.
● Song 1:12 . .While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
To be "at table" doesn't necessarily refer an item of furniture. The Hebrew word also suffices for just sitting around in a circle, e.g. a picnic. It appears to me that the herders mentioned in verse 8 were on a lunch break.
The Hebrew word for Shulah's perfume identifies an aromatic called nard; commonly translated spikenard. Whether the girl was actually wearing perfume is kind of hard to tell. She may have been imagining this: I mean, who takes care for their grooming while driving sheep and goats?
● Song 1:13-14 . . My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
I'm not really sure how many guys would feel all that manly about themselves being thought of as a little bag of potpourri but at least he'd know that his best girl was happy with him resting his head in that area.
The Hebrew word for Shulah's myrrh shows up for the first time in the Bible at Ex 30:23 where it's a principal ingredient in the recipe for a special holy oil. Myrrh is an aromatic resin. Shulah was a farm girl; I doubt that she could afford any myrrh of her own;
● Song 1:14 . . My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
En Gedi first appears in the Bible as a community at Josh 16:52. Though kind of rocky, it was an attractive oasis due to its abundance of fresh water. The area is a nature preserve now.
I'm guessing that they valued a bouquet of Henna flowers in Shulah's day like we value red roses in ours.
Now we switch to the king's thoughts.
● Song 1:15 . . How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
A humorous ladies' tank top I spied had words on it that said: "Tell me I'm beautiful, and buy me a donut."
There are girls who will never once in their entire lives have a guy tell them "Oh how beautiful you are". I'm guessing that Shulah may have been one of those girls.
_
● Song 1:12 . .While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
To be "at table" doesn't necessarily refer an item of furniture. The Hebrew word also suffices for just sitting around in a circle, e.g. a picnic. It appears to me that the herders mentioned in verse 8 were on a lunch break.
The Hebrew word for Shulah's perfume identifies an aromatic called nard; commonly translated spikenard. Whether the girl was actually wearing perfume is kind of hard to tell. She may have been imagining this: I mean, who takes care for their grooming while driving sheep and goats?
● Song 1:13-14 . . My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
I'm not really sure how many guys would feel all that manly about themselves being thought of as a little bag of potpourri but at least he'd know that his best girl was happy with him resting his head in that area.
The Hebrew word for Shulah's myrrh shows up for the first time in the Bible at Ex 30:23 where it's a principal ingredient in the recipe for a special holy oil. Myrrh is an aromatic resin. Shulah was a farm girl; I doubt that she could afford any myrrh of her own;
● Song 1:14 . . My lover is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.
En Gedi first appears in the Bible as a community at Josh 16:52. Though kind of rocky, it was an attractive oasis due to its abundance of fresh water. The area is a nature preserve now.
I'm guessing that they valued a bouquet of Henna flowers in Shulah's day like we value red roses in ours.
Now we switch to the king's thoughts.
● Song 1:15 . . How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
A humorous ladies' tank top I spied had words on it that said: "Tell me I'm beautiful, and buy me a donut."
There are girls who will never once in their entire lives have a guy tell them "Oh how beautiful you are". I'm guessing that Shulah may have been one of those girls.
_
