Go Your Way Forth - Song of Songs 1:8

In the book of Song of Songs, Solomon shared how the lover or groom said, “Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of your companions?”, and in chapter one and verse eight of Song of Songs Solomon shared how the lover or groom said, “go your way forth” where we read,

If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock,

and feed your kids beside the shepherds' tents.

The verse begins, “If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, ...”Solomon began with the words, “if you know not” or “whether and in case you, the bride, do not perceive, see or discern”, “O you fairest among women” which means “O you, the bride, more beautiful, comely, fair and pleasant female human in the midst of other female human beings”, “go your way forth” or “leave, depart and exit your, the bride's, departing, exiting and proceeding” “by the footsteps” which means “through the means of the trail” “of the flock” or “belonging to the animal group such as goats”. Solomon shared how the groom considered the bride to be the most beautiful among “women”, and he instructed her to follow the trail of the animal group such as goats. 

The verse continues, “... and feed your kids beside the shepherds' tents.” Solomon added the words, “and feed your kids”or “and pasture, graze and tend to your, the bride's, young little goats” “beside the shepherds' tents” which means “the dwelling places, tabernacles and habitations of the pastors and herdsmen”. Solomon shared how the groom instructed the bride to graze and tend to her little goats alongside the tabernacles of the herdsmen. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Solomon brings the groom in to this love story as the groom responds to the bride's request to tell him where he feeds his flock, and even though she was rejected by others, He affirmed her as the most beautiful among “women”. He told her to follow the trail of the animal groups and graze her young goats alongside the herdsmen's tabernacles. In other words, he was providing for her as the tabernacles were the place to go. God loves us and cares for us even when we do not acknowledge or attempt to know Him, and when we go to the tabernacles or symbolically to the church, there we will come to know Him. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us to go the the “tabernacles” and be with those with whom He tells us to associate. (See Hebrews 10:25)

Next time Solomon shares how the lover or groom compares the bride, “to a company of horses”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".