Songs; and it must be confessed that there is reason for it, since the Song of Songs is like a lock, the key of which hath been lost. Some maintain that it refers to the kingdom of Israel; others say that it refers to the days of the Messiah; and others again affirm that it refers to the time of the dispersion and the Messiah, and assert that by beloved ([HE:dvd]) the Messiah is meant, and by bride ([HE:klh]) is meant the law ([HE:tvrh]). But this is a sin, an error, and a great heresy. The truth is, that by beloved ([HE:dvd]) is meant the Lord, for it is written, "I will sing to my beloved a song of love respecting his vineyard" (Isa. v. 1), which the prophet Isaiah explains (verse 7), "The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel." Solomon relates in this book the history of the Jews commencing with their Exodus from Egypt until after the coming of the Messiah, and compares the position of Israel to God to that of a bride to a bridegroom, because she (Israel) is dear to him, and he to her. When he first takes her from her father's house he calls her my friend ([HE:r`yty]), when he brings her to his house he calls her my bride ([HE:klh]), when she finds favour in his eyes he calls her my sister ([HE:'Hvty]), and praises her from head to foot; then he is angry with her, and she returns and praises him from head to foot; then he praises her a second time. And, because it is unlawful for a bridegroom and bride to come together without a marriage-contract and witnesses, therefore Solomon begins with the words, "Let him give me kisses of his mouth;" that is, the commandments and the statutes, comprising both the written and the oral law which the Lord gave to Israel through the pious Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, so that Israel's fame went forth into the world in consequence of their wisdom, as it is written, "And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty," &c. (Ezek. xvi. 14), so much so that many of the nations desired to be gathered under the wings of the shechinah and become Jews; and these are the mixed multitudes, Jethro and others, and therefore it is said, "Thy perfumes are good in odour," that is, the Lord tried them from the departure out of Egypt till their entrance into Canaan whether they would walk in his ways, as it is written, "Thou didst follow me in the wilderness," &c. Jer. ii. 2.
4. Draw me, &c.—Having related in this verse how Israel walked in the fear of the Lord, and received the ten commandments in the 6th of
[Footnote: [HE:vT`vt gdvl vr'S kprnvt{,} 'bl h'mt ky dvdy hq"bh Sn'mr 'Syrh n' lydydy Syrt dvdy lkrmv
v prS 'vtv yS`yh hnby' v'mr ky krm/ h# xb'vt byt ySr'l vzkr Slmh bzh hspr myxy't mxrym/
`d 'Hr ymvt hmSyH vhmSyl lySr'l `m/ hq"bh lHtn/ `m/ klh Shv' qrvb 'lyh vhy' qrvbh 'lyv
vkSb' `mh br'Svnh mbyt 'byh qr'h r`yty vkShgy` `mh lbytv qr'h klty vkSmx'h Hn/ b`ynyv
qr' 'vth 'Hvty vSbH 'vth mhr'S v`d hrglym/ vkSqxp/ `lyh 'Hr kk/ Sbh hy' vhllh 'vtv
mhr'S v`d hrglym/= 'Hr kk/ Sb hv'= vhll 'vth p`m/ Snyh vbSl'= nkvn/ lb'= hHtn/ `m/= hklh
'l'= bSTr v`dym/= lkk/ tHlt= dbvr Slmh 'mr ySqny mnSyqvt= pyhv hT`m/= hm/= hmxvt vhHqym/=
Sntn/ hq"kh lySr'l !l ydy mvSh v'hrn/ vmdym/ hxdyqym/ vhv' tvrh Sbktb vtvrh Sb!l ph !d Syb'
lySr'l Sm/ Tvb b`rlm/ bHkmtm/ Sn'mr vyb' lk/ Sm/ bgvym/ byvpyk/ ky klyl hv' `d Srbv 'vmvt h`vlm/
lhkns tht knpy HSkynh vlhtgyyr vhm/ `rb rb vytrv v'hrym/ vlkk/ 'mr lryH Smnyk/ Tvbym/ vhT`m/
Snsh hq"bh mmxrym/ `d b.v'm/ b'rx/ kn`n/ 'm/ hvlkym/ bdrkyv Sn'mr lktk/ 'Hry bmdkr k'rx/ vgv"{.}]
[HE:mSkny hT`m/ 'vmr bzh hpsvq hylvk/ ySr'=l byr'=t qb #h vkyvn/ SSm`v `Sr dbrvt bSSh ksyvn/ v`Syyt h`gl by #z btmvz tmh Slmh v'mr b`bvrm/]
[HE:SHvrh 'ny hT`m/ SHvrh vn'=vh SHvrh b`bvdt h`gl vn'vh bSvm`n/ `Sr dbrvt v'mrv ySr'l SSkH `vnm/ bSlSt 'lpy 'yS rS`y ySr'l S`bdv ` #z Shrgv ngd hSmS lkpr HT' gdvl Sn'mr k{,} 'th `Syt bstr v'ny '=`Sh ngd kl ySr'l vngd hSmS vh'vmvt Smvny nvTrt `bvdt 'lhym/ 'Hrym/ S`bdty `bvdh zrh Sn'nmr vymyrv 't kbvdm/ btknyt Svr 'vkl `Sb]]
