4:1 a flock of goats Her hair is lush and flowing, like black goats spread out over a hillside.

Gilead A mountainous region east of the Jordan River.

4:2 came up from the washing The sheep here would be white. The man emphasizes the whiteness and purity of her teeth.

all of them bearing twins Probably indicates that the top and bottom rows of her teeth were complete. In the ancient world, a mouth full of perfect, healthy teeth was rare.

bereaved Emphasizes the completeness of the woman’s teeth.

4:3 a thread of crimson May indicate that she used cosmetics to paint her lips.

is like halves of pomegranate The man most likely uses pomegranate here because of its red and rounded exterior. Pomegranates were used to decorate the priest’s ephod (Exod 28:33–34).

4:4 is like the tower of David Likely emphasizes that her neck was tall and slender, like a strong tower.

a thousand ornaments are hung May refer to necklaces adorning the woman’s neck.

4:5 like two fawns By repeating “two” and “twins,” the man emphasizes the symmetry of the woman’s breasts. The reference to fawns and gazelles could emphasize the softness of her breasts, or her youthfulness.

4:6 the mountain of the myrrh A euphemism for the woman’s breasts (Song 1:13). Overcome by her beauty, the man declares his intention to come and be with her.

the hill of the frankincense See previous note.

4:7 You are flawless In the Law, this word is used to refer to a perfect or unblemished sacrifice (Lev 22:20; Deut 17:1) Later, it is used to describe Absalom’s appearance (2 Sam 14:25).

4:8 my bride The man refers to the woman as his bride for the first time. This section (4:1–5:1) is the only one in the book that uses this word.

with me As in the woman’s dream or fantasy (Song 2:10), he invites her to come away with him.

Senir and Hermon Mountains located in Lebanon. While Senir and Hermon appear to be two different names for the same mountain (Deut 3:9), they probably indicate different peaks.

4:9 You have stolen (my) heart This phrase is translated from one Hebrew word. The exact meaning of this word is uncertain, but it is related to the Hebrew word for heart. It can indicate the woman has stolen the man’s heart, excited his heart, or captivated his heart. Ultimately, the word emphasizes the effect the woman has on him with just a small glance.

my sister A common term of endearment; it does not indicate that the man and woman have any family relationship.

4:10 better is your love than wine This probably refers to sexual love. The man echoes the woman’s description of him from earlier. See not on Song 1:2; note on 1:3.

4:11 Your lips drip nectar Having described the appearance of the woman’s lips and mouth (4:3), here he describes their sweet taste.

honey and milk are under your lips Milk and honey represent abundance and wealth (Exod 3:8; Deut 6:3). Their presence under her tongue may be intended to evoke an image of passionate kissing.

4:12 A garden locked In the ancient Near East, gardens were luxurious sources of pleasure (Eccl 2:4–6). The garden may be a euphemism for the woman’s sexuality; the fact that it is locked or secure may indicate her virginity. It may also mean that she is reserved for him alone—she is his private garden.

a spring enclosed Water is also used as a euphemism for sexual relations in Proverbs. See Prov 5:15 and note.

4:13 Your shoots The verb form of shelach is used to describe sending out roots (Jer 17:8). It may refer to a “canal,” as the “Pool of Shelah” might in Nehemiah (Neh 3:15).

henna The woman earlier used these objects in the descriptions of her intimacy with her beloved. See Song 1:14 and note.

4:15 a well of living water Water is often used as a euphemism for sexual intimacy. The description of the water as “living” or “flowing” emphasizes freshness and cleanness, as well as abundance (see Prov 5:15 and note; compare Jer 2:13).

4:16 Awake The beginning of this verse may be attributed to the man who has been speaking (Song 4:1–15), or to the woman who speaks in the second half of this verse. This Hebrew word can mean “to stir up” or “to arouse.”

Blow upon my garden Either the man or the woman asks the wind to blow open the woman’s garden (see note on 4:12) to make it available for the man.

Let my beloved come to his garden The woman speaks here, inviting her beloved to come and share sexual intimacy with her.