6:13 Return. The speakers are most likely male, as indicated by the response of the girl here: “why should you (masculine plural) look . . . ?” They are possibly the watchmen of 5:7 from whom she has presumably fled. This identification would explain the suggestions of lust in their call. If so, she is still dreaming. A nightmarish quality returns briefly in this verse, only to be dispelled by the timely appearance of the girl’s beloved.

Shulammite. The designation probably refers to the girl’s hometown, as a variant spelling of “Shunammite” (1 Kin. 1:3, 15; 2:17–22).

two armies. See text note. Mahanaim is the name of a town east of the Jordan River (Gen. 32:2). The nature of the “dance before two armies” is unknown, but the word “look” suggests that the girl’s honor would have been compromised by performing it, causing her beloved to intervene as he does.