Notes from Marilyn Hickey Ministries are throughout. Location = Jerusalem, Israel, early in Solomon’s life “God created the Shulamite woman for the shepherd-lover just as He decreed Christ for His Bride, the Church.”
In the Song of Solomon, direct references to the word “family” do not exist. The second chapter of Song of Songs by Dr. Hess will be referenced. The Song of Songs is an anthology of love poems that make it clear that romance and physical intimacy are part of God’s will for the marriage relationship” (Hess, 2005, p. 99).
Chapter one is about the young Shulamite bride, and Jerusalem’s daughters; Solomon, the lover, speaks.
One interpretation is the book has an “outer meaning of a profane love poem, and the inner meaning of a poem about the Messiah. Both the figures of the male and female became images of the divine” (Hess, 2005, p. 23).
The Song is not a drama or a sequential narrative. It is not an allegory. It is not an anthology of diverse erotic poetry…nor is it a description of a married relationship…nor (is it to) educate them as a sex manual. Instead, the Song is a fantasy that explores the commitment of an erotic love affair (Hess, 2005, pp. 34-35).
Many have interpreted the Song of Songs in different ways. Hess states it is about a relationship between those in love. He wrote, “it may have insight for marriage” (Hess, 2005, p. 101). The writer agrees it does, and it is useful teaching about love. The writer may give a variation of this section as a resource to couples who are getting married or those who are already.
Act 1 (Chapters 1 and 2) – She longs for her lover.
The Young Shulamite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters
1:1 The [a]Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.
[b]The Bride
2 “May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is [c]sweeter than wine.
3 Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, Your name is like [d]purified oil; Therefore the [e]young women love you.
4 Draw me after you and let’s run together! The king has brought me into his chambers.”
The Chorus
“We will rejoice in you and be joyful; We will praise your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.”
The Bride
5 “I am black and beautiful, You daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare at me because I am [f]dark, For the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me caretaker of the vineyards, But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, Where do you pasture your flock, here do you have it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who [g]veils herself Beside the flocks of your companions?”
Solomon, the Lover, Speaks
8 “If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, Go out on the trail of the flock, And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.
9 “[h]To me, my darling, you are like My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
10 Your cheeks are delightful with jewelry, Your neck with strings of beads.”
The Chorus
11 “We will make for you jewelry of gold With beads of silver.”
The Bride
12 “While the king was at his table, My [i]perfume gave forth its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh (gum resin) Which lies all night between my breasts. CHRIST HAD THIS OFFERING AT HIS BIRTH.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms In the vineyards of Engedi.”
The Groom
15 “[j]How beautiful you are, my darling, [k]How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves.”
The Bride
16 “[l]How handsome you are, my beloved, And so delightful! Indeed, our bed is luxuriant!
17 The beams of our house are cedars, Our rafters, junipers.
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 1:1 Or Best of the Songs
Song of Solomon 1:2 The speaker identifications are not from the Hebrew text nor the Septuagint, but reflect an ancient tradition which appears in some manuscripts.
Song of Solomon 1:2 Lit more pleasant
Song of Solomon 1:3 Lit oil poured from one vessel to another
Song of Solomon 1:3 Or virgins
Song of Solomon 1:6 Or swarthy, blackish
Song of Solomon 1:7 Some ancient versions wanders
Song of Solomon 1:9 Lit I have compared you to
Song of Solomon 1:12 Lit nard
Song of Solomon 1:15 Lit Behold
Song of Solomon 1:15 Lit Behold
Song of Solomon 1:16 Lit Behold
Several words in Matthew 24:32 (Christ’s parable of the fig tree) reference Song of Songs 2:13, about the bride’s admiration. The words are:
Parable-parabolen - a story used to teach a spiritual or moral lesson
Branch-klados “produce branches…birds on the branches…cut branches…branches of the olive tree”
Tender-apalos “having a soft or yielding texture: easily broken, cut, or damaged”
Leaves-phulla “foliage…shed leaves”; fig tree-sukes; summer-theros (http://lexiconcordance.com)
Dr. Hess’ summary of chapter 2 follows:
“Male: My love is like a flower (2:2)
Female: A Pastoral Scene (2:3-7)
Lovers joined and separated (2:8-17)
Female: Her lover pursues her (2:8-9)
Male: Invitation to come away (2:10-14)
Couple: Protect our love (2:15)
Female: Love affirmed, gratification delayed (2:16-17)” (Hess, 2005, p. 47, 87)
Chapter 2:4 says, “the house of wine was not a place for drunkenness but a symbol of the erotic love that formed the reason for going there” (Hess, 2005, p. 79).
The NASB translates it “He has brought me to his banquet hall, and his banner over me is love,” which is a song by The Vineyard. The next paragraph has the lyrics. They imply the “He” refers to God, which is reaching for spiritual meaning. A footnote states “any structure or booth that might accommodate a private banquet” (Hess, 2005, p. 79), which gives background information about this.
He brought me to his banqueting table
And His banner over me is love
I am my Beloved’s, and He is mine
And His banner over me is love
We can feel the love of God in this place
We believe Your goodness
We receive Your grace
We delight ourselves at Your table O God
You do all things well, just look at our lives
And His banner over me is love
(https://vineyardsongs.com/songs/his-banner-over-me, para. 1).
Hess (2005) raises an intriguing point: “In the Song of Songs, which almost never refers directly to God, this suggests yet another divine blessing, that God’s greatest gift of physical love comes according to His own timing, and within the natural world that He has also created” (p. 83). This is found in the biblical consummation of love.
“The vineyards represent the couple’s love, a metaphor common enough in the Song (1:6, 7:13, 8:12)” (Hess, 2005, p. 97).
Verse 2:16 is another part of the Vineyard song referring to our relationship with God mentioned above. “I am my Beloved’s, and He is mine.” Dr. Hess states the Song is not an allegory.
The Bride’s Admiration
2:1 “I am the [a]rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.” PETRA SANG ABOUT THIS IN KING'S RANSOM REGARDING JESUS "The Rose of Sharon wore a crown of thorns that day"
The Groom
2 “Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the [b]young women.”
The Bride
3 “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the [c]young men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit was sweet to my [d]taste.
4 He has brought me to his [e]banquet hall, And his banner over me is love.
5 Refresh me with raisin cakes, Sustain me with apples, Because I am lovesick.
6 His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.”
The Groom
7 “Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, That you will not disturb or awaken my love Until she pleases.”
The Bride
8 “Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Leaping on the mountains, Jumping on the hills!
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young [f]stag. Behold, he is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice.
10 “My beloved responded and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along.
11 For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.
12 The blossoms have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for [g]pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
13 The fig tree has ripened its fruit, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!’”
The Groom
14 “My dove, in the clefts of the [h]rock, In the hiding place of the mountain pathway, Let me see [i]how you look, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is pleasant, And [j]you look delightful.”
The Chorus
15 “Catch the [k]foxes for us, The [l]little [m]foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom.” SOMETIMES THE SMALL DETAILS IN LIFE ACCUMLATE TO GET US. FOR ME IT'S WORK AND SCHOOL.
The Bride
16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his; He pastures his flock among the lilies.
17 Until the cool of the day, when the shadows flee, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of [n]Bether.”
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 2:1 Lit asphodel (a plant)
Song of Solomon 2:2 Lit daughters
Song of Solomon 2:3 Lit sons
Song of Solomon 2:3 Lit palate
Song of Solomon 2:4 Lit house of wine
Song of Solomon 2:9 Lit of the stags
Song of Solomon 2:12 Or singing
Song of Solomon 2:14 Or crag
Song of Solomon 2:14 Lit your appearance
Song of Solomon 2:14 Lit your appearance
Song of Solomon 2:15 Or jackals
Song of Solomon 2:15 Or young
Song of Solomon 2:15 Or jackals
Song of Solomon 2:17 Or ravines; or perfumes
Act 2 (Chapter 3) Solomon’s magnificence – arriving at the gates
Song of Solomon chapter three is the bride’s troubled dream and Solomon’s wedding day.
The Bride’s Troubled Dream
3:1 “On my bed night after night I sought him Whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.
2 ‘[a]I must arise now and [b]go around in the city; In the streets and in the public squares [c]I must seek him whom my soul loves.’ I sought him but did not find him.
3 The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
4 Hardly had I [d]left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had brought him to my mother’s house, And into the room of her who conceived me.”
The Groom
5 “Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, That you will not disturb or awaken my love Until she pleases.”
Solomon’s Wedding Day
The Bride
6 “[e]What is this coming up from the wilderness Like columns of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense (OIL USED IN INCENSE) With all the scented powders of the merchant? THESE ARE 2 OF THE 3 OFFERINGS TO THE BABY JESUS (NO GOLD HERE).
The Chorus
7 Behold, it is [f]the traveling couch of Solomon; Sixty warriors around it, Of the warriors of Israel.
8 All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the [g]terrors of the night. AFTER 21 YEARS IN THE ARMY I'M STILL MENTORING JUNIOR CHAPLAINS, ETC.
9 King Solomon has made for himself a [h]sedan chair From the timber of Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver, Its [i]back of gold And its seat of purple fabric, With its interior lovingly inlaid By the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go out, you daughters of Zion, And look at King Solomon with the [j]crown With which his mother has crowned him On the day of his wedding, And on the day of the joy of his heart.”
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 3:2 Or Let me arise
Song of Solomon 3:2 Or Let me go about
Song of Solomon 3:2 Or Let me seek
Song of Solomon 3:4 Lit passed
Song of Solomon 3:6 Lit Who
Song of Solomon 3:7 I.e., an elegant couch designed to be carried with poles by servants
Song of Solomon 3:8 Lit terror in the nights
Song of Solomon 3:9 I.e., an elegant throne with poles, carried by servants
Song of Solomon 3:10 Or support
Song of Solomon 3:11 Or wreath
Act 3 (Chapter 4-6) Courtship
Solomon’s Love Expressed
4:1 “[a]How beautiful you are, my darling, [b]How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil;
Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep Which have come up from their watering place, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young.
3 Your lips are like a scarlet thread, And your mouth is beautiful. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David, Built with layers of stones On which are hung a thousand shields,
All the round shields of the warriors.
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle That graze among the lilies. BE CAREFUL QUOTING :)
6 Until [c]the cool of the day When the shadows flee, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of frankincense.
7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish on you.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, You shall come with me from Lebanon. You shall [d]come down from the summit of Amana, From the summit of Senir and Hermon, From the dens of lions, From the mountains of leopards.
9 You have [e]enchanted my heart, my sister, my bride; You have [f]enchanted my heart with a single glance of your eyes, With a single strand of your necklace.
10 How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much [g]sweeter is your love than wine, And the fragrance of your oils Than that of all kinds of balsam oils!
11 Your lips drip honey, my bride; Honey and milk are under your tongue, And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 A locked garden is my sister, my bride, A locked spring, a sealed fountain. CHASTITY BELT? :)
13 Your branches are an [h]orchard of pomegranates With delicious fruits, henna with nard plants,
14 Nard and saffron, spice reed and cinnamon, With all the trees of frankincense, Myrrh, and aloes, along with all the finest balsam oils. AGAIN, NO GOLD MENTIONED HERE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY GAVE THE BABY JESUS.
15 You are a garden spring, A well of [i]fresh water, And flowing streams from Lebanon.”
The Bride
16 “Awake, north wind, And come, wind of the south; [j]Make my garden breathe out fragrance, May its balsam oils flow. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its delicious fruits!”
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 4:1 Lit Behold
Song of Solomon 4:1 Lit Behold
Song of Solomon 4:6 Lit the day blows
Song of Solomon 4:8 Or look
Song of Solomon 4:9 Or stolen
Song of Solomon 4:9 Or stolen
Song of Solomon 4:10 Lit better
Song of Solomon 4:13 Or park; or garden
Song of Solomon 4:15 Lit living; i.e., running
Song of Solomon 4:16 Or Drift through my
Chapter five is the admiration by the bride.
The Torment of Separation
The Groom
5:1 “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam (FLOWER). I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends; Drink and [a]drink deeply, lovers.” WINE CURDLES MILK.
The Bride
2 “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is [b]drenched with dew, My locks with the dew drops of the night.’
3 I have taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, How can I dirty them again?
4 My beloved extended his hand through the opening, And my feelings were stirred for him.
5 I arose to open to my beloved; And my hands dripped with myrrh, And my fingers with drops of myrrh, On the handles of the bolt. AGAIN, THIS WAS AN OFFERING TO CHRIST.
6 I opened to my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and had gone! My [c]heart went out to him as he spoke. I searched for him but I did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me.
7 The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, They struck me and wounded me; The guards of the walls took my shawl away from me.
8 Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For I am lovesick.”
The Chorus
9 “[d]What kind of beloved is your beloved, O most beautiful among women? [e]What kind of beloved is your beloved, That you make us swear in this way?”
Admiration by the Bride
The Bride
10 “My beloved is dazzling and [f]reddish, Outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And perched in their setting.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, [g]Banks of herbal spices; His lips are lilies Dripping with drops of myrrh.
14 His hands are rods of gold Set with topaz; His abdomen is panels of ivory Covered with [h]sapphires.
15 His thighs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; His appearance is like Lebanon, Choice as the cedars.
16 His [i]mouth is full of sweetness. And he is wholly desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, You daughters of Jerusalem.”
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 5:1 Or become drunk
Song of Solomon 5:2 Lit filled
Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit soul
Song of Solomon 5:9 Or What is your beloved more than another beloved
Song of Solomon 5:9 Or What is your beloved more than another beloved
Song of Solomon 5:10 I.e., of reddish hair or skin
Song of Solomon 5:13 Lit Towers
Song of Solomon 5:14 Lit lapis lazuli THESE ARE IN AFGHANISTAN, A REASON WE WENT TO WAR THERE?
Song of Solomon 5:16 Lit palate
Mutual Delight in Each Other
The Chorus
6:1 “Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, That we may seek him with you?”
The Bride
2 “My beloved has gone down to his garden, To the beds of balsam, To pasture his flock in the gardens And gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies.”
The Groom
4 “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, As lovely as Jerusalem, As awesome as an army with banners.
5 Turn your eyes away from me, For they have confused me; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes That have come up from their watering place, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young.
7 Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil.
8 There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, And [a]young women without number; I KINGS 11:2 "He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives (!!! LIKE EVE?) led him astray."
9 But my dove, my perfect one, is [b]unique: She is her mother’s [c]only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who gave birth to her. The [d]young women saw her and called her [e]blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,
10 ‘Who is this who looks down like the dawn, As beautiful as the full moon, As pure as the sun, As awesome as an army with banners?’
11 I went down to the orchard of nut trees To see the plants of the valley, To see whether the vine had grown
Or the pomegranates had bloomed.
12 [f]Before I was aware, my soul set me Over the chariots of [g]my noble people.”
The Chorus
13 “[h]Come back, come back, O Shulamites; Come back, come back, so that we may look at you!”
The Groom
“Why should you look at the Shulamite, As at the dance of [i]the two armies?
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 6:8 Or virgins
Song of Solomon 6:9 Lit one
Song of Solomon 6:9 Lit one
Song of Solomon 6:9 Lit daughters
Song of Solomon 6:9 Or happy
Song of Solomon 6:12 Lit I was not aware, my soul
Song of Solomon 6:12 Or Ammi-nadib
Song of Solomon 6:13 Ch 7:1 in Heb
Song of Solomon 6:13 Or Mahanaim
Act 4 (Chapter 7) Vows
Chapter seven is admiration by the bridegroom, the union of love. “As the Song of Solomon makes clear, only in the secure context of an exclusive marital bond can free and complete giving of oneself in marriage take place” (Kostenberger, A., 2011, p. 8).
Admiration by the Groom
7:1 “[a]How beautiful are your feet in sandals, [b]Prince’s daughter! The curves of your hips are like jewels, The work of the hands of an artist.
2 Your navel is like a round goblet That never lacks mixed wine; Your belly is like a heap of wheat, [c]Surrounded with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like a tower of ivory, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, Which looks toward Damascus.
5 Your head [d]crowns you like (MOUNT) Carmel, And the flowing hair of your head is like purple threads; The king is captivated by your tresses.
6 How beautiful and how delightful you are, [e]My love, with all your delights!
7 [f]Your stature is like a palm tree, And your breasts are like its clusters.
8 I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree, I will grasp its fruit stalks.’ Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your [g]breath like apples,
9 And your [h]mouth like the best wine!” OR KISSES
The Bride
“It goes down smoothly for my beloved, Flowing gently through the lips of those who are asleep.
The Union of Love
10 “I am my beloved’s, And his desire is for me. AND HE IS MINE, VINEYARD SONG
11 Come, my beloved, let’s go out to the [i]country, Let’s spend the night in the villages.
12 Let’s rise early and go to the vineyards; Let’s see whether the vine has grown And its buds have opened, And whether the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes have given forth fragrance; And over our doors are all delicious fruits, New as well as old, Which I have saved for you, my beloved.
OXFORD LANGUAGUES: "It has a forked fleshy root that supposedly resembles the human form and was formerly widely used in medicine and magic, allegedly shrieking when pulled from the ground."
Footnotes
Song of Solomon 7:1 Ch 7:2 in Heb
Song of Solomon 7:1 Or Nobleman’s
Song of Solomon 7:2 Lit Fenced around
Song of Solomon 7:5 Lit is upon
Song of Solomon 7:6 Or With love among your charms
Song of Solomon 7:7 Lit This stature of yours
Song of Solomon 7:8 Lit nose
Song of Solomon 7:9 Lit palate
Song of Solomon 7:11 Lit field
Act 5 (Chapter 8) Epilogue
Chapter eight is the lovers’ speech.
The Lovers Speak
8:1 “Oh that you were like a brother to me Who nursed at my mother’s breasts. If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me, either.
2 I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me; I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
3 Let his left hand be under my head, And his right hand embrace me.”
The Groom
4 “Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem: [a]Do not disturb or awaken my love Until she pleases.”
The Chorus
5 “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning on her beloved?”
The Bride
“Beneath the apple tree I awakened you; There your mother went into labor with you, There she was in labor and gave birth to you.
6 Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, [b]Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flames are flames of fire, [c]The flame of the Lord. " Job 10:21 states “the land of gloom and deep darkness”.
7 Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers flood over it; If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised.” One cannot buy love, even though wives are sometimes purchased. SEE https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-exposure-of-chinas-bought-wives-11657339260
The Chorus
8 “We have a little sister, And she has no breasts; What shall we do for our sister On the day when she is spoken for? AGAIN, BE CAREFUL TELLING A WOMAN THIS.
9 If she is a wall, We will build on her a battlement of silver; But if she is a door, We will barricade her with planks of cedar.”
The Bride
10 “I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers. Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
12 My very own vineyard is [d]at my disposal; The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”
The Groom
13 “You who sit in the gardens: My companions are listening for your voice—Let me hear it!”
The Bride
14 “[e]Hurry, my beloved, And be like a gazelle or a young [f]stag On the mountains of balsam trees!”
INTERESTING ENDING? RUN AWAY? :) Footnotes
Song of Solomon 8:4 Lit Why should you disturb or
Song of Solomon 8:6 Or Its passion is as inflexible
Song of Solomon 8:6 Another reading is A vehement flame
Song of Solomon 8:12 Lit before me
Song of Solomon 8:14 Lit Flee
Song of Solomon 8:14 Lit of the stags
