In this chapter Christ gives a fresh commendation of the beauty of his church, in a different order and method than before: beginning with her feet, and so rising gradually upwards to the hair of her head, and to the roof of her mouth, verses 1-9. And then the church asserts her interest in him; and declares his desire towards her, verse 10 and invites him to go with her into the fields, villages, and vineyards; and offers various reasons, by which she urges him to a compliance with her invitation, verses 1-3

VERSE 1.

How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince’s daughter! the
joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a
cunning workman.

VERSE 2.

Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor:
thy belly is like an heap of wheat, set about with lilies.

VERSE 3.

Thy two breasts are like two young roes, that are twins.

VERSE 4.

Thy neck is as a tower of ivory: thine eyes like the fish-pools in
Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower Ode
Lebanon, which looketh toward Damascus.

VERSE 5.

Former Part.

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel,
and the hair of thine head like purple—

VERSE 5.

 Latter Part.

—The king is held in the galleries.

VERSE 6.

How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights?

VERSE 7.

This thy stature is like to a palm-tree,
and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

VERSE 8.

I said I will go up to the palm-tree, I will take hold of the boughs
thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the
smell of thy nose like apples.

VERSE 9.

And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine, for my beloved,
that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep, to speak.

VERSE 10.

I am my beloved’s, and his desire is towards me.

VERSE 11.

Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field:
let us lodge in the villages.

VERSE 12.

Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish;
whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth:
there will I give thee my loves.

VERSE 13.

The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits,
new and old; which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.

Providence Baptist Ministries © copyright_date , Baptist Trumpeter Publications © copyright_date All rights reserved. Revised: May 24, 2010 .