Albert Barnes Commentary Song Of Solomon 2:3-7

"As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting-house, And his banner over me was love. Stay ye me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am sick from love. His left hand [is] under my head, And his right hand doth embrace me. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, Until he please." — Song Of Solomon 2:3-7 (ASV)

The bride’s answer: “Just as the ‘tappuach’ with its fragrant fruit excels the barren trees of the wild woods, so my beloved excels his associates and friends.” The Hebrew word תפוח tappûach may have been a generic name in early Hebrew for the apple, quince, citron, orange, and so on.

Song of Solomon 2:4

His banner – As the standard is the rallying point and guide for the individual soldier, so the bride, transplanted from a humble station to new scenes of unaccustomed splendor, finds support and safety in her beloved’s known affection. His “love” is her “banner.” The thought is similar to that expressed in the name “Jehovah-nissi” (see the note on Exodus 17:15).

Song of Solomon 2:5

Flagons – This more probably refers to cakes of raisins or dried grapes (see the note on 2 Samuel 6:19; 1 Chronicles 16:3; Hosea 3:1). For an example of the reviving power of dried fruit, see 1 Samuel 30:12.

Song of Solomon 2:6

This should be read as a wish or prayer: “O that his left hand were under my head, and that his right hand did embrace me!” Let him draw me to him with entire affection. (Proverbs 4:8).

Song of Solomon 2:7

Translate this as: “I adjure you... by the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field, that you stir not up nor awaken love until it pleases.” The King James Version rendering, “my love,” is misleading. This refers to the affection or passion itself, not the object of that affection.

This solemn charge, which is significantly used three times as a concluding formula in the poem, expresses one of its main themes: genuine love is a shy and gentle affection that dreads intrusion and scrutiny. This explains the allusion to the gazelles and hinds, which are shy and timid creatures.

The complementary thought is found in Song of Solomon 8:6–7, where love is again described by the bride, this time as a fiery force.