Song of Solomon 3:1
"By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not."

Commentary

Matthew Henry Concise

📖

Summary

It was hard to the Old Testament church to find Christ in the ceremonial law; the watchmen of that church gave little assistance to those who sought after him. The

night is a time of coldness, darkness, and drowsiness, and of dim apprehensions concerning spiritual things.

Reflection

Wherever we find Christ, we must take him home with us to our houses, especially to our hearts; and we should call upon ourselves and each other, to beware of

grieving our holy Comforter, and provoking the departure of the Beloved. WHBC 675.2

📚Read Complete Commentary

It was hard to the Old Testament church to find Christ in the ceremonial law; the watchmen of that church gave little assistance to those who sought after him. The night is a time of coldness, darkness, and drowsiness, and of dim apprehensions concerning spiritual things.

At first, when uneasy, some feeble efforts are made to obtain the comfort of communion with Christ. This proves in vain; the believer is then roused to increased diligence. The streets and broad-ways seem to imply the means of grace in which the Lord is to be sought. Application is made to those who watch for men's souls. Immediate satisfaction is not found. We must not rest in any means, but by faith apply directly to Christ. The holding of Christ, and not letting him go, denotes earnest cleaving to him. What prevails is a humble, ardent suing by prayer, with a lively exercise of faith on his promises. So long as the faith of believers keeps hold of Christ, he will not be offended at their earnest asking, yea, he is well pleased with it. The believer desires to make others acquainted with his Saviour. Wherever we find Christ, we must take him home with us to our houses, especially to our hearts; and we should call upon ourselves and each other, to beware of grieving our holy Comforter, and provoking the departure of the Beloved. WHBC 675.2

Source: Matthew Henry Concise (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (10 words)

H5921 עַל
Definition:

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the

Possible Meanings:
  • upon (semantic_range)
  • on account of (semantic_range)
  • to (semantic_range)
H4904 מִשְׁכָּב
Definition:

4place of lying, couch; act of lying; — absolute׳מ1 Kings 1:47+, constructמִשְׁכַּב2 Samuel 4:5+; suffixמִשְׁכָּבִיJob 7:13+,מִשְׁכַּבְכֶםPsalm 4:5; plural constructמִשְׁכְּבֵיGenesis 49:4+, suffixמִש 4place of lying, couch; act of lying; — absolute׳מ1 Kings 1:47+, constructמִשְׁכַּב2 Samuel 4:5+; suffixמִשְׁכָּבִיJob 7:13+,מִשְׁכַּבְכֶםPsalm 4:5; plural constructמִשְׁכְּבֵיGenesis 49:4+, suffixמִש

Possible Meanings:
  • bed (semantic_range)
H3915 לַיִל
Definition:

5night(Late Hebrewid.; MI15(ב)ללה; Aramaicלֵילָא,,; Arabic,; Ethiopicall =night; Assyrianlîlâtu,eveningDlHWB; meaning of √ dubious; form probablyלילי, and endingהָ֯radical, and notהlocative, NöM 127Dl 5night(Late Hebrewid.; MI15(ב)ללה; Aramaicלֵילָא,,; Arabic,; Ethiopicall =night; Assyrianlîlâtu,eveningDlHWB; meaning of √ dubious; form probablyלילי, and endingהָ֯radical, and notהlocative, NöM 127Dl

H1245 בָּקַשׁ
Definition:

1115t.;בִּקְשָׁהEcclesiastes 7:28;Esther 2:15; suffixבִּקְשָׁתַםHosea 2:9;בִּקַּשְׁתִּיוSongs 3:1,2; compareSongs 5:6;בִּקְשׁוּEzra 2:6212t.; suffixבִּקְשֻׁנִיIsaiah 65:12t.;ImperfectיְבַקֵשׁJoshua 22 1115t.;בִּקְשָׁהEcclesiastes 7:28;Esther 2:15; suffixבִּקְשָׁתַםHosea 2:9;בִּקַּשְׁתִּיוSongs 3:1,2; compareSongs 5:6;בִּקְשׁוּEzra 2:6212t.; suffixבִּקְשֻׁנִיIsaiah 65:12t.;ImperfectיְבַקֵשׁJoshua 22

Possible Meanings:
  • seek (semantic_range)
  • seek to find (semantic_range)
  • seek to secure (semantic_range)
  • seek the face (semantic_range)
  • desire (semantic_range)
H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H0157 אָהַב
Definition:

97t;אָשֵהבּGenesis 27:14;אָהַבGenesis 37:33t.;אֲֵ˜הבָךָDeuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singularאָֽהֲבָהSongs 1:7+, etc.;Imperfect(הָֿ֑ב) יֶאֱהַבProverbs 3:12+; 1 singularאֵהָ֑בProverbs 8:17(compare Ew§ 1 97t;אָשֵהבּGenesis 27:14;אָהַבGenesis 37:33t.;אֲֵ˜הבָךָDeuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singularאָֽהֲבָהSongs 1:7+, etc.;Imperfect(הָֿ֑ב) יֶאֱהַבProverbs 3:12+; 1 singularאֵהָ֑בProverbs 8:17(compare Ew§ 1

Possible Meanings:
  • amours (semantic_range)
H5315 נֶפֶשׁ
Definition:

6(so evenGenesis 2:19;Numbers 31:28;1 Kings 19:2see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42SS)soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion(Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesias 6(so evenGenesis 2:19;Numbers 31:28;1 Kings 19:2see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42SS)soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion(Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesias

Possible Meanings:
  • take breath (semantic_range)
  • refresh oneself (semantic_range)
  • take breath (semantic_range)
  • refresh oneself (semantic_range)
H1245 בָּקַשׁ
Definition:

1115t.;בִּקְשָׁהEcclesiastes 7:28;Esther 2:15; suffixבִּקְשָׁתַםHosea 2:9;בִּקַּשְׁתִּיוSongs 3:1,2; compareSongs 5:6;בִּקְשׁוּEzra 2:6212t.; suffixבִּקְשֻׁנִיIsaiah 65:12t.;ImperfectיְבַקֵשׁJoshua 22 1115t.;בִּקְשָׁהEcclesiastes 7:28;Esther 2:15; suffixבִּקְשָׁתַםHosea 2:9;בִּקַּשְׁתִּיוSongs 3:1,2; compareSongs 5:6;בִּקְשׁוּEzra 2:6212t.; suffixבִּקְשֻׁנִיIsaiah 65:12t.;ImperfectיְבַקֵשׁJoshua 22

Possible Meanings:
  • seek (semantic_range)
  • seek to find (semantic_range)
  • seek to secure (semantic_range)
  • seek the face (semantic_range)
  • desire (semantic_range)
H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H4672 מָצָא
Definition:

17); —QalPerfect׳מGenesis 2:20+, suffixמְצָאוֺJob 31:29, 3feminine singularמָֽצְאָהGenesis 8:9+, suffixמְצָאַתְנוּJudges 6:13;Nehemiah 9:32,מְצָאָ֫תַםExodus 18:18; 2masculine singularמָצָאתָGenesis 31 17); —QalPerfect׳מGenesis 2:20+, suffixמְצָאוֺJob 31:29, 3feminine singularמָֽצְאָהGenesis 8:9+, suffixמְצָאַתְנוּJudges 6:13;Nehemiah 9:32,מְצָאָ֫תַםExodus 18:18; 2masculine singularמָצָאתָGenesis 31

Possible Meanings:
  • attain to (semantic_range)
  • find (semantic_range)
  • find (semantic_range)
  • find out (semantic_range)
  • come upon (semantic_range)

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