Song of Solomon 3:7

Son 3:7 Behold his bed, which [is] Solomon’s; threescore valiant men [are] about it, of the valiant of Israel.

Ver. 7. Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s, &c.] Or, Behold the bed of Solomon, as the Greek, explaining the Hebrew, hath it. Solomon was a famous figure of Christ; of his bed we read nothing, but may well conceive it was, as everything else about him, stately and costly, and thereby is meant here heaven, say some, whither the Church is brought in ascending in the preceding verse, and by the valiant warders they understand the angels, those mighties. {Psa 103:20} But because they are said to be "valiant men of Israel," I rather assent to those that think the godly ministers are here meant by the "mighties," and the Church by Christ’s "bed," where he reposeth and "resteth in his love," {Zep 3:17} lodging "between her breasts." {Son 1:13} There is nothing more sure than that the blessed angels do watch over the Church. {Heb 1:14} What a guard by them had Jacob at Mehanaim, {Gen 32:1-2} where they made a lane for him, as the word imports, to provide for his safety! The like we may say of Elisha at Dothan, and various others. I doubt not, saith one, but as the angels waited at Christ’s sepulchre, so for his sake they watch also over our graves, called our beds. {Isa 57:2} Howbeit here understand we it of the ministers of the word that "watch for men’s souls," and are frequently called watchmen. Sixty of them they are said to be, because a great number, as the Levites were scattered up and down the tribes of Israel, as salt is strawed thick upon flesh to keep it from putrifying. Ye are the salt of the earth {Mat 5:13-16} And "valiant" they are said to be, for valour and courage invincible is necessary to a minister who shall be sure to be put hard to it, and therefore had need to be, as Athanasius was, an adamant for his resolute stout carriage, and to partake with the diamond in the high priest’s breastplate for hardness and hardiness in standing to and for the truth. Israelites also they ought to be Jews inwardly, not scoffing Ishmaelites, profane Edomites, false Philistines, but the valiants of Israel, such as David’s band of worthies was; {1Ch 11:10-47; 1Ch 12:1-37} faithful and godly patterns of piety such as will "take heed to themselves and to the flock," waiting upon the Lord’s work and "watching for men’s souls as they that must give account," &c. {Heb 13:17} It is a great matter to be of Christ’s bodyguard. Remember what David said of Abner. {1Sa 26:15}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Son 3:7-8. Behold — The bride-men continue their speech, and from the admiration of the bride, proceed to the admiration of the bridegroom: his bed — The bed seems to denote the church, which is comely through Christ’s beauty, and safe by his protection, in which Christ is glorified, and believers enjoy sweet fellowship with him. Solomon’s — Which is the bed, not of an ordinary man, but of a great king, whom Solomon typifies, and who is greater than Solomon. Threescore valiant men are about it — Very many, a certain number being put for an uncertain. He alludes to Solomon’s guard, whereby he designs all those creatures, whether angels, princes, ministers, or others, whose ministry God uses for the protection of his church. Every man hath his sword — Is prepared and ready to fight, to prevent those dangers which are frequent in the night season. The night may denote the whole time of this life, which may well be called night, in respect of that ignorance and error wherewith it is attended, (as the future life is compared to day,) this life being the only time wherein such a guard is necessary.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By the bed is meant the Temple which Solomon made.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 7. Threescore valiant men] These were the guards about the pavilion of the bridegroom, who were placed there because of fear in the night. The security and state of the prince required such a guard as this, and the passage is to be literally understood.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) Bed.—Heb., mitta. Probably, from context, a litter.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s] This is an answer to the question of the last verse, “Who or what is this which cometh up,” &c. It should be, Behold, it is Solomon’s palanquin, and it is spoken either by the same person who asks the question, or by another bystander. The word miṭṭâh, translated ‘bed’ by the A.V., has that meaning, but it is used also of couches at table, Est_1:6 (R.V.), of sofas, Amo_3:12, and of biers, 2Sa_3:31. Here it means a litter or palanquin. The A.V. rendering, his bed, which is Solomon’s, is simply a literal translation of a pleonastic way of expressing the genitive which is constant in Aramaic, and which may have been common in the popular speech of Northern Israel.

threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel] Gibbôr, the word translated valiant man, is the intensive of geber = ‘a man,’ and denotes a strong, bold man, hence a hero in war. Solomon’s litter is surrounded by his bodyguard.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bed. Being stationed at the door to prevent any alarm, v. 8. (Calmet) --- In the Church Christ finds his repose, and daily produces the only heirs of heaven. (Ven. Bede) --- The angels, saints and pastors watch to defend it against the spirits of darkness. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Behold his bed: these are the words either,

1. Of the bridemen, who spake Son 3:6, and here continue their speech, and from the admiration of the bride proceed to the admiration of the Bridegroom. Or,

2. Of the spouse, who being admired by the bridemen, turns their eyes and thoughts to the Bridegroom, and directs them to the study of his excellencies, and intimates that all her comfort and safety is from him. The bed, the place of rest and conjugal converse, seems to denote the church, which is comely through Christ’s beauty, and safe by his protection, in which Christ is glorified, and believers enjoy sweet fellowship with him, both here in the church militant, and especially hereafter in the church triumphant.

Which is Solomon’s; which is the bed, not of an ordinary man, but of a great King, whom Solomon represents or typifies, and who is greater than Solomon. Nor is it hard to understand the Messias under the name of Solomon, his type and progenitor, seeing he is, upon the same reason, called David, Jer 30:9; Eze 34:23, and elsewhere, especially considering that this whole book is by the confession both of Jewish and Christian interpreters to be mystically understood.

Threescore, i.e. very many, the certain number being put for an uncertain, as is frequent.

The valiant of Israel; he alludes to Solomon’s guard, or watchmen, whereby he designs all those creatures, whether angels, princes, ministers, or others, whose ministry God useth for the protection of his church.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. Behold… bed — Better, That is the palanquin of Solomon. A palanquin is a canopied couch used by men of rank for travelling. It is usually carried on men’s shoulders, is long enough for the person within to lie at full length, and, as it requires relays of bearers to accompany it, it is a more pretentious mode of conveyance than riding on horseback or even in a chariot. This verse is uttered by a second speaker from the throng of bystanders as a rejoinder to the first.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; three score mighty men are about it, of the mighty men of Israel. The litter, or palanquin, is easily recognized. The word is mittah, which is literally "bed," or "litter," but in the ninth verse we have another word, appiryon, which is a more stately word. "the royal car." It is the bringing home of the bride which is described. In the forty-fifth psalm the idea seems to be that the bridegroom betook himself to the house of the parents and fetched his bride, or that she was brought to him in festal procession, and he went forth to meet her. (see RAPC 1Ma 9:39) That was the prevailing custom, as we see in the parable of the ten virgins. (Mat_25:1-13) In this case, however, there is a vast difference in rank between the bride and bridegroom, and she is brought to him. The long journey through the wilderness is implied in the mention of the bodyguard. (cf. Isa_4:6 Isa_25:4) The intention evidently is to show how dear the bride was to Solomon. His mighty men were chosen to defend her. So the Church is surrounded with armies of guardian attendants. Her Lord is the Lord of hosts. The description reminds us of the exquisite lines in Shakespeare"s "Antony and Cleopatra," in which he describes the lovely Egyptian in her barge "like a burnished throne," lying "in her pavilion (cloth of gold, of tissue)," with the smiling cupids on each side, while "... from the barge, A strange invisible perfume hits the sense Of the adjacent wharfs. (Act 2, sc. 2)

The word mittah, "a bed, or litter," comes from a root "to stretch out," and is also used of a bier. (see 2Sa_3:21) The idea is that of a portable bed, or sitting cushion, hung round with curtains, after the manner of the Indian palanquin, such as is still found in the Turkish caiques or the Venetian gondolas. It was, of course, royal, belonging to Solomon, not to any nobleman or private person; hence its magnificence. The bearers are not named. The bodyguard, consisting of sixty chosen men, forming an escort, were one tenth part of the whole royal guard, as we see from 1Sa_27:2 1Sa_30:9. Delitzsch suggests that in the mention of the number there may be a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel 60 being a multiple of 12. The term, "mighty men," is explained in the next verse as warriors, that is, men "held fast by the sword" (brj yizijua), i.e., according to Hebrew idiom, men practised in the use of the sword; so it is explained by some; but others take it as meaning that they "handle the sword;" hence our Revised Version.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold - The bride-men continue their speech, and from the admiration of the bride, proceed to the admiration of the bridegroom. Bed - The bed seems to denote the church, which is comely through Christ's beauty, and safe by his protection, in which Christ is glorified, and believers enjoy sweet fellowship with him. Solomon's - Which is the bed, not of an ordinary man, but of a great king, whom Solomon typifies, and who is greater than Solomon. Threescore - Very many, the certain number being put for an uncertain. He alludes to Solomon's guard, whereby he designs all those creatures, whether angels, princes, ministers, or others, whose ministry God uses for the protection of his church.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Behold the litter of Solomon the Tent of Meeting and the Ark, which they carried in the desert.

sixty mighty men are around it sixty myriad surround it.

of the mighty men of Israel of those who go out to the army, in addition to those under twenty [years of age] and those over sixty.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.