Song of Solomon 8:9

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

⁸We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for? ⁹If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver to protect her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.¹⁰I am a wall and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace. ¹¹Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver. ¹²But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a wall: Song of Solomon 2:9, Revelation 21:12-19

we will: Isaiah 58:12, Isaiah 60:17, Isaiah 61:4, Zechariah 6:12-15, Matthew 16:18, Acts 15:16, 1 Corinthians 3:10-12, Ephesians 2:20-22

a door: Acts 14:27

Reciprocal: Psalms 144:12 - the similitude Song of Solomon 1:11 - General Song of Solomon 1:17 - beams Song of Solomon 8:10 - a wall Ezekiel 16:61 - when

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 28:65
Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.

Psalms 116:7
Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

Isaiah 60:8
Who are these who fly like clouds, like doves to their shelters?

Ezekiel 7:16
The survivors will escape and live in the mountains, all moaning like doves of the valley, each for his own iniquity.

Matthew 11:28
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If she [be] a wall,.... Built upon a sure foundation; and firmly established in her faith on Christ, and love to him; and is constant therein, and stands as a wall against the attacks of enemies b;

we will build upon her a palace of silver; though at first but as a side wall, yet should become a complete habitation, even a palace for Christ, the King of kings, and, being designed for so illustrious an inhabitant, should be a "silver" one, denoting its worth, value, and splendour; the builders of it are the church and her ministers; though Christ is the principal builder, Zechariah 6:12. Or, "a tower of silver" c, signifying, that she should be well fortified, and be put into a posture of defence against her enemies: the Gentile church at first had but a very small appearance of a building, a foundation just laid, a side wall erected; but, in a short time, a noble structure, a stately tower, a silver palace, were built for God;

and if she [be] a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar; if the door of the Gospel was opened among the Gentiles, it should be succeeded to the building a holy temple to the Lord; which should be not only ornamented, but so well fenced, that it should not be in the power of their enemies to deface and demolish it: or if the door of their hearts was opened, to receive Christ, and his glorious train of grace, they should be adorned and beautified with a larger measure of them; or if being come into a church state, and the door of it was set open to receive good men, and exclude bad men, this would be to their honour comfort and safety: or this phrase is expressive of the finishing of the building, the gate or door being set up; though it rather seems to intend the low and mean estate of the Gentile church at first, when there was but little appearance of a building, only a door set up; which afterwards grew up into a stately and magnificent palace, like that of Solomon's, built of cedar boards of the wood of Lebanon; which may denote her fragrancy, perpetuity, and incorruptibleness.

b So Ajax is called the wall of the Grecians, Homer. Iliad. 6. v. 5. 7. v. 211. c טירת כסף "propugnaculum argenteum", Tigurine version "arcem argenteam", Mercerus; "castellum argenti", Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A brief dialogue commencing with a question and answer probably made by brothers of the bride concerning a younger sister who will soon be old enough to be asked in marriage. The answer is given in the form of a parable: “If she be a wall,” i. e., stedfast in chastity and virtue, one on whom no light advances can be made, then let us honor and reward her. This fortress-wall shall be crowned as it were with a tower or battlement of silver. But “if she be a door,” light-minded and accessible to seduction Proverbs 7:11-12, then let us provide against assailants the protection of a cedar bar or panel.

Song of Solomon 8:10

The bride herself replies with the pride of innocence and virtue already crowned. She has shown herself to be such a fortress-wall as her brothers have alluded to, and her reward has been the royal favor.

Song of Solomon 8:11, Song of Solomon 8:12

She next turns to the king, and commends her brothers to his favorable regard by means of another parable. Solomon owns a vineyard in Baal-hamon (possibly Baalbak, or identical with Amana (Conder)), situated in the warm and fertile plains of Coele-Syria, overshadowed by the heights of Lebanon Song of Solomon 4:8. This vineyard he has let out to tenants etc.

The bride also has a vineyard of her own Song of Solomon 1:6, her beauty and virtue faithfully guarded by these same brothers in time past. This vineyard now belongs to Solomon. Let him have “the thousand” which is his due - she is indeed herself henceforth entirely his - but let the faithful keepers have their meed as well. At least two hundred silverlings should be theirs - a double tithe of royal praise and honor.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. If she be a wall — All these expressions, says Calmet, show that it was necessary to provide a husband for this young sister. For a woman without a husband is like a wall without towers, and without defense; is like a gate or door without bar or lock; and like a city without walls. They must therefore provide for their sister a rich, powerful, and illustrious man; qualities here figured by towers or palaces of silver, and doors of cedar. As it is customary to build towers upon a wall, and to put bolts and bars upon a door in order to secure it, so the expressions may point out the defense, protection, and guardianship which they imagined this young woman to require.