SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:9
Prendiste mi corazón, hermana, esposa mía; has preso mi corazón con uno de tus ojos, con una gargantilla de tu cuello.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Song of Solomon 4:9
Verse 9. Thou hast ravished my heart - yntbbl libbabtini, "Thou hast hearted me," i.e., taken away my heart; as we say, "He has barked the tree," i.e., he has stripped it of its bark; "He has fleeced the flock," i.e., deprived them of their wool. With one of thine eyes - Kynyem dxab beachad meeynayich. This has been thought a harsh expression, and various emendations have been sought. The Masoretes have put txab beachath, "at once," in the margin; and this is confirmed by twenty of Kennicott's MSS. but De Rossi does not notice it. It is scarceiy necessary; the sense to me is clear and good without it. "Even one of thine eyes, or one glance of thine eyes, has been sufficient to deprive me of all power; it has completely overcome me;" for glance may be understood, and such forms of speech are common in all languages, when speaking on such subjects. If even taken literally, the sense is good; for the poet may refer to a side glance, shot in passing by or turning away, where only one eye could be seen. I think this a better sense than that which is obtained from the Masoretic emendation.
With one chain of thy neck - Probably referring to the play of the cervical muscles, rather than to necklaces, or ringlets of hair.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, [my] spouse , etc.] Here another new title is given to the church, “my sister”, with the repetition of the former, my “spouse”: for one and the same person, with the Hebrews, might be sister and spouse; (see 1 Corinthians 9:5). And this may be used in a love strain, and so not improper in a love poem, as this was f249 ; (see Song of Solomon 8:8); likewise the church may be called Christ’s sister, because of his incarnation, in virtue of which he is not ashamed to call his people his brethren, and so his sisters, ( Hebrews 2:11); and on account of their adoption; in which respect, he that is Christ’s Father is theirs; and which is evidenced in regeneration; when they, through grace, do the will of his Father, and so are his brother, and sister, and mother, ( Matthew 12:50). And, upon the whole, it is used to express the great affection of Christ for the church, and his high esteem of her; and which appears by his saying, “thou hast ravished my heart”; which is but one word in the Hebrew text, and nowhere else used, and is variously rendered: the Vulgate Latin version is, “thou hast wounded my heart” f250 : with one of love’s darts, ( Song of Solomon 2:5); “thou hast drawn my heart unto thee”, so some Jewish writers f251 ; which is surprising, since no love nor loveliness are in her of herself; this shows how free and unmerited the love of Christ is; according to the use of the word with the Talmudists f252 , the sense is, “thou hast coupled mine heart with thine”; the heart of Christ and his church are so closely knit and joined together in love, that they are but one heart, and can never be separated: others, “thou hast seized my heart”; or, “claimed it for thyself” f253 ; thou art master over it; it is no more mine, but thine The Septuagint version is, “thou hast unhearted us”; Father, Son, and Spirit; particularly the second Person: or thou hast stolen away my heart; I have no heart left in me; which, as it is the case through fear, is sometimes through love: this sense is approved by Aben Ezra. Some render it just the reverse, “thou hast heartened me” f254 ; put heart into me, animated me, made me of good cheer; so the word is used in the Syriac version of ( Matthew 9:2 1 Thessalonians 5:14). The sense may be, that such was the love of Christ to his church, and so much was he charmed by her, that the thought of his having her company in heaven to all eternity animated him to endure all sufferings he did for her sake, ( Hebrews 12:2); The Targum is, “thy love is fixed upon the table of my heart;” where the church herself was fixed, ( Song of Solomon 8:6); thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes ; the allusion may be to the custom of the eastern women; who, when they walked abroad or spoke to any, showed but one eye, the other, with the rest of the face, being covered with a veil f255 : the eyes of women are ensnaring to lovers f256 ; the church has more eyes than one. Mention is made of the eyes of the understanding, ( Ephesians 1:18); faith is one of them, and may he here chiefly intended; by which a soul looks on Christ, the glories of his person, and the fulness of his grace; and looks so him for the blessings of grace now, and eternal glory hereafter: and with this Christ’s heart is ravished; even with “one look” from it, or “glance” of it, as some render it; with one chain of thy neck ; with the several graces of the Spirit, linked together as in a chain; which were about the neck of the church, and as ornamental to her as a pearl necklace, ( Song of Solomon 1:10); and with every link in this chain Christ’s heart is ravished and delighted. The Vulgate Latin version is, “with one lock of hair of thy neck”: which hung down in it, and looked very beautiful; and with which lovers are sometimes taken f258 .
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
לבבתני 3823 אחתי 269 כלה 3618 לבבתיני 3823 באחד 259 מעיניך 5869 באחד 259 ענק 6060 מצורניך׃ 6677
