, who is “perfect through His comeliness put upon thee” Ezekiel 16:14 . He tells out all she is in His sight and loving estimation. He has called her from the lions’ den, from the mountains of the leopards (Song of Solomon 4:8 ); she has passed through the fires of persecution and tribulation and now His heart expresses His delight in her. There are eight descriptions of her beauty. He tells her, “Behold thou art fair, my love, behold thou art... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Song of Solomon 4:16

4:16 Awake, O {i} north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, [that] its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.(i) She desires Christ to comfort her and to pour the graces of his Spirit on her, which is meant by the North and South wind. read more