Song of Solomon 1:6

“Look not upon me, etc.] Meaning not with scorn and disdain because of her meanness; nor as prying into her infirmities to expose her; nor with joy at her trials and afflictions; neither of these can be supposed in the daughters of Jerusalem addressed by her: but rather, not look on her as amazed at her sufferings, as though some strange thing had befallen her; not at her blackness only, on one account or another, lest they should be stumbled; but at her beauty also; because I [am] black; or “blackish” somewhat blackf25, but not so black as might be thought, or as she was represented: the radicals of the word being doubled, some understand it as diminishing; but rather it increases the…”

“This section is made by the Targumist and other Jewish interpreters to adumbrate the condition of Israel in the wilderness; by some Christian expositors, that of the Gentile Church on her first conversion. Song of Solomon 1:5 I am black ... - Dark-hued, as the tents of Kedar with their black goats’ hair coverings, rough and weather-stained, “but comely (beautiful) as the rich hangings which adorn the pavilion of Solomon. Kedar was the name of an Arab tribe Genesis 25:13; Psalms 120:5. The word itself signifies “dark” or “black.” Possibly “tents of Kedar” stand here poetically for shepherds’ tents in general Isaiah 60:7. Song of Solomon 1:6 Look not upon me - In wonder or scorn at my swarthy…”

“Look not - With wonder and disdain. Mother's children - False brethren, who pretend that the church is their mother, when their actions demonstrate, that God, the husband of the church, is not their father; hypocritial professors, who are, and ever were, the keenest enemies; false teachers, and their followers, who by their corrupt doctrines, and divisions, and contentions, bring great mischief to the church. Made me - Having prevailed against me, they used me like a slave, putting me upon the most troublesome services, such as the keeping of the vineyards was esteemed, Kg2 25:12; Isa 61:5; Mat 20:1-7. Not kept - They gave me such a full employment in the drudging work about their vineyards,…”

“1:6 my own vineyard: The NLT interprets vineyard as a metaphor for the woman’s own body (cp. 2:15; 7:12). In ancient Near Eastern societies, brothers protected sisters from premature intimate relationships with men. The woman’s protest reflects her belief that she is ready for love (see also 8:8-12, the only other mention of the brothers). • The dramatic view takes vineyard literally: The brothers’ abuse had resulted in the woman’s inability to take care of the vineyards for which she was personally responsible. She found herself in Solomon’s harem because she had not been able to pay Solomon the money she owed him (8:11-12).”

“Look: Rut 1:19-21 because: Job 30:30; Jer 8:21; Lam 4:8; Mar 4:6; Act 14:22 my mother's: Psa 69:8; Jer 12:6; Mic 7:6; Mat 10:22, Mat 10:25, Mat 10:35, Mat 10:36; Luk 12:51-53; Gal 4:29 keeper: Sol 8:11, Sol 8:12 Song of Solomon (Canticles) 1:7”

“Shulamith now explains, to those who were looking upon her with inquisitive wonder, how it is that she is swarthy: 6a Look not on me because I am black, Because the sun has scorched me. If the words were בי (תּראינה) אל־תּראוּ, then the meaning would be: look not at me, stare not at me. But אל־תּראני, with שׁ (elsewhere כּי) following, means: Regard me not that I am blackish (subnigra); the second שׁ is to be interpreted as co-ordin. with the first (that ... that), or assigning a reason, and that objectively (for). We prefer, with Bttch., the former, because in the latter case we would have had שׁהשׁמשׁ. The quinqueliterum שׁחרחרת signifies, in contradistinction to שׁחור, that which is black…”