A Few Notes on Song of Songs Part 1

Introduction

Author: Solomon, King of Israel, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

B1 It is most reasonable that Solomon wrote this.

B2 Consider: 1 Kings 4:29-34 GNB God gave Solomon unusual wisdom and insight, and knowledge too great to be measured. 30 Solomon was wiser than the wise men of the East or the wise men of Egypt. 31 He was the wisest of all men: wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame spread throughout all the neighboring countries. 32 He composed three thousand proverbs and more than a thousand songs. 33 He spoke of trees and plants, from the Lebanon cedars to the hyssop that grows on walls; he talked about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 Kings all over the world heard of his wisdom and sent people to listen to him.

Interpretation

B1 The plain, normal sense

C1 God is omniscient

C2 God is omnisapient

C3 God can communicate perfectly

C4 Thus, it is most reasonable to read and study Song of Songs in it plain, normal sense.

C5 Don’t interpret it. Read it.

B2 Others’ interpretation

C1 There is the plain, normal sense, allegorical sense, Typological, Bible code sense, symbolic sense and others. Maybe there are 50 different ways people have interpreted it. Much more can be found here.

C2 Criswell (as found here): Criswell rightly comments that the allegorical "approach often finds as many interpretations as interpreters, which shows its dubious value. Genuine allegory will usually yield basically the same interpretation to its varied interpreters (Ed comment: As a corollary thought, keep in mind that even figurative language always has a literal meaning, but as with all Scripture may have multiple valid applications)." (Criswell, W A. Believer's Study Bible: New King James Version. 1991. Thomas Nelson)

C3 Warren Wiersbe (same source): While the Song of Solomon illustrates the deepening love we can have with Christ, we must be careful not to turn the story into an allegory and make everything mean something.

All things are possible to those who allegorize—

and what they come up with is usually heretical.

C4 Henry Morris (Same source: Morris makes an interesting comment noting that "Although there have been a number of interpretations of this book, the most obvious interpretation is no interpretation at all. That is, it is simply what it purports to be--a romantic love poem describing the love of young Solomon and a Shulammite maiden who became his first bride...Clearly Morris' "non-interpretation" approach is a plea for us to interpret this beautiful love poem in its natural, literal sense.

Summary

B1 The honeymoon

B2 Day to day life

B3 Marriage growth, marriage matures in time

B4 Sexual love between spouses is not evil; it is to be enjoyed by BOTH.

Characters

B1 Solomon, the king, the bridegroom

C1 The king and bridegroom

C2 “Etymology of the name Solomon: The name Solomon comes from the fertile and familiar root שלם (shalem), to be or make whole or complete” (Source)

C3 Thusly, this is Mr. Solomon. Essentially, the same as the Shulammite.

B2 The Shulammite

C1 The bride, Solomon’s first wife, Naamah an Ammonitess (2 Chronicles 12:13).

C2 “Etymology of the name Shulammite: The name Shulam(mite) appears to be based on the familiar word שלום (shalom), meaning peace, which in turn is derived from the verb שלם (shalem), to be or make whole or complete” (Source) Essentially, the same as Solomon.

C3 Thusly, this is Mrs. Solomon.

C4 Naamah means loveliness/pleasantness (Source)

B3 The Chorus (Daughters of Jerusalem)

Notes

B1 Personally, I think Solomon was reminiscing about his wedding and marriage to Naamah.

C1 The language of the first chapter is very erotic.

C2 It would seem unlikely that the first time they meet, she wants him to sex with him. Song of Solomon 1:13 GNB My lover has the scent of myrrh as he lies upon my breasts.

B2 Chapter 1

C1 In my opinion, this is the wedding night. It is their first night alone to consummate their marriage.

C2 She was admiring his physic.

C3 She felt that she was not as beautiful as she wanted to be, because of her brothers making her work. Song of Solomon 1:6 GNB Don't look down on me because of my color, because the sun has tanned me. My brothers were angry with me and made me work in the vineyard. I had no time to care for myself. Note, she might have felt she wasn’t perfect, but Solomon accepted her as perfect, just as she was.

B3 Chapter 2

C1 The bride is enjoying his caresses. Song of Solomon 2:6 GNB His left hand is under my head, and his right hand caresses me.

C2 The king had to leave for governmental duties but has returned. Song of Solomon 2:8-9 GNB I hear my lover's voice. He comes running over the mountains, racing across the hills to me. 9 My lover is like a gazelle, like a young stag. There he stands beside the wall. He looks in through the window and glances through the lattice.

B4 Chapter 3

C1 The Shulammite has a nightmare that her husband, her lover, is gone, and she cannot find him. Song of Solomon 3:1 GNB Asleep on my bed, night after night I dreamed of the one I love; I was looking for him, but couldn't find him.

C2 Solomon isn’t just coming home. He is coming in royal style. Song of Solomon 3:6-10 GNB What is this coming from the desert like a column of smoke, fragrant with incense and myrrh, the incense sold by the traders? 7 Solomon is coming, carried on his throne; sixty soldiers form the bodyguard, the finest soldiers in Israel. 8 All of them are skillful with the sword; they are battle-hardened veterans. Each of them is armed with a sword, on guard against a night attack. 9 King Solomon is carried on a throne made of the finest wood. 10 Its posts are covered with silver; over it is cloth embroidered with gold. Its cushions are covered with purple cloth, lovingly woven by the women of Jerusalem.

C3 His wife is excited. Song of Solomon 3:11 GNB Women of Zion, come and see King Solomon. He is wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head on his wedding day, on the day of his gladness and joy.

C4 They are already married.

B4 Chapter 4

C1 They are intimate again.

C2 They are admiring each other’s beauty. She has

D1 Beautiful hair: Song of Solomon 4:1 GNB How beautiful you are, my love! How your eyes shine with love behind your veil. Your hair dances like a flock of goats bounding down the hills of Gilead.

D2 Perfect teeth: Song of Solomon 4:2 GNB Your teeth are as white as sheep that have just been shorn and washed. Not one of them is missing; they are all perfectly matched.

D3 Her face and neck are stunning. Song of Solomon 4:3-4 GNB Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; how lovely they are when you speak. Your cheeks glow behind your veil. 4 Your neck is like the tower of David, round and smooth, with a necklace like a thousand shields hung around it.

D4 The rest of her body is beautiful, too.

D5 The husband admires her beauty, takes time to enjoy it, and makes sure she enjoys this attention too.

C3 His wife is his one and only.

C4 The physical joy of being together intimately.

C5 Personally, I feel that in general all of Solomon other wives were for political or business reasons.

D1 His father King David had a number of wives and many children.

E1 It is believed he has 8 wives. They were Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba, Ahinoam, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah (see here). Maybe he had more as stated in 2 Samuel 5:13 ESV And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

E2 He had at least 20 sons and 1 daughter (see here).

D2 Solomon only has 3 children listed. Rehoboam, his son (1 Kings 11:43 and Matthew , Taphath (1 Kings 4:11), and Basmath (1 Kings 4:15). That’s it!

D3 If all his wives had 3 children were is the list of names?

We learn

B1 Sexual pleasure in normal for both husband and wife. Admiring each other’s beauty is not sinful.

B2 The greatness of being with each other.

C1 Husband and wife need to be best friends.

C2 They need to enjoy each other’s company.

C3 They need to take time off to be with each other.

C4 Marriage is a higher priority than work.

B3 When you spend time together

C1 It is a time for just the both of you

C2 Shut the phone off

C3 Shut the TV off

C4 Stop any distraction

C5 It is realistic that interruptions do happen as emergencies or younger children. But, otherwise, you are spending time with your spouse.

C6 Listen to her. Listen to him. Do not interrupt. Do not offer advice or counsel. Shut up and listen. Don’t be reading or doing something when she is talking.