Song of Solomon 1:8

“If thou know not, etc.] Or, “seeing thou knowest not”f36; the saints in this imperfect state know but in part, are ignorant of many things, and in some measure of themselves; for though they know much of the sinfulness and deceitfulness of their hearts, yet they know not all; and of their imperfection and weakness, yet not the whole of it; and some render the words, “if thou know not to thee”, or, “for thyself”, as Ainsworth; or “know [not thyself]”f37, as others; hence Ambrosef38 observes, that “nosce teipsum” was not originally from the Pythian oracle; Solomon had it before that, and he from Moses, (<050409>Deuteronomy 4:9); Saints have not a perfect knowledge of Christ and his truths, and…”

“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…”

“If - This is Christ's answer. Go - Observe and follow the paths which my sheep have trodden before thee, my faithful servants, Abraham, and others. For the church in all ages is one and the same, and there is but one way for the substance, in which all the saints from the beginning of the world walk, Christ being the same yesterday, and to day, and forever. Feed - Take care for the feeding of all, and especially young and weak Christians. Beside - Under the conduct, and according to the instruction of my faithful shepherds, chiefly those who have gone before thee, the prophets and apostles, and in subordination to them, and to their writings, and to others whom I shall raise from time to…”

“1:8 The man’s first words in this poem lovingly pacify the woman’s anxiety by giving directions to where she should meet him. • The man desires to be with her and tells her to come under the guise of a goatherd, following the trail of his flock.”

“O thou: Sol 1:15, Sol 2:10, Sol 4:1, Sol 4:7, Sol 4:10, Sol 5:9, Sol 6:1, Sol 6:4-10, Sol 7:1-13; Psa 16:3, Psa 45:11, Psa 45:13; Eph 5:27; Rev 19:7, Rev 19:8 go: Pro 8:34; Jer 6:16; Co1 11:1; Heb 6:12, 11:4-40, Heb 13:7; Jam 2:21, Jam 2:25; Jam 5:10; Pe1 3:6 feed: Joh 21:15 Song of Solomon (Canticles) 1:9”

“8 If thou knowest not, thou fairest of women, Go after the footprints of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. היּפה, standing in the address or call, is in the voc.; the art. was indispensable, because "the beautiful one among women" = the one distinguished for beauty among them, and thus is, according to the meaning, superlative; cf. Jdg 6:15; Amo 2:16, with Jdg 5:24; Luk 1:28; Ewald, 313c. The verb יפה refers to the fundamental idea: integrum, completum esse, for beauty consists in well-proportioned fulness and harmony of the members. That the ladies of the court are excited to speak thus may arise from this, that one often judges altogether otherwise of a man, whom…”