Song Of Solomon

In explaining this book written by Solomon, it would help to know what you are talking about. In the case of this book, there are many views of interpretation, but none can claim perfect understanding. Nevertheless certain facts do stand out.
1. It is a love story. (Whether you view it as a collection of stories or a unity.)
2. It progresses through love, courtship and marriage under either view.
3. It expresses physical attraction between a man and woman, but is not dirty.
4. Premarital sex or forced love is deliberately avoided. (2:7 and 3:5)
5. Fulfillment of intimate longing after marriage is natural and honorable.
6. Faithfulness after marriage is expected and honorable.
7. It pictures God’s love and faithfulness to His people.

In early adolescence I read this book without understanding and with a certain combination of embarrassment and curiosity. I know one teen age couple who read it on their date, not to discover it’s wholesome purpose, but for the stimulating aspect of the descriptions. They admitted later that it was not an appropriate thing to do.
As I matured I recognized God’s love for us was pictured, but the book was still a puzzle. The New Schofield Bible came out with headings to show the conversations of the two main speakers, Solomon and his Shulamite bride. They were representative of God’s love for Israel and Christ’s love for the Church, as His bride. Among various good interpretations, I have in the past considered this the most logical, and accepted it for the most part. The Bible Knowledge Commentary has Solomon marrying the Shulamite, but with a different approach. The Amplified New Testament considers three main characters and is perhaps the best of all, and I will use it in my comments. 
A beautiful song used in special numbers says in the chorus, “Jesus Rock of Ages let me hide in thee, Jesus Rose of Sharon sweet thou art to me. Lilly of the valley, Bright and Morning Star, Fairest of Ten Thousand to my soul.” However, the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley definitely refer to the Shulamite woman.

In the Amplified New Testament view of one continuous story, the Shepherd represents Christ (Jesus, said the Old Testament testifies of me, John 5:39.), the Shulamite girl represents individual believers, and King Solomon represents the world. With this view, Solomon realizes his worldliness is leading people away from God and is writing to correct the situation. While the Shulamite is true to her lover, the women of the harem are absorbed with the splendor of the earthly king. Keep in mind this thought,  believers must resist the pull of the world for our true Shepherd.
The story in a nut shell: The Shulamite’s family rent some of Solomon’s land, see chapter 8. Her brothers are angry and make her work hard in the field, becoming sunburned. She goes to look over the crops, 6:11,12, but yielding to thrill, wanders farther to see the king go by, and too late to flee, is taken into his chariot.  At the harem she is embarrassed by her complexion, though others praise her beauty, and realizes she should be with her shepherd. Solomon repeatedly tries to woo her with sensual words, 4:1-5, but her shepherd visits and pleads on a more honorable basis, 4:7-15. She maintains her purity, rejects Solomon, and insists on her shepherd. Finally permitted to return to him, is married to live happily ever after. (Eternal security)
Chapter 1
v 1 According to 1 Ki. 4:32, Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs, this one being described as his best one. By this time he had acquired vast wealth and an increasingly large harem. This one may have been in Lebanon, see 4:8, or perhaps Jerusalem, because seven times the women of the harem, some foreigners, are called Daughters of Jerusalem. As the women loitered in their magnificent surroundings, from time to time Solomon would come and select one for his pleasure.
v 2,3 One young woman is frankly desiring to be selected and praises Solomon.
v 4 As Solomon is about to make his choice, they all call out, “Draw me.”  He is leaving and the others praise the one who is to follow him.
v 5,6 A shy country girl from Shulem is ushered in, embarrassed by her sunburnt complexion amongst the other beauties, caused by being made to work outside.
v 7 The Shulamite tries to get Solomon to see that she is in love with a Shepherd and addresses her feelings toward him in Solomon’s hearing, hoping to be released. (We should love our Shepherd above the pull of the world.)
v 8. Solomon’s loyal wives mock her, suggesting she go be a shepherdess.
v 9-11. Solomon returned to inspect the Shulamite and tried to woo her with fair words and enticements of wealth.
v 12-14. While Solomon sat at the table, she pled her love for her Shepherd.
v 15. The king ignored her and continued his flattery.
v 16,17. She likewise ignored Solomon and continued to express love for her Shepherd and the home he was preparing for them. 

Chapter 2
v 1. The Shulamite claims to be a mere local flower, unsuited for the palace.
v 2. Solomon compares her to other women as a lily among thorns.
v 3-6. She protests she is sick of love for the Shepherd and can feel his embrace.
(We should be able to feel the presence of the Lord.)
v 7. Solomon gives up for a time, and to the amazement of the other women she declares that she is not like a free animal, so not to lure her to a premarital love affair.
v 8-15. She has grown so homesick and out of place that she visualizes the memory of past experiences and conversations with her Shepherd.
(We need to meet with our Shepherd daily and have communication with Him.)
v 16. The others become curious about her love, but she says “He is mine.”
(Here is a possible problem with this interpretation. As believers we are to bring others to Christ. However, if we tell others about Him, Jer 29:13 says, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.) See also 6:1.
v 17. She addresses the absent Shepherd, longing for him to come to her.

Chapter 3

v 1-5. The Shulamite dreamed of her longing for the Shepherd and told it to the other women of the harem. She had been unable to find him, Isa. 26:9, but again in v 5 she does not want promiscuous love.
v 6-11. One of the harem women looks out and sees Solomon’s “bed” or bridal carriage coming with his latest female conquest with the accompanying entourage. She urges the others to meet him, wearing the wedding crown Bathsheba had made.
Chapter 4
v 1-5. The sight of the Shulamite takes Solomon’s mind off his newest bride, and he seeks to woo her with very sensual words. (Notice the contrast in v 7-15.)
v 6. Having listened to this as long as she could endure, she boldly as much as said that when she was awake she would have to listen to him, but at night in her thoughts she would flee to the one she loved.
v 7-14. As the Shulamite passed the window she noticed her loving Shepherd  approaching in the shadows. He had come out of love to assure himself of her safety and her interest in him alone. When he saw her through the lattice he made this great exclamation. Notice the contrast with Solomon’s sensuous wooing in v 1-5. The Shepherd lover ardently mentioned her beauty, Jn. 14:18; Eph. 5:27, but gets right to the point. He urged his promised bride to leave this place of heights and temptation and come away with me. When he proceeds to praise and admire her, he emphasizes her spiritual fruits which are like a garden. But it is a garden and fountain closed up and sealed until she comes to him.
v 15,16. Having listened to his impassioned speech, so different from the sensual plea of Solomon, she calls the Shepherd a fountain of living waters, Jn. 4:10; 7:37,38. No matter which way the wind is blowing, if she is a garden, she welcomes him to it.
(Let us welcome Christ in our lives whether in adversity or prosperity.)

Chapter 5

v 1. The Shepherd rejoiced for this close fellowship with his promised bride, and tells the revelers at the palace to go ahead with their feast, they can not shake her loyalty to him. Then he invites her to drink of his love as he has of hers. Then leaves.
v 2-7. She went to sleep full of joy, but had a dream and told it to her companions next morning. In her dream he came all wet with dew and knocked on the door of her mother’s cottage, calling for her, but she was weary and didn’t go to him.
(Let us not be weary with earthly cares and turn away our Lord when He calls.)
When she aroused and went to him full of love, he was gone. She went looking for him in desperation, and was mistreated by the guards as if she were a bad woman.
v 8,9. Whether in the dream or it’s telling, she pled with the others of the harem to help her find him. They merely taunted her as to why he was better than other lovers.
v 10-16. Now, fired up, the Shulamite gives a glowing description of his great superiority. He is the fairest of 10,000, Ps. 45:2; Jn. 1:14.  He is altogether lovely, v 16, a description of our Savior.

Chapter 6

v 1. In 1:8 the others of the harem may have mocked her beauty, but now they see her as she is, and after that vivid description, they too want to seek for him. (This is an answer to the problem of 2:16, as we tell others of Christ, they may desire Him.)
v 2,3. For all her searching, she knew in reality where, because of his nature, he would be found. She is again possessive, as in 2:16, that she is his and he is hers.
v 4-9. Solomon had entered and heard her impassioned statements of love, and though he sees he cannot woo her, he cannot help but express his admiration, respect and love. This may have been written early in his reign as he had just sixty wives and eighty concubines. There was also an endless supply of virgins, but the Shunamite excelled them all, and she had their praise and admiration.
v 10. The others of the harem were amazed at her spunk before the king and wondered how this humble but beautiful farm girl happened to be among princesses.
v 11-13. Her answer was that she went down to the orchard one day to see how things were doing, and not being discreet in her actions, she had wandered into the area of the king’s retinue. Since her family probably rented the vineyard from him, that may not have been far. They asked her to turn and show her beauty as in a dance, and being temporarily lifted up in pride, she succumbed to their attentions.
(How often pride and the praise of men may momentarily sweep us off our feet.)

Chapter 7

v 1. The others of the harem are now fully aware of her beauty and describe it in glowing, picturesque terms. (Although an “abdomen like a heap of wheat set about with lilies” is not my idea of romantic discourse.) The bosom seems to have been as much of an attraction then as in modern times. The speaker then noticed the king watching and commented on him being captivated.
v 6-9. The king now utters his most ardent and passionate appeal, possibly even taking her in his arms as he spoke. But when he referred to her kisses being like wine, she interrupted to state that the wine went down smoothly for her beloved Shepherd, like kisses gliding over his lips while he slept.
v 10. With dignity and finality, she repulsed and shamed the sensuous king from detaining her any longer as she and her Shepherd were committed only to each other.
(This speaks of our own eternal security with our Shepherd, Jn. 10:28.)
v 11-13. Realizing her release is imminent, she sends word for her beloved to come for her so they could marry. Even as Rachel and Leah thought of Mandrakes as  enhancing sexual desire, Gen. 30:14-16, the Shunamite has the same thought.

Chapter 8

v 1-3. Looking forward to the Shepherd’s arrival, she expresses her thoughts of love and of marital embrace.
v 4. She adjured the others of the harem to not press for premarital sexuality as in 2:7 and 3:5. (Although it may only mean not to force love but let it develop.)
v 5-7. As they returned home someone watched to greet them, coming up from the desert indicated their trial was passed. The Shepherd tells her that at her home by the apple tree she was born and awakened to love, and now sealed and permanent.
v 8-12. Her brothers were going to enlarge her if she was a wall (discreet) or if a door (bold and flirtatious) enclose her. She was able to declare she had been a wall before the king, and was respected and allowed to return. Solomon could have his rent and the workers their wages, but her vineyard, herself, she had kept for her lover.
v 13. She has been talking to others, now the Bridegroom requests her voice.
v 14. She joyfully answers by asking him to hasten as a fast animal and take her to their home.

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In the early 90's I started studing the bible by taking colleger courses, because I believe the Lord wanted me to become a pastor in a Nazarne Church. My goal has changed with all my studies. I have read and compared numerous translations and commentaries in my many years of studying the bible. Some of these authorities disagree with each other. I come across information on studies and classes that I have taken 15 to 20 years before and I have no documentation of where it came from. Plus I have given away or returned many books for college classes that I have taken. So if I have failed to give someone the credit that is due them I ask for their forgiveness. The following is a list of translations and commentaries that I still have and use.

1. Apocrypha
2. Confessions of St Augustine
3. Divine Comedy of Dante (Henery Carytr)
4. King James Bible
5. LDS (Mormons)
6. Martin Luther
7. St John of the Cross
8. Budhist
9. Christian-King James
10. Hindu
11. Islam
12. Judaism
13. Sikh
14. Tao
15. Zoroastrian

OUR ETERNAL HOME by Richard W. Dehaan,
PROPHECY STUDY BIBLE by Tim Lahaye
READER'S DIGEST JESUS AND HIS TIMES by the Readers Digest Association Inc,
REFLECTING GOD STUDY BIBLE By Zondervan Corporation;
SAINT JOSEPH EDITION OF THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by Catholic Book Publishing Co.
SEVEN KEYS TO FAMILY POWER by Billy Joe Daugherty,
SIX HOURS ONE FRIDAY by Max Lacado,
THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE by the Zondervan Corporation;
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD by Jocyce Meyer,
THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK by Babbour Publishing Inc,
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER by Charles Mortimer Guilbert
THE BOOK OF HOPE by Tyndale House Publishiers, Inc,
THE BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC by Albert H. Boudreau,
THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel,
THE CATHOLIC ANSWER BOOK by Peter MJ Stravinsiasi
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BIBLE KNOWLEDGE by Mark D. Taylor;
THE DAY CHRIST DIED by Jim Bishop,
THE GREAT BIBLE QUESTION AND ANWERS BOOK by Playmore Inc
THE HOME BIBLE STUDY COURSE by Dr. Harold L. Wilmington;
THE KING JAMES BIBLE ARCHAIE WORDS DEFIND by David W. Daniel
THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMPANION by David W. Daniels;
THE KING JAMES STUDY BIBLE by Thomas Nelson Publishers,
THE LAYMAN’S BIBLE  DICTIONARY by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray;
THE LAYMAN’S PARALLEL NEW TESTAMENT by Zondervan Bible Publisher
THE LAYMAN'S LIST by Calance Stucup
THE MESSAGE BIBLE by Eugone H. Peterson,
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by World Catholic Press;
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE Saint Joseph Edition;
THE NEW STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE by James Strong LL. D S.T.D.;
THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE by Cardinal Francis Arinze
THE TRINITY by Rose Publish
THE VERY FIRST ESTER by Paul L. Maier,
THE WAY CATHOLIC LIVING BIBLE by Tyndale House Publishers;
UNCHRISTIAN by David Kennan and Gabe Lyon
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE by Ronald Greib
VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WORDS By W. E. Vine;
WHAT’S SO SECRET ABOUT THE RAPTURRE? By Christian Record Services, INC
WHEN GOD WINKS AT YOU by Tomas Nelson
WILLMINGTON’S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE by Dr. H.L. Willmington,
WOMAN OF FAITH STUDY BIBLE by Zschech/Heillsong
YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER by New Leaf Press
YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS by Anthony Wilhen

08/19/2011