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Selected Verse: Song of solomon 5:16 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
So 5:16 |
King James |
His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Literally, "His palate is sweetness, yea, all over loveliness," that is, He is the essence of these qualities.
mouth--so Sol 1:2, not the same as "lips" (Sol 5:13), His breath (Isa 11:4; Joh 20:22). "All over," all the beauties scattered among creatures are transcendently concentrated in Him (Col 1:19; Col 2:9).
my beloved--for I love Him.
my friend--for He loves me (Pro 18:24). Holy boasting (Psa 34:2; Co1 1:31). |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
He is altogether lovely - literally, the whole of him desires or delights; the plural substantive expressing the notion of the superlative. Theodoret, applying to our Lord the whole description, interprets well its last term: "Why should I endeavor to express His beauty piecemeal when He is in Himself and altogether the One longed-for, drawing all to love, compelling all to love, and inspiring with a longing (for His company) not only those who see, but also those who hear?" |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
16a His palate is sweets (sweetnesses),
And he is altogether precious (lovelinesses).
The palate, חך, is frequently named as the organ of speech, Job 6:30; Job 31:30; Pro 5:3; Pro 8:7; and it is also here used in this sense. The meaning, "the mouth for kissing," which Bttch. gives to the word, is fanciful; חך (= ḥnk, Arab. ḥanak) is the inner palate and the region of the throat, with the uvula underneath the chin. Partly with reference to his words, his lips have been already praised, 13b; but there the fragrance of his breath came into consideration, his breath both in itself and as serving for the formation of articulate words. But the naming of the palate can point to nothing else than his words. With this the description comes to a conclusion; for, from the speech, the most distinct and immediate expression of the personality, advance is made finally to the praise of the person. The pluraliatant. ממתּקּים and מחמדּים designate what they mention in richest fulness. His palate, i.e., that which he speaks and the manner in which he speaks it, is true sweetness (cf. Pro 16:21; Psa 55:15), and his whole being true loveliness. With justifiable pride Shulamith next says:
16b This is my beloved and this my friend,
Ye daughters of Jerusalem!
The emphatically repeated "this" is here pred. (Luth. "such an one is" ...); on the other hand, it is subj. at Exo 3:15 (Luth.: "that is" ...). |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Altogether - Not to run out into more particulars. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
His mouth is most sweet - His eloquence is great, and his voice is charming. Every word he speaks is sweetness, mildness, and benevolence itself. Then, her powers of description failing, and metaphor exhausted she cries out, "The whole of him is loveliness. This is my beloved, and this is my companion, O ye daughters of Jerusalem." |
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?