Song of Songs

house of my mother. See 3:4. Wine is linked to love and romance in the Song of Solomon (see 1:2; 2:4).

Here at the end of the period of longing and waiting is the final instance of the refrain urging the daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time (cf. 2:7; 3:5); it is now time to move on to the marriage (cf. 8:5, where the consummation is indicated by her finally “awakening” him).

The Lovers Join in Marriage. The Song of Solomon closes with a new stage in the relationship: the pair have gone from their yearning to be joined together, to actually being wed and consummating their union. The tension of the previous chapters—the anxious waiting, the concern for propriety—gives way to relaxed enjoyment.

It is possible that the two halves of this verse are spoken by different parties, since the first half is about the woman, and the second half has the woman speaking to her beloved (you is masculine singular). It is simpler, however, to suppose that the woman speaks both halves, and that in the first half she is quoting someone. The Hebrew term for leaning occurs only here in the OT, but its use in post-biblical Hebrew points to an intimate connection and thus implies that the pair are now wed. In 2:3 the apple tree was a place of love; here it is the place of childbirth (which is what erotic love ideally leads to). On I awakened you, cf. note on 8:4.

A mention of death may seem out of place, but in the context of Hebrew Wisdom literature issues of life and death are never far from the writer’s concern. The comparison between the permanence and the inevitable force of death and the bride’s love for her mate emphasized the intensity and transcendence of her emotions, and characterized her love as an irresistible power. The affirmation that “love is as strong as death” looks forward to the love of Christ, from which even death cannot separate those who belong to him (Rm 8:35-39).

A seal could be a stamp or a cylinder (the latter being less common), and could be attached to a person by a band (and thereby hang from the neck or arm) or worn as a ring. It was pressed into clay to create an image or an inscription that assigned ownership of an object. Love, like death, is relentlessly persistent, always accomplishing its goal. Here jealousy (which parallels “love” in the preceding line) is a resolute devotion rather than a selfish ambition; only such devotion can rightly describe the relationship with God and with one’s spouse. flame of the LORD. This is the only mention of the divine name in the entire Song of Solomon, but it is fitting in a book of covenant wisdom. This statement indicates that both love and a jealousy to protect marriage are given by God.

The image of many waters that cannot quench love picks up the image of love as a fire in v. 6; the floods that are unable to drown it (or “overwhelm”; cf. Isa. 43:2) are another image.

The chorus speaks, here anticipating the woman’s speech in vv. 10–12. The day when she is spoken for is the day when the little sister will marry (cf. 1 Sam. 25:39). A wall carries the idea of resistance and probably refers to a chaste woman. The door which can be closed or open is an image for either cooperating with the wall (i.e., by propriety), or defying it (i.e., by promiscuity).

This is the second reference in the book to Solomon himself, outside of the title (see Introduction: Author and Date). Notice that he continues to be a distant figure, as in 3:6–11, as the reading strategy adopted in these notes suggests. As in 3:6–11, he is described as wealthy; here he has vineyards earning a thousand pieces of silver each (cf. Isa. 7:23). The woman’s vineyard (Song 8:12) probably refers to her sexuality (cf. garden; see note on 4:12). It is hers alone, given to the one whom she chooses and not used for her gain, and thus is in contrast with Solomon’s vineyard (8:11).

For gazelle and young stag, cf. 2:7, 17. Mountains of spices refers to the woman (cf. 4:6). The Song of Solomon closes with the man and woman delighting themselves with their enjoyment of each other.