For this chapter an account is given of an adventure of the church in quest of her beloved; of the time when, and places where, and the persons of whom she sought him: and of her success upon the whole; with a charge she gave to the daughters of Jerusalem, verses 1-5 by whom she is commended, verse 6. And then Christ her beloved is described by her; by his bed, and the guard about it, verses 7, 8, by the chariot he rode in, verses 9, 10, and by the crown he wore on his coronation-day; to which sight the daughters of Zion are invited, verse 11.

Verse 1

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth;
I sought him, but I found him not.

Verse 2

I will rise now, and go about the city, in the streets, and in the
broad ways; I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him,
but I found him not.

Verse 3

The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said,
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

Verse 4

It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom
my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had
brought him unto my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her
that conceived me.

Verse 5

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the
hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he
please.

Verse 6

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the
merchant?

Verse 7

Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s: threescore valiant men are about it,
of the valiant of Israel.

Verse 8

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his
sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night.

Verse 9

King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

Verse 10

He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold,
the covering of it of purple; the midst thereof being paved with
love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

Verse 11

Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and beholding Solomon with the
crown wherewith his mother crowned him, in the day of his
espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.