Teks -- The Song of Songs 6:2 (NET)

6:2 The Beloved to the Maidens: My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the flowerbeds of balsam spices, to graze in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Sos 6:2 - Is gone

The spouse had hitherto been at a loss for her beloved, but having diligently sought him, now at last she meets with a gracious answer from God, directing her where to find him. The garden may signify the church catholic, and the gardens, as it follows, as also the beds, the particular assemblies of the faithful, in which Christ affords his presence.

Wesley: Sos 6:2 - Spices

In which the gifts and graces of God's spirit, fitly compared to spices, grow.

Wesley: Sos 6:2 - To feed

To refresh and delight himself.

Wesley: Sos 6:2 - Lillies

Which may denote either, particular believers, whom Christ gathers to himself in his church; or, the prayers and praises of his people in the publick congregations.

JFB: Sos 6:2 - gone down

Jerusalem was on a hill (answering to its moral elevation), and the gardens were at a little distance in the valleys below.

JFB: Sos 6:2 - beds of spices

(balsam) which He Himself calls the "mountain of myrrh," &c. (Son 4:6), and again (Son 8:14), the resting-place of His body amidst spices, and of His soul in paradise, and now in heaven, where He stands as High Priest for ever. Nowhere else in the Song is there mention of mountains of spices.

JFB: Sos 6:2 - feed in . . . gardens

That is, in the churches, though He may have withdrawn for a time from the individual believer: she implies an invitation to the daughters of Jerusalem to enter His spiritual Church, and become lilies, made white by His blood. He is gathering some lilies now to plant on earth, others to transplant into heaven (Son 5:1; Gen 5:24; Mar 4:28-29; Act 7:60).

Clarke: Sos 6:2 - My beloved is gone down into his garden

My beloved is gone down into his garden - The answer of the bride to her companions.

TSK: Sos 6:2 - gone // the beds // feed // and to

gone : Son 6:11, Son 4:12-16, Son 5:1; Isa 58:11, Isa 61:11; Mat 18:20, Mat 28:20

the beds : Son 5:13

feed : Son 1:7, Son 1:8; Isa 40:11; Eze 34:23; Zep 3:17; Joh 4:34, Joh 4:35; Rev 7:17

and to : Son 2:2; Isa 57:1; Joh 14:3, Joh 17:24; Phi 1:21-23; 1Th 4:13, 1Th 4:14

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Sos 6:2 - garden // Beds of spices // To feed // To gather lilies

The spouse had hitherto been at a loss for her Beloved, but having diligently sought him, and inflamed both her own and others’ affections with love to him by her just commendations, now at last she meets with a gracious answer from God, directing her where to find him, which also comes very seasonably, not only for her own relief and comfort, but also for the benefit of others, who inquired after him. The

garden seems to signify the church catholic, and the gardens , as it follows here, as also the beds, may note the particular assemblies of the faithful, in which Christ affordeth his presence and his blessing.

Beds of spices in which the gifts and graces of God’ s Spirit, which are fitly compared to spices or aromatical flowers, do appear and grow.

To feed to refresh and delight himself, or to gather the flowers and fruits of it, as men use to do in their gardens.

To gather lilies which may note either,

1. Particular believers, whom Christ gathereth to himself in his church, who are compared to lilies, Son 2:2 . Or,

2. The prayers and praises tendered to him by his people in the public congregations, and all their gracious dispositions and actions.

Haydock: Sos 6:2 - Beloved

Beloved. She speaks thus, when she finds him, and runs to his embraces, having found what trouble her neglect had occasioned. (Calmet)

Gill: Sos 6:2 - My beloved is gone down into his garden // to the beds of spices // to feed in the gardens // and to gather lilies

My beloved is gone down into his garden,.... Which may be said by Solomon, in allusion to what he himself was wont to do, as Josephus ^q relates; who used to go very early in a morning in great pomp to Etham, about two miles from Jerusalem, a pleasant place, abounding with gardens and flows of water: or respect may be had to the king's gardens nearer Jerusalem, which were at the descent of Mount Zion, and reached to the lower pool ^r; see Neh 3:15; and which lying lower than the king's palace, he might be said to go down to it. And this may point at the low estate of the people of God on earth, depressed with sorrows, afflictions, and persecutions; and the condescension of Christ, in visiting them in their low estate, and granting them his gracious presence: of the garden of Christ, and of his coming into it; see Gill on Son 4:12; See Gill on Son 4:16; See Gill on Son 5:1; and the church might remember what he said, "I am come into my garden", Son 5:1; though she soon fell asleep and forgot it, and now calls it to mind, and so could direct the daughters where he was. She adds,

to the beds of spices; of odoriferous plants; to which particular believers, planted regularly in the churches of Christ, may be compared, for the excellency and fragrancy of their graces; and among whom Christ delights to be; see Son 4:13. Gussetius ^s thinks the words, both here and in Son 5:13, should be rendered "rivers of spices"; an hyperbolical expression, showing that a man walking by rivers of waters, where aromatic plants and fragrant flowers grow, perceives such a sweet odour, that, while he is refreshed with the moisture of the waters, he seems to be walking by rivers of spices. The end of her beloved's going thither is,

to feed in the gardens; to feed his flocks there: not on commons and in fields, but in gardens, which is unusual: and by which are meant particular churches, where Christ feeds his people, by his Spirit and by his ministers, word and ordinances, with himself, the bread of life; with the discoveries of his love, better than wine; and with the doctrines and promises of the Gospel: or to feed himself, or that "he himself might be fed" ^t there; by beholding with pleasure how the plants grow, and the spices flow out; by tasting the pleasant fruits of the garden; and by observing with delight the graces of the Spirit in his people in lively exercise;

and to gather lilies; to crop them with the hand ^u; lilies are liable to be cropped, hence Horace ^w calls the lily "breve lilium", the short lived lily: to these saints may be compared, for the glory, splendour, and beauty, they receive from Christ; see Son 2:2; there was a gathering of these at the death of Christ, Eph 2:10; and there is a gathering of them in effectual calling, and into a church state, and into nearer communion with Christ; but here it seems to signify a gathering them by death, when fully ripe, to enjoy everlasting fellowship with him.