Reflections on Song of Solomon 6

Song of Solomon 06 (Contemporary English Version)


1. Most beautiful of women, tell us where he has gone. Let us help you find him.
   
2. My darling has gone down to his garden of spices, where he will feed his sheep and gather lilies.
   
3. I am his, and he is mine, as he feeds his sheep among the lilies.
   
4. My dearest, the cities of Tirzah and Jerusalem are not as lovely as you. Your charms are more powerful than all of the stars in the heavens.
   
5. Turn away your eyes-- they make me melt. Your hair tosses about as gracefully as goats coming down from Gilead.
   
6. Your teeth are whiter than sheep freshly washed; they match perfectly, not one is missing.
   
7. Behind your veil are hidden beautiful rosy cheeks.
   
8. What if I could have sixty queens, eighty wives, and thousands of others!
   
9. You would be my only choice, my flawless dove, the favorite child of your mother. The young women, the queens, and all the others tell how excited you are as they sing your praises:
   
10. "You are as majestic as the morning sky-- glorious as the moon-- blinding as the sun! Your charms are more powerful than all the stars above."
    
11. I went down to see if blossoms were on the walnut trees, grapevines, and fruit trees.
    
12. But in my imagination I was suddenly riding on a glorious chariot.
    
13. Dance! Dance! Beautiful woman from Shulam, let us see you dance! Why do you want to see this woman from Shulam dancing with the others?
    

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Prior to this chapter, the Beloved (the bride) was indifferent about her lover coming to her, so he went away. She sought the help of the young women of Jerusalem to find him. In verse 1 of this chapter the young women agree to help, and ask where he has gone. Curiously the Beloved tells them he "has gone to his garden." Supposedly she is looking for him and yet this reply implies that she already knows where he is. At least one commentary suggests the reason might be that their separation was emotional rather than physical. Her comments indicate that she is ready for reconciliation and her confidence that he may have always desired it. She says, "I am my love's and my love is mine." I can also imagine she is making clear to these young women that they shouldn't get any ideas about his availability.

Verse 4 marks the reconciliation with the praises of the Lover for his Beloved. Much of his praise is repeated from his praise of her on their wedding night which may be suggesting to her that his love for her has not diminished since then. He goes further, though. Not only does he praise her beauty as he did on their wedding night, he now praises her virtue and uniqueness. This is praise indeed, for since their marriage and in the closeness of living together he has grown in his appreciation of her virtues rather than diminished. Living with a person will expose their real character and her's has proven to be genuine, maybe more so than he originally realized. He is not the only one who sees her virtues, either. Her mother does, of course. She is her mother's favorite, but other women see it as well, and sing her praises. An often quoted phrase from Sir Thomas Overbury's work, "A true and historical relation of the poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury," comes to mind regarding the Lover's assessment of his Beloved - "Beauty is only skin deep." Her beauty, he is saying, is not just skin deep. It goes throughout. A beauty that does not go beyond the surface is like a food or drink that is too sweet. It soon becomes distasteful.

Verses 11-13 seem to give the Beloved's description of the reconciliation, though they are a bit obscure. Verse 12 is a key, I think, and it is a difficult verse to interpret. One translation of it is this: “I became enraptured, for you placed me on the chariots of the people of the prince.” If we go with this understanding of it, the Beloved could be saying that she went to to the garden where her Lover was to see if their love was still in bloom. When she found him his words of praise caused her to "become enraptured." He then placed her on his chariot at the head of his entourage and as they left the people called her back.