Song of Solomon 2:15

2:14-17 The church is Christ's dove; she returns to him, as her Noah. Christ is the Rock, in whom alone she can think herself safe, and find herself easy, as a dove in the hole of a rock, when struck at by the birds of prey. Christ calls her to come boldly to the throne of grace, having a great High Priest there, to tell what her request is. Speak freely, fear not a slight or a repulse. The voice of prayer is sweet and acceptable to God; those who are sanctified have the best comeliness. The first risings of sinful thoughts and desires, the beginnings of trifling pursuits which waste the time, trifling visits, small departures from truth, whatever would admit some conformity to the world; all these, and many more, are little foxes which must be removed. This is a charge to believers to mortify their sinful appetites and passions, which are as little foxes, that destroy their graces and comforts, and crush good beginnings. Whatever we find a hinderance to us in that which is good, we must put away. He feedeth among the lilies; this shows Christ's gracious presence among believers. He is kind to all his people. It becomes them to believe this, when under desertion and absence, and so to ward off temptations. The shadows of the Jewish dispensation were dispelled by the dawning of the gospel day. And a day of comfort will come after a night of desertion. Come over the mountains of Bether, the mountains that divide, looking forward to that day of light and love.

Song of Solomon 2:15 . Take us — The bridegroom gives this charge to his bridemen or friends. By whom he understands those magistrates and ministers to whom, under Christ, the custody of the vineyards, of the churches, principally belongs. These he commands to take the foxes, to restrain them from doing this mischief; the foxes — The disturbers of the vineyard, or the church, namely, seducers or false teachers; the little foxes — This he adds for more abundant caution, to teach the church to prevent errors and heresies in the beginnings; that spoil the vines — Which foxes do many ways, by gnawing and breaking the little branches and leaves, by digging holes in the vineyards, and so spoiling the roots; for our vines have tender grapes — Which are easily spoiled, if great care be not used to prevent it.

(15) Take us the foxes. —Possibly this is a verse of a familiar country song, introduced here from the suggestion of the “sweet voice” in the last verse; but more probably to be compared to the “avaunt” so commonly addressed by poets in Epithalamia and love songs to all mischievous and troublesome creatures. Thus in Spenser’s Epithalamium, owls, storks, ravens, and frogs are warned off. Foxes.—Comp. Judges 15:4. Whether our fox or the jackal (Heb., shual), it is known to be equally destructive to vineyards. Theocritus (Id. v. 112) is often compared:— “I hate those brush-tailed foxes, that each night Spoil Micon’s vineyards with their deadly bite.” In the allegorising commentators they stand for heretics.

The bride answers by singing what appears to be a fragment of a vine-dresser's ballad, insinuating the vineyard duties imposed on her by her brethren Sol 1:6, which prevent her from joining him. The destructive propensities of foxes or jackals in general are referred to, no grapes existing at the season indicated. Allegorical interpretations make these foxes symbolize "false teachers" (compare Ezekiel 13:4 ).

The Bridegroom gives this charge to his bridemen or friends, whose office it is to attend upon him, and to observe his commands; by whom he understands those magistrates and ministers to whom, under Christ, the custody of the vineyards, to wit, the churches, principally belong. These he commands to take the foxes, i.e. to restrain them from doing this mischief. Us, Heb. for us , i.e. at our instance, and for our common good, as this spoiling of the vines was injurious and grievous to them both. The foxes; the disturbers of the vineyard, or the church; seducers or false teachers, who are fitly compared to foxes here, and Ezekiel 13:4 , partly to distinguish them from great tyrants and persecutors, who are compared to wild boars , or other wild beasts , Psalm 80:13 , as to lions , 2 Timothy 4:17 ; and partly for their fox-like qualities and actions, because they are very crafty and deceitful, 2 Corinthians 11:13,14 Eph 4:14 , and very mischievous also, Ezekiel 34:2,3 2 Timothy 4:17 Titus 1:10,11 2 Peter 2:2 . He mentions foxes , because these abounded in that country, as is manifest from Judges 15:4 Psalm 63:10 Lamentations 5:18 , &c., but under them he comprehends all noxious creatures, upon the same reason. The little foxes: this he adds, not as if the great foxes were excused or exempted, but for more abundant caution, to teach the church to prevent errors and heresies in the beginnings of them, before they spread and grow strong and incurable.

That spoil the vines, which foxes do many ways, as those who write of them have observed, by gnawing and breaking the little branches and leaves, and the bark, by digging holes in the vineyards, and so spoiling the roots, by eating the grapes, and other ways. Have tender grapes; which gives us hopes of a good vintage, and which are easily spoiled, if great care be not used to prevent it.

15. Transition to the vineyard, often formed in "stairs" (So 2:14), or terraces, in which, amidst the vine leaves, foxes hid. foxes—generic term, including jackals. They eat only grapes, not the vine flowers; but they need to be driven out in time before the grape is ripe. She had failed in watchfulness before (So 1:6); now when converted, she is the more jealous of subtle sins (Ps 139:23). In spiritual winter certain evils are frozen up, as well as good; in the spring of revivals these start up unperceived, crafty, false teachers, spiritual pride, uncharitableness, &c. (Ps 19:12; Mt 13:26; Lu 8:14; 2Ti 2:17; Heb 12:15). "Little" sins are parents of the greatest (Ec 10:1; 1Co 5:6). Historically, John the Baptist spared not the fox-like Herod (Lu 13:32), who gave vine-like promise of fruit at first (Mr 6:20), at the cost of his life; nor the viper-Sadducees, &c.; nor the varied subtle forms of sin (Lu 3:7-14).

15 . In answer to her lover’s request that she should let him hear her voice the bride sings a fragment of a vineyard-watcher’s song. Probably, as Oettli suggests, he had heard her sing it before, and would recognise her by it, for she had not as yet revealed herself to him. He had been watching for her at the windows, and peering in at the lattices, and now she assures him of her presence. The word shû‘âl denotes an animal which digs into and dwells in the earth, for it means ‘the burrower,’ and is derived from the root which gives us also shô‘al , the hollow of the hand. It is the common fox here probably, though jackals are also called by this name, e.g. Psalm 63:10 , where those slain by the sword are said to be a portion for shû‘âlîm . that spoil the vines ] Rather, the vineyards . This includes the vines, for though foxes are carnivorous animals in the main, they also devour plants, so that besides digging their holes in the vineyards, and making tracks among the vines and gaps in the fences, they actually bite the young shoots of the vines and eat the grapes. (Cp. Theocritus, Id . v. 112, where vines are said to be spoiled by their deadly bite.) In vine-growing countries, as for instance in Australia, foxes when killed have been found with nothing in their stomachs but grapes. Perhaps there may be a side reference here to the Shulammite’s danger in the royal hareem.

She speaks of her person as her vineyard, and there may be here a call to her lover to deliver her from those who wish to profane it. for our vines have tender grapes ] for our vineyards are in blossom . Heb. semâdhâr (cp. Song of Solomon 2:13 ). The use by the bride of this peculiar word which her lover has just used may be meant to inform him that she has heard all he has just said.

Verse 15. - Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom. There is some difficulty in deciding to which of the persons this speech is to be attributed. It is most naturally, however, assigned to the bride, and this is the view of the majority of critics. Hence she refers to the vineyards as "our vineyards," which the bridegroom could scarcely say. On the other hand, it must be acknowledged that the words are abrupt regarded as a response to the beautiful appeal of the lover. The following are the remarks of Delitzsch on the subject: "This is a vine dresser's ditty, in accord with Shulamith's experience as the keeper of a vineyard, which, in a figure, aims at her love relation. The vineyards, beautiful with fragrant blossoms, point to her covenant of love, and the foxes, the little foxes, which might destroy those united vineyards, point to all the great and little enemies and adverse circumstances which threaten to gnaw and destroy love in the blossom ere it has reached the ripeness of full enjoyment." Some think that Shulamith is giving the reason why she cannot immediately join her beloved, referring to the duties enjoined upon her by her brethren. But there is an awkwardness in this explanation. The simplest and most straightforward is that which connects the words immediately with the invitation of the lover to come forth into the lovely vineyards.