(1) How beautiful . . .—Literally, How beautiful are thy feet (or thy steps) in the sandals. This description of the beauty of the bride—

“From the delicate Arab arch of her feet

To the grace that, bright and light as the crest

Of a peacock, sits on her shining head”—

is plainly connected with the dance mentioned in the last verse, and possibly proceeds in this order, instead of from the head downwards, because the feet of a dancer would first attract attention. See end of Excursus III.

O prince’s daughter!—Heb. Bath-nadib (the LXX. keep Ναδαβ)—evidently again suggested by Amminadib, in Song of Solomon 6:12. But as the allusion there cannot be recovered, nothing relating to the rank of the heroine can be deduced from the recurrence of nadib (= noble) here. The reference may be to character rather than descent, just as in the opposite expression, “daughter of Belial” (1Samuel 1:16).

Joints.—Heb. chamûk, from chamah—went away, probably refers to the rapid movements in dancing, and the image is suggested by the graceful curves formed by a chain or pendulous ornament when in motion. Or the reference may be to the contour of the person.

Prince's daughter - Or, daughter of a noble; the bride is of honorable though not of kingly birth.

Like jewels - The image suggested is that of large well-formed pearls or other jewels skillfully strung or linked together.

So 7:1-13.

1. thy feet—rather, "thy goings" (Ps 17:5). Evident allusion to Isa 52:7: "How beautiful … are the feet of him … that publisheth peace" (Shulamite, So 6:13).

shoes—Sandals are richly jewelled in the East (Lu 15:22; Eph 6:15). She is evidently "on the mountains," whither she was wafted (So 6:12), above the daughters of Jerusalem, who therefore portray her feet first.

daughter—of God the Father, with whom Jesus Christ is one (Mt 5:9), "children of (the) God" (of peace), equivalent to Shulamite (Ps 45:10-15; 2Co 6:18), as well as bride of Jesus Christ.

prince's—therefore princely herself, freely giving the word of life to others, not sparing her "feet," as in So 5:3; Ex 12:11. To act on the offensive is defensive to ourselves.

joints—rather, "the rounding"; the full graceful curve of the hips in the female figure; like the rounding of a necklace (as the Hebrew for "jewels" means). Compare with the English Version, Eph 4:13-16; Col 2:19. Or, applying it to the girdle binding together the robes round the hips (Eph 6:14).

cunning workman—(Ps 139:14-16; Eph 2:10, 22; 5:29, 30, 32).A further description of the church’ s graces, Song of Solomon 7:1-7. This design to visit the church, with the blessed effect thereof, Song of Solomon 7:8,9. She professeth her faith and desire, Song of Solomon 7:10. She inviteth him to communion with her, Song of Solomon 7:11. The end thereof, Song of Solomon 7:12,13.

The Bridegroom, who spake the last words, here continueth his speech, and breaks forth into an elegant and particular description and commendation of the spouse, partly from the parts of her body, and partly from her ornaments; in which the same thing is to be observed which was noted concerning her description of the Bridegroom, that there is no necessity of a distinct application of every parcel of it, the design being only this, to describe the beauty and glory of the church under the representation of a beautiful and noble woman. This also is observable, that in the description of Christ she begins at the head, and so goeth downward, Song of Solomon 5:11, &c., but Christ in the description of the spouse proceedeth from the feet upwards.

Feet being the chief instrument of our motion from place to place, is oft used metonymically for the motion itself, and so may here signify either the inward motions, the workings of the affections, or the outward motions, the steps or actions of the life, both which are right and amiable in believers.

Shoes were anciently evidences of a free and comfortable state, whereas slaves and mourners use to go barefoot, 2 Samuel 15:30 Isaiah 20:4, which also in women of high quality were adorned with gold and other ornaments; of which see Isaiah 3:18. These may also signify that the feet of believers should be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, Ephesians 6:15. Prince’s daughter, both by birth, being born of God, and by disposition and deportment agreeable to that quality.

The joints of thy thighs; either,

1. The hollow place in which the hip or thigh-bone moveth and turneth itself; or rather,

2. The hip or thighbone which moveth there; for this is more fitly compared to a jewel well set. Some understand this of some ornaments worn by women upon those parts; for the word rendered joints may signify girdles, or any ornament which encompasseth any part of the body, and the same words which signify thighs are both in Hebrew and other languages sometimes used concerning the legs; which being admitted, this might seem to be understood of the bride’s garters, about her legs, which not unfitly follows the shoes upon her feet last mentioned. But this sense seems not to suit so well with the following comparison as the former doth.

Like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman; like jewels orderly and excellently set by a skillful artist. So this signifies the uprightness and decency of her going, which depends very much upon the right situation of the hip or thigh-bone, which when it is dislocated or disordered causeth a lameness or uncomeliness in going; whereby he understands the orderliness and amiableness of her conversation.

"purple shoes:''

the word used is thought by some (f) to signify a colour between scarlet and purple; see Ezekiel 16:10; and also with the Tyrian virgins (g); and so with the Romans (h); and with whom likewise white shoes (i) were much in use. That this is said of the church, is plain from the appellation of her,

O Prince's daughter! the same with the King's daughter, Psalm 45:13; the daughter of the King of kings; for, being espoused to Christ, his Father is her Father, and his God her God: besides, she is born of him who is the Prince of the kings of the earth, 1 John 2:28; she is both a Prince's wife and a Prince's daughter. It may be rendered, "O noble", or "princely daughter" (k)! being of a free princely spirit, in opposition to a servile one, Psalm 51:12; of a bountiful and liberal spirit, as in, Isaiah 32:5; in distributing temporal things to the necessities of the poor; and in communicating spiritual things to the comfort and edification of others. Some take these to be the words of the daughters of Jerusalem, wondering at the church's beauty, on turning herself to them as they desired: but they are rather the words of Christ; who, observing the church speak so meanly of herself, in order to encourage her, gives a high commendation of her in this and some following verses, and begins with her "feet"; not her ministers, who are "shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace", Ephesians 6:15, and who appear beautiful in the eyes of those who have any knowledge of the good things they publish and proclaim; for they are set in the highest place in the church: but here the lowest and meanest members of the church are meant; whose outward walk, the feet are the instruments of, may be said to be "beautiful with shoes", when they are ready to every good work; when their conversation is ordered aright, is agreeably to the word of God, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ; and which, like shoes, is a fence against the briers and thorns, the reproaches and calumnies, of the world; and when there is such a lustre upon it that it cannot but be seen and observed by spectators, by which they are excited to glorify God, it is so beautiful in the eyes of Christ, that to such he shows the salvation of God;

the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman; a skilful artificer, a goldsmith or jeweller: the allusion seems to be to some ornaments about the knees or legs, wore by women in those times; see Isaiah 3:18; and this may serve to set off the lustre and beauty of the church's conversation. And since it seems not so decent to describe the parts themselves mentioned, the words may rather design the "femoralia", or garments, with which they were covered; and may signify the garments of salvations and robe of Christ's righteousness, whereby the church's members are covered, so that their nakedness is not seen; but with them are as richly adorned bridegroom and bride with their ornaments and which are not the bungling work of a creature, but of one that is God as well as man, and therefore called the righteousness of God. Some have thought that the girdle about the loins is meant, the thighs being put for the loins, Genesis 46:26; and so may intend the girdle of truth, mentioned along with the preparation of the Gospel of peace the feet are said to be shod with, Ephesians 6:14; and the metaphor of girding is used when a Gospel conversation is directed to, Luke 12:35. But it seems best by these "joints", or "turnings of the thighs" (l), by which they move more orderly and regularly, to understand the principles of the walk and conversation of saints, as one observes (m); without which it cannot be ordered aright; for principles denominate actions, good and bad; and the principles of grace, by which believers move in their Christian walk, are as valuable and as precious as jewels, such as faith and love, and a regard to the glory of God; and which are curiously wrought by the finger of God, by his Holy Spirit, who "works in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure", Philippians 2:13.

(d) Odyss. 11. v. 602, 603. "Auratos pedes", Ovid. Amor. l. 3. Eleg. 12. (e) Euterpe, sivw l. 2. c. 98. (f) Vid. Braunium de Vest. Sacerd. Heb. l. 1. p. 295, 306. (g) "Virginibus Tyrriis mos est", &c. Virgil. Aeneid. 1.((h) Vid. Persii Satyr. 5. v. 169. Virgil. Bucolic. Eclog. 7. v. 32. (i) "Pes maslus in niveo", &c. Ovid. de Arte Amandi, l. 3. Vid. Martial. l. 7. Epigr. 27. (k) "puella nobills", Castalio; "filia voluntarie", Marckius; "principalis, nobills, et ingenua virgo, sc. filia", so some in Michaelis. (l) "vertebra", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "signat illam agilem versatilem juncturam, qua capite femorum in suis foraminibus expedite moventur", Brightman. (m) Durham in loc.

(a) He describes the comely beauty of the Church in every part, which is to be understood spiritually.