Song 7:1-9
Again, we see the man describe the woman's beauty. Previously he started at her head and moved down her body describing her. He never got very far before he was seeming overwhelmed or distracted by her beauty. In this case, he starts are her feet and works his way up.
- Feet were not seen as beautiful in this culture, they were dirty and disgraceful. But he sees her feet as beautiful ornamented with her sandals. Added the idea of being a prince's daughter was complement because she came from humble background.
- He sees the curve of her thighs to be as jewels. Like the work of a craftsman who has created something you can't look away from.
- Her belly button is a rounded goblet. The drink or wine is described as sexual leave. This leaves some to believe he wasn't talking about the belly button at all but using it as a sexual euphemism.
- Her waist – also understood as belly or womb – and may be a euphemism of her pubic region; the wheat a reference to hair.
- Her breasts were like fawns; the same as chapter four's description.
- Her neck the ivory tower; same as chapter four.
- Her eyes had previously be dove-like. Now they are like the pools of Heshbon. Maybe a word play, but conveys luxury and beauty.
- Her nose was like the tower of Lebanon. We can only assume this describes her nose in some flattering way.
- Her head was a crown to the rest of her. She was majestic and her hair was the decoration of the crown of her head.
- Her hair held him captive.
He then takes in all her beauty together. He likens her to a palm tree, her breasts like the fruit of her tree. He takes hold of the tree to enjoy it. He speaks of what he sees, the tastes and the fragrance of her. The roof of her mouth is a reference to the kiss. Tasting her love was the best wine.
Song 7:9b-13
The woman begins to speak. She, too, enjoys the kiss that goes down smooth like wine. She has a mutual passion toward him. In response to his desire, she responds by inviting him to steal away. The vineyard was previously used to describe her body. The other descriptions of fruit remind us again of her as a garden of which she invited him into. The mandrakes were thought to be an aphrodisiac. She has laid up all manner of new and old fruit for him.
Song 8:1-4
The Shulamite woman continues her dialogue from chapter seven. In her passion and desires, she wishes they could show their affections more openly. She envisions encountering her lover outside and being able to openly make advances toward him. She would take the lead to bring him into the house. The final two lines of verse two are euphemisms for sharing her sexuality with her lover.
The embrace she describes is a sexual embrace. Once again, the charge the repeated to the daughters of Jerusalem.
Song 8:5
The first part of verse five appears to be an onlooker; possibly a family member. It is the same phrase as seen earlier of the approaching wedding procession in 3:6-11. Except it is now followed with this picture of the woman leaning on her man.
The second half of the verse must be the man speaking. We saw apples, as well as fruit in general, used as an erotic connotation. Someone trying to buy this kind of love, even with all their wealth, would be mocked and laughed at. It can't be purchased.
Song 8:6-7
The woman again speaks to her beloved. The seal was a mark of ownership. For someone else to possess your seal was that they had full access and rights to whatever you possess. They could act on your behalf; their desires were your desires. She sees their love as being something that was as irresistible as death. The jealousy is to be understood more as sole ownership, or exclusivity, rather than as something negative. The love was a like a fierce fire that burned. It was unstoppable. There wasn't enough water to put this fire out.
Song 8:8-9
The woman's brothers speak now. They would have had a part in their sister's marriage. The picture is of their sister before she reached sexual maturity. The 'day when she is spoken for' is probably a reference to her wedding day. What can the brother's do? They would endeavor to protect her purity pictured as building a wall around her or nailing the door shut.
Song 8:10
She states that she is a wall, her purity in tact; but she has matured. In the eyes of her lover, she is complete. She is all that he needs.
Song 8:11-12
Solomon's vineyard was a business transaction. It was larger than he could care for. This may be a reference to his harem of wives. He leased the vineyard to keepers, meaning he didn't have intimate relations with this harem. The keepers of the harem would have been eunuchs. But it may be the Shulamite's making her point by saying the keepers had to be hired for this large vineyard.
In contrast, the woman says her vineyard is before her. It is hers. We saw earlier that her brothers made her care for their vineyard and she couldn't care for her own. Now she is caring for her own. The point is that its not a financial decision or business transaction. It's hers.
Song 8:13
The man longs to hear her voice.
Song 8:13
She is calling to him to hurry and come be with her. The gazelle, stag and mountains were all used previously to describe her body. The book ends with this desire to be together.
©2018 Doug Ford
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