1 Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.
2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.
4 Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.
6 Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.
7 As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.
8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded.
12 Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
13 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
Chapter 6 of the Song of Solomon in the King James Version of the Holy Bible is a continuation of the romantic dialogue and symbolic allegory that characterizes the entire book. The chapter, like the book itself, is a poetic and lyrical exploration of romantic love, sexual desire, and the sacred bond between a man and a woman. It is also a metaphorical portrayal of the relationship between God and His people, often interpreted as the love between Christ and His Church.
The chapter starts with the daughters of Jerusalem asking the Shulamite woman where her beloved has gone. In response, she describes her beloved's location and his beauty, and her longing for him. The beloved then appears and praises her beauty. The dialogue in this chapter is characterized by mutual adoration and longing, and the language used is rich in symbolism and imagery. The chapter is filled with vivid descriptions of the natural world, which serve to heighten the emotional intensity of the love between the two characters.
The dialogue in Chapter 6 is a beautiful exchange of adoration and longing between the Shulamite woman and her beloved. The language used is rich in imagery and symbolism, with the natural world serving as a backdrop for their love. The beloved is described as "feeding among the lilies," a pastoral image that suggests tranquility and contentment. The Shulamite woman, in her longing for her beloved, says that she will go to the "mountains of myrrh and the hills of frankincense," evoking images of exotic locales and aromatic spices.
In response to her longing, the beloved appears and praises the Shulamite woman's beauty. He compares her to "a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots," suggesting strength and majesty, and says that her cheeks are "comely with rows of jewels," indicating her preciousness and worth. The beloved also compares her to "the fairest among women," a term of endearment that underscores the depth of his love for her.
In addition to its literal interpretation as a romantic dialogue, Chapter 6 of the Song of Solomon is also laden with symbolic meanings. The most common interpretation is that the chapter, like the book itself, is an allegory of the love between Christ and His Church. In this interpretation, the beloved represents Christ, the Shulamite woman represents the Church, and their dialogue represents the reciprocal love between the two.
In Christian theology, the Church is often referred to as the Bride of Christ, and the Song of Solomon is seen as a metaphorical depiction of this relationship. The mutual adoration and longing expressed in the dialogue are interpreted as the love Christ has for His Church and the Church's longing for Christ. The vivid descriptions of the natural world and the exotic locales are seen as symbols of the heavenly realm.
This interpretation is supported by the language used in the chapter. The beloved's description of the Shulamite woman as "the fairest among women" can be seen as Christ's love for His Church, which He sees as pure and without blemish. Similarly, the Shulamite woman's longing for her beloved can be seen as the Church's longing for Christ's return.
Another major theme in Chapter 6 of the Song of Solomon is the sacredness of love. The chapter portrays love not just as a romantic or physical desire, but as a sacred bond that is deeply spiritual and transcendent. The mutual adoration and longing expressed by the Shulamite woman and her beloved, and the language used to describe their feelings, elevate their love to a divine level.
This portrayal of love as sacred is in line with the broader Christian view of love as a divine gift and a reflection of God's love for humanity. In this view, romantic love is not just a human emotion, but a manifestation of the divine love that underlies all of creation. The Song of Solomon, and Chapter 6 in particular, is a celebration of this divine aspect of love.
In conclusion, Chapter 6 of the Song of Solomon in the King James Version of the Holy Bible is a rich and complex exploration of romantic love, sexual desire, and the sacred bond between a man and a woman. The chapter is characterized by a beautiful dialogue of mutual adoration and longing, and the language used is filled with vivid imagery and symbolism. The chapter can be interpreted both literally as a romantic dialogue and symbolically as an allegory of the love between Christ and His Church. The major themes of the chapter are the sacredness of love and the divine aspect of romantic love.
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