Song of Solomon 4:1

Solomon's Love Song to the Shulamite

Song of Solomon 4:1-8

"Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair;

Thine eyes are doves behind thy veil.

Thy hair is as a flock of goats,

That lie along the slope of mount Gilead.

Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes that are newly shorn,

Which are come up from the washing,

Whereof every one hath twins,

And none is bereaved among them.

Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet,

And thy mouth is comely.

Thy temples are like a piece of pomegranate

Behind thy veil.

Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armory,

Whereon they hang a thousand bucklers,

All the shields of the mighty men.

Thy two breasts are like two fawns

That are twins of the roe,

Which feed among the lilies.

Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away,

I will get me to the mountains of myrrh,

And to the hill of frankincense.

Thou art all fair, my love;

And there is no spot in thee

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,

With me from Lebanon,

Look from the top of Amana,

From the top of Senir and Hermon,

From the lion's dens,

From the mountains of the leopards."

"Cook regarded this whole chapter as Solomon's love song to the maiden."[1] Balchin agreed with this in the first seven verses, but wrote that, "The song of the shepherd lover may appear in Song of Solomon 4:8ff."[2] Bunn ascribed Song of Solomon 4:9-15, "To the shepherd who pleads his case to the maiden with renewed zeal."[3] Redford saw the whole chapter as, "The conversation of the bridegroom and the bride as they travel together in the procession."[4] We cannot accept the view that the maiden accepted Solomon. Also Sierd Woodstra made these first fifteen verses of the chapter, "The bridegroom's praise of the bride's beauty."[5] Several scholars agree that there is a division in this chapter between two love songs; but, "It is not certain where the division should be made."[6] This writer accepts Song of Solomon 4:8 as part of Solomon's plea, and Song of Solomon 4:9-15 as the shepherd's love-song. Bunn also allotted Song of Solomon 4:9.15 to the shepherd.[7]

Here again we are confronted with inexplicable mysteries and contradictions. What is Solomon doing in Lebanon? Lebanon is in Syria; it pertains to the ruler of Tyre, and is completely out of Solomon's jurisdiction."[8] Are we to suppose that Solomon is here chasing this woman into a foreign country? Admittedly, Solomon was capable of a folly like that; but still this does not explain it. Several scholars speak of "Solomon's court in northern Israel," here; but Lebanon is not "northern Israel"; it is Syria. Solomon had to buy "cedars of Lebanon" from Hiram the king of Tyre. (1 Kings 5).

Two separate and dramatically different pictures appear in these two love songs: (1) that of Solomon (Song of Solomon 4:1-8), and (2) that of the maiden's true lover, the shepherd, in Song of Solomon 4:9-15.

In the one ascribed to Solomon, the maiden is compared to animals, namely, goats, ewes and fawns. It must be remembered also that Solomon also mentioned Pharaoh's chariot horse in another comparison. The true lover's song mentions no animals, but sweet smelling spices, fountains, gardens, honey, orchards and `all the chief spices.' Solomon's love song suffers greatly in this comparison. How can we account for this on any other thesis than that which assumes that Solomon looked upon every woman as merely an animal?

As for the Jewish and Christian interpretations of these first eight verses, we have this from Pope.[9]

"The veil" (Song of Solomon 4:1). (a) The Jews related this to the sacrifices of Solomon at the dedication of the Temple. (b) Tertullian said it represented the modesty of Christian maidens and the bride's submission to her husband (Christ to the Church). It was also interpreted as a token of virginity and chastity.

"The teeth" (Song of Solomon 4:2). (a) The Targumists made these to be the Priests and Levites who ate the sacrifices. (b) A Christian interpreter made these to be the Doctors of the Church who chew up the hard doctrines so the laity can understand them.

"The scarlet lips" (Song of Solomon 4:3). (a) These were the prayer of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. (b) Some Christian scholars applied it to Rahab the harlot and the red string hanging out her window!

"The tower of David ... the shields ... etc." (Song of Solomon 4:4). (a) The Targum applied the tower to the Head of the Academy, and the weaponry they thought was the learning of the Law. (b) The shields were taken by Gregory of Nyssa to be the angelic guardians of the church.

"Thy two breasts are like two fawns" (Song of Solomon 4:5). (a) The Jews saw the maiden's two breasts as representing the two Messiah's (one the Suffering Servant, and the other as the Glorious Conqueror), and the two brethren who led Israel, Moses and Aaron. (b) Christian writers saw these as the Old Testament and the New Testament, the outer and the inner man, or the blood and water from the side of Jesus on the Cross!

"Until the day be cool and the shadows flee away" (Song of Solomon 4:6). In warm climates, the day becomes cool only at daybreak, when the sun rises and the shadows flee. The best translation of this line we have ever seen is inscribed upon a tombstone in Cache, Oklahoma:

Here Lies

QUANAH PARKER

Last Chief of the Comanches

"Until Day Breaks and Shadows Flee Away"

That this is actually the meaning appears in the RSV, the Today's English Version, and the Moffatt translation.

(a) The Targum (Jewish) explained the fleeing shadows as demons expelled by the incense of the Temple. (b) Christian interpreters saw the passage as a reference to the resurrection (as on Parker's tomb).

"I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense ..." (Song of Solomon 4:6). Waddey applied this to the maiden's breasts;[10] which is undoubtedly correct. What Solomon is saying here is that he will come and lie between her breasts all night long, that being the only thing Solomon ever had in mind where women were concerned. "There is no hint here of any interest of

Solomon other than in corporeal beauty."[11] Another interpretation (probably Jewish) considered the hill of bitter myrrh as a reference to the Gentiles and the frankincense as a reference to the Jews. That was the traditional Jewish estimate of themselves and Gentiles.

"Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee" (Song of Solomon 4:7). (a) The Jews, of course applied this to Israel. (b) Christian interpreters applied it to the Church, not the Church Militant struggling with sins and sorrows, but to the Church Triumphant in heaven where she is presented, "having neither spot nor wrinkle" (Ephesians 5:27). One may only laugh at the idea that any such thoughts as these were in the mind of Solomon as he said this!

"Come with me from Lebanon, my bride" (Song of Solomon 4:8). This does not mean that any marriage had occurred. Such expressions as "my bride" and "my sister" were customary expressions found in all the ancient love songs of that period.[12] "Such expressions indicate friendly relations without implication of consanguinity."[13] These words are a gentle invitation from Solomon for the Shulamite to leave the security and protection that she enjoyed in Lebanon and to go with him to Jerusalem. Why did Solomon not command her? She was not within his jurisdiction; she was a citizen of another country.

"From the top of Amana" (Song of Solomon 4:8). This was the same as Abana one of the rivers of Syria mentioned by Naaman (2 Kings 5:12).

"From the top of Senir and Herman" (Song of Solomon 4:8). Senir is the Amorite designation of Mount Hermon (Deuteronomy 4:48).

"From the lions' dens ..." (Song of Solomon 4:8). The leopards are also mentioned here; and what Solomon was saying meant, "Come with me out of this wild and dangerous country to Jerusalem."

(a) The Jewish interpretation recognized the bride here as Israel. (b) "The Christian interpretation saw Christ in this passage in the person of Solomon (!) calling the Gentiles to the Church."[14] This is precisely the interpretation that outrages and disgusts this writer. Solomon, a type of Christ! Judas Iscariot would serve just as well. The great error of many interpreters in this is their false understanding of Israel's earthly kingdom as God's Israel. It was no such thing. The prophets called it "The Sinful Kingdom"; and the true Israel was always a righteous remnant.