THE SONG OF SONGS: Translated from the Original Hebrew, WITH A COMMENTARY, HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL. BY CHRISTIAN D. GINSBURG. ‏שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי‎ ‏אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל:‏‎—Prov. xxxi. 30. LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, LONGMANS, AND ROBERTS. 1857. CONTENTS. PAGE Preface vii. Introduction: Section I.—Title of the Book, and its Signification 1 Section II.—Canonicity of the Book 2 Section III.—Design and Method of the Book 4 Section IV.—Importance of the Book 12 Section V.—Historical Sketch of the Exegesis of the Book 20 Section VI.—The different Views classified and examined 102 Section VII.—Author, Date, and Form of the Book 124 Section VIII.—Exegetical Helps 126 Commentary 127 PREFACE. The following is an exposition of the first of the five books called Megiloth, all of which, having engaged the attention of the Author for several years, will now, God willing, be brought before the Public in regular succession. The Author’s aim has been to investigate and elucidate the true meaning of the original, in accordance with the established laws of historico-grammatical exegesis, and to show that, in its literal sense, the Song of Songs teaches a great moral lesson, worthy of Divine inspiration. The resemblance, however, between the narrative here recorded and the experience of the people of God is striking and apposite. The Shulamite, espoused to her shepherd, is tempted by a mighty potentate with riches and pleasures to transfer her affections; but, strengthened by the power of divine love, she resists all temptation, remains faithful to her beloved, and is ultimately rewarded. The people of God, espoused to “the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls,” are tempted by the prince of this world to forsake their Lord, but, strengthened by grace divine, they resist all allurements, and eventually receive the crown of glory. The references to Genesius’ and Ewald’s Grammars are to the last editions, which differ in the numbering of the sections from the earlier ones; Fürst’s valuable Lexicon, to which frequent reference is made, is not yet completed.