The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 2 · Annotations 3
ANNOTATIONS.
[a] Verſe 1.] The beginning of this Chapter might be connected with the foregoing, and applied to the State of the Church under affliction; if the following Words would ſute with that Expoſition, which they do not, in my Opinion: For He had deſired to hear her voice, v. 14. of the ſecond Chapter, and now ſhe cannot find Him. Therefore I incline to think, that the very ſame thing is again repreſented in other Words (after the manner of the Prophets; particularly of Iſaiah, who over and over again, in ſeveral ſchemes of ſpeech foretels their reſtauration from the Captivity of Babylon, and, under that ſhadow, their greater ſalvation by Chriſt) viz. the earneſt deſire of the Church for the coming of Chriſt: which Solomon expreſſes by the paſſionate longings he found in himſelf to ſee that bleſſed day.
By night] And ſo by night, may be underſtood that dark time, which was before his appearing; when good men ſought for Him, and had many Dreams and Viſions about Him: but could meet only with the ſhadows and images of Him; which ſignified Him to come, but did not exhibit his very preſence to them. Of which neither the Temple, nor the Sacrifices, nor the ſacred Books, could diſcover any thing clearly: but was repreſented here to Solomon in a Viſion he had of Him, and of the Church which was eſpouſed to Him, after he had ſought a long time, and groped every where after Him, in that dark night wherein they lived. So, as I ſaid, the night may be expounded: for ſuch a diſmal condition were they in, juſt when He appeared, IV. Matth. 16. I. Luke 79.
on my bed] This is expounded with ſtrange variety by Interpreters: ſome underſtanding hereby the bed of affliction, others, the bed of eaſe and pleaſure, others, of weakneſs and infirmity, &c. But I have taken both bed and night, in the moſt ſimple ſenſe, to ſignifie the time and place, for moſt compoſed thoughts: according to the meaning of IV. Pſal. 4.
[b] V. 2. I will riſe now] To riſe up ſignifies more active diligence, than before had been uſed.
go about the City] By the City may be underſtood Jeruſalem; that is, the whole Church of the Jews, whereof it was the Head; and therefore the Figure of the Church of Chriſt in future times, LXII. Iſai. 5, 6, 7. XII. Hebr. 22.
in the ſtreets, &c.] Schevakim, which we tranſlate Streets are the leſſer thorow-fares in the City, or the Streets of leſſer Cities: as Rechoboth, are the greater, wider Streets, or rather the Streets of the Royal, Capital City: ſignifying here his ſearch both in the leſſer and the greater Aſſemblies of God's people.
[c] V. 3. The Watchmen that go about, &c.] By Watchmen I underſtand the Prophets, and ſuch like excellent perſons who inſtructed the people (III. Ezek. 17. XXXIII. 6, 7.) of whom he asks, if they ſaw Him, whom he ſought after. From which Word I gather that he ſpeaks of ſuch, as were anciently called Seers: of whom he ſaith he was found; that is, they ſhowed him ſomething of the Meſſiah.
[d] V. 4.] For ſo it follows here in this Verſe, that not long after his Diſcourſe with them, he found Him whom his ſoul loved, i. e. came to the knowledge; or had a ſight and enjoyment of Him. In which Viſion (looking upon Him as actually come) he endeavours to retain Him, and to bring Him into the Temple, there to ſhow Him to all the pious Worſhippers of the Divine Majeſty. For that is literally the Houſe of my Mother: As Cheder Corathi (the Chamber of her that conceived me) I take to be the inward part of that Houſe; or the moſt Holy place.
[e] V. 5.] And there He expreſſes his affection to him (that is, to the Church, whoſe paſſionate deſires Solomon here repreſents in the four foregoing Verſes) in the ſame Words, as He had done before in the foregoing Chapter, ver. 7. where this Verſe is already explained.
[f] V. 6. Who is this, &c.] Here begins a new Viſion, which he had of multitudes of people gathering unto Chriſt, like a Cloud of Smoak: which fills his Companions with great admiration. For it is their voice, which we read in this Verſe: where the Word zoth may be tranſlated either what, or who: and by the Wilderneſs may be underſtood the forlorn condition, wherein men were before, not only in Gentiliſm, but even in the Jewiſh Eſtate. Which made it more wonderful, that the Church ſhould come thus richly adorned (expreſſed here by the Perfumes of her Garments) to be brought in State and Pomp to the King's Palace; there to be eſpouſed to Him. But all that gave up themſelves to Him becoming thereby an holy people, were highly eſteemed by Him: and therefore compared here to the Pillars of Smoak (as I take it) that went up every day from the Altar of Burnt-offering, at the Temple, before mentioned; and aſcended in a ſtrait Line, like a firm Pillar, that was not in the leaſt moved from its uprightneſs, though the Wind blew never ſo boiſterouſly. So the Jews report in Pirke Avoth, C. 5. and in other Books: where theſe are reckoned among the ten Miracles which were ſeen in the Temple: that the greateſt rain never put out the fire; and the moſt vehement winds never diſperſed, or in the leaſt bent the ſmoak: but it went up ſtedfaſtly to heaven. And how acceptable ſuch perſons were to Chriſt, is further repreſented by the ſweet Perfumes which were burnt upon the Altar of Incenſe. For Solomon, I conceive, here alludes (in the laſt Clauſe of this Verſe) to that compoſition, which God ordered to be made of ſweet Spices for his own ſervice at the Tabernacle: which none might preſume to imitate, or make uſe of in other places, XXX. Exod. 34, 35, &c.
[g] V. 7. Behold his bed, &c.] And here is further repreſented in the ſame Viſion, the happy condition of the Church (ſignified by the Bed of Solomon) in Society and fellowſhip with Chriſt: of whom Solomon was a Type, both in his Royal Perſon, and State and Marriage (as appears from Pſal. XLV.) whoſe Bed or Throne (for the Thrones of the Eaſtern Kings, were in the form of a Bed or Couch, wherein more perſons than one might ſit, III. Revel. 21.) was ſecured by the moſt valiant men in the Kingdom. Who are ſaid to be threeſcore a determinate Number being named (as the manner is) for an undeterminate. Though ſome conceive that Solomon doubled the number of that Band of mighty men, which was in David's time, which conſiſted of thirty, 2 Sam. XXIII. 13, 23. In the end of which Chapter, v. 39. we read alſo of thirty and ſeven perſons, who were of great note for their valour. To whom if we add the eleven Princes mentioned in 1 Kings IV. beginning: and the twelve great Officers, which had the care of making proviſion for his houſhold in the ſeveral Provinces, v. 7. they make juſt this Number of LX. And may be lookt upon as a Figure of that ſtrong Guard, which is about the proſperity and happineſs of the Church: which is defended by Angels, who are mighty ones indeed, and very numerous (LXVIII. Pſal. 17.) and all miniſtring Spirits for thoſe that are Heirs of ſalvation, I. Heb. ult. nay, the moſt mighty of the heavenly Hoſt, it may be eaſily proved (if this were a place proper for it) are the Guardians and Protectors of Chriſtianity.
[h] V. 8. becauſe of fear in the night] And do all of them unanimouſly oppoſe the ſpiritual wickedneſs, i. e. wicked Spirits, in high places; who ſeek to deſtroy the Church (VI. Eph. 12. and may be meant by the terrour of the night, as the Hebrews expound the XCI. Pſal. 5. and being the Rulers of the Gentile World ſtirred them up to perſecute Chriſtianity, as deſtructive to their Kingdom of darkneſs.
[i] V. 9. made himſelf a chariot] But, in ſpite of all they could do, Chriſt is here repreſented, under the Type of Solomon, as carrying his Church triumphantly through the World (for the Word appirjon, which is never elſewhere uſed, ſeems to ſignifie an open Chariot, in which Solomon, and, perhaps, his Queen, rode, to be expoſed to the view of every one, in the Streets of Jeruſalem) who beholding her, and the love of Chriſt to her, were thereby invited to become Members of his Church.
Moſt Lexicographers derive this Word appirjon from a Root which ſignifies to fructifie; and therefore will have it to ſignifie a Bed. But Avenarius I think more probably hath derived it from two Words; which give it the ſignification of ſomething carried on Wheels: and therefore muſt denote, at leaſt a Chariot having a Bed or Cuſhion in it.
the wood of Lebanon] is Cedar; denoting the perpetuity of the Goſpel: the preaching of which is the Chariot here mentioned. So Theodoret, by the foreign (as the Greek tranſlates it) foreign, &c. let us underſtand, ſaith he, the holy Apoſtles, who carried the name of the Lord before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Iſrael, &c. Theſe were literally made and formed by Chriſt Himſelf: whereas the Chariot wherein Solomon rode, he could only command or direct others to make.
[k] V. 10.] The deſcription of the richneſs of this Chariot of Solomon's, follows in this Verſe: in which we are not to ſeek, I think, for ſomething in the Goſpel anſwering to every part of it; but only to look upon it as ſetting forth the great ſplendour of it, and the riches of that Grace, which God vouchſafed to men therein.
The particular parts of the Chariot I have deſcribed as well as I could in our Language; and inſerted in my Paraphaſe another Tranſlation of the laſt Word mibbenoth: which ſignifies as well from or by, as for, the Daughters of Jeruſalem. The moſt ingenious of which it is likely were employed in working that Foot-cloth which lay at the bottom of the Chariot, with elegant Figures: of Shepherds and Shepherdeſſes, perhaps, and all their innocent courtſhips. So that Phraſe may be interpreted, paved with love: but I have contented my ſelf in the Paraphraſe to ſay only, with lovely Figures.
Some think they find in this Chariot, an imitation of that Seat, whereon God Himſelf ſat between the Cherubims; with which they have compared it: But I cannot be perſwaded that Solomon would be ſo audacious.
[l] V. 11.] Nor do I ſee any foundation for the fancy of the Hebrews in Seder Olam Rabba, Cap. XV. (which the Chaldee Paraphraſe touches upon) Where they make the day of Solomon's Eſpouſals, to be the next day after the Feaſt which he held ſeven days, for the Conſecration of the Temple, 1 Kings VIII. 66. Which was the day of the gladneſs of his heart indeed; but cannot be called his Eſpouſals. Which was not the day of his Coronation neither; for then he did not ride in a Chariot, but upon his Fathers Mule; and was not crowned by his Mother, but anointed by Zadock the Prieſt and Nathan the Prophet, 1 Kings I. 33, 34.
the day of his eſpouſals] therefore was the day when he took Pharaoh's Daughter to Wife; at which time, it was the manner to crown married perſons: and his Father being dead, it was done by his Mother. Of this Cuſtom mention is made by many Authors; which the learned Reader may find in Bochart his Geographia Sacra, Part, 2. L. 1. C. 25. Where he applies that Paſſage in Ezekiel unto this, XVI. 8, 12. When I looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love (i. e. thou waſt fit for marriage) I entred into a Covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine; and I put a Jewel in thy forehead, &c. and a beautiful Crown upon thy head. For the Miſneh informs us, that this Nuptial Grown was in uſe among the Jews, as well as other Nations.
All which I do not ſee how it is any other way applicable unto Chriſt, than I have expreſſed in the Paraphraſe. The Church indeed her ſelf may be ſaid to be his Crown and Joy, in that ſenſe wherein St. Paul ſaith the Theſſalonians were his, 1 Theſſ. II. 19. But this is not to put a Crown upon Him; and the Church can in no ſenſe be called his Mother, eſpecially ſince She is his Bride. And therefore herein Interpreters ſtrain too much; who ought, I think, to have aſcribed that to God the Father in the myſtical ſenſe, which is aſcribed unto Bathſheba in the literal.