Song of Solomon 7:4 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Thy neck, of which See Poole on "Song of Solomon 4:4", is as a tower of ivory, clear, and smooth, and long, and straight, and erected. Thine eyes, See Poole on "Song of Solomon 1:15"; See Poole on "Song of Solomon 4:1", like the fishpools, full, and clear, and quiet, and pleasant. Possibly here were two fish-pools, which being conveniently seated in a large field, might bear some resemblance to the eyes placed in the head. Heshbon; a pleasant and well-watered city, beyond Jordan, as we may guess from Num 32, where doubtless there were some eminent and well-known fish-pools, as further appears by the exact description of the particular place here following, in which they were. Thy nose; the instrument of smelling, and discerning between pleasant and loathsome things; which may signify the church's sagacity in discerning between good and evil; is as the tower of Lebanon; which though it be not elsewhere mentioned, was in all probability built by Solomon in the mountain of Lebanon, which was the northern border of the land of Israel towards Damascus, and therefore a very fit place for a watch-tower. To this tower her nose is compared, not for its greatness, but for its comely and convenient proportions, and beautiful aspect, which doubtless were in this as well as in the rest of Solomon's buildings. Which looketh toward Damascus; which words seem to be added to distinguish this from another tower or building in or near to Jerusalem, which was called the house of the forest of Lebanon, 1 Kings 7:2.

Song of Solomon 7:4

4 Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.