THE SONG OF SONGS - WHICH IS SOLOMON'S
INTRODUCTION
The SONG OF SONGS is one of the five Biblical books written
in Hebrew poetry. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.
There are many and varied ways that this book has been
interpreted, but the "literal system of interpretation" is the
best approach as always.
The allegorical approach, which makes the "literal"
people, events and things in the story have specific "spiritual"
counterparts is forced and fabricated being so totally arbitrary that the
intended purpose of the story loses any connection to reality. As written
in the Keil and Delitzsch Commentary of the Old Testament, "These
are the aberrations of individuals." Sadly, as with the rest of the
bible, these "aberrations" simply distort moral and spiritual
truth with the fantasies of an undisciplined mind that finds greater satisfaction
in emotional journeys of the imagination than in the principles that help
to defeat the passions of the sin nature.
Another difficulty arises when attempting to place a "typical"
application to the story. Since there is no stated intent to find an application
to Christ and the church, nor an inspired commentary in the New Testament
that assigns such an application, it once again becomes arbitrary to think
that God intends that some such correlation be made.
We must allow this story to stand on its own, presenting
as it does, the moral character of a young woman and her faithfulness to
the man she loves while being romantically pursued by the king of Israel.
Accordingly, the personal application we can find in this book revolves
around principles of courtship, sexual fidelity and a moral value system.
This book of poetry must be interpreted according to the
time in which it was written. Solomon is the villain, out of fellowship
with God and pursuing the lusts of the sin nature as per his life style
which is described in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon lived most of his
life in a frantic search for happiness but never found it until the end,
when he let go of his worldly pursuits and returned to fellowship with God.
One of his many pursuits was the collecting of women. As the king of Israel,
he was easily able to build a harem that at its height, contained 700 wives,
300 concubines, and a multitude of virgin maidens who served around the
palace, from among whom, Solomon frequently chose some for his sexual pleasure.
But Solomon's conclusion of all his worldly pursuits was, "vanity
of vanities; all is vanity," (Ecc. 1:2). One of his greatest disappointments
was his failure to win the love of a very beautiful woman from the plains
of Sharon, along the Mediterranean Coast in Galilee.
This play, written in Hebrew poetry, records Solomon's
attempt to woo this Shulamite woman and make her a queen. But he fails
and instead of appearing as a kingly nobleman, is portrayed as the immoral,
womanizing villain of the story. The Shulamite woman, on the other hand,
is the heroine of the story since her personal integrity and faithfulness
to both God and to moral virtue is exemplified in the events dramatized
in the play.
The story finds its place in our canon of Scripture in
order to provide an example of moral integrity, a teaching aid for courtship,
and an instrument of divine discipline for Solomon. What unique wisdom
and humor from God, that he would choose to publicly display Solomon's
failure while extolling the virtues of this young Shulamite woman -- firstly,
to all the nation of Israel, and then to the whole world by inspiring its
telling as part of His written revelation to the human race.
The book is written in a manner that presents it as a
play to be acted out in front of an audience. This is determined by the
structure of the story as it moves from scene to scene with specific parts
spoken by specific players. In fact, it is perhaps the greatest challenge
of the book to find the proper identification of the players and when they
speak their lines. The key to this is found in a close observation of the
Hebrew pronominal suffixes which identify the "you" as either
feminine or masculine. However, there are a few places where it is not
perfectly clear who the speaker is, and a certain amount of personal judgment
is required to make the identification. But for the most part, the players
are clearly separated one from another and identified by the content of
their lines.
The two most common views of the book are diametrically
opposite to each other. One view, the most commonly accepted today, sees
Solomon as a noble husband and the Shulamite woman as his loving wife.
It is thus claimed that we have a story of true love in marriage which
provides examples for married people of all times. A typical application
that flows from this, is that Solomon represents Jesus Christ and the Shulamite
woman represents the church, and we have portrayed a physical illustration
of the spiritual relationship and rapport that exists between Christ and
His church. There are many problems with this view, among which are:
(1) Solomon is a polygamist and cannot represent either
masculine nobility nor Christ as a "spiritual" husband to the
church.
(2) The lines assigned the Shulamite woman speak of Solomon
as a "third" party and another man as the specific object of
her affection.
The other view, which has already been stated, sees Solomon
as the womanizing, immoral villain of the story, and the Shulamite woman
as an unwilling recipient of his sexual advances.
THE PLAYERS in order of their speaking:
1. Daughters of Jerusalem comprised of the women of the
palace including wives, concubines and virgin maidens. (dj)
2. The Shulamite woman, a country girl from a family of
grape farmers. (sw)
3. Solomon (sol)
4. Brother(s) of the Shulamite (bros)
5. Chorus, which describes the scenes and makes commentary
throughout.
6. A jealous queen (qu)
7. The Shepherd with whom the Shulamite woman is in love.
(sh)
ACT I The Shulamite is brought
to Solomon's palace V. 1:2 - 2:7
Scene 1 - The Shulamite and the daughters of Jerusalem
meet.
V. 1:2-8
Scene 2 - Solomon tries to seduce the shulamite
V. 1:9 - 2:7
ACT II The Shulamite remembers
events that led up to her present situation.
V. 2:8 - 3:5
Scene 1 - The shepherd visits her at home and is rejected
by her brothers.
V. 2:8-17
Scene 2 - The Shulamite recalls a dream of searching for
the shepherd.
V. 3:1-5
ACT III Solomon has a great
feast
V. 3:6 - 5:1
Scene 1 - Solomon arrives at the palace
V. 3:6-11
Scene 2 - Solomon continues to woo the Shulamite
V. 4:1 - 5:1
ACT IV The Shulamite continues
to focus on her shepherd
V. 5:2 - 6:9
Scene 1 - The Shulamite recalls another visit from her
shepherd.
V. 5:2 - 6:3
Scene 2 - Solomon continues to woo the
Shulamite.
V. 6:4-9
ACT V The Shulamite is rescued
from Solomon's palace
V. 6:10 - 8:4
Scene 1 - The shepherd arrives at the palace
V. 6:10 - 7:9
Scene 2 - The Shulamite and the shepherd converse on the
way home.
V. 7:10 - 8:4
ACT VI The Shulamite and the
shepherd arrive at her home
V. 8:5-14
Scene 1 - The arrival
V. 8:5-7
Scene 2 - Acceptance by the family and a formal engagement
V. 8:8-14
THE TITLE
Song 1:1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.
ACT I The Shulamite is brought
to Solomon's palace
V. 1:2 - 2:7
How does the Shulamite get into Solomon's palace?
It is possible that she was kidnapped, as this was a common
practice, but there is no evidence that would suggest that Solomon did
this. At the same time, it must be recognized that in his condition of
being out of fellowship with God, it is very possible for him to have usurped
the woman's freedom and had her brought to his palace.
It is also possible that Solomon met her since her family
had probably leased the vineyard from him and he then had her invited to
the palace to serve with the many other women who dwelled there. It is
clear that she was assigned to manage and guard her family's vineyard (s/s
3:15). It is also very possible that that vineyard was leased from Solomon
(s/s 8:11) and it is possible that he saw her when he was visiting it.
But it seems more likely that he would have instructed some of the other
women of the palace to find out who she was and to invite her to the palace.
Although, the information at Song 8:11-12 suggests that he had offered
to forego the lease payment in exchange for having the Shulamite visit
him at the palace. She certainly would not have agreed to give him her
favors in exchange for release from the payment, but she would probably
have welcomed a visit to the palace to "escape" the laboring
in vineyards, in the sun and the dust, to which her brothers had assigned
her. They had done this as a preventative to her associations with the
shepherd, but it did not change her feelings for him in the least.
The next issue to address is, who exactly is the Shulamite
woman?
The geographical clues in the story are ambiquous and
nothing absolute can be determined, but I suggest that the woman lived
in Shunem, just a little southwest of the Sea of Galilee, within just a
few miles of Nazareth. Also, a few miles to the Southeast is the city of
Baalhamon (or Belmen), where the family vineyard was leased from Solomon.
Just to the South and West of them is the plain of Sharon, which was always
so saturated with the wild flower called, "rose of Sharon," at
verse 5:1.
The designation, Shulamite, at Song 6:13, is rendered
in the LXX as Sounamitis for shunammite (The Greek not using an "sh"
sound). Although some manuscripts (Aleph and A) have, soulimitis. There
is a Shunnamite woman named Abishag at 1 Kings 1:3, 2:17, 21, 22 and at
2 Kings 4:8, 12, which is rendered in the Greek as, sōmanitis.
The city is found at Joshua 19:18 where it is rendered in the Greek, as sounam; and at 1 Samuel 28:4, where it is rendered, sōnam;
and at 2 Kings 4:8, as sōman. Since both sounam and sōnam
are used in the Greek to represent the city of shunem, it is likewise to
be understood that both sounamitis and sōmanitis are used to
represent a Shunammite woman. It has been suggested that the designation,
Shunammite, in the Hebrew, was changed to Shulammite in order to provide
some assonance with Solomon, but there is no proof available for this theory.
And in fact, the Greek translation of the LXX, did not preserve that assonance
except in the two manuscripts mentioned above.
As mentioned in the introduction, there are a few places
where the identification of the speaker is ambiguous. The first statement
is one such example. Some claim that the first line spoken is by the Shulamite
who is thinking of her shepherd lover. However, even though the Shulamite's
occupation with her "beloved" is the central theme of the play,
it seems more likely that the first scene opens with the daughters of Jerusalem
all agog about the presence of Solomon as he escorts the Shulamite back
to the women's living quarters.
Another important factor mentioned in the introduction,
is the need to "visualize" the actions of the players as the
scenes open, progress and close. Thus we need to "speculate"
to a certain degree concerning the visual progress of the play from scene
to scene. My suggestions in this regard are to be viewed in that sense,
as my attempt to give the play a clarity, continuity and vitality that
is absent otherwise.
Scene 1 - The Shulamite and the daughters of Jerusalem
meet
V. 1:2-8
The text will be analyzed using the NASB as the launching
pad, with changes being made as appropriate.
As the scene opens, we see the living quarters of the
daughters of Jerusalem, where the wives, concubines and maidens all probably
reside together. The curtain rises and we see a group of these "daughters"
engaged in casual activity until Solomon enters, followed quickly but inconspicuously
by a young woman, very sunburned but quite beautiful. We know that Solomon
is present, because he is personally addressed by the daughters of Jerusalem
and because he speaks in scene 2 in the same environment as is presented
in scene 1. Those who want to make the Shulamite the first wife of Solomon
must explain away (albeit, inadequately) the presence of ALL these other
women and in so doing must "post-date" the statement at verse
6:8 to a time long after the monogamous marriage relationship that they claim
is represented by the language in chapters one through 5.
The daughters begin to muse to one another as expressed
by the first line:
(dj)Song 1:2a, "May he kiss me with the kisses of
his mouth!
Each one longs for Solomon's attentions, hoping that they
would be the next one chosen to spend some intimate time with him. The
wives and concubines are anxiously awaiting their "turn" while
the maidens (virgins) are wishing to be noticed by him. This is expressed
verbally so the audience is aware of their feelings and we should visualize
actions conducive to their speech.
Next they speak directly to and about Solomon as he stands
surveying his harem.
(dj)Song 1:2b, For your love is better than wine.
The "your" here is a 2nd MASCULINE singular
pronominal suffix and leaves no doubt that they are speaking to and about
Solomon. The term "your love" refers to his physical attentions
given to the women. It is this that they deem to be "better,"
as in more pleasurable, than wine.
(dj)Song 1:3a, "Your oils have a pleasing fragrance,
Solomon's personal fragrance, as produced by his use of
perfumed ointments, is very attractive to the women. Again, the "your"
is a 2nd masculine suffix.
(dj)Song 1:3b, Your name is {like} purified oil;
In fact they are so enthralled with Solomon that his very
name is music to their ears that spreads far and wide for all to hear.
The word "purified" is better rendered, "poured out,"
as with the KJV and NIV. The idea seems to be that as perfumed oil is poured
out in order for its fragrance to spread far and wide, so the very name
of Solomon exudes its greatness throughout the kingdom and the world.
(dj)Song 1:3c, Therefore the maidens love you.
The maidens are the almAh of the harem; the virgin maidens
who serve around the palace, attending Solomon and the various festivities
and daily tasks required to keep the palace fit for royalty. The word almAh
occurs only 7 times in the Old Testament, two of which are found in this
book (V. 1:3 and 6:8) and always refers to a virgin maiden, in spite of
attempts to prove otherwise (Gen. 24:43; Ex. 2:8; Psalm 68:25; Prov. 30:19;
Isaiah 7:14). From this group, Solomon also chooses as he desires, those
who are next to become the object of his physical affections.
(dj)Song 1:4a, "Draw me after you {and} let us run
{together!}
The NASB represents essentially what the Hebrew expresses
even with the {additions}. The daughters again express their individual
(me) personal desires, collectively, to be chosen by him and to follow
him. This is the dramatic way to communicate to the audience that it is
the wish of each of those admiring the king.
(sw)Song 1:4b, The king has brought me into his chambers."
Here, the Shulamite speaks for the first time, kind of
"introducing" herself to the others by announcing what Solomon
has done with her. We should be able to see this player take center stage
and address the daughters as they are gathered around. Again, the movements
of the players on the stage will assist us in picturing the flow of the
play.
Solomon had brought her into his private chambers to woo
and seduce her into complying with his physical advances. This is of course
what each of the women have been desiring for themselves and instead of
an overt expression of jealousy, they together express their joy for her,
that she was the one chosen. We know that it is she who speaks, for the
daughters reply and address her personally in the next line. The "new"
woman, however has expressed no interest in Solomon as she will express
to the daughters as soon as they stop "oohing and awing" over
Solomon.
(dj - turning toward the Shulamite)
Song 1:4c, "We will rejoice in you and be glad;
Here, the daughters address themselves to the newcomer
"you" as is indicated by the feminine singular pronominal suffix.
(dj - directing their attentions to Solomon)
Song 1:4d, We will extol your love more than wine.
Immediately after congratulating the young woman, they
return to their praise of Solomon who is still present, observing the interaction
between the women. Again, we know this because the daughters express themselves
to a masculine "you," as in indicated by the pronominal suffix.
Picture the daughters altering their attention from the woman back to Solomon.
She got their attention for only a moment, but since Solomon
is present, they are far more interested in focusing on him than anything
else.
(dj)Song 1:4e, Rightly do they love you.
The praise continues as they acknowledge the reason for
the love directed toward Solomon from the maidens. "you," once
again is a masculine form. It is only proper that these maidens are so
enthralled with Solomon because he is, for a variety of reasons, very attractive
to them.
(sw)Song 1:5a, "I am black but lovely, O daughters
of Jerusalem,
The woman interrupts again in order to clarify her situation.
She acknowledges her beauty (lovely) as an expression of genuine self-esteem
and confidence; true humility rather than prideful conceit, but she recognizes
also that she has been extremely sun burned and may not appear as one would
expect of a "maiden" in Solomon's palace. The word, "black"
is shechorAh and is used, not for the blackness of night, but rather for
the dark or gray that precedes the dawn. She is thus describing a discoloration
of her natural skin rather than a natural skin color, as is confirmed by
her words in verse 6. The word for lovely, is nAweh and simply means, attractive.
Also recognize that by addressing this group of women as the "daughters
of Jerusalem," she purposely excludes herself from their number and
chooses to remain distinct from them and their sensual desires toward Solomon.
(sw)Song 1:5b, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains
of Solomon.
She uses two illustrations to communicate to the daughters
and to assist the audience in understanding her situation.
The tents of Kedar refers to a group of Arab nomads (descendants
of Ishmael, Gen. 25:13) who would be regularly encountered by both the
vine keepers of Galilee as well as the shepherds and goat herders. this
reference then speaks of her home town and informs the daughters that she
is from the country.
The second illustration tells them that she has indeed
seen the personal chambers of the king as she references his curtains.
Her point is to clarify that she has indeed been chosen by the king but
she has also chosen not to accept his advances.
(sw)Song 1:6a, "Do not stare at me because I am swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
As she is speaking, the daughters give her a closer look
than before, and she takes advantage of their attention to explain further
the events that led up to her presence in the harem.
As I suggested earlier, the audience should observe the
daughters paying very close attention to the physical appearance of this
woman, expressing an air of curiosity and puzzlement. She explains the
reason for her condition as the sun's rays which have done her damage.
She then explains how it is that she was exposed to the damaging rays of
the sun.
Incidentally, she uses the 2nd masculine PLURAL form of
the verb whenever she addresses the group designated as the daughters of
Jerusalem. This normally means that the group addressed is all male or
contains both male and female. In this case we do not see a "mixed"
company of men and women unless the group contains several eunuchs. This
possibility could explain the use of the masculine plural since the eunuchs
would be "officially" identified with the daughters of Jerusalem,
being ever present and attending them.
There is no major significance to this other than it helps
us determine the recipient of words spoken at various places, such as at
verse 2:5.
(sw)Song 1:6b, My mother's sons were angry with me;
Some suggest that the impersonal manner by which she references
her brothers indicates that they are step-brothers. Contributing to this
is the fact that her father is never mentioned in the story at all, but
for that matter, neither is a step-father, so I don't place much confidence
in that theory. Besides, if they are her "mother's" sons, then
they are truly her brothers, albeit, half-brothers, but certainly not step-brothers.
Perhaps it is better to view her impersonal reference to them because it
is they who "banished" her to the vineyards and she does not
hold them very dear to the heart at the present moment. I do not want to
suggest that she is being petty or unforgiving, but simply expressing a
genuine and bona fide displeasure toward what they did.
The next issue to discuss is the reason for their anger
and her banishment to the vineyards. We learn later in the play that her
brothers do not approve of the man she loves, a shepherd from the hills
of Galilee. Later the Shulamite woman relates an incident where the shepherd
visited her at home and they went for a walk, after which, the brothers
sent her into the vineyards to watch over the vines. This is presented
in the play in Act 2, scene 1 (Verses 2:8-3:15). Another incident that
probably contributed to her "banishment" is recorded in Act 4
at verses 5:2-7, where she went looking for the shepherd late at night
and was abused by the watchmen of the city.
(sw)Song 1:6c, They made me caretaker of the vineyards,
This is clearly given to orient the daughters and the
audience to the situation "at home," which is related to how
she ended up at the palace.
This is confirmed by the information at verse 2:15, "Catch
the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While
our vineyards are in blossom."
This vineyard is probably not owned by her family, but
rather leased from none other than Solomon himself. This seems to be the
only basis for the reference at Song 8:11-12, where we see the fact that
Solomon leases out a vineyard and expects payment in return. It appears
that in his attempt to woo the Shulamite woman that he was willing to forego
the payment from her family in exchange for her favors. However she clearly
refuses the "trade" and tells Solomon that he can have his lease
payment, but her body ("own vineyard") is hers to give to whom
she pleases.
It is probable that Solomon first encountered the Shulamite
when he was inspecting his "property" or arranging for receipt
of the lease payment.
He arranged for her to be brought to the palace so he
could woo her, and her compliance to this move was probably to get out
of working outside in the vineyards. However, it does not indicate any
positive attitude toward Solomon's advances nor any compromise of her love
for the shepherd.
(sw)Song 1:6d, {But} I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
Because she has been "put out" to the vineyards
to work outside, she has been unable to care for her own body as was customary
for those who were not involved in constant physical labor. The change
from the literal, "vineyards" to the symbolic "my own vineyard,"
is given to communicate the sexual context for courtship and marriage.
The picture is of a woman who has something to share with the right man
and which he "gathers" when ripe. It expresses a mutual sexual
interaction that is referenced throughout the play, but which is denied
Solomon since this woman is totally devoted to the shepherd whom she loves
and for whom she is "saving" the fruits of her personal vineyard.
This sexual imagery is seen using the term, "garden"
at Song 4:16.
"Awake, O north {wind,} And come, {wind of} the south;
Make my garden breathe out {fragrance,} Let its spices be wafted abroad.
May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!"
And "the clusters of the vine" at Song 7:8,
"I said, 'I will climb the palm tree, I will take hold of its fruit
stalks.' Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine, And the fragrance
of your breath like apples."
And "vineyard" again at Song 8:12, "My
very own vineyard is at my disposal."
(sw - looking off into the distance) Song 1:7, "Tell
me, O you whom my soul loves,
She now looks beyond the daughters and off into an "unseen"
distance in reference to which she speaks to her absent shepherd lover.
In this manner, she emphasizes her occupation with someone other than Solomon
who is still present. She is expressing a desire that she might learn where
her shepherd lover is located so she could join him. Again, picture her
point of focus off into the distance and away from those who are present.
(sw)Song 1:7b, Where do you pasture {your flock,} Where
do you make {it} lie down at noon?
She is basically asking the question, "Where are
you?" Her desire is to join him and become his wife. As was the custom,
the virgins would remain veiled when out in public, but a married woman
was not required to do so.
When she expresses the question in the next line, she
is basically saying that there is no reason why she should remain as one
who must veil herself in public. If they were married, then she would not
have to veil herself when the "gang" is around.
(sw)Song 1:7c, For why should I be like one who veils
herself beside the flocks of your companions?"
It is clear that this person is not only a shepherd, but
has friends and associates who are also shepherds. They spend time together,
and the Shulamite has probably visited her lover when his friends were
present. If she were his wife, she would not have to remain veiled.
A further point to address the claim that Solomon himself
is the "shepherd" whom she addresses. It is claimed that Solomon
"posed" as a shepherd in order to be inconspicuous among his
people. But if this were the case, the Shulamite would be well aware of
it now and not be addressing "him" in this manner. No, it should
be clear that she is looking far beyond Solomon who is present, to another
who is not present.
(dj)Song 1:8, "If you yourself do not know, Most
beautiful among women, Go forth on the trail of the flock, And pasture
your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.
Here the daughters answer her by basically telling her
to go look for him if she does not know where he is. They have either been
informed or are assuming that she and her family have a herd of goats that
would need tending. They tell here to join the shepherd and his friends
by herding her own flock of goats along with them and their sheep.
Notice the address they use in reference to this woman.
They recognize her natural beauty and praise it with this emphatic title,
"most beautiful among women." This praise does not seem to be
empty flattery nor sarcasm, since they use the title two additional times
over the course of their interaction (Song 5:9; 6:1).
Scene 1 ends with both Shulamite and the daughters thinking
about someone other than Solomon who is standing right there. Scene two
will open with Solomon once again addressing the Shulamite woman with his
seductive speech.
Scene 2 - Solomon tries further to seduce the shulamite
in the presence of the others. V. 1:9 - 2:7
The curtain opens and we see the same location. Solomon
is standing before the Shulamite woman with the daughters of Jerusalem
looking on.
He continues his attempts to woo the Shulamite and convince
her to join him. He is quite aware of her rejection and her "occupation"
with someone else. His only hope is to convince her that he is better for
her than the one whom she loves. He certainly has much to offer and it
is the very nature of that "much" that can be a great source
of temptation to a young woman. However, the primary point of application
in this story is the nature of temptation and the believer's success in
resisting it.
I will develop that application at the end of scene two.
(sol)Song 1:9, "To me, my darling, you are like My
mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
The use of the term, "darling" is a term of
affection in an attempt to endear him to her.
In those days, horses were very valuable and here, Solomon mentions his
prize mare. The comparison is a serious compliment. He is saying again,
that she is the best, most beautiful of all the women he has seen. Whether this is empty flattery on his part or not is not
clear. But he is consistent with his compliments and the daughters are
in agreement with his evaluation, as we have already seen.
(sol)Song 1:10, "Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of beads."
He describes her physical beauty and the enhancement produced
by the jewelry she is wearing. He employs flattery to enhance his attempt
to win her favor. Another source of serious temptation comes when we are
flattered by others who would seek to influence us toward a specific course
of action.
(dj)Song 1:11, "We will make for you ornaments of
gold With beads of silver."
Here the daughters speak and suggest that they would add
to that enhancement by providing some gold and silver trinkets. They are
happy for her and Solomon's interest in her, and want to assist in getting
them together. This is one of the indications that the daughters are trying
to get the Shulamite to accept Solomon's advances and helps us to understand
why the Shulamite tells them not to "awaken or arouse my love until
it desires," (Song 2:7).
Another source of temptation is the temporal attraction
of material things. Nice clothes, jewelry, etc., can be the final blow
to a person's attempts to resist temptation.
(sw)Song 1:12, "While the king was at his table,
My perfume gave forth its fragrance.
The Shulamite replies to his advances by basically ignoring
them; speaking of him, impersonally, in the third person (since he is present)
and again speaking about the shepherd whom she loves. The daughters are
still present and the Shulamite addresses them instead of acknowledging
Solomon even in the least.
While the king was at his table, refers to an incident
while she was in his chambers. The word, "table," is māsabh,
and means something that is around you or something that is round. It apparently
refers to something that is in his chamber that he would relax around,
and thus indicates either a table or lounge or couch of some kind. The
point is, the Shulamite is in Solomon's private chambers and her perfume
was attractive to him. However, she resists his advances and thinks only
of her shepherd by describing him as one who is ever present in the mind
and soul of she who loves him.
(sw)Song 1:13, "My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.
Solomon is occupied with her aroma, but she is occupied
with the treasured memories of her shepherd.
My beloved is the word dōd, with a 1st common
singular suffix (my), which would be seen as dōdi (my beloved).
It is used 31 times in the Song and all but three times for the shepherd
whom the Shulmite loves. One time by the chorus; 2 times by the shepherd
for the Shulamite; 6 times by the daughters; 1 time by a queen, for Solomon;
and 23 times by the Shulamite for the shepherd. The first image she gives
us is that of the perfume bag that was commonly kept around the neck in
order to exude a pleasant fragrance. Solomon is smelling the perfume, but
she is thinking of her beloved as ever present in her mind. He is so "close"
to her in her thoughts, that she likens him to that very bag of perfume
and spices that was worn around the neck -- as "close" as something
could be to one's body.
(sw)Song 1:14, "My beloved is to me a cluster of
henna blossoms In the vineyards of Engedi."
The second image is that of beauty and fragrance. She
thinks of the henna blossoms in Engedi, which she had visited. Engedi is
located about 30 miles S.E. of Jerusalem on the west shore of the Dead
Sea. She thinks of her shepherd as one who is beautiful and attractive.
If we designate her "home town" (Shunem) to be in Southern Galilee,
then Engedi would be a place to visit and not where she lived.
(sol)Song 1:15, "How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are! Your eyes are {like} doves."
Solomon continues to woo her with more flattery and she
continues to ignore him. Some want to make this a verbal "exchange"
between Solomon and the Shulamite, but the context does not favor that.
Solomon uses a personal "you" when talking to the Shulamite,
but she has spoken in the 3rd person, impersonally, to a man who is not
present, but clearly very visible in her own mind. This "impersonal"
address already established, dictates the recipient of her words in verses
16-17, where she does use a 2nd masculine pronoun. Although she uses the
2nd masculine, the context reveals that she is not talking TO Solomon,
but to the one of whom she has been thinking in verses 7 and 13-14.
The word, beautiful, is the verb, yAphAh, and refers to
physical attractiveness either of men, women, things, etc. There is no
distinction in the Hebrew between "pretty" and "handsome"
as in the English. Thus, the adjective from this word is used by the Shulamite
in verse 16, to describe the physical attractiveness of her shepherd lover.
(sw - looking off into the distance) Song 1:16-17
Although it appears that the woman "answers"
Solomon in kind, as I have already suggested, she is not thinking of Solomon
but of the one whom she loves. One way to combat the attack of flattery
is to focus on one's value system and one's actual personal relationships.
It is quite reasonable to picture our heroine verbally addressing the one
whom she loves, and in a way that reminds her of his value to her in order
to de-value the words of her tempter.
1."How handsome you are: This is a focus on the shepherd's
physical attractiveness, using the adjective (yApheh) of the verb that
Solomon used of her.
2. my beloved: The 3rd time "dodi" is used and
it refers to the very same person as in verses 13 and 14 where the Shulamite
is thinking of someone other than Solomon.
3. {And} so pleasant!: The word, nAiym, focuses on his
personality.
4. Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!: Here she begins a
description of country homes and the country environment which she values
far above the palace environment of what Solomon offers to her. Couch (eres)
is a different word than what occurs at verse 12 and refers to a place
of relaxation and sleeping. It does not mean that the Shulamite and her
shepherd share a bed, but that there was a special place where they would
relax together out in the country. The word luxuriant is raanAn and indicates
something that is luxuriantly green and fresh. This further indicates that
she is remembering a special place out
in the country.
Song 1:17
1. "The beams of our houses are cedars: Notice the
plural "houses," which suggests that she is speaking of country
homes in general. She is remembering them and soliloquizing about them
because she is focusing on the contrast between them and the more comfortable
dwellings within the palace. She is using the memory of her "home"
to counter the temptations of Solomon's palace. Cedar (erez) refers to
the type of wood used to build these country homes.
2. Our rafters: This refers to the covering of the homes.
3. cypresses: The word, berothiym, only occurs here and
refers to branches rather than planks or logs. The word used for the "wood,"
is berosh.
She finds the quality of her country life far more attractive
than the palace life that Solomon offers her.
At this point, although the "man-made" chapter
division ends, the actual scene continues through Song 2:7.
(sw)Song 2:1
1. I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys: The
"rose" is a simple, common flower that thrived in the Valley
of Sharon along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Sea of
Galilee and the Dead Sea. The "lily" is also a common wild flower
of the region. The Shulamite is attempting to direct Solomon's attention
away from her by telling him that she is a plain 'ol country girl and should
not be the recipient of the king's interest.
Another common error in interpretation, usually in poetic
form (songs, poems, etc.) is to apply both of these "flowers"
to Jesus and to call Him the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.
This is inappropriate.
(sol)Song 2:2
"Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among
the maidens."
Solomon answers her with more flattery, and basically
says that she is far more beautiful than all the others. The comparison
is between the "lily" and the thorn BUSHES, not thorns. One does
not compare flowers with thorns, but flowers with flowers.
(sw - looking again off into the distance) Song 2:3
The Shulamite continues her soliloquy, recalling a time
when the shepherd took her "out to dinner."
She is not talking about Solomon. I repeat this for emphasis.
The basis for this interpretation has already been presented and adequately
established.
1. "Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the young men.
The Shulamite is still occupied with her shepherd lover
and speaks of him as having great VALUE. The issue in comparing the apple
tree to other trees is not one of "beauty" but one of worth and
benefit. The apple tree, being a food producer is far more valuable and
"beneficial" to people than the other trees. In this recollection,
she is not focusing on his physical attractiveness, but on his character.
2. In his shade I took great delight and sat down:
The imagery continues as she describes a time when they
were together. She found great pleasure in his company and was able to
be comfortable, knowing that his protection (shade) would take care of
her.
3. And his fruit was sweet to my taste:
This refers to the demonstration of his character (the
apples themselves) and how "fulfilled" she was by being with
him.
Song 2:4,
1. He has brought me to {his} banquet hall:
Notice that the word, "his," is not in the original
Hebrew text. It literally reads, "He brought me into a house of wine
(an inn)."
The change from "has brought" to "brought"
is an interpretive choice based on how one views the story. She is not
saying that "he" HAS done something, so that the result is "right
now" we are there. She is recalling an excursion that is in the past.
The Hebrew word, bo, in the hiphil perfect CAN be rendered either way,
for it communicates a "completed" idea to the action. The determination
of whether it is a "past" or a "present" action that
took place depends on the context.
The "banquet hall" is literally, a house of the
wine, and occurs only here in the entire Old Testament. Accordingly, its
meaning must be deduced from the context without placing a preconceived
idea upon it. Since it has been established that the Shulamite is not thinking
about Solomon, then Solomon's "banquet hall" would not be in
view. It could refer to the "house" where the wine was made;
after all, this is a "wine oriented" community since they are
growing grapes. However, we then need to suggest a "reason" for
the shepherd to take her there. A more likely possibility is that the "house"
refers to a public dining place, and the two of them went there for relaxation
and refreshment. The choices are a matter of speculation except that the
"banquet hall" choice seems less likely, since that would make
Solomon the object of her recollection and that is ONE thing he is not.
2. And his banner over me is love: The banner speaks of
protection and that fits well since they are "out" in a public
inn where a young woman would need protection. Again, she focuses on his
character as demonstrated in his love for her. Such a character and love
that she describes cannot possibly apply to Solomon since he is in a frantic
search for happiness as is described in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon
does not have the capacity to truly love anyone. At one time, yes, his
understanding (wisdom) of the divine value system was phenomenal, but
long before his encounter with the Shulamite woman, he lost all focus on
God's character and plan, and began his "all is vanity" pursuit
of pleasure. At this time he has collected 60 of the 700 wives he ends
up with, and 80 of the 300 concubines; not to mention all the maidens who
are not even counted (Song 6:8; 1 Kings 11:1-6).
As a result of thinking about her shepherd lover and his
love for her, she is emotionally exhilarated and "overcome" to
such an extent that she needs some physical refreshment. The next line
is addressed to the group of "daughters of Jerusalem" who are
present and listening to her.
Observe the scene on the stage -- the Shulamite will falter
a bit, look directly at the group of women and plea for something to eat.
(sw - looking toward the daughters) Song 2:5, "Sustain
me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, Because I am lovesick.
She is not "lovesick," but literally, "weak
from (of) love."
The Hebrew word for weak is, chAlAh, and it means to be
weak or sick, depending on the context. Here, the word occurs as a piel
participle in the construct state, which requires that it be translated
as "weak OF . . ." However, the understanding of the helping
word "of," depends on context. She is not saying that she is
"sick OF love," nor do I suggest that she is even "sick"
at all. However, it is quite reasonable to see her as being emotionally
drained (weak) as she thinks about this man's character and her own love
for him. Thus, the idea of "weak" FROM the love that is between
them does better justice to the context.
She is so overcome by the wonder of this man's character
and love for her that she is emotionally drained. She breaks from her recollection
of the event and requests from the group of people present, some food for
refreshment.
The two imperatives she uses are 2nd masculine PLURAL
forms with the 1st common singular suffix (me), so that "literally,"
she is addressing a group of people. As pointed out at verse 1:6, the use
of the 2nd masculine plural is the standard form she uses to address the
daughters of Jerusalem. The importance here is that it tells us that she
"breaks" from her story about the inn and asks of the "daughters"
who are present that they provide her with some refreshment.
Thus, the form of the verb is quite consistent with the
scene that is presented to us and also means that it would not refer to
something she is saying to the shepherd while they are at the inn.
She then thinks of a physical embrace from him -- either
one that occurred in the past, or one that she desires to occur in the
future.
(sw)Song 2:6, "Let his left hand be under
my head And his right hand embrace me."
Notice the rendering of the NASB, "let," although
being in italics, the editors recognize that it is an optional translation.
Compare with the NIV, which renders it as a simple present tense ("...is
under ... embraces me."), as does the King James Version. In the Hebrew,
we have two phrases.
(1) His left hand under my head: This is the first phrase
and it has no verb. There is no "past" or "present"
connotation that can be determined by this phrase all by itself. The word,
under, is a preposition (tachath) and the verbal "help" (is,
was, will be, let) is supplied based on the context, which will be determined
by the verb that occurs in the 2nd phrase.
(2) and his right arm embraces me: The word, embrace,
is the verb, chAbhaq, and occurs as a piel imperfect. The imperfect tense
can be either present action or a "future," anticipated action.
It can be either one.
To view it as a simple present, requires that she be thinking
of what they did while together during this outing. In other words, while
they were together they held each other close in a loving embrace -- and
this, she recalls and relates to emphasize her present occupation with
him "whom my soul loves," rather than any interest in Solomon. This
can also be rendered as an anticipation and desire for the expression of
physical affection in the future when they would again be together. In
either case, the force is not significantly different. She has enjoyed
physical affection with her shepherd lover and anticipates it for the future.
Her "love," that is, her affections are directed to the shepherd
and not to Solomon, and she rebukes the daughters of Jerusalem for trying
to get her interested in Solomon. Thus, the adjuration of verse 7.
(sw)Song 2:7, "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you will not arouse
or awaken {my} love, Until she pleases."
The word, adjure, is an uncommon but proper rendering
of the verb, shAbha, which usually means to swear or take an oath. It occurs
as a hiphil perfect, first person singular, and is used to make a strong
impact on the hearers. With the personal pronoun, you (plural) as the object
of the verb, we have the literal translation, "I swear to you."
It expresses the idea of putting the hearers under an oath, thus the translation
here (adjure), and at verse 8:4 (which is the exact same construction and
should not be translated differently) - "I want you to swear."
Either one is acceptable, but each of the four occurrences should be translated
the same (2:7; 3:5; 5:9; 8:4). The intent is to make the hearers think
seriously and take solemn responsibility for the desire they are expressing
- to force love upon or from another person.
The mention of the gazelles and the hinds (DOES is better)
speaks of the freedom and beauty of love. In this context, one of the underlying
principles is that romantic love should be mutual and un-coerced. Thus,
the use of these two animals in the Shulamite's adjuration, communicates
to the hearers the fact that, no matter how much they are attracted to
Solomon, there is no virtue in coaxing and pushing her to express the same
feelings.
The phrase, "do not arouse or awaken," communicates
the idea of influencing someone's emotions of romantic love to be expressed.
It counters the frequent attempt by people to force love out from someone
or on to someone.
The word love, is a noun with the definite article (THE
love). It refers then, to the IDEA of love and the principle that no love
should be forced onto or from another person. The implication made by the
NASB and the KJV by adding (although in italics) the possessive pronoun,
my, restricts the meaning. Although the Shulamite most certainly has HER
own love in mind, she is also speaking in principle to communicate one
of the main points of the play.
The daughters of Jerusalem are trying to get the Shulamite
to accept Solomon's advances and express her love for him. She says that
her "love" is not inclined toward him and should not be stirred
up "until it pleases." And of course, it will never be stirred
up toward Solomon because she is in love with the shepherd.
The words, arouse and awaken, are the same in the Hebrew
(ur), but occur in different stems. Arouse, is a hiphil imperfect and awaken,
is a poel imperfect. Hiphil communicates a causative idea and indicates
a stirring to activity. The poel is intensive, and is used in the same
way. However, when they both occur together, then the poel goes deeper
than the action and indicates a stirring of the soul and the emotions.
The phrase, "until she pleases", comes from
the verb, chAphåts (qal imperfect, 3fem. sing.), and means
to delight or have pleasure in something. The idea of delight here, refers
to readiness and volitional compliance.
The reason it is translated, "she," in the
NASB,
is because the noun, "love," is a feminine form and the pronoun
that points back to it will agree in gender. But "love" is an
idea and should be referenced by "it" rather than "she."
The NIV recognizes this and translates it, "until it so desires."
What is really strange is the KJV translation, "til he please,"
which is totally inconsistent with the grammar. The translation that best
expresses the idea here is either "pleases" or "desires."
The first act ends giving the audience a clear picture
of the Shulamite's faithfulness to her shepherd lover and her ability to
resist the seductive advances of Solomon and the pressure from the women
in the harem.
CT: "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the
gazelles and by the does of the field, that you don't arouse or awaken
the love, until it desires."
FIRST POINT OF APPLICATION
The Nature and Power of Seduction
1. There is an attraction to the material things of this
world that Moses viewed as "the passing pleasures of sin," (Heb.
11:25).
2. That does not mean that participation in the material
things is sin in and of itself, for in actuality, these "material"
things have been provided to us by God for our enjoyment while living in
this physical domain (1 Tim. 6:17).
3. But in a physical world where "physical"
comforts are important, they can easily become the main focus in life.
Mat. 13:22, "the worry of the world" and "the deceitfulness
of riches." (Lk. 8:14, riches and pleasures).
4. Jesus taught about this when he said that life does
not consist of (ie, revolve around) one's possessions (Luke 12:15).
5. A great challenge to one's value system comes from
the lure of physical comfort found through material possessions (Luke 21:34).
6. But that lure brings with it many pitfalls that can
actually destroy one's spiritual quality of life.
Paul summarizes these dangers at 1 Timothy 6:9-10. "But
those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish
and harmful desires which plunge men into (inner) ruin and (bodily) destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all the evils, and some by longing for
it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many
pains."
7. It takes a great deal of integrity to cling to one's
moral and spiritual value system in the face of material dependence. The
Shulamite woman did just that.
A lesser woman -- the hundreds in similar situations as
the Shulamite -- would give in, finding not only material security for
life, but the attentions of a very attractive man as well.
SEDUCTION
1. Seduction is a very real temptation for the moral believer.
A. If the temptation is attractive, it makes it all the
more difficult.
B. The key to having a consistent victory over any temptation is a value
system that finds no attraction in the temptation.
C. This requires the knowledge of spiritual and moral
truths that keep reality under the microscope of Divine viewpoint.
D. In our context, the woman is in love with a man from
her home town. She is protected from seduction by others because of that
love and because of her occupation with Divine viewpoint.
E. Her love for the shepherd makes the advances of any
other man UNATTRACTIVE.
F. Her occupation with divine viewpoint makes the side
temptations of wealth and material comforts unattractive.
G. The attitude of contentment, based on occupation with
God's character and plan, protects from every type of temptation. Prov.
2:10-14.
H. The Shulamite woman was able to resist the social pressure
from the other women because of her mental control. Song 2:7
I. Attacks on the M.A. of contentment are faced daily -
and are defeated by keeping one's focus on God's character and plan. Prov.
6:20-23
2. Sexual interactions between men and women are natural
and healthy.
A. They fall into two categories: premarital and marital.
(Rape does not qualify as an "interaction.")
B. Premarital interactions fall into categories:
courtship and seduction
1. Courtship is normal and to be encouraged.
It is the respectful search for a soul-mate to be one's spouse.
The emphasis is on the soul and not the body.
2. Seduction is self-gratifying and animalistic.
It is the search for physical or mental pleasure at the expense of another
person.
3. God has designed a system of morality that not only
protects the individuals within the human race, but preserves the overall
stability of society as well.
3. God has designed a system of morality that not only
protects the individuals within the human race, but preserves the overall
stability of society as well.
A. The morality of courtship and marriage revolves around
a very solid and wonderful foundation; the foundation of human love. Any
culture that de-emphasizes the value of love in marriage relationships,
loses both a stabilizing and a happiness factor.
B. That foundation, built with the bricks of a union of
SOUL rather than a union of body, cannot be destroyed while that union
exists. Song 8:6-7
The sin nature is the enemy of that soul union.
4. There are also subtle attacks that attempt to use that
union of soul to undermine the foundation of human love.
A. The biggest attack is that which rationalizes social
and moral protocol based on intensity of affection rather than the purity
of love. 1 Cor. 7:1-2, 8-9
B. Material needs, health concerns and physical protection
are things that can become a reason for the compromise of human love and
the divine morality that God has designed.
C. A man or a woman may be tempted to compromise morality
in order to protect or provide material needs for the love partner. As
noble as that may appear on the surface, it is never the divine viewpoint
solution. Sometimes this attack also targets one's family relationship
such as in the case of the Shulamite. Song 8:11-12
D. For the believer, there is nothing that can separate
us from the love of God which is in Christ and we need never fear the physical
consequences that may result when we maintain spiritual and moral integrity.
5. If the believer maintains his focus on spiritual and
moral integrity, there will be no attraction from the temptations of the
world, because they will all fizzle out as UNATTRACTIVE. Heb. 12:26; Philip.
3:7-8
A. The divine value system provides a quality of life
(peace, joy and even pleasure) that far exceeds anything this world can
offer. Prov. 3:13-18.
B. Solomon could offer the Shulamite nothing that was
attractive, because her value system was based on moral and spiritual truth
(looking on the INSIDE). Song 8:11-12
SeeTopic: TEMPTATION
Continue to Act II
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