SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:1 Title: The Best of Songs. The Hebrew word for “song” identifies the book as expressing joy rather than sorrow. Song of Songs probably means the very best of songs.
1:2–2:17 The Lovers Yearn for Each Other. The two main characters, apparently betrothed, are introduced as they sing of their desire for each other. On the difference between betrothal and engagement, see note on Matt. 1:18.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:3 name . . . oil. In Hebrew, the two words sound similar. “Name” refers to the man’s reputation, which is as enchanting as perfume.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:4b This is the first speech of the “others,” who function as a chorus. They join the shepherdess in her praise for the shepherd (you is masculine) by picking up her words from v. 2.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:5 dark, but lovely. The shepherd girl has spent her life working in the sun (in the vineyard, v. 6; caring for the flock, v. 8). She is not dainty like some refined young women.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:6 My own vineyard refers in a poetic image to the woman’s physical appearance. The sun has damaged her skin as she has tended her family’s vineyard.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:8 This is the man’s first appearance. Here he offers a playful answer to the woman’s question of where to find him. She cares for a flock, as he does (v. 7).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:12 Nard was a fragrance extracted from a plant (see 4:13–14). For the romantic effect of a “fragrance,” see 7:13.
The man in this love story compared his beloved to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots (1:9). Only the best and most handsome of mares would have been chosen for important processions, and they would have been well-adorned with jewels and ornaments. This was the man’s way of saying that his beloved’s beauty is incomparable.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:13 My beloved is the woman’s most common term of endearment for the man (31 times).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:14 Engedi is an oasis on the dry and desolate western bank of the Dead Sea—a location with obvious appeal.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 1:16–17 The couch, house, and rafters are all compared to a lush woodland location. This may indicate that the man and woman are outdoors.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:1 The rose of Sharon was probably similar to the lily (see esv footnote).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:2 The man responds by contrasting the woman’s beauty favorably with others, whom he refers to as brambles (prickly, thorny shrubs).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:3 Apple tree describes a sweet fruit tree, providing pleasant shade and refreshing food. It is quite distinct from the other trees of the forest. The woman declares her beloved to be better than other men (compare his description of her; v. 2).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:6 embraces. Sometimes this term refers to sexual activity (e.g., Prov. 5:20). It can also describe the embrace of affection (e.g., Gen. 29:13; 33:4). Here it is not necessarily sexual, although the context would indicate great intimacy. These lines are repeated almost exactly in Song 8:3.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:7 It is clear that the couple is already in love. They must allow their love to proceed at its proper pace, however, which includes waiting until marriage for consummation (see 8:4).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:8 Mountains and hills probably describe obstacles to their love that the man overcomes (compare v. 15).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:10 Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away is repeated at the end of v. 13.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:11–13 Springtime is often celebrated as a time for lovers.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:15–16 Foxes represent difficulties that are threatening their relationship.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 2:17 Presumably the woman wants her beloved to turn toward her rather than away from her.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 3:1–6:3 The Shepherdess Dreams. The woman reports her dream, which comes from her eager anticipation of the consummation of their love. That this is a dream is suggested by 3:1 and 5:2. The dream includes romantic longings, fears of losing her beloved, nightmarish scenes (5:7), and an imaginative transformation of the beloved into a Solomon-like figure (3:6–11).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 3:1–5 The woman longs for her lover, searches for him persistently, eventually finds him, and takes him to an intimate place. This could simply be poetical imagination, but it is more likely a dream (see note on 3:1–6:3).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 3:1 Soul often refers to the whole person, encompassing the woman’s desires, thoughts, and feelings.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 3:4 chamber of her who conceived me. Her mother’s bedroom presents a secure and intimate place for the two lovers. The woman has a similar desire to bring her lover to this place in 8:2, where she makes it clear that she will not do so until they are married. It is best to read her search in 3:1–4 as part of her dream rather than an actual event.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 3:6 The man sees something he cannot identify coming up from the wilderness. This probably describes something coming from the plains toward Jerusalem, which is on a hill. frankincense. An aromatic resin from various trees and shrubs, similar to myrrh.
Purple cloth was associated with royalty because the purple dye was very difficult to produce in large quantities. Most of the purple dye came from a shellfish called the murex. It took more than 8,000 murex shellfish to extract one gram of dye.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 3:7 litter. A couch on which servants carry a king (esv footnote), similar to a portable bed. Sixty mighty men (well-trained soldiers, v. 8) indicates the great wealth and power of the owner of the couch. By contrast, David had only 30 such men (see 2 Sam. 23:13).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:1–7 The first part of v. 1 is repeated in v. 7, creating a section that describes the woman’s physical beauty. The description starts at the eyes and works downward. Although the word pictures are vivid, they may be hard for modern readers to understand.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:2 twins . . . not one . . . has lost its young. Her teeth are white, straight, and even.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:4 tower of David. The association with David increases the sense of dignity already implied in the image of a tower. The woman’s dignity is being compared to the dignity of the tower (see Introduction: Interpreting Literary Images).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:5 Fawns (young deer) refers to the youthful appearance of her two breasts. Gazelle probably refers to her appealingly sleek form.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:6 Mountain and hill could be continuing the theme of the previous verse and refer to the woman’s breasts, or it may be a more general reference to her beauty. The point is that being with her is like inhaling an intoxicating fragrance.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:8 Amana . . . Senir . . . Hermon. The man is calling to the woman from isolated, dangerous places. The term my bride (six times in 4:8–5:1) would seem appropriate only after the wedding. This probably means that this scene (4:1–5:1) also takes place in the woman’s dream, as she looks forward to what the wedding day will bring.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:9 The heart is the center of one’s inner life, the place of thinking, feeling, and choosing (see Prov. 4:23).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:12 A garden is a welcoming place for lovers. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the term often described a woman’s sexuality. A spring or fountain reflects a similar concept (see Prov. 5:15–19). Notice that her garden and spring are locked, indicating that she reserves herself for the man who will be her husband.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:15 The comparison to a garden fountain is extended to indicate the refreshing quality of the woman’s sexuality.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 4:16 Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind. The reference to the winds may reflect the man’s desire for the woman to offer an invitation to him. This is granted in the second half of the verse.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:1 I came to my garden. In her dream, the man samples all that the woman offered him in 4:16. The chorus encourages him, echoing themes from 4:16–5:1.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:2–6:3 This dream is caused by the woman’s desire to be with her beloved instead of being separated from him.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:2 The knocking she hears is in her dream. The man’s request is clear: he wants to enter the house to be with the woman. Note the urgency in his command to open, and the flood of endearing names that follows.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:3 Her initial response of trivial objections is likely the kind of disorientation that one encounters in a dream, leading to the confusing episode in vv. 4–7.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:4–7 She decides to let him in, but he has already left. She pursues him. The watchmen find her and beat her (contrast 3:3), leaving her bruised (5:7). If this were an actual event, it would be unclear why the watchmen did this. As part of a dream, though, it would simply be a nightmarish episode.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:8 In 2:5 the man was present when the woman uttered the words sick with love. Now he is absent, so she is probably referring to her desire to be with him.
The woman addresses the daughters of Jerusalem four times throughout this book, creating a refrain that ties her “songs” together (2:7; 3:5; 5:8; 8:4). She urges them not to “stir up or awaken love until it pleases.” In other words, they should wait until the appropriate time to enjoy romantic love.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:13 Men in ancient Israel almost always had beards. The description of his cheeks as beds of spices would apply more appropriately to a beard than to skin.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 5:14–16 The man is clearly the object of great praise in this section. The woman considers him to be altogether desirable.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:1 In 5:6 the woman lamented that her beloved “had turned and gone.” Now the chorus asks her, where has your beloved gone, and where has he turned?
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:2 garden. See note on 4:12. The garden is his, for she has committed herself to him.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:3 The lovers gladly declare that they have given themselves to each other.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:4–8:4 The Lovers Yearn for Each Other Again. The dream of 3:1–6:3 is over. The man and woman now offer words of praise to each other.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:4 awesome as an army with banners. Not only is she beautiful, she inspires the most profound respect.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:5 The woman’s glances overwhelm the man (see 4:9).
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:8–9 Notice how the numbers increase from sixty to eighty to without number. The woman is without equal. All women, even royal women, praise her.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:10 Dawn, moon, and sun all reflect the woman’s radiant beauty.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 6:13 The chorus picks up on the idea of “looking” (v. 11). As she had gone down to the orchard to look, so they want her to return, that they might look upon her. Shulammite likely refers to the woman’s origin. The nature of the dance before two armies is unknown. The beloved intervenes and denies their request.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 7:1–9a This description of the woman’s beauty echoes that of 4:1–7 (see her description of the man in 5:10–16). They take romantic delight in each other’s physical appearance.
Vineyards, fields, and palm trees. The Song of Solomon takes place in a rural setting, and the lovers describe each other using images drawn from this context. The man is a shepherd, and the woman works in her family’s vineyard.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 7:4 As in 4:4, the woman’s neck is likened to a tower made of precious ivory. The dignity and beauty of her neck inspires the comparison.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 7:7 In ancient literature, a person of elegance was often compared to a palm tree.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 7:10 The context indicates that desire here refers to sexual desire. The thought of the man desiring her gives the shepherdess pleasure.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 7:13 It is possible that mandrakes (which sounds like my beloved in Hebrew) were seen as an aphrodisiac (see Gen. 30:14–16). Here, they appear to be seductive as they give forth fragrance.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:1 This verse seems to indicate that, in Israelite culture, romantic kisses were reserved for private situations, while a kiss of family affection was considered appropriate in public. Thus, the woman wishes that her lover were a brother.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:4 Here is the final instance of urging the daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time (compare 2:7; 3:5). The period of waiting is almost over.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:5–14 The Lovers Join in Marriage. The pair have gone from yearning to be joined together, to actually being married and consummating their union. The tension of the previous chapters—the anxious waiting, the concern for propriety—gives way to relaxed enjoyment.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:5 The Hebrew word for leaning implies that the man and woman are now married. In 2:3 the apple tree was a place of love; here it is the place of childbirth, which is what romantic love ideally leads to. I awakened you indicates that the woman sexually awakens the man as they consummate their marriage.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:6 Love, like death, is persistent, always accomplishing its goal. flame of the LORD. This is the only mention of the divine name in the entire Song of Solomon, but it is fitting in a book of covenant wisdom. Both love and the jealous desire to protect one’s marriage are gifts from the Lord.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:7 The image of many waters that cannot quench love continues the image of love as a fire in v. 6. Likewise, floods are unable to drown it.
SONG OF SOLOMON—NOTE ON 8:14 For gazelle and young stag, see 2:7, 17. Mountains of spices refers to the woman (see 4:6). The Song of Solomon closes with the man and woman delighting themselves with their enjoyment of each other.