I.Setting the CONTEXT of the Book II.Viewing the CORRECT applications of the book III.Understanding the literary CHARACTERISTICS of the book IV.Getting to know the main CHARACTERS of the book

A. The PRETTY bride B. The POOR shepherd C. The Powerful King D. The PRINCESSES of Jerusalem

(Son 1:7) Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

(Psa 23:1) A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psa 23:2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (Psa 23:3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

(Son 1:7) Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

(Heb 4:4-5) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. (Mal 4:1-2) For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

(Son 1:8) If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

 This is now the 1 st time the groom begins to speak about the time that they meet  To this point the Bride has been the only one speaking  CAUTION! The dialogue will change in the middle of the chapters, verses, etc NOTESNOTES

(Son 1:8) If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

lovest thou me more than these? Feed my lambs lovest thou me? Feed my sheep, lovest thou me? Feed my sheep. (Joh 21:15-17) So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

(Son 1:8) If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

where two or three are gathered together there am I in the midst of them (Mat 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,as the manner of some is (Heb 10:25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

(Son 1:9) I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silverhorse for an hundred and fifty (1Ki 10:28-29) And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

 Egypt is a picture of the world and its system.  Pharaoh is a picture of the Antichrist  So he is comparing her to a beautiful horse that has been liberated from the world of slavery and brought in to the promise Land NOTESNOTES

(Son 1:10) Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

 In your KJV bible, there are places that the words are italicized to let you know that those words are not in the original writings  These italicized words are just as inspired as the others, it just takes two words in our language to make the one word in their.  The other issue is the common knowledge of the meaning in language (zip strip) NOTESNOTES

(Son 1:10) Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. (Son 1:11) We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

 This dialogue is the description of the mental pictures that they had of each other during their courtship.  They didn’t have cameras, camera phones, or video in those days, therefore they had to use their metal imagery of the way they looked to fantasize about the beauty of their love  This being their wedding, they are looking back at the courtship. (Video) NOTESNOTES

(Jdg 8:24-26) And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

(Son 1:10) Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. (Son 1:11) We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

 The dialogue is still of the Bridegroom, but he changes the format from “I” to “we”  (Historically) This is know of the “Royal We” {“editorial we”, “author's we“}  (Spiritually) This is a reference to the Trinity NOTESNOTES

(Son 1:12) While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

(Joh 12:1) Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him (Joh 12:2) There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. of spikenard was filled with the odour of the ointment (Joh 12:3) Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

(2Co 2:15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: (2Co 2:16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

(Php 4:18) But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. (Php 4:19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

(Son 1:13) A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

 Notice that it says “a bundle” of myrrh. This spice was one of the most expensive spices of the day. Much more than spikenard. (without price)  Myrrh was a spice used for preparations of the body at the time of death  Myrrh was also used to purify the body of the living. (Esther) NOTESNOTES

(Eph 5:25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Eph 5:26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Eph 5:27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

(Son 1:14) My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

 Camphire: is a plant that is was to add a fragrance, but the word that is translated is (ko ̂ pher) which means to cover or atonement.  This is the same word translated pitch on Noah’s ark  The same word in the NT that we get the word propitiation  The word is also translated “ransom” or “bribe” NOTESNOTES

(1Jn 2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.