Behold, thou art fair: this is the speech of Christ. The words are doubled, partly to note the certainty of the thing, notwithstanding her mean and modest opinion of herself; and partly to manifest his high esteem and fervent affection for her, and to assure her that, notwithstanding all her infirmities, he was very well pleased with her. Thou hast doves eyes; which are,
1. Comely and pleasant.
2. Modest and humble, not lofty, as the looks of some other creatures are.
3. Mild and harmless, not fierce and fiery, not looking and watching for prey, as the eyes of ravenous birds are.
4. Chaste and faithful, looking only to their mates; so that if any of them cast a lustful eye upon another, her companions are enraged against her, and quickly tear her in pieces; as some natural historians write. And such are the church's eyes said to be. And by the eyes he seems to design partly her looks and outward behaviour or conversation, and partly and chiefly the inward disposition of her mind, which is commonly discovered, and in Scripture is oft signified, by the eye; in which sense we read of an evil eye, Proverbs 23:6 Matthew 6:23, of a bountiful eye, Proverbs 22:9, of a single eye, Luke 11:34, of a proud or lofty look, all which signify such tempers of men's minds.