Song of Solomon 6:12
Song of Solomon 6:12
Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
These are either the words of the church, or else the words of Christ: if we consider them as the words of the church, then they may be expressive, either,
1st, Of that rapture which her soul was in, in the views of those heavenly joys which, some[4084] think, she had been taking notice of, and meditating upon in the former verse; which, whilst she was doing, "or ever she was aware," her soul took wing, and fled as swiftly in thought[4085] towards those happy regions, as ever the chariots of Amminadib ran: she seems to be in much such an ecstasy as the apostle Paul was (4), when he was "caught up into the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter;" who then knew not whether he was "in the body" or "out of the body," and therefore in his account of it, leaves it as a thing only known to God; so she here says, "or ever I was aware," or, as it is in the Hebrew text "I knew not;"[4086] that is, scarce where I was, or, whither I was going; or whither I was in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell; so sudden was the snatch, so surprising the rapture, that I cannot tell what better to compare it to, than the swift run of Amminadib's chariots. Or,
2dly, Of her ignorance where Christ was, and yet her diligence in seeking of him; "I knew not, that is, where my beloved was: he departed from me, and was absent a considerable time, and I could hear no tidings of him; it is true, I had heard him say that he was come into his garden; but, alas! through my drowsiness and sleep I had entirely forgot it, until discoursing with the daughters of Jerusalem about him, it came fresh into my mind; but even then, when I knew not where he was, "my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib;" I ran about here and there in search of him until I found him, as swiftly as ever his chariots did; see chapter 3:1, 2 and 8, 9. Or else,
3dly, Of that prodigious haste she made, as soon as ever she knew where he was; and it is as if she should say, As soon as ever I understood that my beloved was gone down into his garden, to take a view of the trees and plants which grow there sudden, as it were and of the fruits of it; immediately, on a at unawares, such was the strength of my love and affection to him, that I moved as swiftly after him as if I had been in one of the chariots of Amminadib. Or,
4thly, Of her courage and resolution in surmounting all difficulties for the sake of him: love makes persons bold and oaring; "perfect love," as the apostle says (1 John 4:18), "casts out fear;" and so it did in her; for she feared nothing that might befall her, and what did, did not discourage her; for though she was abused by the watchmen, and unveiled by the keepers of the walls, yet she drove on as briskly and as courageously as ever Amminadib drove on his chariots in the field of battle. Or,
5thly, They may be expressive of the modesty and humility of the church, in not thinking that such praises as those which had been given her, both by Christ and by the virgins in the preceding verses, belonged to her; "I knew not;" I did not think, being conscious to myself of my own imperfections, that such commendations belonged to me; but finding that they did, nay soul made the greater haste to answer those characters, and to enjoy the company of him whom I dearly love; and therefore she takes her leave of the virgins, her companions, who had hitherto accompanied her in the search of her beloved, that she might be alone with him; which occasioned them to say, in the following words "Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return, that we may look upon thee." Though I rather think, that these are the words of Christ, as those in verse 11, also are; who, having gone down into his garden, to observe the fruitfulness of the trees and plants of it, declares in these words in what case he found them, or rather, in what he did not; "I knew not," or I did not perceive them to be in a fruitful and flourishing condition: and to this purpose Junius and Tremellius read the words, Nondum percipientem haec, "Not yet perceiving these things;" that is, the vines to flourish, or the pomegranates to bud; therefore his soul put him upon using speedy methods to bring his garden, and the plants of it, into a more fruitful condition. From whence we may observe, 1. That sometimes there may be but little fruitfulness appearing in the churches of Christ: faith may be very low, as to its actings and exercise; the life and power of godliness may be much decayed; there may be but little warmth, zeal and activity for Christ, his gospel, cause and interest; the ministry of the word may meet with but small success; so that there may be no pomegranates budding, as well as no vines flourishing. But, 2. Christ will not always leave his churches in such a condition; but will make haste unto them, and bring them into a more fruitful state; he will come and revive his work upon the hearts of his people, and make them fruitful in every good word and work; he will bless the ministry of the word, not only for comfort and edification, so as his vines shall flourish, but also for conversion, so that the pomegranates shall bud forth. And, 3. It may be observed, that it is Christ's presence that makes churches fruitful: as his absence causes a winter-season, both with churches and particular believers; so his presence is as the returning spring which renews the face of the earth, causes the flowers to appear above ground; the pomegranates to bud, and the vines to put forth their tender grapes; he is that 'sun of righteousness," by whose warm and quickening beams of light and love, souls " grow up as calves of the stall."
Moreover, these words may be expressive of that transport of love, with which Christ was filled towards his church, which caused him so speedily to return to her, as is here intimated; "or ever I was aware," that is, on a sudden, and in a surprising manner, my love and affection to my church broke eat and discovered itself; which powerfully moved and inclined me to make speedy haste unto her, and afford her all the assistance I could, as well as grant her my presence, which she was so desirous of: not that we are to suppose that any thing comes to Christ at unawares, or is done inadvertently by him; but this he says to show the strength of his love, and in what a sudden and surprising manner it brake forth towards his church and people. And in these words may be considered these three things:
I. What it was that put him upon this speedy return to his church; "my soul made me," etc.