Reflections on Song of Solomon 5

 Song of Solomon 05 (Contemporary English Version)

1. My bride, my very own, I come to my garden and enjoy its spices. I eat my honeycomb and honey; I drink my wine and milk. Eat and drink until you are drunk with love.
   
2. I was asleep, but dreaming: The one I love was at the door, knocking and saying, "My darling, my very own, my flawless dove, open the door for me! My head is drenched with evening dew."
   
3. But I had already undressed and bathed my feet. Should I dress again and get my feet dirty?
   
4. Then my darling's hand reached to open the latch, and my heart stood still.
   
5. When I rose to open the door, my hands and my fingers dripped with perfume.
   
6. My heart stood still while he spoke to me, but when I opened the door, my darling had disappeared. I searched and shouted, but I could not find him-- there was no answer.
   
7. Then I was found by the guards patrolling the town and guarding the wall. They beat me up and stripped off my robe.
   
8. Young women of Jerusalem, if you find the one I love, please say to him, "She is weak with desire."
   
9. Most beautiful of women, why is the one you love more special than others? Why do you ask us to tell him how you feel?
   
10. He is handsome and healthy, the most outstanding among ten thousand.
    
11. His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy, black as a raven.
    
12. His eyes are a pair of doves bathing in a stream flowing with milk.
    
13. His face is a garden of sweet-smelling spices; his lips are lilies dripping with perfume.
    
14. His arms are branches of gold covered with jewels; his body is ivory decorated with sapphires.
    
15. His legs are columns of marble on feet of gold. He stands there majestic like Mount Lebanon and its choice cedar trees.
    
16. His kisses are sweet. I desire him so much! Young women of Jerusalem, he is my lover and friend.

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The bride invited the groom to come to her garden, in 4:16, for it was his garden to enjoy. In the opening verse of chapter 5 the groom had come to the garden, which he calls his garden, and has enjoyed it. They had consummated their marriage. Then, possibly to whomever will listen, he extended the invitation to enjoy love.

With verse 2, time had passed since the wedding night. The wife was home sleeping and dreaming. In her dream her husband, who had been gone and was wet with dew, knocked at the door asking her to open to him. But somewhat indifferent she complained that she had already undressed and washed her feet. How could she get dressed again and get her feet dirty? But the husband tried the door and her feelings for him were stirred. So she got up to open the door but the husband had left. He was gone and she was crushed.

She then began to look for him and call out for him, but she could not find him nor did he respond. The guards of the city saw her running about at night and attacked her, beating her and taking her cloak. Then she appealed to the "young women of Jerusalem" to help find her husband and tell him she was lovesick for him. Though she had been indifferent to him, she now regretted her action and wanted him to return.

The women to whom she had appealed asked her, "What makes him better than another?" In other words, what makes him so special that they should help find him? To this she responded with a lengthy description of his assets, describing his strength, his hair, his eyes and cheeks. Continuing she described his arms, body, legs, presence, and mouth. All in all, he was "absolutely desireable." By this time, any indifference she had was gone. All passion for him was renewed.