V. 1. How beautiful is your walk in your shoes, you prince's daughter.
Here he describes in a poem the secular regiment, which is so orderly and adorned, and presents it as if it were walking along, in order to indicate that it not only has excellent gifts, but also uses them daily, because the priests teach the word of God correctly, and the authorities speak justice in the right way 2c. This he indicates by saying of the same that it has shoes on. For I do not believe that he intends the secret interpretation that it is fixed and bound by laws 2c.
Your loins are like two clasps.
It is said that among the Jews it was forbidden for young people to read this book, which others take to mean that this was done so that the young people would not be inflamed to unchastity by reading it, but I believe that it was rather forbidden because of the difficulty. For since it deals entirely with the worldly regime, it seems to be useless for young people who have no experience in human affairs. For even young people can speak and hear of women without evil desire, if they regard them as creatures of God. And the Holy Spirit has a chaste mouth and a pure heart.
He therefore speaks here of the members that serve for procreation, as of His creature whose flesh and evil desire abuse,
which is their fault, not of the Holy Spirit. I say this so that no one will be offended by this text, which seems to speak of love affairs. But one must know that the Holy Spirit in figurative speeches looks more at the application than at the image chosen for the matter (formam rei). Therefore, he mentions here the procreative limbs, as the belly, the navel, the loins, 2c., to describe the fertility of this people. Wide hips are praised in women, because they are best suited to carry the fruit of the womb. Therefore Solomon speaks of the spiritual procreation in this people, that the young people are instructed for the service in the church and in the worldly regiment. Such loins are the schools in our country, and that is why we say that Germany is unfortunate because it lacks this suitable and graceful standing of the loins, and the schools are in such desolate condition.
V. 2. Your navel is like a round cup that never lacks drink.
The faculty of conceiving and begetting is in the navel, which is proved from Job, Cap. 40, II, proves, "His faculty is in the navel of his belly." But he means the parents and the teachers of youth. These are, as it were, a cup that never lacks wine, that is, their instruction is not without benefit. Thus the bridegroom praises the bride for the gifts she has, so that she may take comfort in what is present and despise the evils that offend her.
Your belly is like a heap of wheat.
. Your instruction and teaching is as fruitful as a heap of wheat. Roundness is praised in the belly, as the navel is praised when it is a little indented and a little lower in the belly. "Roses" he calls the Scriptures and the laws.
V. 3. Your two breasts 2c.
The breasts she has to feed those born of her.
V. 4. Your neck is like an ivory tower.
He calls it a "tower" because the neck is upright; "ivory" because it is white and durable. But "the neck" are the teachers and authorities who are incorruptible and firm, who do not let their courage sink, who do not let themselves be overcome by hatred, love, money and goods 2c., but carry out their office as it is due.
Your eyes are like the pools of Heshbon, at the Torah of Bathrabbim.
We read nothing of these pools in Scripture. But "the eyes" are the teachers, which overflow like pools of water, that they may comfort those who are weak in faith and life. The eyes are clear, transparent, like a pond.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon that stands against Damascus.
A straight nose is also praised, but the Holy Spirit is more concerned with its use. He therefore indicates diligent teachers and authorities who do not snore, but watch everywhere. I believe that he points to a waiting place that was located around midnight.
V. 5. Your head is upon you, like Carmel.
"The head" are the highest among the people, namely Solomon with his princes and the high priest. These are, as it were, an exceedingly fruitful mountain, not in and of themselves, but through the glorious promises which both have.
The hair on your head is like the purple of the king [bound in folds (vincta canalibus)].
A wonderful image that he calls the hair canales, and yet, if you look at the figure, it is not far out of the way. For when the hair of women hangs down over the shoulders, it is separate, and somewhat bent or curved, so that it resembles water flowing out of a gutter. These water channels or hairs are the orders of both the Levites and the secular authorities, which flow down from the high priest and the king like hair from the crown of the head over the back to the lower parts of the body. But that he adds: "like the purple", does not refer to the color, but to the substance. For soft hair is praised, which we compare with silk.
V. 6. How beautiful and how lovely you are.
Here he praises the secular regiment adorned with so many gifts.
"Beautiful" he calls it, because all offices are so beautifully distributed.
"Lovely" because this order adorns it and delights all who see and hear it.
V. 7. Your length is like a palm tree 2c.
The palm tree does not bow under a load. So are you; the heathen will not be able to press you down. For the priests teach the word, and turn not to the hatred of the world; thy judges stand by the right, and judge aright, and care not for the envy of the world 2c. Thus it is said in 2 Sam. 14, 17: "My lord the king is like an angel of God" 2c.
V. 8. I spoke: I must climb the palm tree.
You are so pleasing to me in such order and adornment that I must embrace you. These are glorious consolations by which God indicates that everything he has said so far is pleasing to him and pleases him. For he answers with his spirit to the spirit of Solomon that he is right to praise his regiment with such exaltations and to give thanks for it, and he says after the rage
of a lover: I will climb this palm tree, that is, I will embrace you and your kingdom with love. This is how it will happen.
That your breasts may be like grapes on the vine.
Henceforth there will be no more need of milk, but I will strengthen your citizens so that they can drink wine. I will make them hard, so that they shall not only bear the evils, but also overcome them 2c. But he puts the nose together with the breasts. For the breasts teach, but the nose guards and watches over and protects the teaching.
V. 9. and your throat like good wine.
Your praise and your thanksgiving, which you bring for your people, are exceedingly pleasant to me. For "the throat" means, according to the secret interpretation, to sing, to praise, to thank. These things are to me like wine, "which goes down smoothly to my friend" 1) (for so it must be translated), that is, Therefore thy praise pleaseth me, because it is directed to me; thou praisest not thy powers, thy righteousness, but me thou praisest 2c.
Et dentibus illius ad ruminandum [in the Vulgate] we translate thus:
Who moves the lips of the old (quod commovet labia senum).
For the verb he uses here means to make famous and to spread a speech, so that the opinion is: This praise and this price, with which you praise my good deeds, are kept by the old men who have a great knowledge of the histories, and propagate them to others.
V. 11. Come, my friend, let us go out into the field 2c.
Here the bride asks for a new gift for which she will give thanks afterwards. The kingdom
1) arndulat aä äileetum meuva reete, instead of: äiAurmi dilevto raeo aä potandum in the Vulgate. - It seems to us that instead of quoä in the editions it should be read, referring to vlnnrn; according to this we have translated.
Israel was very great under Solomon, for he ruled over the Edomites, the Philistines (Palaestinis), Syrians and Moabites (2 Sam., Cap. 8.].
Therefore, the Bride prays, because she has many other nations abroad (for this she calls "the field"), that the Bridegroom may give His grace to govern them also well, and that the Word may be spread among the neighboring Gentiles.
V. 12. That we rise early to the vineyards 2c.
We want to see if there are also some good men in them who are useful to the community.
There I want to give you my breasts.
We also want to teach at these places, we also want to practice our worship and our law at them.
V. 13. The lilies (mandragorae) give the smell.
Mandragora is not what we nowadays call mandragore (alrauns), but means a lovely and noble fruit, as is clear from the first book of Moses (Cap. 30, 14] and from this passage.
But the opinion is: I find the fruit of the Word also among the neighboring heathen who enjoy our religion and worldly regime. The word is not taught without fruit, but it produces exceedingly good people even among the pagans.
All kinds of noble fruits (poma), both local and distant.
Poma generally means all the noble tree fruits. It indicates that it has many good citizens, which it hides from the bridegroom, that is, the glory of the kingdom of God's people is not seen other than in the word. From whatever other side one may look at it, it is impure. Therefore, the world not only despises the good, but also persecutes and hates them; for it is not worthy that it should see a godly man or a good work. That is why the bride says, "I have kept them for you."