Chapter 6

1 The church professeth her faith in Christ. 4 Christ sheweth the graces of the church, 10 and his love towards her.

1. Whither. The daughters of Jerusalem now address the bride to see what more she has to say.

2. Down into his garden. The anxiety concerning the loss of her beloved is gone. She knows that he is engaged elsewhere. Nothing has really come in to mar their felicity.

4. As Tirzah. In vs. 4–10 Solomon pours forth lavish praise of his bride.

Tirzah is probably to be identified with Tell elРFaЖrФah, some 7 mi. (11.2 km.) northeast of Shechem, in the territory of Manasseh. It was doubtless noted for its beauty.

Comely as Jerusalem. Solomon takes his own capital city in southern Palestine to illustrate the outstanding attractiveness of his bride. Jerusalem was noted for its beauty (see Ps. 48:2; 50:2; Lam. 2:15).

8. Threescore queens. This is presumably a reference to Solomon’s harem. The number of wives is far less than that given in 1 Kings 11:3. Evidently this song is written early in the reign of Solomon.

10. Terrible as an army. Beauty and strength are here combined in a description that has appropriately been applied to the church (see PK 725; AA 91). Some think that the question of this verse is raised by the ladies of the court when they first catch a glimpse of the Shulamite.

11. I went down. This statement is obviously by the bride.

12. Amminadib. The meaning of this expression is obscure. Literally translated it means, “My people, the noble.” The bride imagines herself being lifted up and placed in a chariot, no doubt with Solomon.

13. Return, O Shulamite. Perhaps this statement is by the members of the cortйge, who express a desire to look further on the now-acknowledged queen.

What will ye see? A charming display of modesty.

The company. Literally, “the dance.” Some have suggested that this has reference to the choir of the bride’s maids and the choir of the of the bridegroom’s best men. Others think that the reference is to some local custom that we do not now understand. Still others prefer to transliterate the words as “two armies” (Mahanaim), and see an allusion to the “dance” of the angel host at Mahanaim upon Jacob’s return to Canaan (see Gen. 32:1–3). If this be so, the Shulamite, at this juncture, gives a performance of the “dance of Mahanaim.”

Ellen G. White comments

10  AA 91; CH 464; ChS 147; CM 7; GC 425; PK 725; 5T 82