Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Song of Solomon 4:14
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Spikenard and saffron, etc.] The former is the best sort of nard, and therefore mentioned and repeated, to which saints may be compared, because of the graces of the Spirit in them; which, when exercised, give a sweet odour, and are exceeding grateful to Christ; (see <220112>Song of Solomon 1:12); and the latter, according to Schindlerf284, seems to have been read “carcos”, the same with “crocus”, and is a plant well known by us for its cheering nature; and has its name from the Arabic, “zaffran”, because of its yellow or golden colour; but “crocus”, from “Corycus”f285, a mountain in Cilicia, where it grew; it is properly joined with spikenard, since itself is a “spica”, and is sometimes called “spica Cilissa”f286. Next follow calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; “calamus” is the sweet cane in (<234324>Isaiah 43:24); “cinnamon” is the rind or bark of a tree; both grow in Indiaf287 and in Arabiaf288; as also trees of “frankincense”, which are only in Arabia; hence one of the Arabias is called “thurifera”f289, for they do not grow in all Arabia: the two first were ingredients in the holy anointing oil, and the latter in the holy perfume, (<023023>Exodus 30:23, 34); myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices; Solomon’s gardens might be furnished with all these; and with the above trees, plants, and spices, from Arabia Felix, where, as Appianusf290 says, “cassia” grew in marshy places; myrrh and frankincense were gathered from trees, cinnamon from shrubs, and their meadows naturally produced nard; hence called “aromatifera”, the spicy countryf291: myrrh was also an ingredient in the anointing oil; and aloes, according to the Targum, is the same with lign aloes; (see <042406> Numbers 24:6); not the herb which has a very bitter juice, but the tree of a sweet odour, which Isidoref292 distinguishes, and is what is meant in (<194508>Psalm 45:8 <200717>Proverbs 7:17); and were both of a very fragrant smell. Now all these trees, plants, and spices, signify truly precious souls, possessed of the graces of the Spirit; comparable to them for their valuableness and excellency, their sweet smell, and the reviving and refreshing nature of them; which make the subjects of these graces very agreeable to Christ, and to one another. What a garden is the church thus planted!
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