“Each at his banner, with the insignias,” that is what is written: “Who is she who appears [like dawn, fair like the moon, pure like the sun, formidable like banners]” (Song of Songs 6:10). Israel was holy and great with their banners, and all the nations of the world look at them, wonder, and say: “Who is she who appears….” The nations say to them: “Return, return, the Shulamite” (Song of Songs 7:1); cleave to us, come to us, and we will make you governors, generals, commanders, lieutenants, commanders-in-chief.
“Return, return and we will gaze [neḥze] upon you” (Song of Songs 7:1). Neḥze is nothing other than authority, as Yitro said to Moses: “You shall seek [teḥze] [from among all the people…and set over them as leaders]” (Exodus 18:21). “Return, return and we will gaze [neḥze] upon you.” And Israel says: “Why will you gaze at the Shulamite” (Song of Songs 7:1); what greatness are you according us?
“Is it perhaps like the dance of the camps?” (Song of Songs 7:1). Can you, perhaps, accord us [greatness] like the greatness that God accorded us in the wilderness: “The banner of the camp of Judah” (Numbers 2:3), “the banner of the camp of Reuben” (Numbers 2:10), “the banner of the camp of Dan” (Numbers 2:25), “the banner of the camp of Ephraim” (Numbers 2:18). Can you do that for us? “Why will you gaze at the Shulamite”; what greatness are you according us?
“Is it perhaps like the dance of the camps”? Can you, perhaps, accord us [greatness] like the greatness that God accorded us in the wilderness, where we would sin and he would pardon us and say to us: “Your camp shall be holy” (Deuteronomy 23:15). Bilam, too, looked at them, and his eye came out on their account5This is an expression of extreme frustration. because he was unable to touch them, as it is stated: “Bilam lifted his eyes [and he saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes]” (Numbers 24:2); these are the banners.
He began saying: ‘Who can touch these people, who know their ancestors and their families,’ as it is stated: “According to its tribes.” From here we learned that the banners meant greatness and protection for Israel; that is why it is stated: “Each at his banner.”