The Song of Songs is self-evidently love poetry, notwithstanding the desire of people to convert it into something else. In this regard, it is unique within the Bible. Being love poetry from an ancient land, it uses imagery that is often lost on us and that can be better understood in light of archaeological discoveries. Also, the Song follows the conventions of ancient poetry, and comparisons or analogies for interpreting it are best taken from other ancient Near Eastern love songs, not modern love poetry.
Historical Setting
The current consensus among scholars is that Song of Songs comes from the postexilic period, even though 1:1 suggests that it comes from the time of Solomon. The primary argument for dating the text so late is that certain vocabulary appears to come from a later period in Biblical history. At the same time, we must realize that in the ancient world much of what eventually became literature circulated orally for centuries. Two main arguments can be produced for linking material in the Song to the age of Solomon. First, Song of Songs has strong similarities to Egyptian love poetry from the latter part of the second millennium BC (see the article “Egyptian Love Poetry”). It is easier to account for these similarities in the age of Solomon than in the postexilic period. Second, 6:4 suggests that at the time of writing, Tirzah was one of the two grand cities of Israel (comparable to Jerusalem). This best fits an early first-millennium BC date (see note on 6:4). Even so, the Song itself is love poetry and thus “timeless.” It is not a historical text and can be interpreted without giving great regard to the time of its composition.
Literary Setting
The Song is a series of short songs sung by a male singer, a female singer and a female chorus. Together, the songs more or less episodically describe the love of a man and woman. It would not be correct to call this a drama—it is lyric poetry and not a play. Although made up of a series of individual songs that are sung by various combinations of the three performers (such as a solo by the woman, a duet by the man and woman, a chorus song, etc.), the songs together are a unified opus that focuses on a major event of life: love and marriage. The presence of the wisdom saying in 8:6–7 suggests that these songs have been gathered together as illustrations of the power of love and sex. Their inherent power suggests that love and sex both need to be understood and managed wisely. ◆
Key Concepts
• Love and sex are powerful forces in our lives.
• Wisdom will result in discipline and an understanding of appropriate timing in love.