EXPOSITION

OF THE BOOK OF

SOLOMON’S SONG,

Chapter 3

VERSE 5

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the
hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he
please.

are either the words of Christ[1] adjuring the daughters of Jerusalem, young converts, who were the virgins, the companions of his bride, to give his church no disturbance, nor awake her, who was his love, before she pleased; for the church was now taking sweet repose, being weary and fatigued with running after and searching for him till she found him; it is therefore the will of Christ, that now she be not disturbed: or else, they are the words of the church which is the more commonly received sense; who knew how to prize Christ’s presence, having experienced a long absence, and had been at a great deal of pains and trouble to find him, and now having obtained her much wished for and long-desired end, she is not willing to part with him; but as she had had much trouble to find him, is willing to use some care and diligence to keep him: and being fearful lest these young converts should by any unbecoming word or action provoke him to depart, she gives this solemn charge; which is the same with that in chapter 2:7 where it is more largely explained. The Targum understands it as the charge of Moses to the people of Israel, not to go up into the land of Canaan, until the term of forty years was expired.

ENDNOTES:

[1] Alcuin and Diodat, in loc.