Charles Ellicott Commentary Song of Solomon 7

How beautiful ... — Literally, How beautiful are thy feet (or thy steps) in the sandals. This description of the beauty of the bride—

“From the delicate Arab arch of her feet
To the grace that, bright and light as the crest
Of a peacock, sits on her shining head”—

is plainly connected with the dance mentioned in the last verse, and possibly proceeds in this order, instead of from the head downwards, because the feet of a dancer would first attract attention. See end of Excursus III.

O prince’s daughter! — Heb. Bath-nadib (the Septuagint uses Ναδαβ) — evidently again suggested by Amminadib, in Song of Solomon 6:12. But as the allusion there cannot be recovered, nothing relating to the rank of the heroine can be deduced from the recurrence of nadib (which means noble) here. The reference may be to character rather than descent, just as in the opposite expression, daughter of Belial (1 Samuel 1:16).

Joints. — Heb. chamûk, from chamah (meaning "went away"), probably refers to the rapid movements in dancing, and the image is suggested by the graceful curves formed by a chain or pendulous ornament when in motion. Or the reference may be to the contour of the person.

Heap of wheat surrounded by lilies. — Wetstein (quoted by Delitzsch in his Appendix) remarks that in Syria the colour of wheat is regarded as the most beautiful colour the human body can have. After remarking on the custom of decorating the heaps of winnowed corn with flowers as a token of the joy of harvest, he says: "The appearance of such heaps of wheat, which one may see in long parallel rows on the threshing floors of a village, is very pleasing to a peasant; and the comparison of the Song (Song of Solomon 7:5) every Arabian will regard as beautiful."

Fishpools in Heshbon.—Literally, pools. The Authorised Version follows the Vulgate piscinœ, for which there is no authority. For Heshbon, see Note on Numbers 21:26. The ruins still remain, with the same name Hesban, in the Wady of that name (Robinson, p. 278). “There are many cisterns among the ruins; and towards the south, a few yards from the base of the hill, is a large ancient reservoir, which calls to mind the passage in Song of Solomon 7:4” (Smith’s Bib. Dict.). Captain Warren took a photograph of “the spring-head of the waters of Hesban,” published by the Palestine Exploration Fund. In regard to the image, compare:

“Adspicies oculos tremulo fulgore micantes
Ut sol a liquida sœpe refulget aqua.”

Ovid. Art. Am., ii. 722.

Compare also Keats:

“Those eyes, those passions, those supreme pearl springs.”

The gate of Bath-rabbim.—Doubtless the name of an actual gate, so called from the crowds of people streaming through it: daughter of multitudes.

Carmel. The marginal note suggests crimson, from reading charmîl, which preserves the parallelism with the next clause better. However, the whole passage uses the author’s favourite figures from localities; and certainly, the comparison of a finely-set head to a mountain is at least as apt as that in the preceding verse, of the nose to a “tower in Lebanon.”

Besides, there may be a play on words, which in turn may have suggested the allusion to purple in the next clause, or possibly the vicinity of Carmel to Tyre may have suggested its famous dyes.

Hair. The Hebrew word dallath most probably means flowing tresses. For comparison:

“Carmine purpurea est Nisi coma.”
“Et pro purpureo dat pœnas Scylla capillo.”

(Compare πορφύρεος πλόκαμος in Lucian, and πορφυρᾶι χᾶιται in Anacreon.) So Collins:

“The youths whose locks divinely spreading,
Like vernal hyacinths in sullen hue.”

Ode to Liberty.

The king is held (the marginal note says bound) in the galleries. For galleries, see the note on Song of Solomon 1:17. Translate: “A king caught and bound by your tresses,” i.e., they are so beautiful that a monarch would be caught by them.

(Compare:
“When I lie tangled in her hair
And fettered in her eye.”)

This your stature. —Compare Sirach 24:14. Not only was the tall and graceful palm a common figure for female beauty, but its name, tamar, was common as a woman’s name (Genesis 38:6; 2 Samuel 13:1, etc.).

Clusters of grapes. —The italics were probably added by the English Version to bring the verse into agreement with clusters of the vine in the next verse; but no doubt the rich clusters of dates are at the moment in the poet’s thought.