Song of Solomon 6:13

“Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, etc.] By whom the church is meant, so called from her being the spouse of Christ, the true Solomon; it being common for the wife to have the same name with her husband; thus, with the Romans, if the man’s name was Caius, the woman’s name was Caia: is the name of Christ Solomon? the church’s name is Shulamite; (see <242306>Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16 <461212>1 Corinthians 12:12). The word from which this is derived signifies both perfection and peace; and the church may be called the Shulamite from her perfection, not in herself, but in Christ, in whom she is complete, and perfectly comely through his righteousness; and is also denominated from the peace…”

“Return, return - About to withdraw, the bride is recalled by the chorus, desiring yet a little longer to contemplate a grace and beauty which has won all hearts. Shulamite - Probably the same as “Shunamite,” i. e., a native of the town or district of Shunem, situated in the territory of Issachar Joshua 19:18, on the slopes of the Little Hermon, overlooking the plain of Jezreel. It is now called Salem. See - Look or gaze at. The bride’s modest reply, taking up their words, and wondering at their request. The chorus answer with a further petition. As it were the company of two armies - Or, rather, the dance of Mahanaim (see the margin), a well-known sacred dance, taking its name from the…”

“Return - Christ recalls his spouse, who as when Christ was gone, she pursued after him, so now when Christ was coming to her, she was ready to wander from him. Return - This word is repeated four times, to signify both Christ's passionate love to her, and her backwardness. Shulamite - This title signifies, the wife of Solomon, thus called after her husband's name, and as Christ is called by the name of Solomon, so the church is fitly described by the title of Solomon's wife. May look - That I and my companions may contemplate thy beauty. What - But what do you my friends expect to discover in her? Christ proposes the question, that they might take special notice of this as a very remarkable…”

“6:13–7:9 An interaction between the young women of Jerusalem and the man introduces his last major description of the woman’s beauty and his desire to hold her (see study note on 4:1–5:1). 6:13 Return: Or turn around. • Shulam: The place is not known, though some have identified it with Shunem (1 Kgs 1:3; 2 Kgs 4:11-12). Maid of Shulam (Hebrew shulammith) might be a wordplay on the name Solomon (Hebrew shelomoh). It would then be equivalent to saying “Solomon’s maiden.” • as she moves so gracefully between two lines of dancers? The man praises the woman’s grace and beauty to everyone.”

“return: Sol 2:14; Jer 3:12-14, Jer 3:22; Hos 14:1-4 What: Sol 1:6; Luk 7:44, Luk 15:10; Th2 1:10 Shulamite: Gen 49:10; Psa 76:2; Isa 8:6; Joh 9:7; Heb 7:2 As: Joh 10:16; Rom 3:29; Eph 2:14-17 two armies: or, Mahanaim, Gen 32:2; Rom 7:23; Gal 5:17; Eph 6:10-19 Next: Song of Solomon (Canticles) Chapter 7”

“Encouraged by Shulamith's unassuming answer, the daughters of Jerusalem now give utterance to an entreaty which their astonishment at her beauty suggests to them. 13 Come back, come back, O Shulamith! Come back, come back, that we may look upon thee! She is now ( Sol 6:10.) on the way from the garden to the palace. The fourfold "come back" entreats her earnestly, yea, with tears, to return thither with them once more, and for this purpose, that they might find delight in looking up her; for ב חזה signifies to sink oneself into a thing, looking at it, to delight (feast) one's eyes in looking on a thing. Here for the first time Shulamith is addressed by name. But השּׁוּ cannot be a pure proper…”