Ancient love poems like Song of Songs

One of the fascinating things that helps to date the Song of Songs is the strong parallel with other Middle Eastern love poems of the period. There are examples of Akkadian ("Nebo and Teshmetu") and Sumerian poems ("Bridal Sheets", "Ishtar and Tammuz") all with several parallels but the most similar are the Egyptian examples.

Egyptian examples

"The Oldest Love Poem" (L.2461) on display at the Istanbul Museum of the Ancient Orient is an erotic poem addressed to king Shu-Sin (c.2027-2029) in ancient Sumerian cuneiform. It opens with the words "Bridegroom, dearest of my heart, your beauty is sweet, sweeter than honey. You are a Lion, dearest of my heart..." (Image: Public domain).

The Egyptian love songs containing the closest parallels with Song of Songs are from the nineteenth and twentieth Dynasties (c.1300-1150) which corresponds with the date of Solomon's reign. Solomon himself had an Egyptian wife, the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Kings 3:1), so his familiarity with this style of literature is assured. This gives us an even greater indication that it was the king who composed the Song of Songs to fit with that contemporary genre of literature.

Similarities can be seen in the overall structure of the poem, as the male and female lovers each take turns to sing and also when the lovers break off into a soliloquy, speaking their thoughts aloud whilst they are alone. In addition both use the words "brother" or "sister" as an affectionate term for their loved one. (In the translation below I replaced these words to aid understanding but they are underlined).

In both the Song of Songs and these poems the singers describe their passion and aspects of their lovers with metaphors from the world of plants (lotus lilies, trees, etc) and animals (gazelle, horses, etc) and in both the man's love is said to be better than beer or wine.

Examples of Egyptian love poems include the Cairo Loves Songs, The Turin Love Songs and the Papyrus Harris 500. Below are examples from the Chester Beatty Papyrus I: Love Songs. These examples below have been created as modern language equivalents to A.H. Gardner's translations from 1931.

Recto C.41-47 (extract)

Third Stanza, from The Nakht-Sobek Cycle of Papyrus Chester Beatty I

The wind may bring her fragrance to you,

Perfume spreading all around

So that all those present are intoxicated.

The goddess of love has destined her

For you as a reward.

So she will to restore you to life.

How clever is this woman in casting a noose,

She defies comparison.

She casts a noose upon me with her hair,

She will catch me with her eyes.

She will subjugate me with her thighs,

And then may brand me with her seal.

Poem 2, from IIC, The Third Collection,

Papyrus Harris 500

You summon me like a flower summons a bee.

I am your woman, the best one;

I belong to you like a plot of ground

That you plant with flowers

And sweet-smelling herbs.

Sweet is its stream,

Dug by my own hand.

A beautiful place to wander in,

Refreshing in the north wind.

Your hand is in my hand.

My body thrives, my heart rejoices

As we walk together;

Your voice is as sweet as pomegranate wine,

I live to hear it.

Every glance of your eye,

Strengthens me more than food or drink.

Menna's Daughter Offering to her Parents, Tomb of Menna (c.1350) (Image: Public Domain)

Verso C from the Papyrus Chester Beatty I

First Stanza : The Boy

She stands alone, my lady is without peer, the most beautiful of all mankind.

She is like the star-goddess rising at the beginning of a happy year.

Shining, pale-skinned, exquisite, her lovely eyes are constantly gazing.

Her sweet are her lips with which she speaks but not a word too much.

Her neck is long, her breasts are white, her hair is like lapis lazuli.

Her arms surpass gold, with fingers like lotus petals,

Full buttocks, narrow waist, and legs bring forth her splendour.

Her stride is a like a magic-spell; my heart is spellbound in her embrace.

She’ll turn the head of any man and they will be dazzled at the sight of her.

Joyous would be the any man who embraces her, he would be the chief of lovers.

When one sees her going forth, it is like the arrival of the goddess.

Second Stanza: The Girl

My man's voice unsettles me and leaves me feeling lovesick.

He is a neighbour to my mother's house but I cannot go to him.

My mother may be right to charge me, "Stop staring at him!"

My heart is in turmoil when I think of him; My love for him has captured me.

He may be reckless, but I am reckless too.

He must not know how I long to embrace him or he would contact my mother.

Oh my love, I was destined for you by the goddess of love.

Come to me and let me gaze on your beauty, surely my parents will approve.

All men will rejoice at you with one accord, they will honor you, my love.

Third Stanza: The Boy

My heart decided to search out her beauty while I was sitting in at home.

But on the road, there was Mehy in his chariot, together with his lusty men.

I didn't know how to remove myself from his path. Should I just walk boldly by?

But no! The road is like a raging river - I don't know where to put my feet?

Oh, my heart is so stupid, why are you so afraid of Mehy?

Look, if I pass him by he'll see where I am going!

“Hey, I am yours” I might as well say, and he will boast of my name,

And put me in first place in the harem of one of his cronies.

Fourth Stanza: The Girl

My hearts races quickly when I think of you, my love.

It will not suffer prudence and bursts out of its place.

It won't allow me to get dressed or attire myself with a fan,

To put on my eye-shadow or even anoint myself in oil.

“Don't stay here, go to him” it says to me when I think of him.

Don’t be a fool, my heart, why are you being so crazy?

Be calm, be still, your lover will come. My eyes will see him soon.

I don’t want people saying about me, “She is a woman hysterical with love”

Stay calm when he comes to mind. Oh heart, stop pounding!

Fifth Stanza: The Boy

I adore the goddess of love, I extol her majesty,

I exalt the mistress of heaven, I give worship to Hathor,

And praise to my lover. I prayed to her and she heard my petition.

She decreed for me my lady. She came of her own accord to me.

How great is this, which has happened to me!

I rejoice, exult and am proud ever since it was said “Look, there she is!”.

When she came the young men bowed in reverence

for the greatness of their admiration of her.

I prayed to my goddess, that she may give me this lady as a gift.

It was already three days yesterday since I first made my petition in her name,

but she has gone for five days.

Sixth Stanza: The Girl

I walked through the neighbourhood of his house and I found his door open.

My love was standing beside his mother, all his brothers and sisters with him.

Love of him must capture the heart of everyone who walks past.

An excellent youth, there is no one like him; a man outstanding in virtue.

He saw me as I passed by, and I was in heaven.

My heart rejoiced with jubilation, 

My love, when you looked at me.

If only your mother had known my heart,

she might have gone indoors for a time.

Oh goddess of love, put that idea into her mind;

Then I will run up to my man and will kiss him before all his siblings;

I would not be embarrassed. I'd be glad that they saw and see that you bless me.

I will make a festival for my goddess. My heart is all aflutter,

Seventh Stanza: The Boy

It has been seven days since I have seen my girl,

a sickness has crept up upon me.

My limbs have become heavy and I can barely move.

The master physicians come to me,

but my heart has no comfort in their remedies.

The magicians are useless;

they don't understand my ailment.

I have told them what will revive me,

her name is what will raise me up.

The coming and going of her messengers revives my heart.

More beneficial to me is my girl than any remedy.

She’s more vital to me than an entire

compendium of medicine!

My salvation is her coming to me.

When I see her I will be well;

One look from her eyes and my limbs will

become young again;

Hearing her voice will make me strong.

And when I embrace her, she will banish all

darkness from me.

But she has been gone for seven days.

Hieroglyphics transcribed by A.H. Gardiner (1931) of this poem, Verso C from the Papyrus Chester Beatty I (Image: Public Domain. )

Verso G and H from the Chester Beatty Papyri I

The lady sings:

Oh, I wish that you would come to your lady quickly.

Like a royal envoy whose lord is impatient for his message,

And his heart is set upon hearing it;

An envoy for whom all the stables have been requisitioned,

And there is a horse at every way-station

And chariot already harnessed.

There's no time to rest the road.

When you reach the house of your lady

Your heart will rejoice.

Oh, I wish that you would come to your lady quickly.

Like a horse belonging to the king,

Selected from a thousand steeds,

The best in all the stable,

Distinguished above all others in its diet.

Its master knows its paces.

If it hears the sound of the whip, there's not holding it back.

There is not master charioteer who can match its speed.

Your lady knows well that you are not far away.

Oh, I wish that you would come to your lady quickly.

Like a gazelle bounding over the plain,

Its feet stumbling and its legs faint.

Panic having entered into its bones;

For the huntsman is after it,

And the hounds are with him!

But they don't even see its dust,

For it sees a resting place like a snare,

It has taken the river like a road.

You will reach my cave,

And your hand will be kissed four times.

You are in pursuit of your lady's love,

And the goddess of love has destined her for you, my dear.

An image of this exact poem “Verso G and H from the Chester Beatty Papyri I” so named as they are housed in the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Ireland. (Image: Public domain.).

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Is the Song of Songs like a Zajal/Ghazal

In Arabic culture today there is a tradition called a Zajal. A Zajal is a semi-improvised and semi-sung verbal contest or debate between two or more zajjalin (improvisational poets). Such contests are often performed at weddings, accompanied by drums, tambourines, flutes, and other instruments as well as a chorus of men or women (Reddadi) who sing choruses or call-and-response sections.

The specific Zajal tradition is said to have originated in Andalus around the mid 4th century, but I wonder if the general format may have more ancient roots in the Middle East. The genre is still lively today in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. These are all areas mentioned in the Song of Songs (Lebanon, 4:15; Jerusalem and Tirzah, 6:4; Gilead, 4:1).

At a Zajal, the debate or verbal duel between the zajjalin is followed by a recitation of love poetry called Ghazal. The Ghazal is a type of amorous poetry which includes central themes of love, desire, and beauty as well as the pain of loss or separation from one's paramour, themes similar to the Song of Songs. The Ghazal tradition is renowned for its ambiguity and double entendre. Learning the common tropes such as the garden, birds and flowers, etc. is the key to appreciating the song's meaning.

The scant evidence that there is for wedding traditions in early Iron Age Israel/Canaan suggests that there was music at weddings, intended to gain divine blessing for the marriage and to ensure the couple had healthy children. Although there is no external evidence to suggest that there were any type of oral competition/debate at weddings, once I discovered this musical art form, I became convinced that the Song of Songs was very similar to a wedding Zajal improvised poem for the amusement of their guests. That is therefore how I have portrayed the book in the comic.

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Did Solomon the Write Song of Songs?

Scholars and historians love to question and challenge every detail of the Bible and some even question the authorship of this book. So what evidence supports the idea of Solomon as the author of this book?

For many the matter is put to bed in verse one: "Solomon’s Song of Songs."

However, the Hebrew term phrase “Song of Song of Solomon” is very complex and may be variously understood as "of/to/for/about Solomon". The title may therefore imply that Solomon wrote the poetry, that the poems were dedicated to him, or that the songs were composed about him. There is no definitive way of deciding between the four meanings. The most straightforward way to understand it seems to be that the author is identified within the text. However, some suggest the song is merely dedicated to Solomon and a later fabrication.

Dating: One interesting detail is that in verse 6:4, Solomon compares his bride's beauty to Jerusalem and Tirzah. Jerusalem is obviously the throne's seat of power during Solomon's day and Tirzah is another major city within his kingdom. However, shortly after Solomon's death, during the reign of his son Rehoboam, Tirzah was lost to David's line when the northern kingdom broke away from Judah after the people revolted against the heavy taxes levied by the new king. Tirzah became the early capital of the rebel state in the north and so it is scarcely conceivable that if a later Jewish author had written the book, that author would have referred to both Jerusalem and Tirzah in such favorable terms. Indeed, various locations in both the north and the south are referenced equally (Engedi, Hermon, Carmel, Lebanon, Heshbon etc), so from the internal evidence, the author seems to be unaware of a divided Kingdom, which strongly indicates a date that precedes the reign of Solomon's son. 

Language: Scholars who try to advocate a later date for the Song of Songs, point to certain linguistic elements within the text that they claim are influenced by later Greek and Aramaic. However, the supposed Aramaic words have been proven to be part of much earlier text (Job, Judges etc). The alleged Greek words for "palaquin", (3:9) and "orchard" (4:13) in each case, could equally be derived from the contemporary Sanskrit from India. Solomon likely traded with India, given the references to spikenard and ivory.

Frame of reference: While it is not conclusive proof of Solomon’s authorship, throughout the song, there are references to and comparisons with truly rare and precious items. These include not only gold, silver and gemstones but ivory, cosmetic powders, spikenard, myrrh and frankincense. Many of which were imported from far-off countries. Also, Pharaoh's cavalry is referenced in verse 1:9, which ties in with the statement in 1 Kings 10:28 that "Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue —the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price." all of this implies the author's familiarity with both royal luxuries and international trade.

In 1 Kings 4:32-33, it says of Solomon that "he spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish." So not only was the King known for his many songs, he had a keen interest in the flora and fauna of the world. The Song of Songs refers to twenty-one varieties of plant life and fifteen types of animals, so both elements support the authorship of King Solomon himself. 

For a more detailed breakdown of this discussion, please consult "A Survey of the Old Testament Introduction" By Gleason L. Archer.

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Is Song of Songs an allegory?

The facts that Song of Songs is part of the canon of Scripture and that its name means "the greatest of all songs" implies to many that there is more to the book than a poem between lovers and that it has a greater or prophetic significance, with symbols pointing to a more profound spiritual truth.

YHWH and the nation of Israel

In some Jewish traditions, the song (Shir Hashirim in Hebrew) is thought to represent God's love for Israel. Indeed, God is repeatedly pictured as being married to the nation of Israel (Jer. 2:1, Ezek. 16:8, Hosea 1-3, Is. 54:6, etc.) and Israel is called His beloved (Jer 11:15; 12:7). These traditions understand the love between the wife and husband in Song of Songs as a metaphor for God's love for his people.

The book is traditionally read with a blessing on the first night of Passover at the end of the Seder meal. Some rabbis see the “song of Solomon” itself as a midrash written by Solomon about the Exodus. (Vanessa Lovelace defines midrash as "a Jewish mode of interpretation that not only engages the words of the text, behind the text, and beyond the text, but also focuses on each letter, and the words left unsaid by each line.”) These rabbis see parallels between YHWH coming to take the maiden/Israel out of her life of toil in the sun (1:6), her being initially rejected (2:17) but then reconciled and betrothed, being brought out of the land of toil and into a covenant relationship (marriage/the Law), and then, ultimately, running off to the countryside/promised land together with her husband/God (6:11 and 8:14). Even beyond this, these rabbis examine every word in parallel with the Exodus story looking for connections and hints of deeper meanings.

At the Council of Jamnia in the late first century, Rabbi Akiva, speaking against the potential exclusion of Song of Songs from the Hebrew canon exclaimed, "Heaven forbid! [...] For all of eternity is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies."

Christ and the Church

While some Christian commentaries strain to make every word of this sensuous book fit an allegory of Christ and his bride to an unnecessary degree, there are some very compelling parallels when the book is considered in broad strokes.

If it was written by Solomon (or his contemporaries) as an allegory about the future coming of the Messiah, this was not conceived as a metaphor but done prophetically through the working of the Holy Spirit. In this interpretation, following the two-person narrative, Christ is the king and the maiden is "the bride of Christ,” that is, the church (Ephesians 5:25–32, Rev. 19:6-9).

The king (Revelation 17:14) comes (the first time) to visit his beloved in a humble guise (Isaiah 53:2) as a shepherd (John 10:11-18). She falls in love with the humble shepherd and the two are engaged (Song 3:4) and so he becomes the bridegroom (Matt. 25:1–13, John 3:29). As Jewish customs dictate, the groom then goes away to make a home for her (John 14:3). Later the wedding party returns with a company of friends (Matt 25:31) and she discovers that he is the king. Then she is taken up to be married (Rev 19:6-9) in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48, Rev. 21).

There is also a three-person interpretation in which Christ is the shepherd who rescues the maiden from the world/the evil king. To my mind, this allegory doesn't fit as well as the two-person view because it does not sufficiently take into account the New Testament images of Christ being both shepherd and king, being the “bridegroom,” and having a wedding in connection with the New Jerusalem. So I believe I have good reasons for choosing the two-person view for the comic.

In the cover below you can see allusions to the allegorical nature of the book, as the lover’s kiss forms a lamb, the Lamb of God.

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What is the Three-person interpretation is the Song of Songs?

The interpretation depicted in the comic is one of three main ways to interpret the Song of Songs and its meaning. The three interpretations are sometimes called the three-person narrative, the two-person narrative (illustrated) and the no-narrative views.

In the three-person narrative, the shepherd and King Solomon are not the same person. The idea is that the girl is intended to be married to the rich and powerful King but is already in love with the common shepherd who is her true love. Later Solomon (who is the villain of the piece) comes and takes her away to make her his bride. She twice escapes the palace by night and seeks her love, and then at the end, the two run away together.

At the opening of the book, she talks about kissing her love and says "Take me away with you—let us hurry!" which is taken to indicate that she wishes to escape (1:4). The following half of the verse can be taken in two ways, either "Let the king bring me into his chambers" indicating that she is keen for the king to be the one to take her away from her life of toil, or "the king has bought me into his chambers”, which could be understood as her having little choice and thus is calling for a saviour.

In the song, the maiden seems to go into the town at night on two occasions to seek out her lover. The three-person view heavily rests on the idea that she is escaping the royal palace at night to meet her true love, the shepherd. Proponents of this view point to the guards beating her as evidence that she is not where she should be (5:7) and the Daughters of Jerusalem saying “how is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you so charge us?” (5:9) as evidence that her beloved cannot be, therefore, the King who is famous. In my study of this book, I am not persuaded by this argument, however, because her second trip into town is not an actual event but part of a dream she is recalling as she says at the beginning of the tale "I slept but my heart was awake”. (5:2)

In the three-person interpretation, the verse "Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels of silver. But my own vineyard is mine to give..." (8:11) implies that Solomon is not who she is speaking to, as he is named in the third person tense and that she is saying her vineyard/love is her own and she will give it to the one she loves (the shepherd). Again, the following verse can be taken in two ways "...the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon" could indicate that she is speaking to Solomon and that although she could choose to give her love to whom she pleases, it pleases her to give her love to the King. The other interpretation is that Solomon let out his vineyard (his sexuality and person) to "tenants" (i.e. the thousand women of his royal harem) and "...the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon” means the “the thousand women are for you” but my vineyard will go to whom I love.

At the end of the book, she says "Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains" and this is taken to mean that she runs away with her shepherd. (8:14)

If this view was the correct interpretation, the moral of the book is supposed to be that one should follow their emotions, marry for love and not be seduced by wealth and status (marrying a king). This sounds like a good moral today but, I believe that the fact she says “the king has bought me into his chambers” (1:4) and later, when Solomon is crowned with a wedding crown (3:11) implies that she marries the king or is at least engaged, though it is not explicitly stated. In ancient Israel, even a betrothal was as sacred as a marriage, and for an engaged woman (or a married woman) to run off with another man was considered adultery. Despite the fact that Solomon having dozens of wives and concubines also doesn’t fit with the biblical ideals of a monogamous marriage, it seems more likely to me that this song is, nevertheless, about the love and marriage of Solomon to this maiden, as in verse 6:8 he says “Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.”

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Prayer

Spanish editions: Please continue to pray we can get the Spanish books into expert hands to get them out to the vast Spanish audience.

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WHAT DO THE IDIOMS IN SONG OF SONGS MEAN?

While some of the idioms and comparisons in the Song of Songs are clear like the scent of incense and flowers, others can seem perplexing. Below is a list of some of the key idioms used in the books and notes on what commentators believe they refer to. An important note is that the references are not always what things look like but their strengths or characteristics. 

Mare (1:9-11): It's believed that Pharaoh's chariots would have been drawn exclusively by stallions, so a mare among them implies she is extremely diverting. A battle tactic attested in Egyptian literature was to release a mare in the vicinity of an enemy’s chariots so that the stallions pulling the chariots would become distracted and chaotic. An alternative interpretation that supposes a mare is pulling Pharaoh's chariot suggests that she looks majestic in the finery of a royal chariot horse. (See image, facing page.) 

Earrings of gold studded with silver (1:11): As in Proverbs 25:11, the image of a finely crafted piece of precious jewellery was commonly used in the Ancient Near East as a metaphor to demonstrate devotion and affection.

Lily of the Valley (2:1-2): The rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valley are small, everyday flowers, so it is believed that the woman is saying she is common and insignificant in comparison to other flowers/women. The man retorts to say that if she is a lily, by comparison, all other women are thorns.

Lilies (2:16, 4:5, 5:13, 6:2-3, 7:2): Some translators consider the lilies mentioned here to be lotus flowers, which were very important symbols of sensuality, fertility, and vitality in Egypt and Canaan.

Young stag/gazelle (2:9, 17, 8:14): The woman is likely referring to the strength, speed, and vitality of the animal, as well as the virility, in some cases. These animals could also be being used as a metaphor for love, as they were closely associated with a variety of love goddesses in the Ancient Near East.

My vineyard (2:15, 8:12): While a real vineyard is sometimes in view, many times her/your/our vineyard is referred to and means her love or something more physical. 

Little foxes (2:15): In this verse "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom." it is difficult to know who is speaking, but generally the little foxes are thought to be other potential suitors who may come to burrow in or generally despoil her vineyard. She may be asking him to keep her safe from them, or he might be asking her to keep them away.

Dove's eyes (4:1, 5:12): While some doves have iridescent colors surrounding their eyes which could indicate her eye makeup, doves figure prominently on seals and other iconography as a symbol of lovemaking or seduction. They are sometimes understood as messengers of love. In this case, it is most likely that the eyes are being ascribed seductive power.

Goats (4:1): This description likely is visual as some breeds of goat have long glossy black coats. 

Sheep (4:2): Newly shorn and washed sheep are very white, and "each having its twin” means that the woman is not missing any teeth. That is something that was not as common then as it is today.

Pomegranates (4:3,13, 6:7, 7:12, 8:2): "Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.” This is a perplexing verse, but I discovered that the Hebrew רַקָּה translated “temples" could be substituted for cheeks, which makes much more sense. However, in chapters 6-8, it is more likely that “pomegranates" refers to breasts, based on the fruit's physical qualities.

Tower (4:4, 7:4): Perhaps a reference to being tall and slender as in contemporary art and literature from Egypt and Canaan, a long neck was a characteristic of a beautiful woman. This could also indicate strength.

Twin fawns (4:5, 7:3): This is one of the most obscure idioms to our ears. Few commentaries have satisfactory explanations for the image. However, the young twin fawns may represent youth and vitality as well as uniformity (twins).

Fountain/ stream (4:12, 15): In the hot climate of Israel streams of water make the land fertile, so fertility is likely the focus of these verses. 

Mountains and hills of incense (4:6, 8:14): The most straightforward understanding of these verses is that the hills and mountains in question relate to her body. 

Closed Garden (4:12,15-16, 5:1): Like the vineyard, the garden throughout the song seems to be a metaphor for her body. Solomon praises her for being a locked garden, to which she retorts that he may now come in. It seems to be a common metaphor of the period, as in Sumerian literature the term was often used as to describe the lover’s partner (i.e "you are a well-stocked garden”). In Akkadian proverbs, women are often described as “a garden of delight.” In Egyptian love songs, women often describe themselves as a garden or field abundant with all sorts of plants.

Sister (4:9-10): Sister is a generic friendly term for a woman, whether she is a blood relation or not.

Cedars (5:15, 8:9): The wood of cedar trees is renowned for their strength, beauty, and fragrance. This is a wood of luxury and quality.

Pools of Heshbon (7:4): Pools of water reflect the light and so function as an excellent metaphor for the beloved’s dazzling eyes. Excavations at Heshbon uncovered a large water cistern or reservoir from the eighth century B.C. that is highly likely to be the inspiration for this image. The city is located in a region that is arid during the summer, so the light reflecting off this cistern would have been a beautiful and reassuring sight.

Wall or a door (8:8-10): Her brothers sing about whether their little sister should be characterised as a wall or a door. A wall is designed to keep men out; a door is designed to open and let men in.

“Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” (2:7, 3:5, 8:4): This repeated charge from the bride to the Daughters of Jerusalem (that is, the local women present at the wedding) is, I believe, the central theme of the book. This is a warning not to fall in love or become passionate with desire until the appropriate time, which would be in the context of marriage.

Lastly, while creating this book I noticed that in verses 5:11-13, the bride says of Solomon that "his hair is wavy and black as a raven … His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh." I was interested to note that when Jesus speaks of King Solomon in Luke 12:22-34, he also uses ravens and lilies in his examples.

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. [...] “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!"

We hope you’ve learnt something from this, and enjoyed reading it.

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Who was the Bride in Song of Songs?

In the Song of Songs, you might be surprised to realise that the main character/the key protagonist, is the bride and not Solomon or anyone else. She has most of the dialogue and the background, hopes, fears and even dreams within the story are hers. In literature, the "hero's journey" is a common template of stories that involve the protagonist going on an adventure, winning a significant victory, being transformed and/or returning home. The bride's tale embodies all these steps and her lover is more or less the supporting character.

We will look at whether she represents a larger truth in the next article, but within the book’s setting, who is she?

Origin: Towards the end of the story (6:13), we get the biggest clue as to where she is from . She is called the "Shulammite". This cannot be a proper name, but some propose that it is merely a title that is derived from her husband's name, Solomonite (i.e. Mrs. Solomon). However, it seems more likely (especially in the context of the verse) that the people calling to her don't know her name but know that she is from a village called Shulam, and call her a Shulam-ite (like an Israel-ite, or Canaan-ite). This village, identified with modern-day Sulam, and named Shunem in Joshua 19:18, was located in the Jezreel Valley, north of Mount Gilboa and close to Mount Moreh. Shunaam is also listed as a town conquered by the Egyptian pharaohs Thutmose III and Shoshenk I. It is first mentioned in the Amarna Letters.

Additionally, in verse 8:11 Baal Hamon is identified as the location of Solomon's vineyard, with the implied connection to her brothers as the tenant farmers of the land, connecting with the early verses about her working the vineyards (1:6). The identity of Baal Hamon is uncertain but a possible identification links with Balamo (LXX. Βεελαμων), mentioned in the Book of Judith (verse 8:3) in proximity with Dothan which is also within the Jezreel Valley.

However, another theory by exegetes such as Ibn Ezra a medieval Jewish writer, understands the word as “the Jerusalemite,” a feminine epithet derived from Salem (Hebrew shalem), an ancient poetic name for Jerusalem (Psalms 76:2). Given the many references to the city this is another possibility.

Family: From the story, we can infer that the woman’s father is not on the scene. This means he is deceased or estranged. The woman lives with her mother and brothers and is perhaps given preferential treatment as she is called her mother’s favorite (6:9). At the beginning of the story, she is somewhat of a Cinderella figure, slaving away in the fields and vineyards for her three wicked (or jealous) siblings, just a simple hard-working country girl.

In verse 7:1, she is referred to as "prince’s daughter" which seems like a contradiction at first, but if we keep her humble lifestyle in mind, it is possible that she is the daughter of the chiefs of one of the tribes of Israel. The word…

…is used for such tribal leaders/princes throughout Numbers, Joshua, Kings, Chronicles and other books. Perhaps most relevantly here: "Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs ( ) of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David." 1 Kings 8:1. If the woman’s home was Sulam/Shunem, her family lived in the tribal allotment of Issachar, so she was perhaps the daughter of a deceased "prince" or minor chief of Issachar. Another possibility is that calling her a “prince’s daughter” it simply idiomatic and means that she is of gracious and noble character (as when a lady is called a “goddess”).

Other hypotheses: Other theories suggest that the bride could be the Queen of Sheba or Solomon’s first wife, who was a princess from Egypt, but the bride's stated background of slaving away in a vineyard in the hot sun (1:6), running about the streets at night (3:1-4), owning goats (1:8), and coming up from the wilderness (8:5) do not fit a royal engagement.

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