Song of Solomon 2:7

“I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, etc.] Of whom, see (<220105>Song of Solomon 1:5). There is some difficulty in these words, whether they are spoken by the church, or by Christ: according to our version, they are the words of the church, and bids fair to be the sense; since they are spoken to the virgins, her companions, that waited on her; and the manner of speech is not by way of command, as by way of adjuration; and the matter, style, and language of it, Christ being the church’s love; and the phrase, “till he please”, best agrees with his sovereignty and authority, who is at liberty to stay with, and remove from, his people at pleasure; and the context and scope of the place…”

“The bride’s answer: “As the ‘tappuach’ with its fragrant fruit excels the barren trees of the wild wood, so my beloved his associates and friends etc.” תפוח tappûach may in early Hebrew have been a generic name for apple, quince, citron, orange etc. Song of Solomon 2:4 His banner - As the standard is the rallying-point and guide of the individual soldier, so the bride, transplanted from a lowly station to new scenes of unaccustomed splendor, finds support and safety in the known attachment of her beloved. His “love” is her “banner.” The thought is similar to that expressed in the name “Jehovah-nissi” (see the Exodus 17:15 note). Song of Solomon 2:5 Flagons - More probably cakes of raisins…”

“I charge you - This is spoken by the bride. By the roes - By the example of those creatures, which are pleasant and loving in their carriage towards one another. Nor awake - That you do not disturb nor offend him. 'Till - Never, as this word, until, in such phrases, is commonly used. For neither can sin ever please him, nor can the church bear it that Christ should ever be offended. Song of Solomon (Canticles) 2:8”

“2:7 Promise me . . . by the gazelles and wild deer: This plea is obviously important to the Song; it is repeated in 3:5 and 8:4, and a promise is requested. When a promise was made, witnesses were needed, and the wild animals were the only witnesses present. These graceful animals suggest a romantic pastoral setting. • not to awaken love until the time is right: As in 8:8-9, virginity is praised. The woman warns the women of Jerusalem to be cautious and not to hurry love.”

“charge you: Heb. adjure you, Mat 26:63 O ye: Sol 1:5, Sol 5:8, Sol 5:16 by the roes: Sol 3:5; Pro 5:19 ye stir: Sol 8:4; Eph 5:22-33 Song of Solomon (Canticles) 2:8”

“7 I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or the hinds of the field, That ye arouse not and disturb not love Till she pleases. It is permitted to the Israelites to swear, נשׁבּע, only by God ( Gen 21:23); but to adjure, השׁבּיע, by that which is not God, is also admissible, although this example before us is perhaps the only direct one in Scripture. צבי (= צבי, dialect. טבי), fem. צביה (Aram. טביתא, Act 9:36), plur. tsebaim or tsebajim, fem. tsabaōth (according with the pl. of צבא), softened from tsebajōth, is the name for the gazelle, from the elegance of its form and movements. אילות is the connecting form of איּלות, whose consonantal Yod in the Assyr. and Syr. is…”