Page 147 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

A harem conversation (5:9-6:3): Observing the strength of her commitment to her beloved, the harem
women wonder what is so special about him. The woman responds, perhaps still in between her
nightmare dream and her nightmare reality. Her beloved is one among ten thousand. A golden head
speaks of a quality mind. Doves eyes are eyes that will not harm as are lips like lilies. He is physically
strong in arm and body and legs. He is like a great cedar tree (along with the apple tree mentioned
earlier). As indicated from the beginning, she has enjoyed the sweetness of his kisses. He is her beloved
and friend. The women poke at her asking where he might have gone, perhaps implying that he would
not be faithful to her thinking her unfaithful to him. She assures them that he is browsing/shepherding
among the lilies. He will not harm her. She is confident of the depth of their relationship.

A third seduction attempt (6:4-10): Solomon speaks again of her beauty. He uses some of the same
imagery as before, goats and sheep and pomegranates. He adds a complaining note. She is as beautiful
as Tirzah, the capitol city of an ancient enemy. He cannot get by her defenses. Yet she is unique among
his sixty queens and eighty concubines. She is precious to her mother. He or the women comment on
her pose. The most recent NIV translation strains to make the description positive, “majestic as the stars
in procession”, but older translations have the more accurate, “terrible as an army with banners (KJV).”
She continues to resist.

A key explanation (6:11-13): The woman speaks of how she got into the mess. She had simply taken a
springtime walk to see the blossoms. Without noticing, she found herself among a royal party. She began
to run away, and they called to her. Somewhat in fun they address her as “Shulammite” and express a
desire to look at her. (The name Shulammite is usually taken as a place name with the “l” transposed
from an “n” and referring to the town of Shunam. The root could very well come from “to skirt” and be
an insulting reference to a woman.) She responds with some spirit, questioning anyone looking at her
like some kind of spectacle.

A forceful seduction attempt (7:1-10): Again, the king compliments her from the bottom of her feet to
the top of her head. (The Hebrew is somewhat pornographic.) We have read most of these compliments
already. Solomon’s lust is getting the better of him. He compares her breasts to clusters of fruit. He
imagines grasping them while he kisses her. She interrupts his attempt to kiss her, saying, “May the wine
go straight to my beloved.” If we have been correct in our interpretation, Solomon is not her beloved.
She remains adamant in this most compromising position. (The word “straight” is often an ethical term.)
Solomon finishes his thought about kissing her, and she responds again. She acknowledges the power of
sexual wine and insists that hers is for her beloved.

A longing for escape (7:11-8:4): Having successfully resisted Solomon, the woman speaks of her desire
to go home to the countryside. She is familiar with vineyards and pomegranates and mandrakes and is
comfortable comparing romantic love and experience to these images. She too speaks of her beloved as
a brother who has called her “sister bride.” If he were her brother, she could leave without criticism. As
in her first dream, she would take him to a safe place and, as her beloved, share herself with him. One
final time she warns the harem women of the danger of trying to arouse love at an inappropriate time.

The conclusion and theme (8:5-7): The woman has been released, and she is returning home with her
beloved. They reminisce over places important to them. She articulates the theme of the Song in
powerful imagery. Genuine love is a choice. Genuine love is as strong as death. Genuine love has an
unquenchable, protective jealousy for the relationship. Genuine love is actually Yahweh’s flame. (“A
mighty flame” is literally “flame of Yah” where Yah is short for Yahweh. Translating it as “mighty”
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