Song of Solomon
We
are
told
in
the
first
verse
of
this
book
that
Solomon
wrote
this
song.
It
is
called
‘song
of
songs’,
a
title
that
is,
presumably,
a
superlative
telling
us
that
this
song
is
the
greatest
of
the
1,005
songs
composed
by
Solomon
[1Kings
1:1]
.
It
is
an
explicit
story
telling
of
the
love
between
a
husband
and
his
wife
during
courtship,
the
wedding
and
life
after
the
wedding,
and
represents
marriage
as
God
intended
it.
The
husband
here
is
Solomon
(3:7)
and
the
wife
a
Shulamite
girl
(6:13).
There
is,
however,
another
view
that
suggests
the
two
lovers
are
the
Shulamite
girl
and
a
shepherd.
In
this
version,
she
is
captured
by
Solomon
and
placed
in
his
harem
in
an
attempt
to
win her affections. This fails and she is finally reunited with her shepherd.
Both these versions have been allegorised.
In
the
first,
the
Jews
see
Solomon
as
God
and
the
Shulamite
girl
as
Israel,
with
the
song
depicting
the
love
God
has
for
His
people
Israel
who
are
often
referred
to
as
His
wife.
Christians
view
this
story
as
representing
the
love
between
Christ
(Solomon)
and
His
church (the Shulamite girl).
In the second, Solomon represents the world coming between Christ, the shepherd, and His church, the Shulamite girl.
The
fact
that
all
three
interpretations
can
be
gleaned
from
the
text
does
not
make
for
an
easy
summary.
So
here
the
allegories
are
put
to
one
side
and
the
book
is
summarised
as
written,
that
is,
a
lengthy
and
highly
symbolic
dialogue
between
a
maiden
and
her
lover.
The dialogue covers three periods of their relationship: courtship, marriage and post marriage.
The Courtship
[SoS 1:1-3:5]
The maiden, a Shulamite woman, longs for her lover and his kisses, but is concerned about her dark complexion acquired from working
in vineyards. She looks for her lover and is directed to the shepherds’ tents.
Her lover brushes aside her concerns with expressions of praise of her beauty and suggests how he might provide for her.
The
maiden
describes
herself
as
a
rose
and
lily,
and
her
beloved
as
a
tree
under
which
she
sits,
providing
her
with
fruit
sweet
to
her
taste.
She warns women not to fall in love too readily.
The
maiden
likens
her
beloved
to
an
energetic
roe
or
young
hart,
come
to
take
her
away
in
the
spring.
She
and
her
lover
now
belong to one another.
At
night,
in
her
bed,
the
maiden
dreams
she
cannot
find
her
lover.
With
help,
she
finds
him
and
takes
him
home.
Again,
she
charges
other women not to give in to love too early.
The Wedding
[SoS 3:6-5:1]
The wedding day has arrived and an elaborate wedding procession is described. Her bridegroom appears, now identified as Solomon.
Having compared parts of her body to animals and precious objects, Solomon tells how his heart has been ravished by her.
She
is
then
spoken
of
in
terms
of
an
enclosed
garden.
She
asks
the
winds
to
blow
on
her
garden,
invites
her
beloved
to
come
to
her
and they make love.
Post Marriage
[SoS 5:2-8:14]
The
maiden
has
another
dream
in
which
her
husband
comes
to
her
to
make
love.
She
prepares
to
receive
him,
but
he
disappears.
As
in
a
previous
dream,
she
seeks
help
to
find
him,
but
this
time
is
abused.
She
then
asks
some
women
to
help
her
and
gives
a
description of him, comparing parts of his body to precious things, jewels and animals.
They
find
each
other
in
the
garden
where
her
beloved
again
praises
each
part
of
the
maiden’s
body.
She
invites
him
to
the
fields
and villages from where they will go to the vineyard and she will give him her love.
She
seems
to
wish
he
would
be
looked
upon
as
her
brother,
so
that
her
open
displays
of
affection
for
him
would
not
lead
some
to
despise her.
The maiden looks for their love to be sealed in her heart so that their strong love will overcome the cruel effects of jealousy.
She reflects on her young life and is content that her chastity was lost to Solomon.
Finally, although Solomon has many women (vineyards), there is contentment in this particular relationship.
Hierarchical Précis