Song of Solomon 5:12

“His eyes [are] as [the eyes] of doves, etc.] the church’s eyes are said to be, (<220115>Song of Solomon 1:15 <220401>Song of Solomon 4:1); which are her ministers, endowed with dove like gifts in measure, as Christ is without measure, in fulness; but these are Christ’s eyes, which may signify his omniscience, who has seven eyes, (<380309>Zechariah 3:9 <380410>Zechariah 4:10); especially as that has respect unto and is concerned with his people in a way of grace and mercy, and so must look very beautiful in their view: his eyes are like “doves’ eyes”; not fierce and furious, but loving and lovely; looking upon his people, under all their trials and afflictions, with sympathy and concern, to…”

“Or, His eyes are doves. The comparison is to doves seen by streams of water washing in milk (i. e., milk-white), and sitting on fulness (i. e., on the full or abundant water-flood). Fitly set - This rendering supposes that the eyes within their sockets are compared to precious stones set in the foil of a ring (see the margin); but the other rendering is preferable. The milk-white doves themselves, sitting by full streams of water, or reflected in their flittings athwart the glassy surface, present images of the calm repose and vivid glances of the full pure lustrous eyes of the beloved. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Of doves - Lovely and pleasant, chaste and innocent. Rivers - Where they delight to abide. Milk - Doves of a milk white colour. Song of Solomon (Canticles) 5:13”

“His eyes: Rather, "His eyes are as doves;" the deep blue pigeon, the common dove in the East, whose brilliant plumage vibrates around his neck every sparkling hue, every dazzling flash of colour. And this pigeon standing amid "the torrents of water," or the foam of a waterfall, would be a blue centre with a bright space like the iris of the eye, surrounded by the white. Sol 1:15, Sol 4:1; Heb 4:13 fitly set: Heb. sitting in fulness, that is, fitly placed, and set as a precious stone in the foil of a ring. Song of Solomon (Canticles) 5:13”

“12 His eyes like doves by the water-brooks, Bathing in milk, stones beautifully set The eyes in their glancing moistness (cf. ὑγρότης τῶν ὀμμάτων, in Plutarch, of a languishing look), and in the movement of their pupils, are like doves which sip at the water-brooks, and move to and fro beside them. אפיק, from אפק, continere, is a watercourse, and then also the water itself flowing in it (vid., under Psa 18:16), as (Arab.) wadin, a valley, and then the river flowing in the valley, bahr, the sea-basin (properly the cleft), and then also the sea itself. The pred. "bathing" refers to the eyes (cf. Sol 4:9), not to the doves, if this figure is continued. The pupils of the eyes, thus compared…”