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The NET Bible®
Song of Solomon 1:9
The Lover to His Beloved:
O my beloved, you are like a mare among Pharaoh's stallions.Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Torrey'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
I compare you, my darling,to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.
I have compared you, my love, To a steed in Par`oh's chariots.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.
I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots.
"To me, my darling, you are like My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
My darling, you are like a mare among the king's stallions.
"To me, my love, you are like My [favorite] mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
I have compared you, my love, To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
I haue compared thee, O my loue, to the troupe of horses in the charets of Pharaoh.
"To a mare of mine among the chariots of PharaohI compare you, O my darling.
I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots.
You move as gracefully as the pony that leads the chariot of the king.
[He]
My love, I compare you with my mare, pulling one of Pharaoh's chariots —I compare thee, my love, To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
My darling, you are more exciting to me than any mare among the stallions pulling Pharaoh's chariots.
I have compared you, O my beloved, to a mare in Pharaohs chariot.
You, my love, excite men as a mare excites the stallions of Pharaoh's chariots.
To a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh, I compare you, my beloved.
O My love, I have compared you to My mares in Pharaoh's chariots.
There wil I tary for the (my loue) wt myne hoost & with my charettes, which shalbe no fewer then Pharaos.
I have compared thee, O my love, To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
I have made a comparison of you, O my love, to a horse in Pharaoh's carriages.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
I haue compared thee, O my loue, to a company of horses in Pharaohs chariots.
Unto the hoast of Pharaos charets haue I compared thee, O my loue.
I have likened thee, my companion, to my horses in the chariots of Pharao.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.
Mi frendesse, Y licnede thee to myn oost of knyytis in the charis of Farao.
I have compared you, O my love, To a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.
I have compared you, my love, To my filly among Pharaoh's chariots.
You are as exciting, my darling, as a mare among Pharaoh's stallions.
"To me, my love, you are like my horse among the war-wagons of Pharaoh.
I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots.
To a mare of mine, in the chariots of Pharaoh, have I likened thee, my fair one!
(1-8) To my company of horsemen, in Pharao’s chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.
I compare you, my love, to a mare of Pharaoh's chariots.
To my joyous one in chariots of Pharaoh, I have compared thee, my friend,
You remind me of Pharaoh's well-groomed and satiny mares. Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks; strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat. I'm making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry that will mark and accent your beauty.
"To me, my darling, you are like My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
Contextual Overview
The Beloved to Her Lover:
Tell me, O you whom my heart loves, where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you rest your sheep during the midday heat? Tell me lest I wander around beside the flocks of your companions! 8The Lover to His Beloved:
If you do not know, O most beautiful of women, simply follow the tracks of my flock, and pasture your little lambs beside the tents of the shepherds. 9The Lover to His Beloved:
O my beloved, you are like a mare among Pharaoh's stallions. 10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments; your neck is lovely with strings of jewels. 11 We will make for you gold ornaments studded with silver.Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
O my: Song of Solomon 2:2, Song of Solomon 2:10, Song of Solomon 2:13, Song of Solomon 4:1, Song of Solomon 4:7, Song of Solomon 5:2, Song of Solomon 6:4, John 15:14, John 15:15
to a: 1 Kings 10:28, 2 Chronicles 1:14-17, Isaiah 31:1
Reciprocal: Genesis 50:9 - chariots Zechariah 10:3 - as
Cross-References
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water.
God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." There was evening, and there was morning, marking the first day.
God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate water from water."
God called the expanse "sky." There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.
God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear." It was so.
God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds." It was so.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground."
Then God said, "I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth on nothing.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I have compared thee, O my love,.... The church having taken the direction of Christ, had now found him, and was with him; and when for her encouragement and comfort he greets her as his love, an appellation very usual among lovers; and in the chastest sense between husband and wife; the church was Christ's love, being both the object and subject of it; to whom he had showed love, and whose love was shed abroad in her heart; or "my friend" t, another name used among lovers; there is a mutual friendship between Christ and his people; they are Christ's friends, and he is theirs, Song of Solomon 5:1. The Septuagint render it "my neighbour", whom Christ loves as himself; and they dwell near each other; he dwells in them, and they in him, John 6:56; and here are compared by him
to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots; or "I have likened thee", or reckoned thee like u; formed such an image of thee in my mind, with regard to some peculiar excellencies in her which agreed therewith: or to "my mare" w, as some translate the word, which ran in one of his chariots, called Pharaoh's chariot; because perhaps it was made a present of to him by Pharaoh king of Egypt, his father in law, for which he had a particular regard, as Alexander for his Bucephalus; nor is such a comparison of a woman a disagreeable one, since, as Marckius observes, many women have had their names from the horse, because of some celebrated excellency in them x; and Theocritus y compares Queen Helena to a Thessalian horse in a chariot; and it is thought he took the hint from this song, as admiring it; so, by others z, persons are compared to mares for their beautiful form. Christ's church and people be compared to "the horse" for their strength, majesty, and comeliness; they are strong in Christ, and in his grace, and of an undaunted courage in bearing hardships, reproaches, and persecutions for his sake, and in fighting the Lord's battles; and are stately and majestic, especially a company of them in Gospel order, Song of Solomon 6:4; and are very comely and beautiful in their trappings, clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and the graces of his Spirit; and to a "company" of them, a collection of goodly ones, as Egyptian ones, reckoned the best; and those in Pharaoh's chariot best of all; choice, costly, well fed, and well taken care of; and not wild and loose, but coupled and joined together in a chariot, all drawing one way. Christ's church and people are a choice and select company, distinguished from others by the grace of God; cost a great price, the blood of Christ; are well fed with the finest of the wheat; and are under the care both of angels and Gospel ministers; and look very beautiful as under the yoke of Christ, and joined together in Gospel bonds, being of the same faith and judgment; drawing one way, striving together for the faith of the Gospel, and endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
t רעיתי "amica mea", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Mercerus, Michaelis. u דמיתיך "similem te judico", Tigurine version. w לססתי τη ιππω μου, Sept. "equae meae", Pagninus, Montanus, Gussetius, p. 551. so Aben Ezra, Syriac and Arabic versions; "equabus", Piscator. x As Hippo, Hippe, Hippia, Hippodomia, Hippothoe, Hipponoe, Mercippe, Alcippe, Archippe. y Idyll. 18. v. 29. z ιππος εγω καλη, Theognis Sententiae, v. 257. η δ'ιππου-ειδο
αριστη, Phocylides. So by Plato in Hippias Major, p. 1250. & Horat. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 11. v. 9.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
This and the next Song of Solomon 1:15-7 sections are regarded by ancient commentators (Jewish and Christian) as expressing “the love of espousals” Jeremiah 2:2 between the Holy One and His Church, first in the wilderness of the Exodus, and then in the wilderness of the world Ezekiel 20:35-36.
Song of Solomon 1:9
Or, to a mare of mine in the chariots of Pharaoh I liken thee, O my friend. (The last word is the feminine form of that rendered “friend” at Song of Solomon 5:16.) The comparison of the bride to a beautiful horse is singularly like one in Theocritus, and some have conjectured that the Greek poet, having read at Alexandria the Septuagint Version of the Song, may have borrowed these thoughts from it. If so, we have here the first instance of an influence of sacred on profane literature. The simile is especially appropriate on the lips, or from the pen, of Solomon, who first brought horses and chariots from Egypt 1 Kings 10:28-29. As applied to the bride it expresses the stately and imposing character of her beauty.
Song of Solomon 1:10, Song of Solomon 1:11
Rows ... borders - The same Hebrew word in both places; ornaments forming part of the bride’s head-dress, probably strings of beads or other ornaments descending on the cheeks. The introduction of “jewels” and “gold” in Song of Solomon 1:10 injures the sense and destroys the climax of Song of Solomon 1:11, which was spoken by a chorus (hence “we,” not “I,” as when the king speaks, Song of Solomon 1:9). They promise the bride ornaments more worthy and becoming than the rustic attire in which she has already such charms for the king: “Ornaments of gold will we make for thee with studs (or ‘points’) of silver.” The “studs” are little silver ornaments which it is proposed to affix to the golden (compare Proverbs 25:12), or substitute for the strung beads of the bride’s necklace.
Song of Solomon 1:12-14
The bride’s reply Song of Solomon 1:12 may mean, “While the king reclines at the banquet I anoint him with my costliest perfume, but he has for me a yet sweeter fragrance” Song of Solomon 1:13-14. According to Origen’s interpretation, the bride represents herself as anointing the king, like Mary John 12:3, with her most precious unguents.
Spikenard - An unguent of great esteem in the ancient world, retaining its Indian name in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. It is obtained from an Indian plant now called “jatamansi.”
Song of Solomon 1:13
Render: A bag of myrrh is my beloved to me, which lodgeth in my bosom.
Song of Solomon 1:14
Camphire - Rather, כפר kôpher,” from which “cyprus” is probably derived (in the margin misspelled “cypress “),the name by which the plant called by the Arabs “henna” was known to the Greeks and Romans. It is still much esteemed throughout the East for the fragrance of its flowers and the dye extracted from its leaves. Engedi was famous for its vines, and the henna may have been cultivated with the vines in the same enclosures.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. I have compared thee - to a company of horses — This may be translated, more literally, "I have compared thee lesusathi, to my mare, in the chariots or courses of Pharaoh;" and so the versions understood it. Mares, in preference to horses, were used both for riding and for chariots in the East. They are much swifter, endure more hardship, and will go longer without food, than either the stallion or the gelding. There is perhaps no brute creature in the world so beautiful as a fine well-bred horse or mare; and the finest woman in the universe, Helen, has been compared to a horse in a Thessalian chariot, by Theocritus. Idyl. xviii. ver. 28: -
Ὡδε και ἁ χρυσεα Ἑλενα διαφαινετ' εν ἡμιν,
Πιειρη, μεγαλη, ἁτ' ανεδραμεν ογμος αρουρᾳ,
Η καπῳ κυπαρισσος, η ἁρματι Θεσσαλος ἱππος.
"The golden Helen, tall and graceful, appears as distinguished among us as the furrow in the field, the cypress in the garden, or the Thessalian horse in the chariot."
This passage amply justifies the Hebrew bard, in the simile before us. See Jeremiah 6:2.
