Song of Songs Chapter 6
Song of Solomon 6
Reunited in Love
A. The Maiden Describes a Restoration of Their Love Relationship
1. Song of Solomon 6:1, A Further Question from the Daughters of Jerusalem
Song of Solomon 6:1, “Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.”
Song of Solomon 6 continues the thought from chapter 5. The maiden had described her beloved in glowing detail after being asked what made him greater than another beloved. Her answer was full of admiration, affection, and renewed clarity. She concluded by saying, Song of Solomon 5:16, “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”
Now the daughters of Jerusalem respond by asking, “Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women?” Their tone is somewhat difficult to determine. They may be sincerely supporting the maiden in her search, or they may carry a hint of irony because she had so strongly praised him while still seeming separated from him. Either way, the question serves an important purpose. It forces the maiden to think clearly about where her beloved would be.
The second question is even more important, “whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.” After hearing the maiden’s description of his character, appearance, dignity, sweetness, and friendship, the daughters now want to know where he is. Her testimony concerning him has stirred their interest. They now offer to seek him with her.
This is an important relational principle. When a wife remembers and speaks rightly about her husband, it helps reframe the whole conflict. In chapter 5, she had been slow, self focused, and regretful. Now, after being asked about him, she remembers who he truly is. Her speech moves from self concern to admiration. That change prepares the way for restoration.
There is also a spiritual application. When the believer speaks highly of Christ, others may be stirred to ask, “Where is this beloved?” True testimony should make Christ appear desirable. The church should speak of the Lord in such a way that others are made curious about His worth, His beauty, His mercy, His power, and His glory.
Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Psalm 34:2, “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.”
Psalm 34:3, “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
David’s praise becomes an invitation for others to join him in magnifying the LORD. In a secondary application, the maiden’s praise of her beloved draws others into the search. Her renewed admiration has public effect.
2. Song of Solomon 6:2–3, The Maiden Describes Her Relationship to Her Beloved Man
Song of Solomon 6:2, “My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.”
Song of Solomon 6:3, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.”
The maiden now answers with renewed clarity. She knows where her beloved has gone. He has gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. Earlier in the Song, the garden imagery was used to describe the maiden’s sexuality and the private beauty of marital love.
Song of Solomon 4:12, “A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”
Song of Solomon 4:16, “Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.”
Song of Solomon 5:1, “I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.”
However, in Song of Solomon 6:2, the garden seems to function more simply as a literal or poetic garden where the beloved would be found. The maiden now thinks carefully and remembers his ways. Her earlier frantic search through the city had only brought pain and confusion. Now, when asked where he has gone, she slows down and thinks. She remembers that he would be in a familiar place, doing what is fitting to his character.
This is a major turning point. Her earlier response to the conflict was emotionally driven. She rose late, searched frantically, and suffered in the dream. But now she begins to think truthfully about her beloved. She asks, in effect, “Who is he? Where would he be? What would he be doing?” That clear thinking helps restore her confidence.
This gives an important principle for marriage. Feelings matter, but feelings must not rule without truth. A husband and wife in conflict must return to what is true about the covenant, the person, and the relationship. Many marriages are damaged because one spouse interprets everything through wounded emotion. The maiden begins to recover because she remembers the fundamentals.
She knows he has gone to feed his flock and gather lilies. Feeding his flock points to responsibility, labor, provision, and shepherd like care. Gathering lilies points to tenderness, affection, and desire to express love. She remembers that he is not an enemy. He is not cruel. He is not indifferent. He is a shepherd like man who works and loves.
She then says, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” This reverses the order from Song of Solomon 2:16.
Song of Solomon 2:16, “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.”
In Song of Solomon 2:16, she began with what belonged to her, “My beloved is mine.” In Song of Solomon 6:3, she begins with whom she belongs to, “I am my beloved’s.” This may show growth in her understanding of love. She is not merely thinking, “He belongs to me.” She is thinking, “I belong to him.” This is the language of covenant belonging, surrender, and oneness.
This is not loss of personhood. It is covenant union. In marriage, husband and wife belong to one another. They are not independent individuals merely sharing space. They are joined in one flesh, one household, one covenant, and one life.
Genesis 2:24, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
The one flesh union includes physical, emotional, spiritual, domestic, and covenantal unity. The maiden values that oneness. Earlier she had acted out of self indulgence and delay. Now she speaks from belonging. This is where she wanted to return.
The statement also shows confidence. The conflict has not destroyed the relationship. She can still say, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” That is important. Trouble in marriage does not mean the covenant is dead. A foolish moment does not have to define the future. When forgiveness, humility, and truth return, love can be restored.
There is also a spiritual application. The believer belongs to Christ, and Christ belongs to the believer by covenant grace.
1 Corinthians 6:19, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
1 Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The Christian is not his own. He belongs to Christ by redemption. Yet Christ also gives Himself to His people in covenant love. This spiritual application should not replace the literal meaning, but it fits the larger biblical theology of belonging.
B. Enjoyment of the Restored Relationship
1. Song of Solomon 6:4–7, The Beloved Describes the Physical Appearance of His Maiden
Song of Solomon 6:4, “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.”
Song of Solomon 6:5, “Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.”
Song of Solomon 6:6, “Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.”
Song of Solomon 6:7, “As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.”
The beloved now speaks, and the warmth of restoration is clear. He calls her, “O my love.” There is no bitterness in his words. There is no coldness. He does not punish her with silence. He does not reopen the wound from chapter 5. He speaks affectionately.
This is one of the most powerful lessons in the chapter. The disruption in chapter 5 was largely her fault. She delayed, made excuses, and failed to respond promptly to his loving appeal. Yet when they are reunited, he does not use the moment to crush her. He restores her. He speaks beauty over her again.
He says, “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.” Tirzah was known as a beautiful city and later served as a capital of the northern kingdom before Samaria. Jerusalem was the noble city of David, the place of royal and covenant significance. By comparing her to Tirzah and Jerusalem, the beloved says she is beautiful, dignified, and stately.
Joshua 12:24, “The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.”
1 Kings 14:17, “And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died.”
1 Kings 16:6, “So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.”
These verses show Tirzah’s historical presence in Israel’s life. It was not an insignificant place. The beloved’s comparison places the maiden in the category of recognized beauty and dignity.
He also says she is “terrible as an army with banners.” The word “terrible” here carries the idea of awe inspiring, impressive, or formidable. She is not merely soft and delicate. She is majestic. She has a presence that overwhelms him. Like an army with banners, she is striking, organized, visible, and powerful.
This is high praise. It also shows that biblical femininity is not reduced to weakness. The maiden is beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and awesome as an army with banners. She is both lovely and formidable. She is tender and strong. She is desired and respected.
He then says, “Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me.” This is poetic language of being conquered by her beauty. Her eyes have power over him. Earlier, he praised her eyes.
Song of Solomon 1:15, “Behold, thou art fair, my love, behold, thou art fair, thou hast doves’ eyes.”
Song of Solomon 4:1, “Behold, thou art fair, my love, behold, thou art fair, thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.”
Song of Solomon 4:9, “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.”
Now he again says that her eyes overcome him. This continuity is important. He repeats earlier praises to show that his love has not changed. After conflict, a spouse often needs reassurance. The beloved gives it.
He continues with descriptions also used in chapter 4, “thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead,” “thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing,” and “As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.” He repeats the earlier imagery, but he notably avoids the more sensual descriptions of her lips and breasts found in chapter 4. This restraint is wise. He wants reconciliation, not merely physical access. He does not want her to think that his renewed affection is only a pathway to sexual intimacy.
This is practical wisdom. A husband should not use reconciliation as manipulation. If a wife feels that every kind word is merely a tactic, trust erodes. The beloved speaks affection, beauty, and reassurance, but without pressing the most sensual imagery. He restores her dignity and confidence first.
There is a spiritual application here concerning the grace of Christ toward His people. When the believer fails, the Lord does not restore by cruelty. He convicts, but He also restores with grace. Christ’s love is not fickle.
1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The literal meaning concerns the beloved restoring the maiden with words of affection. The spiritual application reminds believers that fellowship with the Lord is restored through confession and grace, not through despair.
2. Song of Solomon 6:8–10, The Beloved Describes His Maiden as Compared to Other Women
Song of Solomon 6:8, “There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.”
Song of Solomon 6:9, “My dove, my undefiled is but one, she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her, yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.”
Song of Solomon 6:10, “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?”
The beloved now goes beyond describing the maiden’s beauty. He declares her superiority in his eyes over all rivals. He says, “There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.” That is sixty queens, eighty concubines, and maidens without number. Whether these are literal women in Solomon’s court, a poetic reference to theoretical rivals, or an idealized royal comparison, the point is clear. Among all women, she is unique to him.
He says, “My dove, my undefiled is but one.” She is the only one. This is the language a wife needs to hear and believe. She is not merely one among many. She is not replaceable. She is not tolerated. She is chosen, preferred, and cherished.
This is especially important after conflict. When a relationship has been wounded, insecurity can rise quickly. The maiden could wonder whether her failure in chapter 5 changed how he saw her. The beloved answers that fear. She is still his dove. She is still his undefiled one. She is still the only one.
This is the gift of preference again. In marriage, preference is not optional. A husband must not keep his wife in emotional competition with other women. He must not compare her, threaten her, demean her, or make her feel replaceable. A wife should know that in her husband’s eyes, she is the only one. Likewise, a wife must not make her husband feel like a failed comparison to other men. Covenant love requires exclusive preference.
The mention of queens and concubines naturally raises the problem of Solomon’s later life. Scripture says:
1 Kings 11:1, “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites,”
1 Kings 11:2, “Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods, Solomon clave unto these in love.”
1 Kings 11:3, “And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned away his heart.”
This creates a serious tension. The love described in Song of Solomon is exclusive, personal, and covenantal. Solomon’s later life became divided, compromised, and spiritually disastrous. There are several possible explanations. The Song may reflect Solomon’s early love before his heart was divided. It may describe an ideal he understood but later failed to live. Or it may be a late reflection on the kind of love he had lost through foolishness. Whatever the historical explanation, the theological lesson is plain. The ideal is not polygamous indulgence. The ideal is exclusive covenant love.
The beloved continues, “she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her.” This does not necessarily mean she had no siblings, since later the book mentions her brothers.
Song of Solomon 8:8, “We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?”
Rather, “the only one” likely emphasizes favored status, uniqueness, and preciousness. She is the choice one. She is singular in value.
The daughters see her and call her blessed. Even queens and concubines praise her. This means her beauty and dignity are recognized not only by the beloved, but also by others. He uses the praise of others to strengthen her confidence. This is a wise form of encouragement. It is one thing to say, “I see your worth.” It is another to say, “Others see it too.” He is helping her stand again after shame.
He then says, “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” This is elevated poetic praise. She is like the morning, bringing light after darkness. She is fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and awe inspiring as an army with banners. The language suggests beauty, brightness, purity, majesty, and strength.
This is also the language of complete reconciliation. There is no lingering bitterness in his words. He does not say, “You hurt me, and now I will make you pay.” He does not use coldness as punishment. He works on the relationship, not against the person. He wants restoration, not retaliation.
This is a critical marriage principle. Wounded pride destroys many homes. A spouse is offended and then decides to punish, withdraw, belittle, or strike back. The beloved does the opposite. He forgives and reassures. He restores her with honor.
Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”
Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
This New Testament command fits the relational pattern in Song of Solomon 6. Bitterness must be put away. Kindness and forgiveness must govern the relationship. The beloved’s response is a practical picture of tenderhearted restoration.
There is also a corporate spiritual application in the phrase “terrible as an army with banners.” The church, rightly ordered under Christ, should be clearly identified, disciplined, active, confident, and ready for spiritual warfare. Banners identify, organize, and signal movement. Yet this application is secondary. In the literal text, the phrase praises the maiden’s majestic presence.
3. Song of Solomon 6:11–12, The Maiden Describes Her Meeting with the Beloved
Song of Solomon 6:11, “I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.”
Song of Solomon 6:12, “Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.”
The maiden now describes going down into the garden. This is likely where she found or reunited with her beloved, since she had said in Song of Solomon 6:2 that he had gone down into his garden. The garden again becomes the place of restored love.
She goes “to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.” The imagery recalls springtime and renewed life. Earlier, spring was associated with the beloved’s invitation and the freshness of love.
Song of Solomon 2:10, “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Song of Solomon 2:11, “For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone,”
Song of Solomon 2:12, “The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land,”
Song of Solomon 2:13, “The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Now, after conflict and restoration, the imagery of budding vines and pomegranates suggests springtime again. Their relationship has not died. It is budding. It is returning to fruitfulness. This is good news for troubled marriages. A conflict does not have to end the marriage. A season of distance does not have to define the future. With humility, forgiveness, and renewed affection, spring can return.
The maiden says, “Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.” The phrase is difficult, but the sense seems to be exhilaration. Before she fully realized what was happening, her soul was lifted, swift, and free, like noble chariots. Restoration brought movement, joy, and life.
This is the opposite of the heaviness of chapter 5. There she was wounded, searching, and lovesick in the painful sense. Here she is carried along with joy. Her soul moves like a chariot. The relationship has been restored, and the emotional weight has lifted.
Some translations understand the phrase as placing her in a chariot beside her noble prince. That would fit the restoration theme. If she is in the chariot of her beloved, it means she is honored again, brought near again, and publicly restored. Whether literal or figurative, the meaning is joy, movement, and renewed dignity.
Theologically, this shows that forgiveness is not merely the removal of punishment. It is the restoration of fellowship. The beloved does not only stop being angry. He brings her back into delight. This is also how the Lord restores His people.
Psalm 51:12, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
David did not ask only for pardon. He asked for restored joy. In Song of Solomon 6, the maiden experiences the joy of restored love.
4. Song of Solomon 6:13a, The Daughters of Jerusalem Appeal to the Maiden
Song of Solomon 6:13, “Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.”
The daughters of Jerusalem call out, “Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return, that we may look upon thee.” The repetition shows eagerness. They want her to come back. They want to behold her beauty. The restored relationship has made her even more radiant in their eyes.
This is the only place in the Song where she is called “Shulamite.” The name may indicate that she came from Shunem or a similar place. It may also be connected to the feminine form of Solomon’s name, suggesting that she is his counterpart. If so, the name points to covenant complementarity. She is the feminine counterpart to Solomon, the one corresponding to him.
This idea fits the creation pattern. The woman was made as a help meet, corresponding to the man.
Genesis 2:18, “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help meet for him.”
Genesis 2:21, “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.”
Genesis 2:22, “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”
Genesis 2:23, “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
The woman is not the man’s duplicate, nor his rival, nor his inferior in worth. She is his counterpart. She corresponds to him in covenant companionship. If Shulamite functions as the feminine counterpart to Solomon, it beautifully reinforces the theme of oneness and complementarity.
The daughters want to look upon her because restoration has made her beauty shine. This is a real principle. Reconciled love gives a person a different bearing. Forgiveness, security, and renewed affection bring peace to the face and strength to the heart. Earlier, guilt had turned her inward. Now love has restored her outward dignity.
5. Song of Solomon 6:13b, The Response Concerning the Shulamite
Song of Solomon 6:13, “Return, return, O Shulamite, return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.”
The response is, “What will ye see in the Shulamite?” The speaker is debated. It may be the maiden herself, humbly surprised that others want to gaze upon her. It may also be the beloved, responding on her behalf. Either way, the question emphasizes her modesty and the attention now given to her.
If the maiden is speaking, she remains humble. She does not understand why she should receive such attention. This humility is consistent with her earlier self awareness. She has grown in confidence, but not into pride. She is loved, restored, praised, and admired, yet still modest.
The final phrase, “As it were the company of two armies,” is difficult. It may refer to a dance, perhaps the dance of two camps or two companies. The picture could be festive, celebratory, and beautiful. It may suggest the movement and grace of a ceremonial dance. Others see in the two armies an image of inward conflict, the battle within the maiden’s soul between fear and love, guilt and grace, self concern and covenant belonging.
The immediate context favors a festive meaning. The daughters want to look upon her, and the next section continues with a description of her charms. The phrase may mean that beholding the Shulamite is like watching a beautiful dance of two companies. She is captivating, balanced, and full of movement.
At the same time, the idea of two camps may also fit her experience. She has known internal conflict. She loved him, but delayed. She sought him, but suffered. She felt guilt, but was restored. She belonged to him, and he belonged to her. Her life now bears the marks of conflict overcome by reconciliation.
This prepares for the next chapter, where her beauty is again described in detail. The restored relationship does not end in cold tolerance. It moves into renewed admiration. Love wounded by selfishness can be healed by humility, forgiveness, and renewed delight.
Summary and Theological Emphasis
Song of Solomon 6 presents the restoration of love after the troubled dream of chapter 5. The daughters of Jerusalem ask where the beloved has gone and offer to seek him with the maiden. Their question causes her to think clearly about who her beloved is and where he would be. She recognizes that he has gone down to the garden, to feed his flock and gather lilies. Her frantic, feeling driven search gives way to thoughtful remembrance.
The maiden then declares, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” This reverses the order of Song of Solomon 2:16 and places first emphasis on belonging to him. The statement shows restored confidence, covenant oneness, and renewed humility. She remembers that their conflict has not destroyed their union.
The beloved then speaks with grace. He praises her beauty as Tirzah, her dignity as Jerusalem, and her majesty as an army with banners. He repeats earlier compliments from their wedding night, showing that his affection has not diminished. Yet he wisely avoids the most sensual descriptions, making clear that his purpose is reconciliation, not manipulation. He compares her favorably above queens, concubines, and maidens without number, declaring that she is his only one. This gives her the assurance of being preferred and restored.
The maiden goes down into the garden to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded. The springtime imagery shows that their relationship has life again. Her soul is lifted like noble chariots. The daughters call for the Shulamite to return so they may look upon her, and the chapter ends with a difficult but beautiful image of the company or dance of two armies.
This chapter teaches that conflict does not have to destroy covenant love. Restoration comes through truth, remembrance, humility, forgiveness, and renewed affection. The offended beloved does not retaliate. He restores. The guilty maiden does not remain trapped in shame. She remembers, returns, and rejoices. Marriage requires the ability to forgive and receive forgiveness. Spiritually, the chapter also reminds believers that fellowship with the Lord can be restored after coldness, delay, and failure.
