Section 713
II. Having considered the title, it will be now proper to take notice of the commendations given her
1st, Of her feet, which are said to be beautiful with shoes. 2dly, Of the joints of her thighs, which are said to be "as jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman."
1st, Her feet with shoes are here commended: it is no unusual thing to describe the comeliness of women by their feet, and the ornaments of them; so Hebe is described by Homer,[4098] as having beautiful feet; and Juno, by her golden shoes: particular care was taken of, and provision made for the shoes of queens and princesses in the eastern countries; Herodotus[4099] relates, that the city of Anthylla was given peculiarly to the wife of the king of Egypt, to provide her with shoes: the Targum here is, purple shoes; and those of a red, scarlet or purple color, were in esteem with the Jews (Ezekiel 16:10) and with the Tyrian virgins, their neighbors;[4100] and also with the Romans,[4101] with whom likewise white shoes[4102] were much in use. By these feet with shoes may be meant, either, 1. The ministers of the gospel,[4103] whose feet being shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, are exceeding beautiful, according to Isaiah 52:7. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace," etc. These are the church's feet, which run to and fro in the world, whereby the knowledge of Christ and his gospel is increased; which was eminently true of the apostles and first ministers of the gospel, who swiftly ran over the Gentile world; and wherever they came, diffused the savor of Christ's knowledge, and were instrumental in the conversion of thousands of souls; for their sound went into all the earth; and their words unto the ends of the world. And now these feet being said to be beautiful with shoes, may denote, (1.) The promptitude and readiness of Christ's ministers to preach the gospel: as the people of Israel, having their shoes upon their feet when they eat the passover, just when they departed out of Egypt, showed their readiness for their journey; so these feet of the church, having shoes on, show the readiness of the ministers of the gospel to, preach it in every place where they are called to it, tho' in the face of the greatest opposition; "I am ready," says the apostle Paul (Romans 1:16), "to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also;" his feet were shod with it, and he was prepared to preach it; even where not only the seat of the empire, but the seat of persecution was, where it was the hottest and raged the most furiously; and the reason he gives is, for, says he, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ;" no, not in Caesar's palace: faithful ministers are ready to preach it any where, and at any time; and are "instant in season and out of season;" they preach, "not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind." (2.) It shows their intrepidity in preaching the gospel; a man that "has his feet well shod", regards not the roughness of the way, nor the sharp stones which lie in it, nor the pricking briars and thorns through which he walks: the ministers of the gospel, whose feet are well shod with it, regard no difficulties that lie in their way, so as to be discouraged by them, and desist from their work; but, with the utmost courage and magnanimity of mind, bear and surmount them; with scorn and contempt they trample upon all the briars and thorns of reproaches and scandal. that are cast upon, and persecutions which are leveled against them; none of these things move them; neither do they count their lives dear to themselves; so that they may finish their course with joy, and the ministry, which they have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (3.) It is expressive of their beauty and glory: the ministers of the gospel are not only beautiful in the eyes of those to whom they are made useful, either for conversion or consolation; but also in the eyes of Christ; especially when they faithfully discharge their work; though they run the risk of losing their credit, honor and reputation in the world, nay, their lives also. Or else, 2. By these feet, may be meant the affections of the church towards Christ;[4104] which are that unto the soul, as feet are to the body; these carry it up and down, hither and thither, at pleasure: and being said to be beautiful with shoes, show that they moved in an orderly way; constrained her to turn her feel to his testimonies, and enlarged her heart to run the way of his commandments; which made them appear exceeding beautiful to him, so that his heart was ravished with them; see 6:9, 10, the eyes of Holofernes are said to be ravished with the sandals upon Judith's feet, which she had put on, on purpose to deceive persons (see Judith 10:4, 16:11), and this shows it to be the custom of women to adorn their shoes or sandals, that they might enamor their lovers; to which custom perhaps the allusion is here made. Or else, 3. By them may be meant the actings of faith on Christ, in saints coming to him and walking on in him, as they have received him: as faith is the eye of the soul, which sees Christ, and the hand which receives him, so it is likewise the foot which goes to him and walks in him; and nothing is more pleasant and delightful to Christ, than for souls to come unto him, and venture their all upon him, in expectation of receiving life and salvation, righteousness and strength, peace and comfort, grace and glory, all from him and through him; for such he willingly receives, and has promised never to reject: and as their first coming, so their continued walking in him. by fresh repeated acts of faith, is well pleasing to him; these feet are beautiful with shoes. Though, 4. By them may be meant, the outward conversation of the saints;[4105] which is frequently expressed in scripture, by walking in the ways, commands and ordinances of Christ (see Luke 1:6; Ephesians 4:17; Colossians 4:5), which may be said to be beautiful with shoes, (1.) When they appear to be ready to every good work; who, no sooner are enlightened into an ordinance, or called to a duty, but they readily comply with it, being beforehand furnished and prepared for it, having their shoes upon their feet, in a posture of readiness, to do it. (2.) When the conversation is so ordered, as that the shame of our nakedness does not appear to the eyes of the world: To walk barefoot, was accounted shameful (see Isaiah 20:4), and so it is to have an ill-ordered conversation: but a well-ordered conversation is like shoes to the feet, which cover them, so that the shame thereof does not appear. (3.) When it is conformed to God's law; which is "a lamp unto the feet, and a light to the path." (4.) When it is becoming Christ's gospel. (5.) When it is guarded against the reproaches and offenses of the world: as shoes upon the feet keep off the thorns and briars from pricking; so does a good conversation,, in some measure, keep off the reproaches of the world, or at least keep from being disturbed at them; for great peace have they which love God's law, and nothing shall offend them: and though it does not afford yet a believer, whose conversation is becoming the gospel, may say, as Samuel did, chapter 12:3, "Whose ox have I taken? Whose ass have I taken? Whom have I defrauded?" so that hereby he is fenced and guarded against the world's calumnies and contempt. (6.) Then is it so, when there is such a luster in it as cannot but be seen by, and is conspicuous to all beholders; which raises their admiration, and gives them occasion of glorifying God (see Matthew 5:16), and this, as it is commendable among men, so it is beautiful in the eyes of Christ; for so such who order their conversations aright, that is, whose feet are beautiful with shoes, will he show the salvation of God.
2dly, "The joints of her thighs" are said to be "as jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman." By which may be meant, either, 1. Some ornaments of gold, silver, or precious stones, which were used to be worn about the legs or feet by women in those times; which was a custom not only used among the heathens,[4106] but also among the Jews, as is manifest from Isaiah 3:18, where among the rest of the attire of the Jewish women. "The bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet" is mentioned; and so may be expressive of the greater glory, luster, and beauty of the church's conversation. Or, 2. The garments which covered the thighs;[4107] for it is not agreeable to the rules of decency and modesty to describe the naked thighs: the word[4108] signifies "the compassing of the thighs;" which does not intend the ambient flesh, or the thickness of it about them, as R. David Kimchi[4109] supposes; but rather, the femoralia, or garments about the thighs, which encompassed and covered them; by which may be meant, "the garments of salvation, and robe of Christ's righteousness," whereby the persons of God's elect are covered, so that "the shame of their nakedness" does not appear; and with which they are as richly adorned, as the bridegroom is with his ornaments, and the bride with her jewels, on their marriage-day. Moreover, this is not the bungling work of a creature, but "the work of the hands of a cunning workman;" even of one that is God as well as man, and therefore is called the righteousness of God. Or, 3. The girdle about the loins, according to some,[4110] which was wont to be worn in those times: thighs being put for loins, as in Genesis 46:26 and may intend that girdle of truth with which the loins of believers are girt, and is joined with "the preparation of the gospel of peace," with which their feet are shod, in Ephesians 6:14, 15, which metaphor is frequently made use of, when a gospel-con-versation is directed and exhorted to (see Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 1:13). Or, 4. By these "joints of the thighs," may be meant young converts: The Targum expounds it of the children which sprung from the thighs or loins of the people of Israel (see Genesis 46:26; Exodus 1:5; Judges 8:30), where this phrase, "to come out of the loins," or, as it is in the Hebrew text, "the thighs," is expressive of generation; and therefore these words, in a mystical and spiritual sense, may have reference to those many souls that are born again in the church; who are as jewels in Christ's esteem; and are the curious workmanship of the blessed Spirit, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Or else, 5. By these "joints or turnings of the thighs,"[4111] by which they move orderly and regularly, may be meant the principles of a believer's walk and conversation, as one[4112] well observes, without which it is little worth, nor can it be ordered aright; for principles denominate actions to be either good or evil. Now the principles of grace, from whence a believer acts in his conversation, and by which he moves in his Christian walk, are as valuable and as precious as jewels; and are wrought by no less a hand than the Spirit of God, who "worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure."