Like a dance to double choirs, replies the king, i.e. “to see thee is like gazing at the charming view of a festive choir expressing their merriment in a sacred dance. The Hebrews, in common with other nations (Strabo, 10), used sacred dancing, accompanied by vocal and instrumental music, as expressive of joy and rejoicing (Exod. xv. 20; 2 Sam. vi. 15; Ps. cxlix. 3). [[177]]A sight of such an assemblage of various beauties, all swelling their voices into one song of joy, and blending their several forms in one choral dance of joy, must have afforded a delightful picture. No wonder that such a scene is described by Homer (Iliad, xviii. 590,) as portrayed on the famous shield of Achilles, and that
“On either side spectators numerous stood,
Delighted.”
To this charming scene, therefore, does the captivated monarch compare the view of the Shulamite. מְחוֹלָה, from חוּל, to turn round, a dance, the joyous dancing on a festive occasion. ַחְנֶה, prop. a camp, also a multitude, a band of people, Gen. l. 9. מַחֲנַיִם is the regular dual, and not the plural (Sept., Vulg., Gesenius, Döpke, &c.), and is here used because this dance consisted of a band arranged in a double line, something like our country dance. On the different kinds of Oriental dances, see Rosenmüller, Orient. ii. 19–22; Wilkinson, Manners, &c., ii. 328–340. Saalschütz, Archäologie der Hebräer, vol. i. 302. The words כִּמְחֹלַת הַמַּחֲנַיִם have elicited a variety of interpretations. Some take מַחֲנַיִם as a proper name, and say that reference is here made to some particular mode of worship practised in that place in consequence of Jacob’s sojourn there; but this is purely imaginary. Others again suppose that an allusion is made to Gen. xxxii. 2, 3, and hence render מַחֲנַיִם by מַחֲנֵי אֱלֹהִים or צְבָאוֹת; but this is unfounded, since we have not the slightest intimation in that passage that the angels were engaged in dancing.
[2]. How beautiful are thy feet in sandals! The Shulamite, in obedience to the king’s request, returns, and as she advances, Solomon is arrested by her beautiful feet, with which he begins his last highly flattering delineation of her beauty, and his last attempt to win her affections. נְעָלִים, Chald. סַנְדְלִין, sandals, formed an important part of an Oriental costume (Ezek. xvi. 10; Judith xvi. 9). The ladies bestowed great pains upon, and evinced much taste in ornamenting this article of dress, which attracted the notice of the opposite sex. בַּת נָדִיב does not mean a descendant of a titled family, but, according to a common Hebrew idiom, which applies בַּת בֵּן, and other terms of human kindred to relations of every kind, expresses that she herself was of a noble character. Comp. 1 Sam. i. 16; Gesen. § 106, 2 a; Ewald, § 287 f.
The circuits of thy thighs like ornaments, &c. To describe the beautiful appearance of an object, the Orientals frequently compared it to some precious metal or gem; see supra, v. 11; Prov. xxv. 12. The simple metal or gem, however, seems not to suffice here to express the exquisite symmetry of these parts of the body; they are, therefore, compared with some beautifully-wrought and highly-finished ornaments, formed of such materials. The rendering of פְּעָמִים by steps (Sept., Vulg., Ewald, Döpke, Hengstenberg, &c.), and חַמוּקֵי by Schwingungen, movements (Hengstenberg), is contrary to the scope of the description, which obviously depicts the several members of the body (beginning with the feet and gradually ascending to the head), and not their actions. חֲלָאִים is not the dual (Luther), but the plural; according to the analogy of צְבִי, צְבָאִים; פְּתִי, פְּתָאִים. The א in the plural is preferred to the י in consequence of the preceding A sound. Gesen. § 93, 66; Ewald, § 186 e.
[3]. Thy navel is like a round goblet, &c. The reference and the import of the figure are obvious. מֶזֶג, i.q. מֶסֶךְ, mixture, mixed wine. The ancients were in the habit of mixing wine with spices, to make it more stimulating and exciting. Wine thus mixed was called יַיִן הַרֶקַח, viii. [[178]]2, the vinum aromatites of the Greeks and Romans. (Comp. Ps. lxxv. 9; Prov. ix. 5; Isa. v. 22; Mishna, Maaser sheni, ii. 1; Baba Mez. v. 2; Pliny, Hist. Nat. xiv. 15; Gesen. Thesaurus, p. 808; Winer, Bib. Dict. s.v.) שָׁרְרֵךְ is one of the few instances in which עע״ are resolved before suffixes, owing to the broadness of the vowels when preceding ל, or ר. Comp. גַּל with suffix גַּלְלוֹ: צִלְלוֹ צַל: הַרֲרָם הַר, Ewald, § 265; Fürst, Lexicon, s.v. –גַל. The particle אַל expresses a subjective wish, Gesen. Lexicon, אַל, ii. 6, Ewald, § 320.
Thy body is like a heap of wheat, &c. The point of analogy seems to subsist between the appearance of the body and that of a quantity of corn heaped up, עֲרַמָה, which Ibn Ezra well explains עבה מלמטה ודקה מלמעלה; so also Rashbam. Remembering that corpulency was deemed essential to an Eastern beauty, this comparison will appear obvious. Selden, who is followed by others, takes this passage as a prediction of the bride’s fertility: as:—“Wheat and barley were among the ancient Hebrews emblems of fertility; and it was usual for standers-by to scatter these grains upon the married couple, with a wish that they might increase and multiply.” Uxor Hebraica, lib. ii. cap. 15. “A custom,” adds Williams, “which might probably originate from this passage, or vice versâ.”
But though it is true that it was a common practice among the Jews at marriages to distribute among the company dried seeds (Talm. Chethuboth, ii. 1), probably to indicate a wish that the newly-married couple might be fruitful, it does not follow that it was the practice at so early an age, or that it is the meaning here. Were this the sense here, we should expect that the Jewish commentators, who well knew and practised the manners and customs of their own people, would have recognised it. Whereas, Rashi, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, &c., explain this figure as referring to the appearance.
Hedged round with, &c. The threshing-floors in ancient times were in the open air; and when the wheat had been threshed out, fanned and heaped up, each heap was stuck round with thorns, in order to keep off the cattle. (Hos. ii. 5, 6.) To render the figure more beautiful, and the compliment more flattering, the enamoured king changes the hedge of thorns into a fence of lilies. Others, however, refer these words to a robe embroidered with lilies, covering her body; and others, again, to some ancient custom of surrounding or covering the newly-threshed heap of wheat with a sort of garland of flowers, indicating the joy of the husbandman at the return of the harvest.