Song of Solomon

7:4 nose. The nose is like the tower of Lebanon, the forehead or face set like a flint (Isaiah 50:7),
undaunted as that tower was impregnable. So it denotes the magnanimity and holy bravery of the
church or (as others) a spiritual sagacity [wisdom] to discern things that differ, as animals
strangely distinguish by the smell. This tower looks towards Damascus, the head city of Syria,
denoting the boldness of the church in facing its enemies and not fearing them (M. Henry).
7:4 Heshbon (hesh'-bon; prudence; stronghold), is used in a figurative way. There were bright
pools in the stream which runs beneath Heshbon on the W. The eyes of the Shulamite are said to
be like the "fish pools of Heshbon," by the gate of Bath-rabbim.
7:4 Bath-Rabbim (bath-rab'-bim; daughter of many), was one of the gates of Heshbon. The pools
nearby were compared in a favorable way to the eyes of the one who was loved.
7:4 Lebanon (le-ba'-na; white), refers to a snow capped mountain range of Syria which forms the
N boundary of the land of Palestine (Deut. 1:7; Josh. 1:4).
7:4 Damascus (da-mas'-cus), was a Syrian city located on a plateau 2,260 feet above sea level.
Olive trees, corn, and grass abound within the well-watered plain of Damascus.
5 Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the
king is held [enslaved] in the galleries.
7:5 head. The head like Carmel, a very high hill near the sea, v. 5. The head of a believer is lifted
up above his enemies (Psalms 27:6), above the storms of the lower region, as the top of Carmel
was, pointing heaven-ward. The more we get above this world, and the nearer to heaven, and the
more secure and serene we become by that means, the more amiable we are in the eyes of the
Lord Jesus (M. Henry).
7:5 hair. The hair of the head is said to be like purple. This denotes the universal amiableness of
a believer in the eyes of Christ, even to the hair, or (as some understand it) the pins with which
the hair is dressed. Some by the head and the hair understand the governors of the church, who, if
they be careful to do their duty, add much to her comeliness. The head like crimson (so some
read it) and the hair like purple, the two colors worn by great men (M. Henry).
7:5 Carmel (car'-mel; the park; fruit garden, orchard), was located in the hill country of Judah
(Josh. 15:55). It was located 8 miles SE of Hebron.
6 How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!
7 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
8 I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs [branches]
thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy
nose like apples;
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