5Song of Solomon 4: 1 – 16
The Unveiling
1 Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, going down from Mount Gilead. 2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep which have come up from the washing, every one of which bears twins, and none is barren among them. 3 Your lips are like a strand of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate. 4 Your neck is like the tower of David, built for an armory, on which hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. 5 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, which feed among the lilies. 6 Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. 7 You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you. 8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards. 9 You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; You have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace. 10 How fair is your love, my sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, and the scent of your perfumes than all spices! 11 Your lips, O my spouse, drip as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under your tongue; And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. 12 A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, fragrant henna with spikenard, 14 Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices— 15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. 16 Awake, O north wind, and come, O south! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its pleasant fruits.
We now come to the wedding night – the Honeymoon. The bride and groom have now retired to the bridal chamber to consummate their vows. The honeymoon is the unveiling of the two to each other. The groom is moved by his wife’s beauty and complements her. We will note that his words of complement not only speak of her physical beauty which we will see in verses 1 through 5, but we will note that he also sees in his partner her emotional beauty [verse 6] and her spiritual beauty [ verse 7 ]
1 Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, going down from Mount Gilead.
A key benefit to understanding the following verses is to recognize that Solomon was a Shepherd king. He was very familiar with the natural conditions and surroundings throughout the land of Israel.
The first thing that Solomon said to encourage his wife was about her total overwhelming beauty, ‘Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair!’ He is not saying that on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest that his wife is about a 5. No, the word ‘fair’ means beautiful. When you repeat something twice you do it for emphasis. So, when he says twice to his wife that she is beautiful, he really wanted her to know how much he was moved by her total being.
Solomon makes an interesting statement now, ’You have dove’s eyes behind your veil.’
Now it is possible that they had just entered the bridal chamber after their ceremony and the wife still had on her veil. Have you ever wondered why we today do certain things at a wedding? Why do brides have a veil? When is it appropriate to remove her veil? We find the reason for this in the bible in the book of Genesis Chapter 29, ‘1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth. 4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” 7 Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father. 13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?|” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” 19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.” 28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.”
During Jacobs wedding his uncle Laban tricked him by putting his daughter Leah in place or Rachel. The woman’s wedding attire had a veil so he did not recognize the switch. Today, when a father escorts his daughter down the aisle, after he arrives at the preacher he lifts his daughters veil to show his son-in-law that this is the right woman.
As he took her veil off of her he said that she had ‘doves’ eyes. Now that might seem like an insult saying that she has bird eyes, but that is not the case Solomon was commenting on her loyalty, which mean a great big deal to all men. You see the dove is a unique bird. It picks just one mate for its lifetime. Another unique feature is that its eyes are fixed in its socket. It can only look in one direction. Solomon was greatly moved that he witnessed in his bride a loyalty that her eyes were only for him. Wow!
So now Solomon now says to his new wife that her hair is like a flock of goats. Isn’t that romantic? As a matter of fact, it is. His physical description of her would be received as a wonderful complement not an insult. Picture with me a lovely green mountain during sunset. A shepherd calls out and you see this amazing sight. Hundreds of black goats come flowing over the rise toward you. Now do you see Solomon’s point. He is describing the luxuriousness of her long black hair. We read in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 11, this about a woman’s hair,” 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.” Our Lord has assigned to the man the task of protecting and the responsibility of shepherding the wife.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep which have come up from the washing, every one of which bears twins, and none is barren among them.
At shearing time the sheep are shorn and washed. In the sunlight they would shine. It is interesting that our teeth have a matching twin as the scripture here teaches us. The statement, ‘and none is barren among them,’ indicates that she has all her teeth. All in all Solomon is captivated by her smile.
3 Your lips are like a strand of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate.
He is drawn to her inviting scarlet lips and cannot wait to kiss her. ‘Your mouth is lovely’ indicates that he likes everything she says. Here is a challenging question for the men to ask themselves, ‘If you loved hearing from your girl friend before she became your wife, why is it now that all her words are just nagging?
All of us can easily understand that the statement, ‘Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate’ indicates her cheeks. As she now for the first time is undressing for her husband the beautiful modesty flushes her cheeks and this is recognized by her husband. This is why it is important to wait until the honeymoon until the unveiling. Do you see how couples cheat themselves of this awesome special time in their lives if they fail to wait until it pleases or as we might say, ‘the right time’.
We read this about pomegranates in the book of Exodus chapter 28, “33 And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the LORD and when he comes out, that he may not die.”
Pomegranates were prominent on the high priest’s clothes and signified something holy to God. This is why the beginning of a couple’s life is so sweet. Everything they think about each other is nice. Here Solomon was complementing her spiritual walk. Giving her ‘temples’ a reference to pomegranates is not only sexually arousing but it references the holy Spirits work in a person’s life as we read in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 2, ‘16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.’”
4 Your neck is like the tower of David, built for an armory, on which hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
Moving downward with his eyes and hands Solomon comes upon his wife’s neck. Now she does not have a giraffe’s neck. In a way here Solomon was promising future children. For the ‘tower of David’ refers to her being the wife of the kingly line. Her children will be in the ancestral lineage of the future Messiah.
She wore a necklace with round small shields. Solomon compared these to the shields that would be hung on a wall to protect a tower. He sees in her neck her characteristic of strength, character, and integrity. All women are probably saying at this point ‘don’t and stop’ or more properly, ‘don’t stop’ lavishing out the complements.
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, which feed among the lilies.
Her breasts are described as full and youthful. The use of the terms of gazelles and lilies are quite beautiful As a gazelle would feed at steam full of lilies so Solomon is drawn to reach out toward his wife.
6 Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
Solomon is stirred to the point of exploding. Being with his wife and her smell is overwhelming him. In other words he is saying, ‘Come to Papa!’ He goes on to again tell her that she is totally beautiful. He sees not one defect.
7 You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you.
Another question for you guys to ask yourself is, ‘Have you ever told you wife the same things that Solomon has just told his wife? If not, why not try now. I don’t mean right now, but when you get the chance.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
In the book of Ephesians chapter 5 we read this, 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Our Precious Holy Spirit shares with us a secret and that is that marriage is something miraculous. Our Lord allows us to experience a little bit of heaven on earth. Solomon was inviting his bride to experience this with him. His statement regarding Lebanon and the different mountains where wild animals roam freely just indicates that he does not want any interruption between them. It is a verbal way of placing a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door.
9 You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; You have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace. 10 How fair is your love, my sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, and the scent of your perfumes than all spices! 11 Your lips, O my spouse, drip as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under your tongue; And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
Couples should look into each other’s eyes often. Here during their closeness Solomon is moved by the sensuality of his loves look. I would like to ask you ladies a question and that is this, Before your wedding do your moms pass on the ‘look’ to you? This ‘look’ can be sensual or it can spell out ‘your in trouble now mister’. I just was wondering. It seems this gift or dagger seems to be well developed in you ladies.
It appears that she had a great negligee on which served its purpose. Solomon was turned on. Here is a great point to make and it is this. Ladies, don’t just have the negligee available for the honeymoon and maybe Valentine’s night or some other special night such as your Anniversary. Remember, this is your man you’re coming to bed with. Make wearing the flannel pajamas the rarity not the norm .What do you think guys?
12 A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, fragrant henna with spikenard, 14 Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices— 15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.
The bridegroom now delights in the fact that his bride is pure and has been kept only for him. He comments that she is like a special garden that no one else has seen or entered. For a husband it does not get better than this.
I find it interesting that as previously mentioned that marriage is a little taste of heaven where we will enjoy being with our love, our Lord Jesus Christ. In the beginning our Lord enjoyed walking in the garden with His love, Adam and Eve. Look at what this says in chapter 3, 8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil….8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
This was ruined by the fall. Yet our Lord will make everything right again in the future and we can enjoy together the unity and love that will never end. Thank you Holy God.
16 Awake, O north wind, and come, O south! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its pleasant fruits.
Here now the bride opens her arms and her all to her lover, friend, and partner. There are now no hindrances or boundaries. There are no walls of separation. Through years of hurt, neglect, abuse, and sin couples develop over their married lives the barriers that prevent them from the full love and enjoyment of each other. These things still the physical, emotional, and spiritual blessings that God intended for married couples. We all understand that at inception of the marriage these thieves of our intimacy are not arrested. All we can do is look back with sadness to the wedding night and dream of pleasure never more. But this does not have to remain the case. With Christ Jesus our Lord, we can with His help cast aside the sins which so easily hinder us and rekindle the passion that was once there. If a fire is still giving off a little glow, and we allow our Wonderful Holy Spirit to add the proper fuel, we will again stir up the flame that once blazed so majestically.
