Song of Songs

Song of SongsSong of Songs

1.1. Allegorical (Jewish; Allegorical (Jewish; Christian)Christian)

2.2. TypologicalTypological

3.3. AnthologicalAnthological

4.4. Literal/Dramatic (Two Literal/Dramatic (Two Person; Three Person)Person; Three Person)

Methods of Interpreting the Methods of Interpreting the SongSong

Problems with the 2-character Problems with the 2-character approach.approach.

Solomon is never pictured as a Solomon is never pictured as a shepherd.shepherd.

Solomon’s polygamySolomon’s polygamy--60 wives/80 concubines, 6:8.--60 wives/80 concubines, 6:8.--Contributing cause to apostasy --Contributing cause to apostasy

1Kgs.111Kgs.11

--Cf. Eccl. 7:28--Cf. Eccl. 7:28--Cf. SoS 5:9.--Cf. SoS 5:9.--Unique, exclusive love 2:16; 6:3.--Unique, exclusive love 2:16; 6:3.--“Friendship factor” of 5:16.--“Friendship factor” of 5:16.


Evidence for the 3-character Evidence for the 3-character approach.approach.

Solomon:Solomon:

--1:4: “The king has brought me into --1:4: “The king has brought me into his chambers.”his chambers.”

--1:5: “Like the curtains of Solomon.”--1:5: “Like the curtains of Solomon.”

--1:12: “While the king was at his --1:12: “While the king was at his table, My perfume gave forth its table, My perfume gave forth its fragrance.fragrance.

--3:7: “Behold, it is the traveling --3:7: “Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon.”couch of Solomon.”


Evidence for the 3-character approach.Evidence for the 3-character approach.

2.2. Shulammite:Shulammite:

--6:13: “Come back, come back, O --6:13: “Come back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, Shulammite; Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you! Why that we may gaze at you! Why should you gaze at the Shulammite, should you gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two As at the dance of the two companies?” companies?”

----Young’s Analytical ConcordanceYoung’s Analytical Concordance defines the term “Shulammite” as, “A defines the term “Shulammite” as, “A female inhabitant of Shulem (or female inhabitant of Shulem (or Shunem), in Issachar” (883).Shunem), in Issachar” (883).


The town of Shunem was also known as Shulem, due to the common interchange between n (n) and l (l) in in Hebrew (Aharoni, 123), as seen in Eusebius' Onomasticon in which Shunem = Shulem


3.3. Shepherd.Shepherd.

----1:7 1:7 Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, Where do you pasture Where do you pasture your flockyour flock, , Where do you make Where do you make it it lie down at lie down at noon? For why should I be like one noon? For why should I be like one who veils herself Beside the flocks of who veils herself Beside the flocks of your companions?your companions?

--Response, 1:8: If you yourself do not --Response, 1:8: If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, know, Most beautiful among women, Go forth on the trail of the flock And Go forth on the trail of the flock And pasture your young goats By the tents pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.of the shepherds.



3.3. Shepherd.Shepherd. --2:16: My beloved is mine, and I am his; --2:16: My beloved is mine, and I am his;

He pastures He pastures his flock his flock among the lilies.among the lilies. --cf. NKJV: My beloved --cf. NKJV: My beloved is is mine, and I mine, and I am am

his. He feeds his. He feeds his flock his flock among the lilies.among the lilies. --“The Hebrew participle haro’eh --“The Hebrew participle haro’eh

hf@rohA hf@rohA occurs nearly one hundred occurs nearly one hundred times, and is the common term for times, and is the common term for feeding domestic animals (cf. 1:7f.), i.e. feeding domestic animals (cf. 1:7f.), i.e. performing the function of a shepherd” performing the function of a shepherd” (Carr.102).(Carr.102).


Evidence for the 3-character approach.Evidence for the 3-character approach.3.3. Shepherd.Shepherd. --6:3 "I am my beloved's and my --6:3 "I am my beloved's and my

beloved is mine, He who pastures beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock his flock among the lilies.“among the lilies.“

--cf. NKJV: I --cf. NKJV: I am am my beloved's, And my beloved's, And my beloved my beloved is is mine. He feeds mine. He feeds his his flock flock among the lilies.among the lilies.

--Also, RSV: I am my beloved's and --Also, RSV: I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine; he pastures his my beloved is mine; he pastures his flock among the lilies.flock among the lilies.


How some dismiss the 3-character How some dismiss the 3-character approach.approach.

““The bride is one brought up on The bride is one brought up on country life, and who in the country life, and who in the purity and simplicity of her heart purity and simplicity of her heart addresses even Solomon himself addresses even Solomon himself as her shepherd.”as her shepherd.”

““In love every groom is King In love every groom is King Solomon, a shepherd, and even Solomon, a shepherd, and even a gazelle; and every bride is a a gazelle; and every bride is a princess and country maiden.” princess and country maiden.”


How some dismiss the 3-character approach.How some dismiss the 3-character approach.

““King Solomon, disguised as a shepherd, King Solomon, disguised as a shepherd, visited his vineyards, saw the visited his vineyards, saw the Shulamite, and fell in love with her Shulamite, and fell in love with her (1:1-2:7) She pictures their times (1:1-2:7) She pictures their times together as a rich banquet. The next together as a rich banquet. The next spring, he came to her and proposed spring, he came to her and proposed marriage, and she accepted, but he marriage, and she accepted, but he had to go away for a time, promising had to go away for a time, promising to come back. While he was absent, to come back. While he was absent, she dreamed about him (3:1-5). Then she dreamed about him (3:1-5). Then he returned and revealed that he was he returned and revealed that he was King Solomon” (Wiersbie.541).King Solomon” (Wiersbie.541).


In the Royal Tents in Issachar—Love In the Royal Tents in Issachar—Love Introduced, 1:1-3:5.Introduced, 1:1-3:5.

SongSong 6:11,12, May help explain how the 6:11,12, May help explain how the Shulamite was taken to be presented to Shulamite was taken to be presented to Solomon: “I went down to the garden of Solomon: “I went down to the garden of nuts To see the verdure of the valley, nuts To see the verdure of the valley, To see whether the vine had budded To see whether the vine had budded And the pomegranates had bloomed. 12 And the pomegranates had bloomed. 12 Before I was even aware, My soul had Before I was even aware, My soul had made me As the chariots of my noble made me As the chariots of my noble people. (NKJV). Dewelt: She was taken people. (NKJV). Dewelt: She was taken to the palace of King Solomon. Perhaps to the palace of King Solomon. Perhaps this palace was one of his northern this palace was one of his northern summer houses…” (317).summer houses…” (317).



1:7: Remembering her shepherd1:7: Remembering her shepherd --He is in her thoughts.--He is in her thoughts. 1:8: The chorus of 1:8: The chorus of

women/daughters of Jerusalem.women/daughters of Jerusalem. --1:9-15 Solomon’s first advance.--1:9-15 Solomon’s first advance. --1:15-2:1 “This voice is that of --1:15-2:1 “This voice is that of

the shepherd…she is the shepherd…she is remembering how he would remembering how he would speak to her” (Waldron.218).speak to her” (Waldron.218).



-- 2:3-6 Shulamite continues -- 2:3-6 Shulamite continues reminiscing about the shepherdreminiscing about the shepherd

--One can have a banquet with --One can have a banquet with raisins and apples if there is raisins and apples if there is true love (2:5).true love (2:5).

--2:7-17 A soliloquy.--2:7-17 A soliloquy. --3:1-5 Shulammite relates her --3:1-5 Shulammite relates her

dream. dream.


The Royal Procession The Royal Procession Entering Jerusalem, 3:6-11Entering Jerusalem, 3:6-11

--3:6 Question calls --3:6 Question calls attention to the entrance attention to the entrance of Solomonof Solomon

--3:7 His body guards.--3:7 His body guards. --3:9-11 His wealth, seen --3:9-11 His wealth, seen

in sedan chair, crown.in sedan chair, crown.


In The Royal Palace in In The Royal Palace in Jerusalem—Love Tested, Jerusalem—Love Tested, 4:1-8:4.4:1-8:4.

----4:1-5 Solomon’s second 4:1-5 Solomon’s second effort, and the response.effort, and the response.

--4:6 Shulamite speaking--4:6 Shulamite speaking --4:7-15-5:1 The shepherd --4:7-15-5:1 The shepherd

speaks in her memory.speaks in her memory. --5:2-8 Shulammite relates --5:2-8 Shulammite relates

2nd dream.2nd dream.


In Issachar: the Shepherd and Shulamite—In Issachar: the Shepherd and Shulamite—Love Victorious, 8:5-14.Love Victorious, 8:5-14.

----8:5a: Setting is now back in Issachar.8:5a: Setting is now back in Issachar. --8:5b Shepherd speaks.--8:5b Shepherd speaks. --8:6-7 Shulammite speaks.--8:6-7 Shulammite speaks. --Discusses characteristics of love.--Discusses characteristics of love. --Solomon is pictured at the end of the --Solomon is pictured at the end of the

Song as one who buys and sells love Song as one who buys and sells love (Longman, NICOT.41).(Longman, NICOT.41).

--8:11-12 “Solomon could keep his --8:11-12 “Solomon could keep his wealth, his vineyards, his servants, and wealth, his vineyards, his servants, and his fruits! I am not for sale!”his fruits! I am not for sale!”


Thoughts that help us in selecting the right Thoughts that help us in selecting the right kind of mate.kind of mate.

--Most people have more than one --Most people have more than one possibility as they select a spouse.possibility as they select a spouse.

--Upon what is that selection to be --Upon what is that selection to be based?based?

--The Shulammite could have “plaits of --The Shulammite could have “plaits of gold with studs of silver” (1:11), and all gold with studs of silver” (1:11), and all the perks of Solomon’s kingdom.the perks of Solomon’s kingdom.

--Contrast with what the shepherd could --Contrast with what the shepherd could offer. offer.

--“What happened to the Shulamite --“What happened to the Shulamite comes to pass in the history of almost comes to pass in the history of almost every young man and woman. Especially every young man and woman. Especially in a country of endless possibilities like in a country of endless possibilities like our own is this true. She was places our own is this true. She was places between opposite attractions that between opposite attractions that represented the true and the false ideals represented the true and the false ideals of life” (Griffis.82).of life” (Griffis.82).

What this book What this book ContributesContributes

Thoughts that help us in Thoughts that help us in selecting the right kind of mate.selecting the right kind of mate.

--She does not base her choice --She does not base her choice on riches.on riches.

--“If a man were to give all the --“If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised” (8:7, would be utterly despised” (8:7, NAS). If one were to give all the NAS). If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned (NIV). would be utterly scorned (NIV).


Thoughts that help us in selecting the Thoughts that help us in selecting the right kind of mate.right kind of mate.

And then vv.11-12: ASV: Solomon had And then vv.11-12: ASV: Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He let out a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He let out the vineyard unto keepers; Every one the vineyard unto keepers; Every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: Thou, O which is mine, is before me: Thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, And Solomon, shalt have the thousand, And those that keep the fruit thereof two those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.”hundred.”

Her heart was not for sale.Her heart was not for sale. The ability to see the worth of a humble The ability to see the worth of a humble

person, and the beauty of true love.person, and the beauty of true love. Victory over true love over physical Victory over true love over physical

infatuation.infatuation.


Human sexuality is of divine design.Human sexuality is of divine design. ----Gen. 2.Gen. 2. --No reference in Song to --No reference in Song to

procreation.procreation. --There is so much to which me --There is so much to which me

must say, “No” (works of the flesh, must say, “No” (works of the flesh, impurity of all kinds, sexual impurity of all kinds, sexual immorality). This book provides and immorality). This book provides and opportunity to say, “Yes” to sexual opportunity to say, “Yes” to sexual expression in the God-given and expression in the God-given and divinely approved sphere of divinely approved sphere of marriage (Heb. 13:4)marriage (Heb. 13:4)


Human sexuality is of divine Human sexuality is of divine design.design.

----Is it unreasonable that a biblical Is it unreasonable that a biblical book would be devoted to an book would be devoted to an elaboration of Prov. 5:15-20; elaboration of Prov. 5:15-20; Eccl. 9:9, etc.?Eccl. 9:9, etc.?

--Let us make wise use of this --Let us make wise use of this book, which contains an book, which contains an expansion of the marvel expansion of the marvel perceived in Proverbs 30:19: “the perceived in Proverbs 30:19: “the way of a man with a maiden” way of a man with a maiden” (NIV).(NIV).


Song of Songs

Documents

Transcript of Song of Songs