Verse 12. Verse 13. Verse 14. Verse 15. Verse 16.

and honey; and the smell of the {u} priests’ garments is as the smell of Lebanon.

Verse 12. A garden enclosed, &c.] Thy women, which are married to modest men, are as a modest damsel, and as the garden of Eden, into which no man hath power to enter except the righteous, whose souls are by angels {v} carried into it; and thy virgins are hid and concealed {w} in private chambers, and are sealed up because they are as a fountain of living water, which comes forth from under the tree, and is parted to the four heads {x} of the rivers: but if it is sealed with the great and holy name, it goes forth and flows, and overflows all the world.

Verse 13. Thy plants are an orchard, &c.] And thy young men are full of thy commands, as pomegranates, and love their wives, and beget children as righteous as themselves; and their smell, therefore, is as the excellent spices of the garden of Eden, even camphires with nards.

Verse 14. Spikenard with saffron, &c.] Nard, and saffron, and calamus, and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, pure myrrh, and lign aloes, with all kinds of spices.

Verse 15. A fountain of gardens, &c.] And the waters of Siloah {y} go softly, with the rest of the waters which flow from Lebanon, to water the land of Israel, for the sake of those who study in the words of the law, which are like to a well of living water; and on the account of the righteousness {z} of pouring of water, which they pour upon the altar in the house of the sanctuary that is built in Jerusalem, which is called {a1} Lebanon.

Verse 16. Awake, O north wind, &c.] And at the north side {b1} was a table, and upon it {c1} twelve loaves of shew-bread, and at the south side {d1} was the lamp to give light; and upon the altar the priests offered up the offerings, and caused the sweet incense to ascend from thence. The congregation of Israel said, Let the merciful God come into the house of the sanctuary, and graciously accept the offerings of his people. ENDNOTES — CHAPTER 4.

{a} In 1 Kings 8:63, the sacrifice of peace-offerings which Solomon offered was two and twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep: but the number of burnt-offerings is not mentioned. {b} See note on chap. 2:14.

{c} So the words are explained in Shirhashirim Rabba, in loc. {d} So Christ calls his disciples the “light of the world,” Matthew 5:14.

{e} This refers to the account that is given of what passed between Jacob and Laban, in Genesis 31:46, 47. See Jarchi in loc. {f} This is the ford Jacob passed over with his wives and children, when he went out to meet his brother Esau, Genesis 32:22. Mention is made of it in several other places of Scripture: Deuteronomy 2:37; 3:16; Joshua 12:2.

{g} The Jews say, that when the scape-goat was sent into the wilderness, a scarlet thread was tied to the temple door, which, as soon as the goat was arrived in the wilderness, turned white; which was not only a token to them of its arrival there, but was also an indication of their sins being forgiven; as it is said, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,” Isaiah 1:18. See Mishna, Tract. Yoma, c. 6, s. 8, and Ez Chayim, ibid. This scarlet thread, they say, ceased turning white forty years before the destruction of the temple, which was about the time Jesus Christ, who was typified by the scape-goat, made atonement for sin; Talmud Yoma, fol. 39, col. 2. This tradition the Targumist seems to have in view here.

{h} These officers were of the tribe of Levi, Bemidba. Rabba, Parash. 3. Their number was never less than seven; their work was to take the care and charge of the keys of the court; and one might not open the door unless all seven were present, Mishna, Tract. Shekalim, c. 5, s. 2. Maimon. Hilch. Cele Hamikdash, c. 4, s. 17. Jarchi in 2 Reg. 12:9; though Kimchi, in 2 Reg. 12:9, and 22:4, thinks that they were treasurers, who had the charge of the public money. The etymology given of this word is very different. Baal Aruch says this officer was so called because he was lkh l[ rm mar al haccol, “lord over all:” the same is given in Vajikra Rabba, Parash. 5, where Shebna the treasurer, Isaiah 22:15, is said to be one of those officers. Elias Levita, in his Methurgeman, says he was so called because lk rmwa omar col, “he said” or “prescribed” all things.

{i} This is from the Greek word arcwn and signifies princes, rulers, or governors.

{k} The Jews, observing different characters given of the Messiah, which they think irreconcilable in one person, have feigned two Messiahs; the one they call Messiah, the son of David, who shall be a potent, prosperous, and victorious prince; the other, Messiah the son of Ephraim, or Joseph, as he is sometimes called, who shall be exposed to many hardships and sufferings, and at last die in the war of Gog and Magog. Of these two Messiahs, see Talmud, Succah, fol. 52, col. 1. Zohar in Num. fol. 68, 3; 82, 2; 99, 4; and 101, 2. Jarchi in Isaiah 24:18. Kimchi, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra in Zechariah 12:10.

{l} It is an opinion which obtains among the Jews, that on account of the merits of Moses the manna was given; and on the account of those of Aaron, the clouds of glory; and for the sake of Miriam, the well of water, which they say they enjoyed all the forty years they were in the wilderness. Shirhashirim Rabba in loc. Bemidbar Rabba, Parash. 1 and 13. Targum Jon. and Jarchi in Num. 20:2.

{m} Or plague.

{n} Here the Greek word numfh is used, as it is also in Song of Solomon 4:9-12; 5:1.

{o} This was one of the rivers of Damascus; see 2 Kings 5:12, where it is read Abana: but both the Masora and Targum read it Amana; and Kimchi thinks it was called by both names.

{p} Or “the mountain of snow.” Elias Levita, in his Methurgeman, says that Mount Shenir was called so: perhaps Mount Salmon may be meant, which had snow continually upon it; see Psalm 68:14, and R. Aben Ezra, ibid.

{q} Compare with this 2 Corinthians 3:3.

{r} Many of the kings of the house of Judah were holy and good men; so Aben Ezra in loc.

{s} See note in chap. 1:2.

{t} So Jarchi in loc.

{u} Vide Jarchi in loc.

{v} It was an ancient opinion of the Jews, that the ministry of angels was used in carrying the souls of saints to heaven. Thus in Vebarim Rabba, Parash. 11, several angels are ordered by God to bring the soul of Moses to him. Agreeably to this notion, it is said in Luke 16:22, that “the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. {w} It was very usual with the Eastern people to keep their virgins, especially those of note and esteem, very recluse, and not admit them to public or common conversation; but oblige them to abide much within doors. Hence they are called in the Hebrew language twml[, from the word µl[, which signifies to hide or cover, because they were not exposed to public view; wherefore the author of the second book of Maccabees calls them katakleistouv parqenouv, “virgins that were shut up;” i.e., in the houses of their parents, in private chambers, as the Targumist here says. See 2Macc 3:19.

{x} Regard seems to be had to the river which went out of Eden, mentioned in Genesis 2:10, and was parted into four heads or rivers, the names of which were Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates. The Cabalists suppose a great many mysteries to be contained therein; see Zohar in Genesis fol. 85, 2; in Exodus fol. 34, 3; 37, 2, and in Leviticus fol. 24, 3, where the name of this river is said to be Jobel, according to Jeremiah 17:8, and so it is in Vajikra Rabba, Parash. 22, and in Bemidbar Rabba, Parash. 21.

{y} See Isaiah 8:6, and Aben Ezra upon it, who expounds the text in Isaiah by this in Canticles. Jarchi, in Isaiah 8:6 says the name of this fountain was Gihon. In the New Testament it is called Siloam, John 9:7, 11; it was a fountain near Jerusalem, Nehemiah 3:15. {z} The paraphrast refers here to a ceremony used at the feast of tabernacles, when the people fetched water from Siloam, and brought it to the priest, who poured it upon the altar with the wine of the daily sacrifice; this they say Moses received from God at Mount Sinai, though it is not written. This ceremony of drawing and pouring water at those times was attended with all the demonstrations of joy imaginable, as shouting, leaping, dancing, singing, blowing of trumpets, throwing of citrons, illumination of houses, &c.; insomuch that they say, that those who never saw the rejoicing of drawing water never saw rejoicing in their lives, Mishna, Tract. Succa, c. 4, s. 9, 10, and c. 5, s. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Jarchi and Ez Chayim, ibid.; Maimon., Tract. Tamidin, c. 10, s. 6, 7, 8; Cele Hamikdash, c. 7, s. 8, and c. 8, s. 6. They fancied the Holy Ghost was much delighted with this vain joy of theirs; nay, that in drawing water they drew him, i.e., procured his descent upon them, and abode with them as a spirit of prophecy, which they say Jonah obtained at this time and in this way; and, therefore, whilst they were performing this ceremony, frequently used those words in Isaiah 12:3: “With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation;” which they understand of the Holy Ghost, Bereshith Rabba, Parash. 70. Midrash Ruth, fol. 32, 2. Jarchi and Ez Chayim in Mishna, ubi supra. To this ceremony Christ is thought to allude, “when in the last day, the great day of this feast of tabernacles, he stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: he that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water: but this spake he of the Spirit,” &c. John 7:37-39. Vide Tremell., ibid.

{a1} So the temple is called in Zechariah 11:1: “Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars,” according to the mind of several Jewish interpreters, who, out of Talmud Yoma, fol. 39, 2, relate, that forty years before the destruction of the temple the doors thereof opened of themselves; at which Jochanan Ben Zaccai being affrighted, said, O temple, temple, now know I that thy destruction is at hand; for so prophesied Zechariah, the son of Iddo, of thee, Open thy doors, &c. Vide R. Abendam. Not. in Miclol Yophi; Jarchi and Kimchi in Zechariah 11:1.

{b1} That is, of the sanctuary; see Exodus 40:22, 23. {c1} Leviticus 24:5, 6.

{d1} Exodus 40:24, 25.