Song Of Solomon 5:10 - Exposition

My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. The mingling of colours in the countenance is a peculiar excellence. The word tsach, from the root tsahach (cf. Lamentations 4:7 ), means a bright, shining clearness; it is not the same as lavan, which would mean "dead white." So in Greek λαμπρὸς differs from λεῦκος . The red adhom, from the root dam , which means "to condense," is dark red ( rouge puce ) , no doubt as betokening health and vigour. The pure, delicate white among the Caucasians denotes high rank, superior training, hereditary nobility, as among ourselves the "aristocratic paleness" (cf. Hom; 'I1.,' 4:141, " ivory with purple ;" Virg; ' AE n.,' 12.65; Ovid, 'Am.,' 2; ' Eleg.,' 5.39; Hor; Od; 1.13, etc.; Tibull; 'Eleg.,' ext. 4, etc.). The chiefest, that is, the distinguished one, the chosen (so the Greek versions, Syriac, Jerome, Luther). The LXX . has ἐκλελοξισμένος , e cohorte selectus. Another rendering is "bannered," furnished with a banner or pennon ( דֶּגֶל ) hence the word דָּגוּל as a past participle (so the Venetian σεσημαιωμένος ) . The numeral ( revava ) " ten thousand " is simply used to represent an innumerable multitude; "myriad" is so used among ourselves (of. Ezekiel 16:7 ).