King James Version

What Does Song of Solomon 6:4 Mean?

“Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.”

Context

My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.

Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. overcome: or, puffed me up

Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.

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Topics in This Verse

Love

Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(4) **Beautiful **. . . **as Tirzah.**—There is no sufficient reason for the employment of Tirzah side by side with Jerusalem in this comparison but the fact that they were both capitals, the one of the northern, the other of the southern kingdom. This fixes the date of the composition of the poem within certain limits (see *Excursus *I.). Jeroboam first selected the ancient sanctuary of Shechem for his capital; but, from some unexplained cause, moved the seat of his government, first to Penuel, on the other side Jordan, and then to Tirzah, formerly the seat of a petty Canaanite prince. (See 1Kings 12:25; 1Kings 14:17; 1Kings 15:21; 1Kings 15:33; 1Kings 16:6; 1Kings 16:8; 1Kings 16:15; 1Kings 16:18; 1Kings 16:23; Joshua 12:24.) Robinson identified *Tirzah *with *Tellûzah, *not far from Mount Ebal, which agrees with Brocardus, who places *Thersa *on a high mountain, three degrees from Samaria to the east. Tirzah only remained the capital till the reign of Omri, but comes into notice again as the scene of the conspiracy of Menahem against Shallum (2Kings 15:14-16). The LXX. translate *Tirzah *by εὐδοκία*, *Vulg. *suavis*; and the ancient versions generally adopt this plan, to avoid, as Dr. Ginsburg thinks, the mention of the two capitals, because this made against the Solomonic authorship. **As Jerusalem**.—See Lamentations 2:15. As to the idea involved in a comparison so strange to us, we notice that this author is especially fond of finding a resemblance between his love and familiar localities (see Song of Solomon 5:15; Song of Solomon 7:4-5); nor was it strange in a language that delighted in personifying a nation or city under the character of a maiden (Isaiah 47:1), and which, ten centuries later, could describe the new Jerusalem as a bride coming down from heaven adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:9, *seqq.*)*.* **An army with banners.**—Heb. *nidgalôth, *participle of niphal conjugation = bannered. (Comp.— “And what are cheeks, but ensigns oft, That wave hot youth to fields of blood?”)

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Song of Solomon. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Song of Solomon 6:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.