Song of Solomon 6:13 - Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Bible Comments

Return, return. This was the entreaty of Solomon, as she turned to go away, the moment her necessary explanation had been made.

Shulamite. Shulem is thought to be the same as Shunem, now Solam, about three and. half miles from Zerin, north of Jezreel, mentioned in Joshua 19:18. 1Sa 28:4. 1 Kings 1:3 1 Kings 1:15. 1 Kings 2:17; 1 Kings 2:21 1 Kings 2:22. 2 Kings 4:8 2 Kings 4:12, 2 Kings 4:25; 2 Kings 4:36. Instead of this proper name causing "great difficulty", it is necessary, to enable us to fix the locality of the whole subject of the song. Abishag came from Shunem (1 Kings 1:4); and is here used as being synonymous with "fairest among women" (Song of Solomon 1:8; Song of Solomon 5:9; Song of Solomon 6:1).

look. gaze on.

What will ye see... ? This is her answer to Solomon's request as she was departing.

see. gaze on.

the company of two armies. Instead of "of two armies", the Authorized Version margin and Revised Version text reads "of Mahanaim", and the Revised Version renders the phrase: "the dance (or steps) of Mahanaim". Modern critics say "This is another proper name which must in all probability vanish from the text". But the text needs this here, though it does not need "Ammi-nadib" in Song of Solomon 6:12. The Quarterly Statement of the Palestine Exploration Fund (1891, pp 244, 245) shows that in kimholath hammahdndyim, the root of the former word (hul, to be round) is the common name for. circle (hence another suggested rendering is "like. dance to double choirs"; one even ventures on "a sword-dance"), or geographical "basin", and mphanayim as meaning. plain or camp on. plain. Remembering that. man was seen by David's watchman from "the wood Ephraim" (2 Samuel 18:6. Compare Son 17:27) running on "a plain" (2 Samuel 18:24-27. Compare 2 Samuel 19:32), and now putting the word "plain" by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for the view obtained of it, we have the suitable rendering, "Like the view of Mahanaim", i.e.. view as beautiful as that, which would be the answer to her question, "What will ye behold in the Shulamite? "For "Mahanaim" see Genesis 32:2.

Mahanaim. two camps.

Song of Solomon 6:13

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.