Verse 4
UNWAVERING FIDELITY OF THE BRIDE TO THE SHEPHERD
THE KING ADMITS HIS DEFEAT
"Thou art fair, O my love, as Tirzah,
Comely as Jerusalem,
Terrible as an army with banners.
Turn away thine eyes from me,
For they have overcome me.
Thy hair is as a flock of goats,
That lie along the side of Gilead.
Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes,
Which are come up from washing;
Whereof every one hath twins,
And none is bereaved among them.
Thy temples are like a piece of pomegranate
Behind thy veil.
There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines,
And virgins without number.
My dove, my undefiled, is but one;
She is the only one of her mother;
She is the choice of the one that bare her.
The daughters saw her, and called her blessed;
Yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning,
Fair as the moon,
Clear as the sun,
Terrible as an army with banners?"
"Terrible as an army with banners" (Song of Solomon 6:4,10). "This refrain is the key to the passage."[2] The purity and fidelity of the Shulamite have rebuked the king and his artificial flattery.
"Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me" (Song of Solomon 6:2). Solomon cannot bear to look this precious virtuous woman in the eyes; and he pleads with her not to look at him, admitting that she has overcome him. We are still looking for some commentator who is able to explain this scene as that of Solomon addressing a woman who is madly in love with him!
"Thy hair ... thy teeth ... thy temples" (Song of Solomon 6:5-7). Solomon continues his flattery, still unable to think of any suitable comparisons except those that see the maiden as an animal, especially as a female animal.
"Thy temples are like a piece of pomegranate" (Song of Solomon 6:7). Solomon looked upon her exactly as he might have looked upon a piece of bread, or fruit, something to eat, devour and to satisfy his desire.
"Threescore queens and fourscore concubines" (Song of Solomon 6:8). Delitzsch considered this an indication that the events covered by this Song took place early in Solomon's reign, at a time when he had only threescore queens and fourscore concubines.[3] Others have supposed that the author was some other than Solomon; and Carr also denied that this is actually a reference to Solomon. "No particular harem is being considered."[4] Solomon is clearly meant; and one may find the balance of those 700 wives and 300 concubines in the adjacent phrase, "Virgins without number." What Solomon was saying here is that there were threescore queens and fourscore concubines of his who were, in one sense or another, special, and that even these praised the maiden (Song of Solomon 6:9).
"Yea, queens and concubines praised her" (Song of Solomon 6:9). The maiden was different in some very dramatic and sufficient sense from any of the women in Solomon's seraglio; and it was undeniably that difference which was praised. What was it? She was the only one who would not submit to Solomon's advances. She overcame him (Song of Solomon 6:5).
There are all kinds of interpretations suggested for these verses; but we have cited here the one that makes the most sense to this writer.
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