Page:The Song of Songs (1857).djvu/170

THE SHEPHERD, ADVANCING TO THE SHULAMITE.

as we see from ch. vi. 11, 12, in the neighbourhood of the Shulamite's home. The abnormal (Hebrew characters) is here intentionally used instead of the normal (Hebrew characters), to correspond in form with (Hebrew characters); just as (Hebrew characters), entrance (Ezek. xliii. 11), is employed instead of (Hebrew characters), to correspond with (Hebrew characters), see also Jer. 1. 20; Ezek. xvi. 50; infra, viii. 5; Gesen. § 59, Rem. 3; Ewald, § 118 d. The female inhabitants of the town are designedly called (Hebrew characters), to distinguish them from the (Hebrew characters), which is the appellation of the court ladies.

1. Behold, thou art, &c. The shepherd, who had followed afar off the royal train in which his beloved was conveyed to the capital, obtains an interview with her, and is now addressing her. Thine eyes are doves; see supra, i. 15. Thy hair is like a flock of goats, i.e. the tresses, dangling from the crown of her head, are as beautiful as Mount Gilead covered with the shaggy herd. The hair of Oriental goats is exceedingly delicate, soft (Gen. xxvii. 16), long, and black (1 Sam. xix. 13); and when the sun shines upon it, reflects such a glare that the eye can hardly bear the lustre (see Boch. Hieroz. i. 2, 51. Rosenmüller, Orient. i. 85). (Hebrew characters) is the name of a chain of limestone mountains beyond Jordan, intersected by numerous valleys (Gen. xxxi. 21; Jer. l. 19). This ridge extends over the regions inhabited by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the northern part of Manasseh (Numb. xxxii. 40; Deut. iii. 13; Josh. xvii. 1-6). It was famous for its luxuriant verdure, aromatic simples, and rich pastures; and hence attracted the flocks (Numb. xxxii. 1); and animals from this region were regarded as of a superior quality, like gold from Ophir. Nothing, therefore, could more beautifully express the curly hair of a woman, dangling down from the crown of her head, than the sight, at a distance, of a flock of goats running down from the summit of this verdant hill on a beautiful day. (Hebrew characters) (from (Hebrew characters), i.q. Chald. (Hebrew characters), (Hebrew characters), to bind, to twine, to veil), is well explained by Rashbam, (Hebrew characters), a kind of cover, or veil; so Sym., Sept., Isa. xlvii. 2, Michaelis, Döpke, Gesenius, De Wette, Lee, Percy, Williams, Hitzig, &c. The rendering of the Sept. here, ((Greek characters), behind thy silence, which is followed by the Syriac and Arabic, is both contrary to the etymology of the word, and meaningless. The other translations, viz. locks (Auth. Vers., Ewald), a plait of hair (Hengstenberg), cannot be substantiated. The word (Hebrew characters), which occurs only here and vi. 5, is of difficult interpretation, and has produced a variety of renderings. The Sept. has here (Greek characters), and vi. 5, [GR: a)nefa/nêsan], the Syriac [SY: slaq] the Vulg. here ascenderunt, and vi. 5, apparuerunt. The Rabbins also differ in their interpretations. Rashi explains it (Hebrew characters), that make bare, i.e. quit or descend the mountain. Ibn Ezra, (Hebrew characters), which look down; Rashbam, (Hebrew characters), which are seen, i. e. while coming down from the mount. Modern commentators are not less at variance. Luther translates it shorn; Houbigant, which hang down; Kleuker, Ewald, which shows itself; Döpke, Gesenius, Hitzig, Philippson, which lie down; Magnus, which climb up; Percy, Hengstenberg, which come up, i. e. from Jerusalem. Amidst these conflicting opinions, it appears best to take (Hebrew characters), like its kindred (Hebrew characters), in the sense of rolling down, running down; see Fürst. Lexicon, s. v. This mean-