Song 1:1-4
Right from the beginning the Shulamite expresses her interest in experiencing the physical expression of love from her beloved. His love expressed toward her is better than wine. The ointments were oils mixed with spices or flowers to create a perfume. She is, in essence, saying she likes his cologne. In fact, all the girls like it! She invites her beloved to take her away.
She got her wish, the king, took her to his chambers. The chorus sings in celebration for the two lovers. I tend to view these 'daughters of Jerusalem' as her giggly friends who also long for love.
Song 1:5-10
She is self-conscious of her skin. It is dark because she worked in the sun. In those days being fair skinned was more beautiful; the tanned were those who had to work to survive. The daughters of Jersalem may well have been other young women; rivals for the beloved's love. She asks that her beloved pay no attention to her dark skin. It's because her brothers forced to keep the vineyards rather than take care of herself (keep her own vineyard).
The young woman wanted to know where her beloved would rest his flocks in the midday. She wanted to meet him there, rather than spend time trying to find him. Finding him caused her to veil her face and pretend to be a cult prostitute.
She is a filly among Pharoah's chariots. Chariots were only pulled by stallions. So a filly among the chariots would excite and distract the stallions.
Song 1:11-14
The Shulamite describes an intimate night in terms of the fragrance. She smells him, he smells her
- Spikenard, an expensive ointment that comes from a plant in the Himalayan mountains.
- Bundle of myrrh, a fragrant gumused in nointing oil and perfume.
- Henna, crushed to produce a reddish dye to color hair or skin, also for fragrance.
En Gedi is an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea. It was very fertile land and there was a thriving perfume business there. This cluster would be healthy, fruitful, beautiful and aromatic.
Song 1:15-18
The two lovers share their complements toward each other. Doves were a common symbol of beauty. It's not really clear what is meant by having dove's eyes. The Beloved repeats that she is fair; causing it to be a complement and not just a statement.
The 'bed is green' and the beams being cedars shows this is an outdoor location. The metaphors used are of flowers, brids, anmimals and trees. The natural setting for their God-given love for each other is reminiscent of the garden of Eden setting.
Song 2:1
The Shulamite woman is still speaking as you begin chapter two. The rose of Sharon is a flower that grows in the fertile lands along the Mediterranean coast, this plain is known as Sharon. This flower isn't a rose like we think of it today, but it is likened to a crocus and translated as such in another place. This 'rose' or 'lily' either one would be beautiful but not unique. The Shulamite recognizes she is a beautiful young lady among many and is likely humbled to be with her beloved.
Song 2:2
Her beloved agrees she is a lily but likens the other women to be thorns in comparison.
Song 2:3-7
The Shulamite woman responds by comparing her man to an apple tree among wood trees. She reclined under th apple tree and enjoyed the fruit.
To the other girls she gives notice that he placed his banner over her; banners were military in nature, used to represent a group or section that were together. The banqueting house may be a vineyard or a banquet room in the palace. She asks for nourishment and sustenance of raisin cakes and apples because she is lovesick.
She tells of his caress and embrace and warns the other girls not to wake up, or stir up these lovesick feelings until the right time. There is a wordplay that isn't evident in the gazelles and does.
- The Hebrew word for gazelles uses the same hebrew consonants as Yahweh of hosts.
- The Hebrew for 'does of the field' is similar to 'God almighty'.
So, the charge was given by the gazelles or does; or by Yahweh of hosts, God Almighty.
As this woman speaks to these young ladies, she is informing them that her beloved is her man as a way of warning, but also to share with them her excitement of being in love. They all likely sighed and gasped at the thought of being in love like this.
Song 2:8-14
The Shulamite woman continues in this verse. 'The voice' should be understood as the 'the sound'; she hears her beloved coming. Her lover comes quickly and gracefully as a gazelle, but also overcomes the obstacles between them. He comes to the wall of her parents house, looking and searching for her. He calls her to come away with him. The winter was past, the rainy season over. The land was green and beautiful; the trees and plants bearing fruit. Again, we see this garden setting; a perfect setting for lovers to escape the world into each others arms.
Song 2:15
The NKJV labels verse fifteen as 'her brothers'. We can't be sure who's speaking and the meaning of the phrase is no help. However, verse 16 gives us a couple ideas:
- She is speaking of the 'little foxes' as other suitors, unwanted advances of other men who want to disrupt her time in the vineyard with her lover.
- Her brothers speak of setting the foxes to spoil the vines is a way of separating the two of them.
It seems no matter how it is parsed, the verse is to be understood as a threat to their love.
Song 2:16
What seems to be a response to the threat of fifteen, this woman delcares that she and her beloved are committed to each other. She called herself a lily in 2:1 so 'feeding his flock among the lilies' is probably a euphamism. Her invitation in verse seventeen is probably to stay with her until morning. Although, this is disputed by some because they see the fleeing of shadows at sunset rather than sunrise.
©2018 Doug Ford
Facebook