I [am] black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Ver. 5. I am black, but comely.] Heb., Black as the morning, or day dawning, which hath light and darkness, dimness at least, mixed together. It is not Hως ροδοδακτυλος, wherein there is more light than darkness, but κροκοπεπλος, wherein there is more darkness than light, as the grammarians distinguish. a This morning light is lovely, though not pure; so is the Church comely, though not dear. The coy daughters of Jerusalem might make a wonderment, that so black a dowdy, as the Church appeared to them that saw not her inward beauty, should ever hope to have love from the "fairest among men." We read how Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses, who was "fair to God," b because of the brown skinned woman whom he had married. Num 12:1 For answer to whom the spouse here grants that she is black, or blackish at least: - (1.) As having some hypocrites in her bosom, that as that blasted grain c Mat 13:25 smutcheth and sullieth the better sort; (2.) As being not fully freed from sin till after death. Sin is dejected, indeed, in the saints, but not utterly ejected while they are here. For what reason? It is in them as the spots of the leopard, not by accident, but by nature, which no art can cure, no water can wash off, because they are not in the skin, but in the flesh and bones, in the sinews and the most inward parts. Howbeit the Church is freed from the damning and domineering power of sin. And whereas (3.) She is looked upon as "black," Job 30:30 Lamentations 4:8 Jer 8:21 because of her afflictions, those fruits of sin, and seems to have lain among the pots, as the Psalmist hath it, places where scullions use to lie, and so are black and collied, yet shall she be "as the wings of a dove that are covered with silver," &c. Psa 68:13 Though she "sit in darkness, the Lord shall give her light." Mic 7:8 And as black soap makes white clothes, so do sharp afflictions make holy hearts, where God is pleased to set in with his battle door, as that martyr said. d Puriores caelo afflictione facti sunt, saith Chrysostom of those that were praying for Peter. Act 12:13-17 And "some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white," saith the prophet of those suffering saints. Dan 11:35 The face of the Church is never so beautiful as when it is washed with its own tears; as some faces appear most orientally fair when they are most instamped with sorrow. Christ did so. Isa 52:14
But comely.] Or, Goodly, lovely, desirable, delectable, viz., for my double righteousness, those righteousnesses of the saints, Rev 19:8 imputed and imparted. Hence the Church may better sing than Sappho did -
“ Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit,
Iustitia formae damna rependo meae.
Ingenio formae damna rependo meae. ” - Ovid. Epist.
As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.] Kedar signifieth black; and the Kedarens, a people of Arabia, descended from Ishmael, dwelt in black tents, made of hair cloth, and had no other houses; e they also dwelt not far from the Ethiopians, or blackmoors. 2Ch 21:16
As the curtains, &c., ] i.e., As his costly tapestry and other sumptuous household stuff, whereof read 1 Kings 10:1,2, &c. Josephus f also makes mention of the Babylonish rich furniture wherewith Solomon's rooms were hanged. These are to set forth the Church's comeliness, as the other did her homeliness. Let none be despised for his outward meanness; for within that leathern purse may be a pearl. Christ himself was hidden under the carpenter's son and a poor outside. Isa 53:2
“ Saepe sub attrita latitat sapientia veste. ”
Often under the surface lies hidden the vesture of wisdom.
a Eustath. in Hom. Odyss.
b αστειος τω Yεω. Act 7:20
c ζιζανιον, frumentum adustum,
d Acts and Mon., 1486.
e Plin., lib. vi. cap 28; Solin., cap. 26; Isaiah 13:20
f Joseph., Antiq., lib. viii. 5.