(Lit. Song of the Songs). Also Often Referred As Song of Solomon

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

(Lit. Song of the Songs). Also Often Referred As Song of Solomon Song of Songs Title: Heb. sir hassirim (lit. song of the songs). Also often referred as Song of Solomon. ​ ​ ​ Author: Traditionally Solomon. ​ Date: Unknown. Solomon’s reign 971-931 B.C. ​ Genre: Hebrew (love/erotic) poetry. ​ Characters: ​ Woman/She/Beloved/Shulammite Man/He/Lover Others/Friends/Maidens/Daughters of Jerusalem Woman’s family Interpretations: ​ 1. Allegory of God’s love for Israel. 2. Allegory of Jesus’ love for the church. 3. Love poem between King Solomon and his Shulammite bride. 4. Love poem between a simple shepherd and the Shulammite shepherdess. 5. Love poem involving Solomon, a shepherd boy, and the Shulammite shepherdess. 6. Collection of love poems on a common theme. Key Themes: ​ 1. God’s covenant provides the right framework for marriage and intimacy. a. Intense desire: seeking and finding. 2. Marriage is a gift of God and is to be founded on mutual commitment. a. The joy of mutual attraction. Outline: ​ Title: The Best of Songs (1:1) 1:1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s. (ESV) The Lovers Yearn for Each Other (1:2-2:17) Poem One: The Woman’s Pursuit (1:2-4) 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine. 1:4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. Poem Two: Dark, but Beautiful (1:5-6) 1:5 I am very dark, but lovely. O daughters of Jerusalem. 1:6 My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards. Poem Three: An Invitation to a Tryst (1:7-8) Poem Four: A Beautiful Mare (1:9-11) Poem Five: Intimate Fragrances (1:12-14) Poem Six: Outdoor Love (1:15-17) Poem Seven: Flowers and Trees (2:1-7) 2:1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the vallleys. 2:3 As an apple tree among the trees in the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting table, and his banner over me was love. 2:7 Daughters of Jerusalem…[do] not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. Poem Eight: A Poem of Spring (2:8-17) 2:16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies. The Woman Dreams (3:1-6:3) Poem Nine: Seeking and Not Finding (3:1-5) 3:1 I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. Poem Ten: A Royal Wedding Procession (3:6-11) Poem Eleven: The Man’s Sensuous Description of the Woman (4:1-7) 4:4 Your neck is like the tower of David, built in rows of stone. Poem Twelve: The Invitation (4:8-9) 4:9 You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride. Poem Thirteen: Eating in the Garden of Love (4:10-5:1) Poem Fourteen: To Search and Not Find, Again (5:2-6:3) 6:3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he grazes among the lilies. The Lovers Yearn for Each Other Again (6:4-8:4) Poem Fifteen: Awesome as an Army under Banners (6:4-10) Poem Sixteen: A Surprise in the Nut Grove (6:11-12) Poem Seventeen: A Description of the Dancing Shulammite (6:13-7:10) Poem Eighteen: I Will Give You My Love (7:11-13) Poem Nineteen: Yearning for Love (8:1-4) The Lovers Join in Marriage (8:5-14) Poem Twenty: Like a Seal (8:5-7) 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. Poem Twenty-One: Protecting the Sister (8:8-10) Poem Twenty-Two: Who Owns the Vineyard? (8:11-12) Poem Twenty-Three: Be Like a Gazelle (8:13-14) —— Bibliography Longman, T., III. (2006). Song of Songs (New International Commentary on the Old Testament). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ESV study Bible: English Standard Version. (2011). Wheaton, IL: Crossway. .
Recommended publications
  • The Song of Songs: Translation and Notes
    The Song of Songs: Translation and Notes Our translation of the Song of Songs attempts to adhere as closely as pos- sible to the Hebrew text. As such, we follow the lead set by Everett Fox, most prominently, in his approach to translation. In addition, we have attempted to utilize common English words to render common Hebrew words and rare English words to render rare Hebrew words (see notes h and ac, for example). We also follow Fox’s lead in our representation of proper names. Throughout this volume we have used standard English forms for proper names (Gilead, Lebanon, Solomon, etc.). In our translation, however, we have opted for a closer representation of the Hebrew (i.e., Masoretic) forms (Gilʿad, Levanon, Shelomo, etc.). We further believe that the Masoretic paragraphing should be indicated in an English translation, and thus we have done so in our presentation of the text. While we consider (with most scholars) the Aleppo Codex to be the most authoritative witness to the biblical text, in this case we are encumbered by the fact that only Song 1:1–3:11 is preserved in the extant part of the Aleppo Codex. Accordingly, we have elected to follow the paragraphing system of the Leningrad Codex. Setuma breaks are indicated by an extra blank line. The sole petuha break in the book, after 8:10, is indicated by two blank lines. The Aleppo Codex, as preserved, has petuha breaks after 1:4 and 1:8, whereas the Leningrad Codex has setuma breaks in these two places. As for the remain- ing part of the Song of Songs in the “Aleppo tradition,” we note a difference of opinions by the editors responsible for the two major publications of the Aleppo Codex at one place.
    [Show full text]
  • Royal Matrimony: the Theme of Kingship in the Book of Song Of
    1 REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CHARLOTTE ‘ROYAL MATRIMONY: THE THEME OF KINGSHIP IN THE BOOK OF SONG OF SONGS AS AN APOLOGETIC TO SOLOMON’ SUBMITTED TO DR. RICHARD BELCHER, JR. IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF OT512- POETS (1st YEAR) BY DÓNAL WALSH, MAY 15, 2018 2 The Song of Songs is the subject of no little debate among Bible scholars today. Commentators are generally united in saying that it is a beautiful redemptive poem about love, but the consensus ends there.1 Debates proliferate over its authorship, date, use of imagery, role and number of characters in the book and overall purpose. The interpreter is left to sift through the perplexing and multi-faceted perspectives on the book. This essay hopes to clear up some of this fog by focusing on one major theme: royal kingship. I propose that the Song is a redemptive love poem which also functions as an apologetic work written with Solomon in mind. It is a defense of faithful, monogamous marital love both to Israel and, especially, to Solomon. To establish this premise, I will discuss a proposed apologetic model that is used in the Song, how this relates to the royal theme, the implications of this apologetic reading on how we date the book, and lastly discern its purpose, author, and how this apologetic speaks to us pastorally and Christologically today. An Apologetic Model A big question, as we investigate this royal theme, is how Solomon can be portrayed in both a positive and negative light. Some commentators see him as a manipulative, domineering king who wants to seduce the Shulamite girl into his harem,2 while others take him to be the author of the book, and the ideal king and lover.3 Still others see him in a negative light, but whose royal traits are appropriated positively by the woman in praise of 1 Athalya Brenner, The Song of Songs, Old Testament Guides (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1989), 63–64; Raymond B.
    [Show full text]
  • The Relationship Between Targum Song of Songs and Midrash Rabbah Song of Songs
    THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TARGUM SONG OF SONGS AND MIDRASH RABBAH SONG OF SONGS Volume I of II A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2010 PENELOPE ROBIN JUNKERMANN SCHOOL OF ARTS, HISTORIES, AND CULTURES TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME ONE TITLE PAGE ............................................................................................................ 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. 2 ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. 6 DECLARATION ........................................................................................................ 7 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ....................................................................................... 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DEDICATION ............................................................... 9 CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 11 1.1 The Research Question: Targum Song and Song Rabbah ......................... 11 1.2 The Traditional View of the Relationship of Targum and Midrash ........... 11 1.2.1 Targum Depends on Midrash .............................................................. 11 1.2.2 Reasons for Postulating Dependency .................................................. 14 1.2.2.1 Ambivalence of Rabbinic Sources Towards Bible Translation .... 14 1.2.2.2 The Traditional
    [Show full text]
  • J. Paul Tanner, "The Message of the Song of Songs,"
    J. Paul Tanner, “The Message of the Song of Songs,” Bibliotheca Sacra 154: 613 (1997): 142-161. The Message of the Song of Songs — J. Paul Tanner [J. Paul Tanner is Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies, Singapore Bible College, Singapore.] Bible students have long recognized that the Song of Songs is one of the most enigmatic books of the entire Bible. Compounding the problem are the erotic imagery and abundance of figurative language, characteristics that led to the allegorical interpretation of the Song that held sway for so much of church history. Though scholarly opinion has shifted from this view, there is still no consensus of opinion to replace the allegorical interpretation. In a previous article this writer surveyed a variety of views and suggested that the literal-didactic approach is better suited for a literal-grammatical-contextual hermeneutic.1 The literal-didactic view takes the book in an essentially literal way, describing the emotional and physical relationship between King Solomon and his Shulammite bride, while at the same time recognizing that there is a moral lesson to be gained that goes beyond the experience of physical consummation between the man and the woman. Laurin takes this approach in suggesting that the didactic lesson lies in the realm of fidelity and exclusiveness within the male-female relationship.2 This article suggests a fresh interpretation of the book along the lines of the literal-didactic approach. (This is a fresh interpretation only in the sense of making refinements on the trend established by Laurin.) Yet the suggested alternative yields a distinctive way in which the message of the book comes across and Solomon himself is viewed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Song of Songs Seder: a Night of Sacred Sexuality by Rabbi Robert Teixeira, LCSW
    The Song of Songs Seder: A Night of Sacred Sexuality By Rabbi Robert Teixeira, LCSW Many fault lines cut through the human family. The Sex-Is-Holy - Sex-Is-Dirty divide, which inflicts untold suffering on millions, is one of the widest and oldest. We find evidence of this divide in every faith tradition, including Judaism, where we encounter it numerous times in the Talmud, in reference to the Song of Songs, for example. This work, which revolves around the play of two Lovers, is by far the most erotic book in the Bible. According to the Talmud, the Song of Songs was set aside to be buried because of its sensual content (Avot De-Rabbi Nathan 1:4). These verses were singled out as particularly offensive: I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me. Come, my beloved, let us go into the open; let us lodge among the henna shrubs. Let us go early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine has flowered, if its blossoms have opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give my love to you.” (Song of Songs 7:11-13) At length, the rabbis debated whether to include the Song of Songs in the Bible. In their deliberations, they used the curious phrase “renders unclean the hands.” Holy books, in their view, were essentially “too hot to handle” on account of their intrinsic holiness. Handling them, then, renders unclean the hands, that is, makes one more or less untouchable, until specific rituals of purification are carried out.
    [Show full text]
  • A Love Song for Passover? Source Sheet by Beth Schafer Based on a Sheet by Melissa Buyer-Witman
    A Love Song for Passover? Source Sheet by Beth Schafer Based on a sheet by Melissa Buyer-Witman On Passover, it's traditional to read from Shir ha Shirim or the Song of Songs. The Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon is the first of the five Megillot (scrolls) of Ketuvim (Writings) the last section of the Tanakh (Bible). Scripturally, it is unique in its celebration of sexual love. It gives "the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other, proffering invitations to enjoy". The two are in harmony, each desiring the other and rejoicing in sexual intimacy; the women (or "daughters") of Jerusalem form a chorus to the lovers, functioning as an audience whose participation in the lovers' erotic encounters facilitates the participation of the reader. So you must be asking yourself... Why in the world do we read Song of Songs on Passover?? שיר השירים א׳:ט׳-ט״ו Song of Songs 1:9-15 ֙ ֣ ֔ ֖ ְ ,I have likened you, my darling (9) (ט) ְל ֻס ָס ִתי ְּב ִר ְכ ֵבי ַפ ְרעֹה ִ ּד ִּמי ִתיך (To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots: (10 ַר ְעיָ ִ ֽתי׃ (י) ָנא ֤ווּ ְל ָח ַ֙י ִי ְ֙ך ַּב ּתֹ ִ ֔רים Your cheeks are comely with plaited ַצ ָוּא ֵ ֖ר ְך ַּב ֲחרוּ ִזֽים׃ (יא) ּת ֹו ֵ ֤רי ָז ָה ֙ב wreaths, Your neck with strings of ַנ ֲע ֶׂשה־ ָּ֔ל ְך ִ ֖עם ְנ ֻק ּ֥ד ֹות ַה ָּכֽ ֶסף׃ (יב) jewels. (11) We will add wreaths of ַעד־ ׁ ֶ֤ש ַה ֶּ֙מ ֶל ְ֙ך ִּב ְמ ִס ּ֔ב ֹו ִנ ְר ִ ּ֖די ָנ ַ ֥תן ֵריחֽ ֹו׃ (gold To your spangles of silver.
    [Show full text]
  • The Divine Kiss: Song of Songs Chapter 1:1-11 the Passion Translation
    Week 2 The Divine Kiss: Song of Songs Chapter 1:1-11 The Passion Translation By Connie Witter - Because of Jesus Ministries - BecauseofJesus.com This beautiful book of the Bible reveals the True Gospel--the Greatest Love story ever told! It is the story of Jesus, your bridegroom, and His relentless, pursuit of you, His bride, to win your heart with His love. Solomon is a picture of Jesus, and the Shulamite is a picture of you. These two Hebrew words are taken from the same root word, one masculine, the other feminine. We are one Spirit with our King, united with Him as one. Men and women alike have a need for love. We all pursue love because it is what we were created for! Women love to be told they are beautiful, lovely, and good. They love affirmation that they have done a good job and validation from those they love. Men as well love to hear they are handsome, strong, and good. They have a need to be respected, admired, and appreciated as well. However, when we constantly look to human love to fill this need we end up broken and disappointed because people are not always going to approve of us. They will find fault and they will point it out. So this leaves us with only one love that can truly make us whole because Jesus never changes His opinion of you! He promised in His covenant marriage vow to you that He would never see any fault in you! (Hebrews 8:12) He always approves of you! He is constantly singing over you that you are wonderful, perfect, and very good! And even when you do fail, He lifts up your head, looks straight into
    [Show full text]
  • Song of Solomon Notes Studies Completed with Joe Focht, Chuck Smith, Damian Kyle, Jon Courson, Warren Wiersbe, Matthew Henry, and NIV Study Bible
    Song of Solomon Notes Studies completed with Joe Focht, Chuck Smith, Damian Kyle, Jon Courson, Warren Wiersbe, Matthew Henry, and NIV Study Bible. Introduction: One of the favorite and most controversial books of the Bible. - Charles Spurgeon and D.L. Moody listed Song of Solomon as their favorites. - Watchman Nee said “Song of Solomon is the capstone of the Bible.” - Song of Solomon is often called “The Holy of Holies of the Bible.” There are 4 main interpretations of this book: 1. An erotic love story of Solomon and one of his wives. The Talmud and rabbis wouldn’t let Jewish males read it until they were in their 30’s. Sex was God’s idea; “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Gen. 1:26; 2:18) But sex is not only for procreation – this is one of the main themes of Song of Solomon. Certainly, Song of Solomon extols marital love, but it also speaks of a deeper love. 2. The covenant love story between God and the nation Israel. There are numerous places in the Bible (ie. Hosea) where Jehovah is spoken of as the husband and Israel as the wife. 3. The NT love story of Christ and His Bride, the Church. Ephesians 5:22-33 speaks of a marriage between a husband and wife as a picture of Christ’s relationship to the Church. The name, Shulamite, is the feminine form of the male name, Solomon. 4. The marriage between the Shulamite and her shepherd- husband which is being assaulted by the seduction of Solomon, who is a type of the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Song of Songs 1
    Song of songs 1 Song of songs 1 ,The song of songs . : ִלְשׁלֹמה אֲשֶׁ ר ַהִשּׁיִרים ִשׁיר 1:1 shir e·shirim ashr l·shlme : which [is] Solomon's. song-of the·songs which to·Solomon 2 Let him kiss me with the . : ִמָיִּין ֹדֶּדיך טִבים ־ ִכּי ִפּיהוּ ִמְנִּשׁיקת ִיָשֵּׁקִני 1:2 ishq·ni m·nshiquth phi·eu ki - tubim ddi·k m·iin : kisses of his mouth: for thy he-shall-kiss·me from·kisses-of mouth-of·him that good-ones affections-of·you from·wine love [is] better than wine. 3 Because of the savour of עֲלָ מת עַל־כֵּ ן ְשֶׁמך תּוַּרק ֶשֶׁמן טִבים ְשָׁמֶניך ְלֵריַח 1:3 l·rich shmni·k tubim shmn thurq shm·k ol-kn olmuth thy good ointments thy for·scent attars-of·you good-ones attar she-is-being-cemptied name-of·you on·so damsels name [is as] ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. : ֲאֵהבוּך aebu·k : they-love·you 4 Draw me, we will run נָגִ ילָ ה ֲחָדָריו ַהֶמֶּלך ֱהִביַאִני נָּרוּצָ ה ַאֲחֶריך ָמְשֵׁכִני 1:4 mshk·ni achri·k nrutze ebia·ni e·mlk chdri·u ngile after thee: the king hath draw-you·me ! after·you we-shall-run he-cbrings·me the·king chambers-of·him we-shall-exult brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more ֵמיָשִׁרים ִמַיִּין ֹדֶדיך ַנְזִכּיָרה ָבּך ְוִנְשְׂמָחה u·nshmche b·k nzkire ddi·k m·iin mishrim than wine: the upright love and·we-shall-rejoice in·you we-shall-ccommemorate affections-of·you from·wine upright-ones thee.
    [Show full text]
  • Song Books of Old Testament
    Song Books Of Old Testament Is Greggory unsurpassed or even-handed when comports some musicology ensues representatively? When Sibyl octupling his splice interchanged not snugly enough, is Rhett segreant? Nevil is thalassographic: she glories goniometrically and hank her dammar. CEDARMONT KIDS BOOKS OF THE public TESTAMENT. Books of the Bible song request Idea Wiki Fandom. Black Friday Deals 0 Specials 9 Children's Books 27 Bible Lessons 44 Christian Living 5 PowerPoint 13 Old Testament 14 New Testament 15. Help your students remember the names and order that all 66 books of the Bible with these fun activities The games and songs are mention only enjoyable but more. ABC Now We dismantle the Old as Song MP4 MP3. Song of Songs 12 The sleek male counterpart female speakers identified primarily on the basis of the gender undermine the. Check out Books of the Bible Song Old Testament and Wonder Kids Sing on Amazon Music Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazoncouk. Song of Songs Ecclesiastes Lamentations Esther To modern readers these five short books appear following dot the famous Testament at fault like a handful of Biblical. Old old book or sacred songs Crossword Clue Answers. Wee Sing Bible Songs Wee Sing. A peculiar book tie the Bible the thunder of Songs also known down the excel of Solomon is not technically a commit It's a warrior song in two lovers But according. Song of Solomon biblical canticle Britannica. This fun song please help waiting children memorize all 66 books of the Bible in order fuel the video and start.
    [Show full text]
  • Song of Solomon Commentaries
    Song of Solomon Commentaries ECCLESIASTES ISAIAH SONG OF SOLOMON RESOURCES Commentaries, Sermons, Illustrations, Devotionals Introduction: The discerning reader should be aware that many of the commentaries on Song of Solomon interpret this book allegorically (See Interpretative Approach). The "danger" is that allegory searches for a hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of the sacred text. For example, the respected commentator Matthew Henry (1662-1714) states that the Song of Solomon "is an allegory" and goes on to add "that after the title of the book (Song of Solomon 1:1) we have Christ and His church, Christ and a believer, expressing their esteem for each other." This is not the literal, natural meaning but an allegorical interpretation which begs the question of whose "allegory" or hidden meaning is correct, a problem which is not faced when one interprets the text literally. Commentaries that take a predominantly allegorical approach to the Song of Solomon are (with a few exceptions) not included in this list. It is also notable that there is a paucity of preaching on this book. I have tried to include sermons that interpret the text literally, but as I read through or listened to these sermons (a sampling), there were frequent points of disagreement. Therefore be very discerning as you read/listen to sermons on the Song of Solomon. For example, out of my respect for the "prince of preachers" all of Spurgeon's sermons are included even though they are predominantly non-literal. Babylonian love poem, eighteenth
    [Show full text]
  • Song of Songs 1:1 - 2:7
    SONG OF SONGS 1:1 - 2:7 7 Song of Songs The Title (1:1) 1The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s. The title ‘Song of songs' is an indication of the esteem which the editors held for this book. They are claiming that it has a preeminent place among all the other ‘songs’ at- tributed to Solomon. In the Book of Kings we read: Solomon composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. – 1Kings 4:32 The link with 'Solomon' associates the Song with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible and Wisdom in the Greek Septuagint Bible – all linked to the man whom tradition saw as the wisest of men. God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. – 1Kings 4:29 King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. – 1Kings 10:23 We find this tradition present in the New Testament. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! – Matthew 12:42 The editors are claiming that the Song of Songs offers authoritative wisdom that ex- ceeds the wisdom found in other books. Since the subject of the book is love between a woman and a man, with the primary perspective being that of the woman, the link with Solomon, and so with Wisdom, prepares us for a song that will offer us wisdom in rela- tion to sexual love.
    [Show full text]