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Wednesday 3/18/26
Thru the Bible: Song of Solomon
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Of Serendipity & Matrimony
Song of Solomon 3-4
We begin in chapter 3 of Song of Solomon tonight and I will admit that the opening scene confounds me a little. So much so that it forced me to do what I should have done to begin with and make sure that the formalities and customs of Jewish Weddings were already developed enough to be the common practice by this time in Israel’s history. As it turns out it most certainly was already established by the time of the kings.
Additionally, as it turns out, it was not forbidden for the couple to occasionally meet during the betrothal period, but it was not common. WHEN it happened in a way which would have been socially acceptable, it would have been arranged with the bride’s parents and would not have been a private affair.
So with this understanding, let’s begin reading in chapter 3, where we find the Shulamite looking for her lover in all the wrong places.
Song of Solomon 3:1-11,
“(1) The Beloved about Her Lover: All night long on my bed I longed for my lover. I longed for him but he never appeared.”
This is suggestive of a dream rather than a real life event for many, many reasons.
For Solomon to write a love song about himself or any other Jewish man coming to visit his bride-to-be in her bedroom at night would be unlikely in the extreme. It would run quite contrary to both Jewish social conservatism not to mention the Law itself.
Furthermore, this is not depicting an arranged meeting, but rather just a longing for him. Therefore there would be no expectation from the Shulamite that her lover would just show up in the middle of the night in her bedroom!
(2) “I will arise and look all around throughout the town, and throughout the streets and squares; I will search for my beloved.”
I searched for him but I did not find him.
(3) The night watchmen found me – the ones who guard the city walls.
“Have you seen my beloved?”
Again not a very likely scene here. Watchmen would certainly have seen this as either bizarre enough to wonder at her sanity or so forward as to have been stopped then and there!
Although watchmen did not hold formal “police authority” as we would understand it today, they did possess limited authority to address unlawful behavior.
For instance they could confront suspicious individuals and attempt to prevent potential crimes, acting somewhat like a neighborhood watch. Furthermore their duty included reporting unlawful actions to the appropriate community leaders or elders, who would then take further action.
So I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this is not literal… this is a dream. If this Shulamite truly loved her groom-to-be, she would not have jeopardized their union nor his public shame by such an egregious and forward act.
This is further proven by the following…
“(4) Scarcely had I passed them by when I found my beloved! I held onto him tightly and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house, to the bedroom chamber of the one who conceived me.”
Now this scene may not be as nefarious as it appears, but it probably is!
The words “bedchamber” literally translated would be “a dark room” – but I admit this doesn’t help purify the inclination of the text.
The only possibility, which due to all the goes before this is really no possibility, is that there are some presidents for grooms and brides conferring over the details of the wedding feast in the home of the bride. But due to all the clandestine activities which led to this meeting in her birth chamber, I’m going to again side against this actually happening.
The next phrase may further suggest this was a dream of passion…
“(5) The Beloved to the Maidens: I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields: “Do not awake or arouse love until it pleases!”
This next section could be the Shulamite, it could be her maidens or it could simply be a disembodied narrator supplying the love song with the central point and climax of the love song – the retrieval of the bride and their wedding.
“(6) The Speaker: Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, like a fragrant billow of myrrh and frankincense, every kind of fragrant powder of the traveling merchants?”
As we have previously covered, Myrrh possessed a very strong & beautiful fragrance which was associated with romance.
Frankincense is likely associated with wealth, luxury, royal splendor. In this case it probably symbolized a grand, perfumed procession. As a “kingly” spice it was probably mentioned as the regal example representing the scope of fragrant powders in the phrase, “every kind of fragrant powder of the traveling merchants”.
Next we have the description of the Palanquin for the Shulamite, though the words “for himself” in verse 9 may intend a second vehicle – a portable throne for King Solomon.
“(7) Look! It is Solomon’s portable couch! It is surrounded by sixty warriors, some of Israel’s mightiest warriors.
(8) All of them are skilled with a sword, well-trained in the art of warfare. Each has his sword at his side, to guard against the terrors of the night.”
(9) King Solomon made a sedan chair for himself of wood imported from Lebanon. (10) Its posts were made of silver; its back was made of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple wool; its interior was inlaid with leather by the maidens of Jerusalem.”
“(11) Come out, O maidens of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon! He is wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the most joyous day of his life!”
I am not going to pretend to know just how literally to take this in a comparative sense – but calling to mind that this represents the church as the bride and Jesus as King Solomon – our being joined to Him is clearly very important to Him and is something He looks forward to with joyous anticipation!
This last statement calls for the “maidens of Zion” or “daughters of Jerusalem” to come gaze upon the king and the crown gifted him from his mother. Here the “daughters of Jerusalem” may poetically represent the hosts of heaven beholding the bringing together of the Groom and the bride.
It describes this day as “the day of the joy of his heart.” Other renderings include “the day Solomon’s heart greatly rejoiced” or “the day of Solomon’s great joy.”
He was crowned by his mother – this is a curious phrase. It clearly indicates a gift of love and an honoring of his marriage. It seems also to indicate her entering into his joy with him as perhaps only a mother could, but who the mother might represent in terms of our marriage to Christ I am uncertain. I would have assumed such a gift to be given by the Father, but the use of the feminine suggests the Holy Spirit.
I may be embellishing this somewhat, so take it with a grain of salt, but the best fit I can imagine for this is the preparation of the bride. For ever since Jesus left, we have had the precious Holy Spirit whose job has been to prepare us for our bridegroom. So this crown symbolizing joy here would seem to be the honor the Spirit has shown to Christ in the labor of love invested in preparing for Him His bride.
Perhaps, in a way that does not quite translate, this could be a type of poetic way of representing how in the end of this age, both the “Spirit and the bride say come.” [Rev. 22:17]
The opening words of chapter 4 reveal that the Spirit of God will have indeed done a superb job in preparing the bride for Christ’s coming…
Song of Solomon 4:1-16,
What we are about to read is often compared to ancient Near Eastern wasf songs sung by the groom to his new bride, praising her beauty from head to foot. This has ancient examples from Egyptian, Syrian, Sumerian, and Arabic love literature.
Wasfs love poems are poetic descriptions of the bride’s physical beauty by the groom and typically follows a three part pattern:
(1) introductory words by the wedding guests,
(2) invitation by the bride to the groom to celebrate her physical beauty, and
(3) the groom’s poetic comparative praise of his bride’s beauty which accounted for the greatest portion of the song.
Our example here in Song of Solomon only has Solomon’s description of his bride.
A quote from Wikipedia on Wasf love poems is:
In waṣf love poems, each part of a lover’s body is described and praised in turn, often using exotic, extravagant, or even far-fetched metaphors. The Song of Solomon is a prominent example of such a poem, and other examples can be found in the Thousand and One Nights. The images given in this type of poetry are not literally descriptive. Instead, they convey the delight of the lover for the beloved, where the lover finds freshness and splendor in the body as a reflected image in the world.
The groom’s praise typically is characterized by three movements:
(1) introductory summary praise of his bride’s beauty,
(2) lengthy and detailed figurative description of her physical beauty, and
(3) concluding summary praise which reiterates the introductory words of the song.
In today’s world such a poem focused upon the aesthetic beauty of a man’s bride would be (at least in principle) rejected as patriarchal and as if he were describing her as a prize won or a possession he owned. I say “in principle” because there is a huge departure from this where at least a subset of women are beginning to embrace their role in relation to men. Much of this is centered on serving him, admiring him, being thankful for all he does in providing for and supporting the family – but there is also a large return to the basics of femininity. A desire to embrace being his beauty and catering to that aspect of the relationship. Much of this is being done for practical reasons. Women are beginning to realize how stupid it was to leave the home in the first place. That being a mother and home maker is both satisfying and more in keeping with her makeup both physically, mentally and emotionally. They also realize the advantages – such a relationship WORKS! There is happiness and simplicity as well as a natural flow to the relationship which makes for a simple joy and a reduction of strife.
Now like the Wikipedia quote said the comparisons made here are not literally descriptive, but serve more as descriptive similes. “This” is like “that” in “this way”.
It starts off with one you are already familiar with in that Solomon describes her as having “dove eyes”.
This is the first of 7 physical attributes he verbally admires about his bride. Following her eyes is a descriptive analogy or simile of her…
- Hair
- Teeth
- Lips
- temples and cheeks
- neck and
- breasts
In Jewish culture (and probably in God’s creation of numbers and mathematics) 7 is the number of perfection. So in Solomon’s desire to reveal his view of her as the embodiment of perfect beauty he draws from but seven of her noteworthy attributes beginning at her head and working down.
You already know that doves mate for life, they have no peripheral vision and so he is saying that she has eyes only for him. In short, he loves her unwavering fidelity. Since eyes are a widow to the soul, he uses them as the example illustrating her devotion to him. He knows that he can look into her eyes and not sense even a trace of questioning her decision to marry him, she deeply and devotedly loves him.
“(1) The Lover to His Beloved: Oh, you are beautiful, my darling! Oh, you are beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are like doves. (without holiness no one will see Him)
Your hair is like a flock of female goats descending from Mount Gilead.
The comparison of her hair to female goats descending Mount Gilead most likely was due to motion. Female mountain goats (specifically the Nubian ibex in the Near East) typically descend steep slopes in herds (often called bands) rather than as individuals. They advance down the slope in precise and very agile jumps. From a distance, a herd of these goats might resemble waves of black hair cascading down the mountain. Being Jewish, the Shulamite likely had dark brown or black hair and hers was likely wavy.
“(2) Your teeth are like a flock of newly-shorn sheep coming up from the washing place; each of them has a twin, and not one of them is missing.”
Okay, so clearly she has a full set of teeth which are perfectly matched in their pairs.
I’m going to assume these are white sheep. As such, newly shorn white sheep often appear cleaner and “whiter” immediately after shearing compared to when their wool is on, primarily because the shearing process removes the outer layer of dirty, yellowed, and weathered wool, revealing the cleaner, brighter wool underneath.
Additionally, newly shorn sheep often appear more energetic, active, and relieved, frequently acting “lighter” in mood, often expressed in playfulness. They also often will seek sunnier areas due to the immediate temperature difference without their wool.
This all may indicate she has a clear and open smile that reveals her pearly whites and may even use her teeth on her tongue or lips in playfully flirtatious ways.
“(3) Your lips are like a scarlet thread; your mouth is lovely.”
In that day, thin lips were preferred to the puffy, exaggerated collagen laden balloon lips of our modern era. As such, the Shulamite’s are described as mere threads colored a deep crimson red.
“Your forehead behind your veil is like a slice of pomegranate.”
Other translations have cheeks or temples. In any case it is that which frames the eyes and stands above the lips. Carr tells us that this more broadly represents the sides of the face which would eliminate the forehead as that part of her body he is describing. Since the entire description appears to be working from her head towards her feet in progressive fashion, I tend to agree this is the temple or cheeks.
Pomegranates represented a few things, but only one which might be symbolic for cheeks or temples. Pomegranates are very round, firm and red.
Red is a direct, widespread symbol of power and bloodline, high cheekbones often served as a stylistic marker of beauty, intelligence, or refined breeding in artistic works.
The other attributes would hardly seem complimentary since when they are ripe, the skin is rather leathery. While our Shulamite had been in the sun quite a bit, I doubt she was leathery just yet and even if she was, it would not have been an attribute to point out on the wedding night.
However, the description is that of a “slice” of pomegranate which leaves it open to any interpretation. It could have had a cultural meaning that has been lost to time, but if this included the interior of the fruit, it has a soft inner lining and the actual fruit is VERY deep red. Make of that what you will!
“(4) Your neck is like the tower of David built with courses of stones; one thousand shields are hung on it – all shields of valiant warriors.”
This was probably as much a description of the necklace she wore as of her neck.
This description seems to indicate that she had an elegant and long neck. The “courses of stones and shields hung on it” appear to refer to a necklace which was hung or worn around her neck.
Historically, Jewish women—particularly in certain regional cultures—wore wide necklaces that covered a significant portion of the neck. In some contexts, this was directly linked to traditional or modest attire.
Among certain North African and Middle Eastern Jewish communities, traditional wedding or festive jewelry included heavy, ornate, and often broad necklaces known in some areas as libbah. These were designed to serve as focal points and cover a large area of the neck and even the upper chest.
Archaeological digs in ancient Israel have uncovered amulets and pomegranate-shaped pendants on necklaces. These were sometimes worn together, creating a layered effect, and were considered spiritual “armor” protecting the neck and heart.
All of this offers at least some concord with the attributes mentioned by Solomon for the neck of his bride.
“(5) Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of the gazelle grazing among the lilies.”
There have been several attempts to explain this description, but I think many work too hard and have to make assumptions not befitting the scene which is clearly before their union. Jewish women in these times wore clothing in keeping with the modesty demanded in the law. As such, no Jewish women ever showed so much as upper cleavage in open society. Breasts were not objectified in terms of sexual vanity as they are today.
The description seems to point out that their proportions were identical. The imagery of fawns might indicate her youth, the fact that she had not yet nursed children and most probably that they were petite. This is later pointed out by her brothers later in the song. Feeding among the lilies may be a poetic symbol of beauty, love, and purity.
“(6) Until the dawn arrives and the shadows flee, I will go up to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.”
This may have been a candid declaration of his desire for her, especially her breasts since he just described them and we know from chapter 2, that women sometimes wore sachets of myrrh mixed with fat between their breasts at night which melted and perfumed them for the next day.
“(7) You are altogether beautiful, my darling! There is no blemish in you!”
This is a clear depiction of the church having been made ready for Christ on the day He returns for us.
While there are many passages about this making use of a few differing symbolisms, the one which aligns with this is found in Ephesians 5:25-27 where we are described as – “sanctified and cleansed so as to be presented to Christ as a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle but holy and without blemish“.
Others include:
- 2 Corinthians 11:2: we are to be presented to Christ as a “pure virgin”.
- Colossians 1:22: “…holy and unblamable and unreproveable in his sight…“
“(8) Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions’ dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards.”
All of these mountainous regions are part of greater Lebanon which is in the northern region of the promised land. I am not certain what this is to represent. It seems as if there is a hint at transition from an element of danger to safety, but what danger is unclear.
Most of the contextual clues in this book point to the Shulamite living in the northern regions of Israel. It was almost certainly rural and if not far from the border of northern Israel may have been more susceptible to attacks from outside Israel. All this being potentially true, it seems a bit of a stretch in that it does not seem to fit the context.
In any case, the call was an emphatic one being stated twice – to come away with him!
“(9) You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride! You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.”
“(10) How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine; the fragrance of your perfume is better than any spice!
(11) Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride, honey and milk are under your tongue.
The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.”
Of note is the mention of honey and milk being under her tongue. This “may be” imagery suggestive of her speech being nourishing to him. Being free from guile, and reflecting a love that is deep, honest & pure. It feeds the soul. Not a soul that is lacking or in need, but one that appreciates sincerity and open expressions of love that are true and mutually shared. “Milk and honey” was an expression of provision and abundance – like its use regarding the richness of the Promised Land which provides a context for its meaning here.
“(12) The Lover to His Beloved:
You are a locked garden, my sister, my bride; you are an enclosed spring, a sealed-up fountain.
(13) Your shoots are a royal garden full of pomegranates with choice fruits: henna with nard, (14) nard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon with every kind of spice, myrrh and aloes with all the finest spices.
(15) You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water flowing down from Lebanon.”
Time did not afford me the opportunity to explore this imagery further, but I know that “locked gardens” and “enclosed springs” were often royal gardens which were made to resemble the garden of Eden in the variety of trees, flowers and fruit trees. It represented abundance, organized beauty and concentrated delight which were accessible only to royalty or in this case the king alone.
“(16) The Beloved to Her Lover:
Awake, O north wind; come, O south wind! Blow on my garden so that its fragrant spices may send out their sweet smell.
May my beloved come into his garden and eat its delightful fruit!”
This invitation was an open one – expressing her desire to belong entirely to her beloved and to be the focus and fulfillment of all his longings and desires. She holds nothing back from him. She is his and part of her greatest delight is to bring delight to him.
And so it is between Christ and His bride.
Blessings!
Blessings!
