Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved "Let me sing now a song," &c.] A MS., respectable for its antiquity, adds the word ry shir, a song, after an na; which gives so elegant a turn to the sentence by the repetition of it in the next member, and by distinguishing the members so exactly in the style and manner in the Hebrew poetical composition, that I am much inclined to think it genuine.
A song of my beloved "A song of loves"] ydwd dodey, for µydwd dodim: status constructus pro absoluto, as the grammarians say, as Micah vi. 16; Lam. iii. 14, 66, so Archbishop Secker. Or rather, in all these and the like cases, a mistake of the transcribers, by not observing a small stroke, which in many MSS., is made to supply the m mem, of the plural, thus, /ydwd dodi. µydwd try shirath dodim is the same with tdydy ry shir yedidoth, Psalm xlv. 1. In this way of understanding it we avoid the great impropriety of making the author of the song, and the person to whom it is addressed, to be the same.
In a very fruitful hill "On a high and fruitful hill."] Hebrews m b rqb bekeren ben shamen, "on a horn the son of oil." The expression is highly descriptive and poetical. "He calls the land of Israel a horn, because it is higher than all lands; as the horn is higher than the whole body; and the son of oil, because it is said to be a land flowing with milk and honey."-Kimchi on the place. The parts of animals are, by an easy metaphor, applied to parts of the earth, both in common and poetical language. A promontory is called a cape or head; the Turks call it a nose.
"Dorsum immane mari summo;" Virgil, a back, or ridge of rocks:- "Hanc latus angustum jam se cogentis in arctum Hesperiae tenuem producit in aequora linguam, Adriacas flexis claudit quae cornibus undas." Lucan, ii. 612, of Brundusium, i.e., brentesion, which, in the ancient language of that country, signifies stag's head, says Strabo. A horn is a proper and obvious image for a mountain or mountainous country.
Solinus, cap. viii., says, "Italiam, ubi longius processerit, in cornua duo scindi; " that is, the high ridge of the Alps, which runs through the whole length of it, divides at last into two ridges, one going through Calabria, the other through the country of the Brutii. "Cornwall is called by the inhabitants in the British tongue Kernaw, as lessening by degrees like a horn, running out into promontories like so many horns. For the Britons call a horn corn, in the plural kern."-Camden. "And Sammes is of opinion, that the country had this name originally from the Phoenicians, who traded hither for tin; keren, in their language, being a horn."- Gibson.
Here the precise idea seems to be that of a high mountain standing by itself; "vertex montis, aut pars montis ad aliis divisa;" which signification, says i. H. Michaelis, Bibl. Hallens., Not. in loc., the word has in Arabic.
Judea was in general a mountainous country, whence Moses sometimes calls it The Mountain, "Thou shalt plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance;" Exod. xv. 17. "I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land beyond Jordan; that goodly mountain, and Lebanon;" Deut. iii. 25. And in a political and religious view it was detached and separated from all the nations round it. Whoever has considered the descriptions given of Mount Tabor, (see Reland, Palaestin.; Eugene Roger, Terre Sainte, p. 64,) and the views of it which are to be seen in books of travels, (Maundrell, p. 114; Egmont and Heyman, vol. ii., p. 25; Thevenot, vol. i., p. 429,) its regular conic form rising singly in a plain to a great height, from a base small in proportion, and its beauty and fertility to the very top, will have a good idea of "a horn the son of oil;" and will perhaps be induced to think that the prophet took his image from that mountain.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The havoc occasioned by war. (Is. 4:1) The times of the Messiah. (Is 4:2-6)
Is. 4:1 This first verse belongs to the third chapter. When the troubles should come upon the land, as the unmarried state was deeme reproachful among the Jews, these women would act contrary to commo usage, and seek husbands for themselves.
Is. 4:2-6 Not only the setting forth Christ's kingdom in the times of the apostles, but its enlargement by gathering the dispersed Jews int the church, is foretold. Christ is called the Branch of the Lord, being planted by his power, and flourishing to his praise. The gospel is the fruit of the Branch of the Lord; all the graces and comforts of the gospel spring from Christ. It is called the fruit of the earth, becaus it sprang up in this world, and was suited for the present state. I will be good evidence that we are distinguished from those merel called Israel, if we are brought to see all beauty in Christ, an holiness. As a type of this blessed day, Jerusalem should agai flourish as a branch, and be blessed with the fruits of the earth. God will keep for himself a holy seed. When most of those that have a plac and a name in Zion, and in Jerusalem, shall be cut off by their unbelief, some shall be left. Those only that are holy shall be left when the Son of man shall gather out of his kingdom every thing whic offends. By the judgment of God's providence, sinners were destroye and consumed; but by the Spirit of grace they are reformed an converted. The Spirit herein acts as a Spirit of judgment, enlightenin the mind, convincing the conscience; also as a Spirit of burning quickening and strengthening the affections, and making men zealousl affected in a good work. An ardent love to Christ and souls, and zea against sin, will carry men on with resolution in endeavours to tur away ungodliness from Jacob. Every affliction serves believers as furnace, to purify them from dross; and the convincing, enlightening and powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, gradually root out their lusts, and render them holy as He is holy. God will protect his church and all that belong to it. Gospel truths and ordinances are the glor of the church. Grace in the soul is the glory of it; and those tha have it are kept by the power of God. But only those who are weary wil seek rest; only those who are convinced that a storm is approaching will look for shelter. Affected with a deep sense of the Divin displeasure, to which we are exposed by sin, let us at once have recourse to Jesus Christ, and thankfully accept the refuge he affords _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew אשׁירה7891 נא4994 לידידי3039 שׁירת7892 דודי1730 לכרמו3754 כרם3754 היה1961 לידידי3039 בקרן7161 בן1121 שׁמן׃8081
