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.
Turn away thine eyes from me,.... Her eyes of faith and love; not through dislike of them, but as ravished with them; his passions were so struck by them, and his heart pierced with them, that he could stand it out no longer against her; see Song of Solomon 4:9. Some render the words, "turn about thine eyes over against me" {b}; this being the first time of meeting, after her ungrateful treatment of him, she might be filled with shame and confusion for it, and therefore hung down her head, or looked on one side; wherefore he encourages her to look him full in the face, with a holy confidence; for such looks of faith are very agreeable to Christ; see Song of Solomon 2:14;
for they have overcome me; that is, her eyes, they had made a conquest of his heart; which does not imply weakness in Christ, but condescending grace, that he should suffer himself, as it were, to be overpowered by the faith and love of his people, who has conquered them and all their enemies. This clause is very differently rendered: by some, "they have strengthened me" {c}; his desire towards his church, and the enjoyment of her company: by others, the reverse, "are stronger than me", or "have taken away my strength" {d}; so that he was spiritless, and as one dead, or in an ecstasy: by others, "they have made me fly away" {e}; that is, out of himself; so that he was not master of himself, could not bear the force and brightness of her eyes: by others, "they have lifted me up" {f}; revived, cheered, and comforted him, through sympathy with her, in virtue of their near union: by others, "they have made me proud", or "prouder" {g}; see Isaiah 3:5. Christ has a kind of pride as well as pleasure in his church; he is proud of the beauty he has put upon her, of the graces he has wrought in her; and especially of her faith, when in exercise; see Matthew 8:10; and by others, "they have made me fiercer" {h}; not with anger and indignation, but with love; there is a force, a fierceness in love, as well as in wrath: "love is strong as death, and jealousy is cruel as the grave", Song of Solomon 8:6; it is so in the church, much more in Christ. All which shows the power of faith, to which mighty things are ascribed, Hebrews 11:1; and here the conquest of Christ himself;
thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead; from Mount Gilead, See Gill on "Song of Solomon 4:1".
{b} ydgnm apenantion mou, Sept. "ex adverso mei"; Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Marckius; so Montanus and Ainsworth.
{c} ynbyhrh "corroborant me", Marckius; so Kimchi, and Ben Melech.
{d} "Fortiores fuerunt me", Pagninus; so Aben Ezra.
{e} So the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions.
{f} Mercerus, Ainsworth.
{g} Tigurine version, Piscator; so Jarchi.
{h} Montanus, Cocceius.