The Daily Audio Bible
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5 I am come into my gan (garden), my sister, my kallah; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my devash (honey); I have drunk my yayin with my cholov (milk): Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, dodim.
2 I sleep, but my lev waketh: it is the voice of dodi (my beloved) that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my yonah (dove) tammati (my undefiled, my perfect one); for my head is filled with tal (dew), and my hair with the drops of the lailah.
3 I have put off my kuttonet (kesones, chiton, robe); how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
4 Dodi (my beloved) thrust his hand through the latchopening, my heart began pounding for him.
5 I arose to open to dodi (my beloved); and my hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the man’ul (lock, door bolt).
6 I opened to dodi (my beloved); but dodi had withdrawn and gone; my nefesh departed when he spoke; I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7 The shomrim (watchmen) that went about the city found me, they beat me, they wounded me; the shomrei hachomat (i.e., the shomrim, the guardians [of the city on the wall]) took away my cloak from me.
8 I charge you, O banot Yerushalayim, if ye find dodi (my beloved), what will ye tell him? Tell him shecholat ahavah ani (I am faint with ahavah, lovesick [see 2:5]).
9 How is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among nashim? How is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
10 Dodi (my beloved) is radiant and ruddy, unrivaled by ten thousand.
11 His head is like the purest gold, his hair is wavy and shachor (black) as the raven.
12 His eyes are like yonim (doves) by the streams of mayim, washed with cholov, jewels fitly set.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, like sweet flowers; his lips like shoshanim (lilies), dripping sweet scented myrrh.
14 His hands are like rods of zahav set with chrysolites; his body is like a polished work of ivory decorated with sapphires.
15 His legs are like pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine zahav; his countenance is like the Levanon, bachor (one being choice) like the cedars.
16 His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is machamaddim (altogether desirable [see Shir HaShirim 2:3; Chaggai 2:7 says Moshiach is the Desired of all Nations]). This is dodi (my beloved), and this is my friend, O banot Yerushalayim. [T.N. The next chapter is commented on extensively beginning at page vii. This section is one of the most important Scriptures in the Bible because it buttresses Isa 7:14 and its foundational meaning.]
6 Where is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among nashim? Where is thy beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with thee?
2 Dodi (my beloved) is gone down into his gan (garden), to the beds of spices, to feed in the ganim (gardens), and to gather shoshanim (lilies).
3 I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine; he feedeth among the shoshanim.
4 Thou art yafeh, O my love, as Tirtzah, lovely as Yerushalayim, awe-inspiring as bannered troops on the march.
5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they overwhelm me; thy hair is as an eder of goats that descend from Gil‘ad.
6 Thy teeth are as an eder harechalim (flock of ewes) which go up from the washing, whereof every one is matched, and there is not one missing among them.
7 As a half pomegranate is thy temple within thy veil.
8 There are threescore melakhot (queens), and fourscore pilagshim (concubines), and alamot (young unmarried virgins) without number [T.N. Alamot is plural of almah, "virgin," alamot, "virgins;" see Shir HaShirim 1:3; Yeshayah 7:14; Bereshis 24:43; Shemot 2:8; Mishlei 30:19 where the word means explicitly or implicitly "virgin" and where "young woman" is not an adequate rendering, in this case, since the King was hardly interested in only young women in his harem, but demanded "virgins"; the older Jewish translations like Harkavy’s so translated the word as "virgin" in this verse until it became politically incorrect to do so in later, more liberal Jewish translations into English].
9 My yonah (dove), tammati (my perfect one, my undefiled) is unique; she is the only one of her em (mother), she is the barah (choice one) of her that bore her. The banot saw her, they called her blessed; yea, the melakhot and the pilagshim [see 6:8] praise her.
10 Who is she that looks forth like the shachar (dawn), yafeh as the levanah (moon), clear as the sun, and aweinspiring as bannered troops on the march?
11 I went down into the grove of nut trees to see the blossoms of the valley, and to see whether hagefen (the vine) flourished and the pomegranates bloomed.
12 Before I was aware, my nefesh lifted me up to the merkevot of ammi (my people) of one, a royal one.
13 (7:1) Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may gaze upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the mecholat Machanayim (dance of the Machanayim [see Bereshis 32:3]).
7 How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! Thy graceful legs are like jewels, ma’aseh yedei amon (the work of the hands of an artist, see Prov 8:30).
2 (7:3) Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not wine: thy waist is like a mound of chittim (wheat) encircled by shoshanim (lilies).
3 (7:4) Thy two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a gazelle.
4 (7:5) Thy tzavar (neck) is like a migdal of ivory; thine eyes like the pools of Cheshbon, by the sha’ar (gate) of Bat-Rabbim; thy nose is like the migdal of the Levanon which looketh toward Damascus.
5 (7:6) Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like royal tapestry; Melech is held captive in its tresses.
6 (7:7) How fair and how pleasant art thou, O Ahavah, for delights!
7 (7:8) This thy stature is like a tamar (palm tree), and thy breasts eshkolot (clusters [of fruit]).
8 (7:9) I said, I will climb up to the tamar, I will take hold of the branches thereof; now also thy breasts shall be as eshkelot hagefen (clusters of the vine), and the scent of thy breath like apples;
9 (7:10) And the roof of thy mouth like the best yayin of dodi (my beloved), that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
10 (7:11) I am my beloved’s, and to me goeth forth his teshukah (desire).
11 (7:12) Come, dodi (my beloved), let us go forth into the sadeh; let us lodge in the villages.
12 (7:13) Let us get up early to the kramim (vineyards); let us see if the gefen budded, whether the tender grape appears, and the pomegranates bloom; there will I give thee my love.
13 (7:14) The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our doors are all manner of pleasant fruits, chadashim (new ones) and yeshanim (old ones), which I have stored up and kept for thee, O dodi (my beloved). [T.N. Just as there are different classes of women in the harem—so there are different residences in the book of Esther, for the malkah, for the pilegesh and for the almah or betulah; cf Song 6:8 and Esther chp 2.]
8 O that thou were like my brother, that nursed the breasts of immi (my mother)! Then, if I should find thee outside, I would kiss thee; yea, and no one would look down on me.
2 I would lead thee, and bring thee into bais immi [see 3:4]. Thou wouldest instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced yayin and the nectar of my pomegranate.
3 His left hand should be under my rosh, and his right hand embrace me.
4 I charge you, O banot Yerushalayim, that ye arouse nor awake HaAhavah (the Love) till it pleases [i,e., until its own time, see 2:7; 3:5] .
5 Who is this that cometh up from the midbar, leaning upon her beloved? Under the tapuach (apple tree) I awakened thee; it was there thy em conceived thee; there she who brought thee forth conceived thee.
6 Set me as a chotam (seal) upon thine lev, as a chotam upon thine zero’a (arm); for ahavah is strong as mavet (death); kinah (jealousy) as unyielding as Sheol; the flames thereof are flames of eish, the flame of Hashem.
7 Mayim rabbim (many waters) cannot quench HaAhavah, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the wealth of his bais for ahavah, it would be utterly scorned.
8 We have an achot ketannah (little sister), and she hath as yet no breasts. What shall we do for achoteinu (our sister) in the day when she shall be spoken for?
9 If she be a chomah (wall), we will build upon her a pinnacle of kesef; and if she be a delet (door), we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
10 I am a chomah (wall), and my breasts, like migdalot; then was I in his eyes like one that findeth shalom.
11 Sh’lomo had a kerem (vineyard) at Baal-Hamon; he gave over the kerem (vineyard) unto caretakers; each had to pay a thousand pieces of kesef for the p’ri (fruit) thereof.
12 My kerem (vineyard), which is mine, is at my own disposal [see 7:13 (12)]; thou, O Sh’lomo, the thousand are for thee, and two hundred for those that tend the p’ri thereof!
13 Thou that dwellest in the ganim (gardens), the chaverim are listening for thy voice; cause me to hear it.
14 Make haste, dodi (my beloved), and be thou like to a gazelle or a young deer upon the mountains where spices grow.
9 Concerning your Messianic avodas kodesh sherut for the Kadoshim [2C 8:4,20] it is superfluous for me to send you this iggeret.
2 For I have da’as of your readiness to involve yourself in Messianic Jewish ministry and this is the subject of my glorying to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia has been prepared since last shanah and your kanous has been mezarez (a spur into action) to most of them.
3 And I am sending the Achim b’Moshiach lest our glorying on behalf of you should be made empty in this respect, that you be ready, as I was saying you would be,
4 Lest perhaps if some Macedonians should come with me and they find you unprepared, we should have bushah, to say nothing of you, in this situation.
5 Therefore, I considered it necessary to encourage the Achim b’Moshiach, that they should go on ahead to you and, having arranged in advance the bountiful terumah (contribution) of the havtacha you made previously so that this matanah would be ready so as to be a bracha and not an exaction.
6 Note this: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing for a bracha of bounty will also reap a bracha of bounty. [MISHLE 11:24,25; 22:9]
7 Each of you should give as he has decided previously in his lev (heart), not giving bedieved (begrudgingly) nor out of necessity; for Hashem loves a cheerful giver. [SHEMOT 25:2; DEVARIM 15:10; MISHLE 22:8 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
8 And Hashem is able to cause to abound to you all Chen v’Chesed Hashem that in everything, always, having all sufficiency, you may abound to every mitzvah.
9 As it has been written, PIZAR NATAN LAEVYONIM TZIDKATO OMEDET LA’AD "He scattered, he gave to the poor, His Righteousness endures forever." [Ps 112:9 Mal 3:10]
10 Now the one supplying ZERA (seed) to the sower and LECHEM for okhel (food) [YESHAYAH 55:10] will supply and will multiply your zera and will increase the p’ri of the Tzedek of you; [Hos 10:12 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
11 You will be enriched in every ma’aseh chesed to all generosity, which produces through us hodayah (thanksgiving) to Hashem; [2C 1:11; 4:15]
12 Because the avodas kodesh of this tzedakah is not only filling up the things lacking of the Kadoshim, [2C 8:14] but is also abounding through hodayah rabbah (much thanksgiving) to Hashem;
13 Through the proof of this Messianic Jewish sherut you bring kavod to Hashem on the basis of your submission to your Ani Ma’amin Hoda’a confession of the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and on the basis of the generosity of your terumah (contribution) to them and to all kol Bnei Adam;
14 And, reciprocally, the Messianic Jews in Yerushalayim will daven in intercession for you, having great ahavah in Moshiach for you, because of the surpassing Chen v’Chesed Hashem upon you.
15 Baruch Hashem for his indescribable matanah!
51 (For the one directing. Mizmor Dovid. When Natan HaNavi confronted him after he went into Bat- Sheva—2Sm. 11:2) Have mercy upon me, O Elohim, according to Thy chesed; according unto the multitude of Thy rachamim blot out my peysha’im (transgressions, rebellions).
2 (4) Wash me thoroughly from mine avon (iniquity), and cleanse me from my chattat (sin).
3 (5) For I acknowledge my peysha’im (transgressions, rebellions); and my chattat (sin) is ever before me.
4 (6) Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done the rah in Thy sight; that Thou mightest be found just when Thou speakest, and be blameless when Thou judgest.
5 (7) Surely, I was brought forth in avon; and in chet did immi conceive me [i.e., I was a sinner from conception].
6 (8) Surely Thou desirest emes in the inward parts; and in the inmost place Thou shalt make me to know chochmah.
7 (9) Purge me with ezov (hyssop), and I shall be tahor; wash me, and I shall be whiter than sheleg (snow).
8 (10) Make me to hear sasson and simchah; that the atzmot which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 (11) Hide Thy face from my chatta’im, and blot out all mine avonot.
10 (12) Create in me a lev tahor, O Elohim; and renew a ruach nekhon (steadfast spirit [i.e., regeneration Ezek 36:26; Yn 3:3,6]) within me.
11 (13) Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Ruach Hakodesh from me.
12 (14) Restore unto me the sasson of Thy salvation; and uphold me with a ruach nedivah (a willing spirit; see Jer 31:31-34).
13 (15) Then will I teach poshe’im (transgressors) Thy drakhim; and chatta’im (sinners) shall be converted [have a spiritual turnaround; see Isa 6:10] unto Thee.
14 (16) Save me from damim (bloodguiltiness), O Elohim, Thou Elohei Teshuati; and my leshon shall sing aloud of Thy tzedakah.
15 (17) Adonoi, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth Thy tehillah (praise).
16 (18) For Thou desirest not zevach (sacrifice); else would I give it; Thou delightest not in olah (burnt offering).
17 (19) The zivkhei Elohim are a ruach nishbarah (broken spirit); a broken and contrite lev, O Elohim, Thou wilt not despise.
18 (20) Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Tziyon; build Thou the chomot Yerushalayim.
19 (21) Then shalt Thou be pleased with zivkhei tzedek (true sacrifices, sacrifices of righteousness), with olah (burnt offering) and whole burnt offering; then shall they offer parim (bulls) upon Thine Mizbe’ach. [T.N. This Psalm, Ps 51, teaches the doctrine of Chet Kadmon from which comes the seminal corrupting human condition necessitating hitkhadshut for all fallen Bnei Adam]
24 Make no friendship with a ba’al af (angry man), and with an ish chemot (man of wrath) thou shalt not go,
25 Lest thou learn his orkhot (ways), and take a mokesh (snare) for thy nefesh.
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