SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:16
Levántate, aquilón, y ven, Austro; sopla mi huerto, despréndanse sus aromas. venga mi amado a su huerto, y coma de su dulce fruta.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 4:16
Verse 16. A fountain of gardens - Perhaps Myng gannim, "gardens," was originally Myyx chaiyim, "lives," a living fountain, a continual spring. See Houbigant. But this is expressed afterwards; though there would be nothing improper in saying, "a living fountain, a well of living waters, and streams from Mount Lebanon." A fountain of gardens may mean one so abundant as to be sufficient to supply nany gardens, to water many plots of ground, an exuberant fountain. This is the allusion; the reference is plain enough. Verse 16. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south - It is granted that the south wind in Palestine, in the summer, is extremely hot and troublesome; therefore, another interpretation of this passage has been proposed by Mr. Harmer; who thinks yawb boi, which we render come, signifies enter into thy repositories; and, therefore, supposes the true interpretation of the words to be as follows: "Arise, thou north wind, (and retire, thou south,) blow upon my garden; let the spices thereof flow forth, that my beloved may come into his garden, invited by the coolness and fragrancy of the air, and may eat his pleasant fruits; for, if the south wind blow, the excessive heat will forbid his taking the air, and oblige him to shut close the doors and windows of his apartments." Others think that he wishes the winds from all directions to carry throughout the land the fume of his spices, virtue, and perfections.
Let my beloved come into his garden - This is the invitation of the bride: and if we look not for far-fetched meanings, the sense is sufficiently evident. But commentators on this song sometimes take a literal sense where the metaphor is evident; at other times they build an allegory upon a metaphor. The Gitagovinda has an elegant passage similar to this. See the place, Part VII., beginning with Enter, sweet Radha.
The whole of this chapter is considered to be unconnected with any particular time of the marriage ceremonies.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. Awake, O north wind , etc.] These words, according to some f301 , are the words of the church continued, praying for the spirit; to which sense the order and connection of the words seem to incline; though the language suits best with Christ, who has the command of the winds, and a right and property in the garden, the church: nor does it seem so agreeable, that the church should petition Christ to let loose the north wind upon her, if by that are meant afflictive dispensations of Providence; but agrees well enough with Christ, since these come not without his will and order, and by him made to work together for good; by which he nips the corruptions of his people, tries their graces, and causes them to come forth into exercise: though some think this is a command to the north wind to remove, and be gone, and blow no longer, since it was spring, ( Song of Solomon 2:11); and would be harmful to the plants in the garden; and the verb “blow” is singular, and only in construction with the south wind; and, besides, winds diametrically opposite cannot blow together in the same horizon, with a continued blast: though others are of opinion, that both winds are designed, being both useful to gardens; the one to scatter the clouds, and make the air clear and wholesome, and restrain the luxuriance of the plants; and the other, being moist and warming, of use to bring plants and fruits to maturity; and both may design the Spirit of God, in his different operations and effects, through the law and the terrors of it, and by the Gospel and its comforting doctrines; and come, thou south, blow upon my garden ; the church, Christ’s property, as she asserts in the latter part of the verse: the Spirit of God is intended by the “south”, or south wind; who is compared to the “wind”, because it blows like that, freely, and as he pleases, when, where, and on whom, and imperceptibly, powerfully, and irresistibly, ( John 3:8); and to the “south wind”, because it is a warm wind, brings serenity, and makes fruitful with showers of rain: so the Spirit of God warms the cold heart of a sinner; thaws his frozen soul, and comforts with the discoveries of divine love; brings quietness and peace into the conscience; and makes fruitful in grace and good works, by causing the rain of Gospel doctrines to descend and distil upon men. The end to be answered is, [that] the spices thereof may flow out ; the spices in the garden, the odoriferous plants, might emit a fragrant smell; though Virgil represents the south wind as harmful to flowers; so it might be in Italy, where it dried them up, as Servius on the place observes; and yet be useful to them in Palestine, where it blew from the sea, and is sometimes so called, ( <19A703> Psalm 107:3). Spices denote the graces of believers, rare, precious, and odorous; and their “flowing out” the exercise of them, their evidence, increase, and the ripening of them; when they diffuse a sweet odour to Christ and others, and make it delightful to walk in his garden; as it is to walk in one after a delightful shower of rain, and when the wind gently blows upon it. And hence what is prayed for being granted, the church speaks again, and invites Christ, saying; let my beloved come into his garden ; which “coming” is to be understood, not of Christ’s first, nor of his second coming; but of his spiritual coming, to visit his people, grant his presence, and manifest his love; which is very desirable by them; and, when granted, is reckoned a great favour, and is an instance of the condescending grace of Christ, ( John 14:22); the church is “his garden” by his own choice, his Father’s gift, the purchase of his blood, and the power of his grace: and here he is invited to come, and eat his pleasant fruits ; meaning either the graces of the Spirit, which are his fruits; and called Christ’s, because they come from him, and are exercised on him, and he is the author and finisher of them: or the good works of believers, which are performed by virtue of union to him, and abiding in him; are done in his strength, and designed for his glory: and both are “pleasant”, that is, well pleasing and acceptable to him; the graces of the Spirit, when in exercise, as appears from ( Song of Solomon 4:9,10); and good works, when done in faith, from a principle of love, and to his glory: and he may be said to eat them when he expresses his well pleasedness with them, and acceptation of them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Christ sets forth the graces of the church. (Song 4:1-7) Christ's love to the church. (Song 4:8-15) The church desires further influences of Divine grace. (Song 4:16)
Song 4:1-7 If each of these comparisons has a meaning applicable to the graces of the church, or of the faithful Christian, they are no clearly known; and great mistakes are made by fanciful guesses. The mountain of myrrh appears to mean the mountain Moriah, on which the temple was built, where the incense was burned, and the people worshipped the Lord. This was his residence till the shadows of the la given to Moses were dispersed by the breaking of the gospel day, an the rising of the Sun of righteousness. And though, in respect of his human nature, Christ is absent from his church on earth, and wil continue to be so till the heavenly day break, yet he is spirituall present in his ordinances, and with his people. How fair and comely ar believers, when justified in Christ's righteousness, and adorned with spiritual graces! when their thoughts, words, and deeds, thoug imperfect, are pure, manifesting a heart nourished by the gospel!
Song 4:8-15 Observe the gracious call Christ gives to the church. I is, 1. A precept; so this is Christ's call to his church to come of from the world. These hills seem pleasant, but there are in them lions dens; they are mountains of the leopards. 2. As a promise; many shal be brought as members of the church, from every point. The church shal be delivered from her persecutors in due time, though now she dwell among lions, Ps. 57:4. Christ's heart is upon his church; his treasur is therein; and he delights in the affection she has for him; it working in the heart, and its works in the life. The odours wherewit the spouse is perfumed, are as the gifts and graces of the Spirit. Love and obedience to God are more pleasing to Christ than sacrifice of incense. Christ having put upon his spouse the white raiment of his ow righteousness, and the righteousness of saints, and perfumed it with holy joy and comfort, he is well pleased with it. And Christ walks in his garden unseen. A hedge of protection is made around, which all the powers of darkness cannot break through. The souls of believers are a gardens enclosed, where is a well of living water, John 4:14; 7:38, the influences of the Holy Spirit. The world knows not these wells of salvation, nor can any opposer corrupt this fountain. Saints in the church, and graces in the saints, are fitly compared to fruits an spices. They are planted, and do not grow of themselves. They ar precious; they are the blessings of this earth. They will be kept to good purpose when flowers are withered. Grace, when ended in glory will last for ever. Christ is the source which makes these garden fruitful; even a well of living waters.
Song 4:16 The church prays for the influences of the blessed Spirit, to make this garden fruitful. Graces in the soul are as spices in thes gardens, that in them which is valuable and useful. The blessed Spirit in his work upon the soul, is as the wind. There is the north wind of conviction, and the south wind of comfort. He stirs up good affections and works in us both to will and to do that which is good. The churc invites Christ. Let him have the honour of all the garden produces, an let us have the comfort of his acceptance of it. We can invite him to nothing but what is his own already. The believer can have no joy of the fruits, unless they redound some way or other to the glory of Christ. Let us then seek to keep separate from the world, as a garde enclosed, and to avoid conformity thereto __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
עורי 5782 צפון 6828 ובואי 935 תימן 8486 הפיחי 6315 גני 1588 יזלו 5140 בשׂמיו 1314 יבא 935 דודי 1730 לגנו 1588 ויאכל 398 פרי 6529 מגדיו׃ 4022
