George Leo Haydock

Perfume. Literally, “from thy garments, from the ivory houses, out of which they have delighted thee, ( 10. ) the daughters of kings, in thy honour.” They esteem it an honour to wait upon thee, and perfume thy robes, which are placed in chests of ivory, with odoriferous herbs. (Haydock) — The ancients admired such garments, Genesis xxvii. 27., and Amos iii. 15. — They had been given, together with the ivory boxes, as a present to Solomon at his marriage, and might give him delight, (Calmet) as it was then deemed unpolite to refuse a present. (Homer, Odyssey S . ) — Stacte. Literally, “the drop” gutta, (Haydock) distils from the myrrh, the wood of settim, (Numbers xxiv. 6.) and may denote aloes, but not the plant. (Calmet) — Mortification and humility (Worthington) raise the soul on high, 2 Corinthians ii. 16. (Haydock) — The blessed Virgin [Mary] is here styled a house of ivory. The Church, and all who observe purity, may be considered as God’s temples, 1 Corinthians iii. 17. (Calmet) — The virtues of Christ are this precious perfume. (St. Augustine, &c.) — Houses. Septuagint Bareis , a word which means “a tower.” Some have not understood this, and have rendered it, gravibus, “heavy,” (St. Jerome, ad Prin.) which others have improperly correct by gradibus, “steps.” (Calmet) — Houbigant would change three words, and translate, “from ivory vessels, the vases of thy anointing.”