Verse 15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." If this word is spoken by the beloved, it is a continuation of 2:13, which says, "The vines with the tender grape give a good smell." The "us" here is the same as the "our" in 2:12. "Take us the foxes" is in the imperative mood. The foxes always take away the fruit, whereas little foxes break the branches whenever they can. The foxes only want the fruit, and there is still a possibility of fruit-bearing. But the little foxes make it impossible to bear fruit. If we do not pay attention to the matters of the life of the cross before resurrection and the experience of ascension after resurrection, everything will be spoiled by the little foxes.
"The vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance" (RSV). This is only the time for blossoming and the giving forth of fragrance. This means that the state of perfection has not yet been reached. The manifestation of resurrection is just beginning, and the experience of ascension is just beginning. If we are not careful, the foxes can come and spoil them.
What are the little foxes? They are the small manifestations, habits, and introspections of the old life. They may not be big sins. But a little folly can spoil wisdom and honor (Eccl. 10:1). The little foxes are hiding behind the vines. If we are not careful, the vines will be destroyed.
The little foxes are the things that hinder a person from taking the first step in subjective things and that stop the vines from bearing fruit. If the resurrection life is not well established, there is the need to guard against the little foxes.
The maiden cannot deal with the small problems (the little foxes) alone; nor can they be dealt with by the King alone. They have to be dealt with through the cooperation of the maiden and the King.
Verse 16 says, "My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies." After the maiden has seen the King's attitude, heard his calling, and apprehended the complete union, she answers in this way. She turns back to review her past experience. One thing has satisfied her heart—her beloved is hers. She is already clear that her beloved is hers, and she also knows that she belongs to her beloved, but these are not the things that she is after now. She turns back to consider her past experience. (She is the center. In 6:3 the King is the center, even though she is mentioned as well. By 7:10 only the King is the center, and she has forgotten about herself.)
What she says is not wrong. But she does not answer his question. What a disappointing answer this is! We are not saying whether the answer is good or bad. We are asking whether she has heard what the beloved has said. A person who has freshly consecrated herself does not know what she should be to the Lord, yet she remembers how her beloved is to her. She is still the center, and she does not know that He should be the center. Nevertheless, she still has the feeling that she belongs to the beloved.