Into the apartment of her who gave me birth.
5 I adjure you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or the hinds of the field,
Neither to excite nor to incite my affection
Till it wishes another love.
- struction [HE: k.im^e`aT S/e—`ad], scarcely when, is
nowhere else to be found in the Old Testament; it may be resolved to [HE: zmn/ 'Sr `brty mhm/ km`T], the time that I passed them amounted to a little while.
5. I adjure you, &c. Having expressed her deep attachment to her beloved shepherd, she again adjures the court ladies not to persuade her to love any one else. Comp. ii. 7. The Sept. has again [HE: x^ebo'vOt], powers, and [HE: 'EylvOt], virtues; vide supra, ii. 7.
SECTION III.
CHAPTERS III. 6.-V. 1.
The royal tent in the country is broken up, and the royal train comes up to
Jerusalem. Some of the inhabitants of the capital, as they behold it at a
distance, hold a dialogue respecting it (6-11). The shepherd, coming up
to rescue his loved one, obtains an interview with her, and expresses his
delight in her charms (ch. iv. 1-5). The Shulamite moved, modestly
interrupts his description, and tells him that she is ready to escape with
him that very evening (6). He immediately proffers his assistance, declaring
that her charms had inspired him with courage sufficient for the
occasion (7-9); he describes her charms (10, 11) and her faithfulness
(12-16). The Shulamite declares that all she possesses shall be his (16).
Some of the court ladies sympathize with them (ch. v. 1).
ONE OF THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM.
6 What is that coming up from the country,
As in columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh, with frankincense,
And all sorts of aromatics from the merchants?
6. What is that, &c. The situation changes. The state tents have been broken up in the neighbourhood of the Shulamite's home, and the royal train travels towards Jerusalem. Some of the inhabitants, as they see at a distance the procession almost enveloped in the fragrant cloud of smoke arising from the incense profusely burned, exclaim, "What is that coming up from the country?" "The burning of perfumes in the East, in the preceding part of processions, is both very ancient and very general. Deities (images) were probably the first honoured with this ceremony, and afterwards their supposed vicegerents, human divinities. We have a relic of the same custom still existing among ourselves, in the flowers strewed or borne in public processions, at coronations, &c., and before our great officers of state: as the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons; and in
