Song Of Solomon 2:15
zTake us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have atender grapes.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
z:
Ezekiel 13:4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
Acts 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
a:
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.
Psalms 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
The Bridegroom gives this charge to his bridemen or friends, whose office it is to attend upon him, and to observe his commands; by whom he understands those magistrates and ministers to whom, under Christ, the custody of the vineyards, to wit, the churches, principally belong. These he commands to take the
i.e. to restrain them from doing this mischief.
Heb. for us, i.e. at our instance, and for our common good, as this spoiling of the vines was injurious and grievous to them both.
the disturbers of the vineyard, or the church; seducers or false teachers, who are fitly compared to foxes here, and Eze 13:4, partly to distinguish them from great tyrants and persecutors, who are compared to wild boars, or other wild beasts, Psa 80:13, as to lions, 2Ti 4:17; and partly for their fox-like qualities and actions, because they are very crafty and deceitful, 2Co 11:13,14 Eph 4:14, and very mischievous also, Eze 34:2,3 2Ti 4:17 Tit 1:10,11 2Pe 2:2. He mentions foxes, because these abounded in that country, as is manifest from Jud 15:4 Psa 63:10 Lam 5:18, &c., but under them he comprehends all noxious creatures, upon the same reason.
this he adds, not as if the great foxes were excused or exempted, but for more abundant caution, to teach the church to prevent errors and heresies in the beginnings of them, before they spread and grow strong and incurable.
which foxes do many ways, as those who write of them have observed, by gnawing and breaking the little branches and leaves, and the bark, by digging holes in the vineyards, and so spoiling the roots, by eating the grapes, and other ways.
which gives us hopes of a good vintage, and which are easily spoiled, if great care be not used to prevent it.