If thou know not, to wit, where I feed my sheep. For this is Christ's answer to his spouse or people. O thou fairest among women; though thou art black in thine own and others eyes, yet thou art very beautiful and amiable to me, as being washed white in my blood, and beautified with my gifts and graces. Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock; observe and follow the paths which my sheep had trodden before thee, of my faithful servants, Abraham and others, whose examples are propounded for our imitation, Romans 4:12 Hebrews 6:12. For the church in all ages is one and the same, and there is but one way for the substance in which all the saints from the beginning to the end of the world do walk, Christ being yesterday, and to-day, and the same for ever, Hebrews 13:8, and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Revelation 13:8. Feed thy kids; take care for the feeding or teaching of all, and especially of young and weak Christians, who do and shall associate themselves to thee, whom the Holy Ghost calls lambs, 1 Thessalonians 21:15,16, as here kids. For although grown and wanton goats are commonly used in Scripture in a bad sense, yet the kids of the goats do sometimes note believers, as Isaiah 11:6, and kids were among those sacrifices which represented Christ, Hebrews 9:12-14. Beside the shepherds tents; under the conduct, and according to the instruction, of my faithful shepherds, or pastors; first and chiefly those who have gone before thee, the prophets and apostles, and after, and in subordination to them, and to their writings, others whom I shall raise from time to time to feed my people with wisdom and understanding.
Related Commentaries of Song of Solomon 1:8
Song of Solomon 1:8
8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.