| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 Whither is thy beloved gone, Thou fairest among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside? And we will seek him with thee. |
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| 2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, To feed in the gardens and to gather lilies. |
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| 3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: He feedeth his flock among the lilies.
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I am my beloved's – The Bride rejoices in the Bridegroom's assured love, and her desires and longings are not questionings as to the relationship in which she stands to him, which is to her a settled thing. R303:2*
Only a few will be able to say this. This union with the Beloved (Christ) implies that the step of justification through repentance and faith in the precious blood has first taken place. R4783:5
A positive compact or contract with Christ is implied. R4783:5
There is no possibility for any to get into this elect class without knowing it. R4783:5
My beloved is mine – So long as we continue to be faithful. "He that hath the son hath life"--eternal life. (1 John 5:12) R4784:1
Those who have Christ are really possessors of "all things." (1 Cor. 3:22, 23) R4784:1
The Bridegroom's care, provision, protection and comfort belong to the betrothed even now. R4784:2
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| 4 Thou art fair, my love, as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as troops with banners: |
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| 5 Turn away thine eyes from me, For they overcome me. Thy hair is as a flock of goats On the slopes of Gilead. |
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| 6 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep Which go up from the washing; Which have all borne twins, And none is barren among them. |
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| 7 As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples Behind thy veil. |
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| 8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number: |
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| 9 My dove, mine undefiled, is but one; She is the only one of her mother, She is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and they called her blessed; The queens and the concubines, and they praised her. |
My dove – Symbol of peace and purity. E212
She is the only one – There is but one Bride of Christ. R4655:1
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| 10 Who is she that looketh forth as the dawn, Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, Terrible as troops with banners? |
As the morning – Symbol of the Millennial age. A9; E359
Fair as the moon – Symbol of the Law in Matt. 24 and Rev. 12. R499:4; D590
Clear as the sun – Symbol of the gospel light, the truth, in Matt. 24 and Rev. 12. R499:4; D590
With banners – Symbol of the standard of the truth in Isa. 13:1, 2. D40
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| 11 I went down into the garden of nuts, To see the verdure of the valley, To see whether the vine budded, Whether the pomegranates blossomed. |
To see the fruits – Symbol of the fruits of the spirit. E206
The pomegranates – Symbol of the fruitage of redemptive work. T30
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| 12 Before I was aware, My soul set me upon the chariots of my willing people. |
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| 13 Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. --What would ye look upon in the Shulamite? --As it were the dance of two camps. |
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