Her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their appearance was of sapphire:
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Old ivory. Whiteness shows its age. (Pliny, iii. 8.)
As it grows old it turns yellow, and loses much of its value. But the ancients had the art of dyeing it scarlet. (Virgil, Æneid xii.; Homer, Iliad iv.; Ovid ii. Am. v.) (Calmet)
Hebrew poninim may signify (Haydock) "pearls "the shells of which are stained with a delicate red; though the epithet ruddy may mean "shining "in which sense purpureus is used. (Horace, iv. Od. 1.)
The complexion of the Nazarites was fair, with a mixture of red, Canticle of Canticles v. 10. They were probably clothed in white, and were highly respected, 1 Machabees iii. 49., Amos ii. 11., and Numbers vi. 18. (Calmet)
Take my advice, my friend, and be slow to do evil but swift to your salvation; for readiness to evil and tardiness to good are equally bad. If you are invited to a revel, be not swift to go; if to apostasy, leap away; if a company of evildoers say to you, “Come with us, share our blood guiltiness, let us hide in the earth a righteous person unjustly,” do not lend them even your ears. Thus you will make two very great gains; you will make known to the other his sin, and you will deliver yourself from evil company. But if David the Great says to you, Come and let us rejoice in the Lord, or another prophet, Come and let us ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or our Savior himself, Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, or, Arise, let us go hence, shining brightly, glittering above snow, whiter than milk, shining above the sapphire stone, let us not resist or delay. Let us be like Peter and John, and let us hasten, as they did to the sepulcher and th...
The Christ of the Creator had to be called a Nazarene according to prophecy; thus the Jews also designate us, on that very account, Nazarenes after him. For we are they of whom it is written, “Its Nazarites were whiter than snow,” even they who were once defiled with the stains of sin and darkened with the clouds of ignorance. But to Christ the title Nazarene was destined to become a suitable one, from the hiding place of his infancy, for which he went down and dwelled at Nazareth, to escape from Archelaus the son of Herod. - "Against Marcion 4.8"
Here is viewed the knowledge of those consecrated to God, namely, the Nazarites, concerning whose consecration Numbers 6:13, and following, reports.
So, first is spoken of their beauty, second, their knowledge and subsequent shame. As said in Verse 8: "Now their visage is blacker than soot, they are not recognised in the streets; their skin has shriveled upon their bones, it has become as dry as wood." Thirdly, a comparison is considered as to punishment, as next said in Verse 9: "Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who pined away, stricken by want of the fruits of the field."
As to corporal beauty, a decent appearance is required, by which is a countenance of joyulness. As Verse 7 says: "Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire."
Also, an old dual color is required, namely,"red". As Verse 7 says: "their bodies were more ruddy than coral." And also as "w...
