Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Song of solomon 6:4 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| So 6:4 |
Strong Concordance |
Thou art beautiful [03303], O my love [07474], as Tirzah [08656], comely [05000] as Jerusalem [03389], terrible [0366] as an army with banners [01713]. |
| |
King James |
Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Tirzah--meaning "pleasant" (Heb 13:21); "well-pleasing" (Mat 5:14); the royal city of one of the old Canaanite kings (Jos 12:24); and after the revolt of Israel, the royal city of its kings, before Omri founded Samaria (Kg1 16:8, Kg1 16:15). No ground for assigning a later date than the time of Solomon to the Song, as Tirzah was even in his time the capital of the north (Israel), as Jerusalem was of the south (Judah).
Jerusalem--residence of the kings of Judah, as Tirzah, of Israel (Psa 48:1, &c.; Psa 122:1-3; Psa 125:1-2). Loveliness, security, unity, and loyalty; also the union of Israel and Judah in the Church (Isa 11:13; Jer 3:18; Eze 37:16-17, Eze 37:22; compare Heb 12:22; Rev 21:2, Rev 21:12).
terrible--awe-inspiring. Not only armed as a city on the defensive, but as an army on the offensive.
banners--(See on Sol 5:10; Psa 60:4); Jehovah-nissi (Co2 10:4). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
The section might be entitled, "Renewed declaration of love after brief estrangement."
Sol 6:4
Tirzah ... Jerusalem - Named together as the then two fairest cities of the land. For Jerusalem compare Psa 48:2. "Tirzah" (i. e., "Grace" or "Beauty ")was an old Canaanite royal city Jos 12:24. It became again a royal residence during the reigns of Baasha and his three successors in the kingdom of the ten tribes, and may well therefore have been famed for its beauty in the time of Solomon.
Terrible as ... - Awe-inspiring as the bannered (hosts). The warlike image, like others in the Song, serves to enhance the charm of its assured peace.
Sol 6:5
Even for the king the gentle eyes of the bride have an awe-striking majesty. Such is the condescension of love. Now follows Sol 6:5-7 the longest of the repetitions which abound in the Song, marking the continuance of the king's affection as when first solemnly proclaimed Sol 4:1-6. The two descriptions belong, according to some (Christian) expositors, to the Church of different periods, e. g. to the primitive Church in the splendor of her first vocation, and to the Church under Constantine; other (Jewish) expositors apply them to "the congregation of Israel" under the first and second temples respectively.
Sol 6:9
The king contrasts the bride with the other claimants for her royal estate or favor Sol 6:8. She not only outshines them all for him, but herself has received from them disinterested blessing and praise.
This passage is invaluable as a divine witness to the principle of monogamy under the Old Testament and in the luxurious age of Solomon. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
With Sol 6:4 Solomon's address is resumed, and a new scene opens. Shulamith had found him again, and she who is beautiful in herself appears now so much the more beautiful, when the joy of seeing him again irradiates her whole being.
4 Beautiful art thou, my friend, as Tirzah,
Comely as Jerusalem,
Terrible as a battle-array.
In the praise of her beauty we hear the voice of the king. The cities which are the highest ornament of his kingdom serve him as the measure of her beauty, which is designated according to the root conceptions by יפה, after the equality of completeness; by נאוה, after the quality of that which is well-becoming, pleasing. It is concluded, from the prominence given to Tirzah, that the Song was not composed till after the division of the kingdom, and that its author was an inhabitant of the northern kingdom; for Tirzah was the first royal city of this kingdom till the time of Omri, the founder of Samaria. But since, at all events, it is Solomon who here speaks, so great an historical judgment ought surely to be ascribed to a later poet who has imagined himself in the exact position of Solomon, that he would not represent the king of the undivided Israel as speaking like a king of the separate kingdom of Israel. The prominence given to Tirzah has another reason. Tirzah was discovered by Robinson on his second journey, 1852, in which Van de Velde accompanied him, on a height in the mountain range to the north of Nabls, under the name Tullzah. Brocardus and Breydenback had already pointed out a village called Thersa to the east of Samaria. This form of the name corresponds to the Heb. better than that Arab. Tullûzah; but the place is suitable, and if Tullzah lies high and beautiful in a region of olive trees, then it still justifies its ancient name, which means pleasantness or sweetness. But it cannot be sweetness on account of which Tirzah is named before Jerusalem, for in the eye of the Israelites Jerusalem was "the perfection of beauty" (Psa 50:2; Lam 2:15). That there is gradation from Tirzah to Jerusalem (Hengst.) cannot be said; for נאוה (decora) and יפה (pulchra) would be reversed if a climax were intended. The reason of it is rather this, that Shulamith is from the higher region, and is not a daughter of Jerusalem, and that therefore a beautiful city situated in the north toward Sunem must serve as a comparison of her beauty. That Shulamith is both beautiful and terrible (אימּה from אים) is not contradiction: she is terrible in the irresistible power of the impression of her personality, terrible as nîdgaloth, i.e., as troops going forth with their banners unfurled (cf. the Kal of this v. denom., Psa 20:6). We do not need to supply מצנות, which is sometimes fem., Psa 25:3; Gen 32:9, although the attribute would here be appropriate, Num 2:3, cf. Song Num 10:5; still less צבאות, which occurs in the sense of military service, Isa 40:2, and a war-expedition, Dan 8:12, but not in the sense of war-host, as fem. Much rather nidgaloth, thus neut., is meant of bannered hosts, as ארחות (not אר), Isa 21:13, of those that are marching. War-hosts with their banners, their standards, go forth confident of victory. Such is Shulamith's whole appearance, although she is unconscious of it - a veni, vidi, vici. Solomon is completely vanquished by her. But seeking to maintain himself in freedom over against her, he cries out to her: |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Thou - These are the words of Christ, who had now again manifested himself to his church. Tirzah - A very pleasant city, the royal seat of the kings of Israel. Jerusalem - Which was beautiful both for its situation, and for its goodly buildings. Terrible - To her enemies, whom God will certainly destroy. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Beautiful - as Tirzah - This is supposed to be the address of Solomon to the bride. Tirzah was a city in the tribe of Ephraim, (Jos 12:24), and the capital of that district. It appears to have been beautiful in itself, and beautifully situated, for Jeroboam made it his residence before Samaria was built; and it seems to have been the ordinary residence of the kings of Israel, Kg1 14:17; Kg1 15:21. Its same signifies beautiful or delightful.
Comely as Jerusalem - This was called the perfection of beauty, Psa 48:2, Psa 48:3; Psa 50:2. And thus the poet compares the bride's beauty to the two finest places in the land of Palestine, and the capitals of the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
Terrible as an army with banners - This has been supposed to carry an allusion to the caravans in the East, and the manner in which they are conducted in their travels by night. The caravans are divided into companies, called cottors, according to Thevenet; and each company is distinguished by the form of the brazier in which they carry their lights. After night, these braziers are placed on the ends of long poles, and carried by a person who walks at the head of the company. Some have ten or twelve lights, and are of different forms; some triangular, or like an N; some like an M, by which each pilgrim readily knows his own company, both by night and day. A whole caravan, composed of many thousands of hadgees or pilgrims, divided into various cottors or companies, each having its own distinguishing brazier or light, must necessarily produce a very splendid, if not a terrible, appearance. |
4 (For [1063] the weapons [3696] of our [2257] warfare [4752] are not [3756] carnal [4559], but [235] mighty [1415] through God [2316] to [4314] the pulling down [2506] of strong holds [3794];)
4 Thou hast given [05414] a banner [05251] to them that fear [03373] thee, that it may be displayed [05127] because [06440] of the truth [07189]. Selah [05542].
10 My beloved [01730] is white [06703] and ruddy [0122], the chiefest [01713] among ten thousand [07233].
12 And [5037] had [2192] a wall [5038] great [3173] and [2532] high [5308], and had [2192] twelve [1427] gates [4440], and [2532] at [1909] the gates [4440] twelve [1427] angels [32], and [2532] names [3686] written thereon [1924], which [3739] are [2076] the names of the twelve [1427] tribes [5443] of the children [5207] of Israel [2474]:
2 And [2532] I [1473] John [2491] saw [1492] the holy [40] city [4172], new [2537] Jerusalem [2419], coming down [2597] from [575] God [2316] out of [1537] heaven [3772], prepared [2090] as [5613] a bride [3565] adorned [2885] for her [846] husband [435].
22 But [235] ye are come [4334] unto mount [3735] Sion [4622], and [2532] unto the city [4172] of the living [2198] God [2316], the heavenly [2032] Jerusalem [2419], and [2532] to an innumerable company [3461] of angels [32],
22 And I will make [06213] them one [0259] nation [01471] in the land [0776] upon the mountains [02022] of Israel [03478]; and one [0259] king [04428] shall be king [04428] to them all: and they shall be [05750] no more two [08147] nations [01471], neither shall they be divided [02673] into two [08147] kingdoms [04467] any more at all:
16 Moreover, thou son [01121] of man [0120], take [03947] thee one [0259] stick [06086], and write [03789] upon it, For Judah [03063], and for the children [01121] of Israel [03478] his companions [02270]: then take [03947] another [0259] stick [06086], and write [03789] upon it, For Joseph [03130], the stick [06086] of Ephraim [0669], and for all the house [01004] of Israel [03478] his companions [02270]:
17 And join [07126] them one [0259] to another [0259] into one [0259] stick [06086]; and they shall become one [0259] in thine hand [03027].
18 In those days [03117] the house [01004] of Judah [03063] shall walk [03212] with the house [01004] of Israel [03478], and they shall come [0935] together [03162] out of the land [0776] of the north [06828] to the land [0776] that I have given for an inheritance [05157] unto your fathers [01].
13 The envy [07068] also of Ephraim [0669] shall depart [05493], and the adversaries [06887] of Judah [03063] shall be cut off [03772]: Ephraim [0669] shall not envy [07065] Judah [03063], and Judah [03063] shall not vex [06887] Ephraim [0669].
1 A Song [07892] of degrees [04609]. They that trust [0982] in the LORD [03068] shall be as mount [02022] Zion [06726], which cannot be removed [04131], but abideth [03427] for ever [05769].
2 As the mountains [02022] are round about [05439] Jerusalem [03389], so the LORD [03068] is round about [05439] his people [05971] from henceforth even for [05704] ever [05769].
1 A Song [07892] of degrees [04609] of David [01732]. I was glad [08055] when they said [0559] unto me, Let us go [03212] into the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
2 Our feet [07272] shall stand [05975] within thy gates [08179], O Jerusalem [03389].
3 Jerusalem [03389] is builded [01129] as a city [05892] that is compact [02266] together [03162]:
1 A Song [07892] and Psalm [04210] for the sons [01121] of Korah [07141]. Great [01419] is the LORD [03068], and greatly [03966] to be praised [01984] in the city [05892] of our God [0430], in the mountain [02022] of his holiness [06944].
15 In the twenty [06242] [08141] and seventh [07651] year [08141] of Asa [0609] king [04428] of Judah [03063] did Zimri [02174] reign [04427] seven [07651] days [03117] in Tirzah [08656]. And the people [05971] were encamped [02583] against Gibbethon [01405], which belonged to the Philistines [06430].
8 In the twenty [06242] [08141] and sixth [08337] year [08141] of Asa [0609] king [04428] of Judah [03063] began Elah [0425] the son [01121] of Baasha [01201] to reign [04427] over Israel [03478] in Tirzah [08656], two years [08141].
24 The king [04428] of Tirzah [08656], one [0259]: all the kings [04428] thirty [07970] and one [0259].
14 Ye [5210] are [2075] the light [5457] of the world [2889]. A city [4172] that is set [2749] on [1883] an hill [3735] cannot [3756] [1410] be hid [2928].
21 Make [2675] you [5209] perfect [2675] in [1722] every [3956] good [18] work [2041] to [1519] do [4160] his [846] will [2307], working [4160] in [1722] you [5213] that which is wellpleasing [2101] in his [846] sight [1799], through [1223] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547]; to whom [3739] be glory [1391] for [1519] ever [165] and ever [165]. Amen [281].
8 There are threescore [08346] queens [04436], and fourscore [08084] concubines [06370], and virgins [05959] without number [04557].
9 My dove [03123], my undefiled [08535] is but one [0259]; she is the only one [0259] of her mother [0517], she is the choice [01249] one of her that bare [03205] her. The daughters [01323] saw [07200] her, and blessed [0833] her; yea, the queens [04436] and the concubines [06370], and they praised [01984] her.
1 Behold, thou art fair [03303], my love [07474]; behold, thou art fair [03303]; thou hast doves [03123]' eyes [05869] within [01157] thy locks [06777]: thy hair [08181] is as a flock [05739] of goats [05795], that appear [01570] from mount [02022] Gilead [01568].
2 Thy teeth [08127] are like a flock [05739] of sheep that are even shorn [07094], which came up [05927] from the washing [07367]; whereof every one bear twins [08382], and none is barren [07909] among them.
3 Thy lips [08193] are like a thread [02339] of scarlet [08144], and thy speech [04057] is comely [05000]: thy temples [07541] are like a piece [06400] of a pomegranate [07416] within [01157] thy locks [06777].
4 Thy neck [06677] is like the tower [04026] of David [01732] builded [01129] for an armoury [08530], whereon there hang [08518] a thousand [0505] bucklers [04043], all shields [07982] of mighty men [01368].
5 Thy two [08147] breasts [07699] are like two [08147] young [06082] roes [06646] that are twins [08380], which feed [07462] among the lilies [07799].
6 Until the day [03117] break [06315], and the shadows [06752] flee away [05127], I will get [03212] me to the mountain [02022] of myrrh [04753], and to the hill [01389] of frankincense [03828].
5 Turn away [05437] thine eyes [05869] from me, for they [01992] have overcome [07292] me: thy hair [08181] is as a flock [05739] of goats [05795] that appear [01570] from Gilead [01568].
6 Thy teeth [08127] are as a flock [05739] of sheep [07353] which go up [05927] from the washing [07367], whereof every one beareth twins [08382], and there is not one barren [07909] among them.
7 As a piece [06400] of a pomegranate [07416] are thy temples [07541] within [01157] thy locks [06777].
5 Turn away [05437] thine eyes [05869] from me, for they [01992] have overcome [07292] me: thy hair [08181] is as a flock [05739] of goats [05795] that appear [01570] from Gilead [01568].
24 The king [04428] of Tirzah [08656], one [0259]: all the kings [04428] thirty [07970] and one [0259].
2 Beautiful [03303] for situation [05131], the joy [04885] of the whole earth [0776], is mount [02022] Zion [06726], on the sides [03411] of the north [06828], the city [07151] of the great [07227] King [04428].
4 Thou art beautiful [03303], O my love [07474], as Tirzah [08656], comely [05000] as Jerusalem [03389], terrible [0366] as an army with banners [01713].
13 The burden [04853] upon Arabia [06152]. In the forest [03293] in Arabia [06152] shall ye lodge [03885], O ye travelling companies [0736] of Dedanim [01720].
12 And an host [06635] was given [05414] him against the daily [08548] sacrifice by reason of transgression [06588], and it cast down [07993] the truth [0571] to the ground [0776]; and it practised [06213], and prospered [06743].
2 Speak [01696] ye comfortably [03820] to Jerusalem [03389], and cry [07121] unto her, that her warfare [06635] is accomplished [04390], that her iniquity [05771] is pardoned [07521]: for she hath received [03947] of the LORD'S [03068] hand [03027] double [03718] for all her sins [02403].
5 When ye blow [08628] an alarm [08643], then the camps [04264] that lie [02583] on the east parts [06924] shall go forward [05265].
3 And on the east side [06924] toward the rising [04217] of the sun shall they of the standard [01714] of the camp [04264] of Judah [03063] pitch [02583] throughout their armies [06635]: and Nahshon [05177] the son [01121] of Amminadab [05992] shall be captain [05387] of the children [01121] of Judah [03063].
9 And Jacob [03290] said [0559], O God [0430] of my father [01] Abraham [085], and God [0430] of my father [01] Isaac [03327], the LORD [03068] which saidst [0559] unto me, Return [07725] unto thy country [0776], and to thy kindred [04138], and I will deal well [03190] with thee:
3 Yea, let none that wait [06960] on thee be ashamed [0954]: let them be ashamed [0954] which transgress [0898] without cause [07387].
6 Now know [03045] I that the LORD [03068] saveth [03467] his anointed [04899]; he will hear [06030] him from his holy [06944] heaven [08064] with the saving [03468] strength [01369] of his right hand [03225].
15 All that pass [05674] by clap [05606] their hands [03709] at thee [01870]; they hiss [08319] and wag [05128] their head [07218] at the daughter [01323] of Jerusalem [03389], saying, Is this the city [05892] that men call [0559] The perfection [03632] of beauty [03308], The joy [04885] of the whole earth [0776]?
2 Out of Zion [06726], the perfection [04359] of beauty [03308], God [0430] hath shined [03313].
4 Thou art beautiful [03303], O my love [07474], as Tirzah [08656], comely [05000] as Jerusalem [03389], terrible [0366] as an army with banners [01713].
2 Out of Zion [06726], the perfection [04359] of beauty [03308], God [0430] hath shined [03313].
3 God [0430] is known [03045] in her palaces [0759] for a refuge [04869].
2 Beautiful [03303] for situation [05131], the joy [04885] of the whole earth [0776], is mount [02022] Zion [06726], on the sides [03411] of the north [06828], the city [07151] of the great [07227] King [04428].
21 And it came to pass, when Baasha [01201] heard [08085] thereof, that he left off [02308] building [01129] of Ramah [07414], and dwelt [03427] in Tirzah [08656].
17 And Jeroboam's [03379] wife [0802] arose [06965], and departed [03212], and came [0935] to Tirzah [08656]: and when she came [0935] to the threshold [05592] of the door [01004], the child [05288] died [04191];
24 The king [04428] of Tirzah [08656], one [0259]: all the kings [04428] thirty [07970] and one [0259].