3:1 All night long on my bed I longed for my lover. I longed for him but he never appeared.
Solomon leaves for the day to take care of his sheep. Shulamite remembers a recurring nightmare that she often had during the winter months when Solomon was gone. In this nightmare, she longed for Solomon. However, he never appeared.
3:2 “I will arise and look all around throughout the town, and throughout the streets and squares; I will search for my beloved.” I searched for him but I did not find him.
Shulamite looked all over the city for Solomon, but she could not find him.
3:3 The night watchmen found me—the ones who guard the city walls. “Have you seen my beloved?”
Shulamite asked the watchmen for Solomon’s location.
3:4 Scarcely had I passed them by when I found my beloved! I held onto him tightly and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house, to the bedroom chamber of the one who conceived me.
In her dream, Shulamite finally finds Solomon. She hugs him and brings him to her home. Her dream started out as a nightmare, but ended happily.
3:5 I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields: “Do not awake or arouse love until it pleases!”
Shulamite gave another lesson to the virgin maidens at her wedding. In the context of courtship, sexual passion should not be aroused, because it leads to fornication and sin. Sexual passion should only take place inside of marriage.
It is important to note that the Holy Spirit is allowing the mind of God to be recorded in this song for all to sing. God has such a high view of sex that He will not allow it to be cheapened by lust. Therefore, not even acts of foreplay are permitted before marriage. Sexual passion must be handled with utmost care and should not be aroused before marriage. Couples are to become sexless friends first and lovers after marriage. This is the divine pattern of courtship and marriage which was established by the Holy Spirit.
3:6 Who is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, like a fragrant billow of myrrh and frankincense, every kind of fragrant powder of the traveling merchants?
There were five different steps in the ancient Jewish wedding. First, the arrangement of the marriage was called the Betrothal. Second, the retrieval of the bride from her home was called the Wedding Procession. Third, the public recognition of marriage was called the Wedding Ceremony. Fourth, the wedding feast to follow was called the Banquet. Fifth, the consummation of the marriage was called the Wedding Night.
Verse 6 is sung by a chorus who is witnessing the Wedding Procession. Solomon and his wedding party are marching upwards to Jerusalem from Galilee. He has already retrieved Shulamite from her home. He is taking her to the Wedding Ceremony in Jerusalem. Solomon spent a lots of money on expensive perfumes for his bride. The people in the crowd on the outskirts of Jerusalem are wondering who Solomon is bringing into his palace.
3:7 Look! It is Solomon’s portable couch! It is surrounded by sixty warriors, some of Israel’s mightiest warriors.
Another person in the crowd answers the question. He sees the travel-couch of Solomon. This was a special royal bed made for this occasion. The new queen is laying on this beautiful couch for comfort.
3:8 All of them are skilled with a sword, well-trained in the art of warfare. Each has his sword at his side, to guard against the terrors of the night.
The wedding party consisted of 60 of the royal guards. These men were experienced in war and known for their fighting skills. This was to prevent assassination of the King and his new queen.
3:9 King Solomon made a sedan chair for himself of wood imported from Lebanon.
Shulamite was traveling on the royal couch. Solomon was traveling on the royal bed. This was a royal bed with a canopy. Its wood was made from the rare and expensive cedars of Lebanon.
3:10 Its posts were made of silver; its back was made of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple wool; its interior was inlaid with leather by the maidens of Jerusalem.
The rest of the royal bed was made of silver, gold, purple linen, and leather.
3:11 Come out, O maidens of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon! He is wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the most joyous day of his life!
The virgin maidens of Jerusalem were encouraged to follow the wedding party. They were to look at Solomon’s wedding crown, which was made by his mother Bathsheba. At this time, the marriage was consummated and the two become one flesh.