Understanding Authentic Love and Marriage: A Study of Song of Solomon 1, Study notes of Voice

Download Understanding Authentic Love and Marriage: A Study of Song of Solomon 1 and more Study notes Voice in PDF only on Docsity! Commentary on the Book of Song of Solomon Song of Solomon 1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. Though King Solomon, son of David by Bathsheba, was a man full of wisdom like none other before or after, his heart was turned away from God because of his compromise to intermarry with pagan women (1 Kings 11:1-5). He had 700 wives and princesses and 300 concubines. The wonder of this is that we are to learn from Solomon as to what genuine love is all about. Well, in Ecclesiastes, also by Solomon, we are given wisdom as to the purpose and essence of life. Solomon shares in that book that he tried all kinds of sin to find what his heart was longing for, and all things failed except doing faithfully and obediently the will of God and enjoying Him. We get Holy Spirit inspired truth from a man who did it all wrong, but who learned the hard way the true purpose of life. Song of Solomon must be understood in a similar light. Solomon really botched the essence of faithfulness in marriage to one spouse, but that does not mean that he didn’t understand what true love was all about. He did have wisdom, and the Holy Spirit inspired this book. Thus, we must place our confidence in this Scripture as being the truth as to how God views authentic and Biblical romance, love, sex, and marriage. 2"May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine. 3"Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, Your name is like purified oil; Therefore the maidens love you. The romance is between King Solomon and a young Shulammite girl. The book begins right away without holding back as to where things are headed. The message is going to be love, romance, and intimacy. We are given a song which details what both lovers were thinking as they progressed through their romance and marriage. Here we see what the girl was thinking after she had observed Solomon from a distance. She didn’t go and share her feelings with him, but she patiently waited to see what he would do. It is clear that she adored him and had romantic feelings toward him, desiring to kiss him. This is not referring to a customary greeting but a romantic kiss, thus she speaks of kisses with the mouth. Wine was a delicacy, something pure, tasty, and delightful. Even better than wine, however, would be if he loved her. She noticed that Solomon was well kept, having put on some attractive fragrances. Women appreciate when men take care of themselves in this way. Furthermore, Solomon had a high reputation and great respect. All the young maidens adored him. One gets the feeling that many were wishing for his love and affection, thinking that this man would be wonderful to be with. Clearly, Solomon was held in high respect. 4"Draw me after you and let us run together! 2 Again, we see how much she wants to be loved by Solomon. She is not interested in a one night stand, but she wants to be drawn after him. She wants his affection, romance, and interest. She is waiting for him to take the initiative. Her hope is that she can be joined with him, and they can experience life together. Sex isn’t the direct objective of this woman; actually, neither is romance. First and foremost, her delight is in the person of Solomon and just being with him. Romance will naturally happen, as will sex after the marriage union, if each person truly and fully delights in the other person. People get married for all kinds of reasons, but central to Biblical love and marriage is truly adoring one another, being attracted in every way. The king has brought me into his chambers " "We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you." The king approaches the young woman and invites her into the palace. He is obviously interested in her, and he has made this clear to her. He is not manipulating her or playing with her emotions. He has invited her into his chambers (household not bedroom) because he wants to get to know this woman. The woman possesses a similar feeling to those in Solomon’s household that he is a great source of joy and love. She thinks that it makes perfect sense that those in his household love him. He is simply to be admired and adored. 5"I am black but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. 6"Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, For the sun has burned me. My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me caretaker of the vineyards, But I have not taken care of my own vineyard. This woman is concerned about her appearance. Though it is evident that Solomon is interested in her, still she is self-conscious. She admits that she is lovely to look at but her skin has been burned and darkened by the sun. Its color is like the tents of Kedar and the curtains of Solomon, which evidently were a darker color. She doesn’t want people, especially Solomon, to stare at her defects but to enjoy her pleasant aspects. This was not a perfect woman from a physical standpoint, at least in her own estimation, yet she was very beautiful in Solomon’s eyes. Her brothers had made her work outdoors in the vineyards doing hard labor, and this is why her skin has been scorched. She hasn’t taken care of her own appearances because she has been forced to labor so hard. Likely, this conversation is without Solomon present. She addresses the daughters of Jerusalem, other women in the city. As she gets to know Solomon and begins to see 5 simply drawn to this wonderful creation and gift of God, his perfect complement. The exclamation points as he speaks of her beauty are not accidental. He can’t contain himself, for she is so beautiful! He compliments her eyes, again not something too sexual at this point but something women really appreciate because it shows that the man takes notice of the little things and likes what he sees. Nothing escapes the notice of Solomon. He notices fragrances that she wears, jewelry that she chooses, and her delicate features such as cheeks and eyes. It is evident to the young woman that he takes careful note of how she looks and how she adorns herself because he adores her. She responds to his enthusiasm for her beauty by calling him handsome (the analogous term for beautiful) and her beloved. These are not casual daters but those who are connected at the deepest level, both hoping that it will end in marriage. This man, she says, is pleasant to be around. He doesn’t annoy her or take her for granted. He makes her feel as if she is the most precious and prized possession in all of the kingdom. Their relationship is anchored strong and is utterly wonderful and luxuriant. They are living in luxury, savoring one another, both being confident in the other’s words and motives. Song of Solomon 2 1"I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys." Solomon has treated her so wonderfully and made her feel that she is so special that she thinks that she is the most precious of all that is precious. She is in ecstasy thinking about this relationship. He has made her feel so confident and beautiful in herself, not worrying any longer about her darkened skin. 2"Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the maidens." Solomon believes that, compared to the beauty of this woman, all other woman are like thorns when compared to a lily. She far surpasses them all to the extent that he hardly notices any other women. He is so enraptured with this one woman, believing that he has the best and most beautiful among maidens. This incredible physical attraction is healthy and normal in a romantic relationship. 3"Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the young men In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit was sweet to my taste. As an apple tree stands out among trees of the forest, so too does Solomon stand out to the Shulammite. There are many men out there, but she believes that her beloved is the best. She metaphorically sat down in the shade of his tree and tasted of his fruit. The fruit (nonsexual romantic touching and affection such as kissing and stroking) was sweet 6 and delightful. She is giving over her heart to him, feeling safe, cared for, and protected in his love (the shade of the tree). 4"He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love. Like a banner on a wall or a public proclamation, the king makes it clear to all that he delights in this woman. He publicly flatters her, making it clear that she is his. He is beginning to introduce her as his beloved, making the likely prospects of marriage clear to others. 5"Sustain me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, Because I am lovesick. 6"Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me." Now the woman begins to let her mind and heart run away on her. She has given her heart to this man, and she begins to wish for being in his presence more often and more fully. There is romantic love and an enrapturing with the closeness that they do have. Yet she is getting ahead of herself, wishing for sexual intimacy or at the very least, an extreme intimacy which would certainly arouse and awaken sexual desire. She wants to be as close as humanly possible, embraced from top to bottom, left hand under her head and right hand embracing her, an obviously very intimate and enticing position, if not outright sexual. Yet this is not right until after marriage. Clearly she is taken with this man, and she needs to reign in her desires until they marry. 7"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases." A major theme of the book begins here by saying that sexual love must not be awakened at all costs until it pleases, which is only after marriage. Sexual love completes the romantic bond; it is the climax. If it happens before the marriage commitment, it will lead to a loss of true romance, confusion, mistrust, and a general awkwardness and loss of joy. It can really mess things up and confuse the situation, and it only finds it proper place and fulfillment in marriage. Prior to marriage, nothing should be done that stirs up or rouses the sexual desire. Awakening love could mean simply having sex for the first time, at which point one is said to be sexually awakened, or it could mean that nothing should be done physically to get the sexual desire flowing. I believe the command to not awaken love until is pleases encompasses both. Certainly, sex before marriage is forbidden in the Scripture (Matthew 15:19), but why would God want us to even stimulate sexual desire when sex isn’t Biblically permitted? Isn’t such foolishness, leading only to sin, temptation, and disappointment? General affection (stroking an arm, playing with hair, holding hands, a quick kiss goodnight, etc.) is typically not going to be 7 a problem as far as prematurely stoking the sexual fire whereas passionate kissing or “heavy petting,” as it is referred to, probably will be problematic. Yet God must show us each by His Spirit where we should draw the line. In addition to touching, other things could arouse the sexual desire, such as the words we say or write to one another. Solomon has been very careful to tell this young girl that she is beautiful, but he does not speak of liking her sexual features until after they are married. The looks we give could be a nonverbal kind of sexual “talking.” We need to exercise self-control in how we use our body, eyes, gestures, and facial expressions so that we don’t intentionally or unintentionally cause sexual excitement to others outside of marriage. Certainly, any kind of pornography or vicarious living through a romance novel would also be inappropriate. Much dancing that is done today is highly sexual and intentionally so. The message for the Christian seeking to be married is to avoid any activity that gets the mind focused and preoccupied with sex. Any activity, thought, word, or experience which gets one excited toward the sexual experience must not be indulged in until the marriage night. Too many lose their purity because of a compromise in this area. Some justify certain sexual activities before marriage. Scripture is clear that anything that arouses or awakens sexual desire is wrong. General affection and romantic speech is good and healthy, but anything sexual or stimulating is not acceptable until after marriage. Done God’s way, the Christian who heeds God’s principles can have the best romance, honeymoon, and marriage imaginable. 8"Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Climbing on the mountains, Leaping on the hills! 9"My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag Behold, he is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice. She is now constantly thinking about her beloved and being with him. If the sexual experience had been done before marriage, then thoughts would be of sex, and romance would be lost. The climax would not be built as it should. Now, she has great ecstasy every day as she longs for her beloved. One day he comes to her dwelling place to find her and take her on a romantic date. 10"My beloved responded and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along. Again Solomon emphasizes, almost without even thinking, the beauty of this woman and the fact that she is his darling. He wants her to come with him for a special outing. 11'For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. 12'The flowers have already appeared in the land; 10 I sought him but did not find him. 3"The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, And I said, 'Have you seen him whom my soul loves?' She tried to find him, but she could not. The night watchmen found her, and she asked them where her beloved was. Likely being aware of who she was, they figured something was going on for her to be out and about at night, and so they helped her find him. 4"Scarcely had I left them When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go Until I had brought him to my mother's house, And into the room of her who conceived me." Finally, she leaves the watchmen and finds her beloved. She grasps on to him and won’t let him go. He probably wonders what exactly is going on, but he wisely determines that she just is “drunk” with love. She brings him home to her mother’s house to meet her initial objective of having him with her. Intimacy is on her mind, and she is vulnerable to sin. It is the middle of the night, she is tired, her passions are running wild, and they are alone in a bedroom. Yet they do not compromise, Solomon refraining her inhibition at this moment. Yet he probably wisely ascertains that they need to get married quickly for her sake and his. This kind of passion and love cannot be contained much longer. Furthermore, such love language and romance would not be justified without a responsible commitment to marry, and the time is rapidly approaching for this to happen. 5"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you will not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases." Again, the theme is to keep sex for marriage and to not even arouse or awaken the sexual desire and passion until after the marriage vow. To do so is destructive. 6"What is this coming up from the wilderness Like columns of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all scented powders of the merchant? 7"Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; Sixty mighty men around it, Of the mighty men of Israel. 8"All of them are wielders of the sword, Expert in war; Each man has his sword at his side, Guarding against the terrors of the night. 11 Indeed, the next scene is the wedding. Solomon is in his traveling coach with sixty mighty men around him, experts at war and wielders of the sword. The time is yet night, so they are protecting him from danger. From the wilderness is coming a grand procession accompanied by wonderful scents and fragrances. 9"King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair From the timber of Lebanon. 10"He made its posts of silver, Its back of gold And its seat of purple fabric, With its interior lovingly fitted out By the daughters of Jerusalem. Solomon’s chair is exquisitely decorated with silver, gold, purple fabric, and much other work done by the women of the land. 11"Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And gaze on King Solomon with the crown With which his mother has crowned him On the day of his wedding, And on the day of his gladness of heart." All are called to come and gaze on King Solomon in his glory and splendor. His mother has placed a crown upon him on this, the day of his wedding, the day of his gladness of heart. The wedding day is a great joy because finally, what both parties have longed for is finally here. He is not doubting or questioning whether or not he should marry on this day, for it is a day of great joy as the woman of his delight finally will be joined to him for life. He has wanted this for a long time coming, and he couldn’t think of anything better than marrying the most beautiful of women and one whom he loved dearly. Song of Solomon 4 1"How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. Only now after the marriage vow has been publicly declared before God does Solomon begin to compliment the sexual features of his beloved, soon to be lover. Starting at the top of her body, he expresses how much he adores each part as he moves downward. He compliments her beauty, her eyes (even though she still has a veil), and her hair in imagery that she would have appreciated. 2"Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes 12 Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young. 3"Your lips are like a scarlet thread, And your mouth is lovely Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil. 4"Your neck is like the tower of David, Built with rows of stones On which are hung a thousand shields, All the round shields of the mighty men. Continuing downward, he compliments her teeth as being perfect and complete. He compliments her lips, her mouth, and her temples. He compliments her neck which is adorned with flattering jewelry. I think it is important that the veil at least symbolizes their purity up to this point. Even at this point, their time of consummation, he still works to romance her, thereby building the climax to its peak. 5"Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle Which feed among the lilies. 6"Until the cool of the day When the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of frankincense. Up to this point, he had appreciated her form, but he had not indulged his mind about her sexual features. Now he directly compliments her about her breasts. He says that he will appreciate her beautiful breasts until the nighttime when the shadows flee away. She doesn’t think that his speech about and adoration for her breasts is silly or weird. She appreciates the compliment, delights in his delight, and is even turned on by this further romantic speech. 7"You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish in you. From Solomon’s vantage point, he sees his lover as altogether beautiful. He explains to her that she has no blemish. Women tend to get very much caught up with “physical defects” and “blemishes.” He gives her the ultimate romantic words by saying that she is physically perfect from top to bottom. Interestingly, she did have at least one “blemish,” given that her skin was dark and burned. Yet Solomon either wasn’t bothered by it because he liked it, or more likely, he saw beyond it. (It is true that sometimes what women see as blemishes a particular man might see as perfect.) Regardless, he really believed to the depth of his heart that she was the most beautiful woman on earth. 15 1"I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk Solomon speaks of having consummated the marriage and having entered the garden. He says, in keeping with his earlier analogies and symbolism, that he enjoyed the garden. Eat, friends; Drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers." This is likely God speaking here, giving His blessing and approval to what they are doing. He tells them to indulge of the goodness and wonder of His idea of sexual intimacy. The word for “friends” should be better translated “companions.” The word for “imbibe” means literally “drunk.” God wants us to be overwhelmed and carried away with love, letting go, loving, and enjoying His idea of sexual intimacy in marriage. We are to be consumed with pleasure, intimacy, love, and affection. The sights, the fragrant smells, the garments, the jewelry, and the romance all lead to a healthy and normal experience of intimacy in marriage. 2"I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: 'Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night.' God is very realistic in the Scriptures, highlighting the goods and bads of people. Not long after the consummation of the marriage and perhaps even the same night, a conflict occurs. Soon into their marriage, perhaps even their first night together, she has a dream. She says she was sleeping but her heart was awake, so she was probably in a very deep sleep. She hears a voice, and she is awakened by a knock on a door. For whatever reason, Solomon had to leave the bedroom and go outside. He was drenched with dew and wanted to be let back in. She hears him knocking and recognizes the voice as her beloved. 3"I have taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, How can I dirty them again? She says to him that she would need to get dressed in proper attire to come out to him, and she says that she doesn’t want to dirty her feet again since she has already washed them. In other words, she makes it sound like she is going to leave him out in the damp night. This could easily offend Solomon, for one would think that she would at least go 16 through the minor inconveniences so that he can come inside and be with her, let alone get out of the damp night. 4"My beloved extended his hand through the opening, And my feelings were aroused for him. 5"I arose to open to my beloved; And my hands dripped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the bolt. Solomon reached his hand through the opening to likely signal to her to come and open the door. Maybe he made some kind gestures trying to show her that he missed her. The bottom line is that something aroused her feelings toward him, and she put fragrances on her fingers and hands, even spilling some onto the bolt as she went to open the door. 6"I opened to my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and had gone! My heart went out to him as he spoke I searched for him but I did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me. But in this delay he left her, and she longed for him but could not find him. She called but he did not answer. Perhaps he had been angry at her secondary delay, losing patience, and went to go and calm down somewhere. Perhaps she took so long that he thought she wasn’t going to come or that she fell back to sleep. Either way, he left. 7"The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, They struck me and wounded me; The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me. Yet things got even worse. As she searched for Solomon, she came upon some of the watchmen making their rounds in the city. She was covered with a shawl, so perhaps they didn’t recognize her and thought she was sneaking around as a prowler or thief, perhaps as a spy for an enemy kingdom (see 6:12). They struck her, injured her, and took her shawl. 8"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For I am lovesick." Perhaps at this point they recognize that she is the king’s wife, and they let her go to be with some of the other women. She adjures them, as adamantly as she wanted to emphasize that sex is only for marriage, to tell him that she is lovesick for him. She misses her beloved, and she wants that message conveyed to him, wherever he is. 17 9"What kind of beloved is your beloved, O most beautiful among women? What kind of beloved is your beloved, That thus you adjure us?" Clearly they are taken by her adjuration such that they ask her why she is so lovesick. They want to know why she admires him so. They also comment on her beauty as being most beautiful among women. Clearly, Solomon could see that she was beautiful, and her concern about her sun-darkened skin was no big deal. It wasn’t too difficult for Solomon to say and see that she had no blemishes. 10"My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, Outstanding among ten thousand. She immediately starts by describing his physical features. She is enraptured by his dazzling looks and ruddy complexion (like his father David (1 Samuel 16:12)). She says that he is outstanding even if he was to be compared with ten thousand other men. Clearly, Solomon is most attractive and desirable to her. 11"His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven. 12"His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And reposed in their setting. 13"His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, Banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips are lilies Dripping with liquid myrrh. She loves his head, his black hair, his tender eyes, the smell of his cheeks, and the taste of his kisses. 14"His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl; His abdomen is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires. 15"His legs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; His appearance is like Lebanon Choice as the cedars. 16"His mouth is full of sweetness And he is wholly desirable. 20 11"I went down to the orchard of nut trees To see the blossoms of the valley, To see whether the vine had budded Or the pomegranates had bloomed. Solomon begins to explain his side of the story. He says that he went down to an orchard of nut trees (perhaps to just have some time to reflect or maybe to cool down his anger over being left outside). He looked at the blossoms of the valley to see whether the vine had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. Was this of urgent importance for him to be out in the night? No, but it was better than lashing out in anger. Now, they could calmly work things out, especially once they were off by themselves. 12"Before I was aware, my soul set me Over the chariots of my noble people." He didn’t come home after going for a walk because duty had called, and he needed to be set over the chariots of his people. Thus, there was a long time that had passed where she didn’t know where he was before learning that he was tending to his sheep. If there was a threat from outside the kingdom, this might explain more why the guards so aggressively stopped his wife as she wandered about hidden under a shawl. They may have thought she was a spy from the enemy. 13"Come back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you!" "Why should you gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two companies? The people who saw this Shulammite woman wanted her to stay out in public so that they could gaze upon her beauty. Yet Solomon says that they shouldn’t be gazing upon her as such would be inappropriate. They can gaze at the movements of the chariots and armies, but they shouldn’t be gazing upon his beloved. A Biblical husband thus looks out for his wife and comes to her defense when her rights are being violated. Song of Solomon 7 1"How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince's daughter! The curves of your hips are like jewels, The work of the hands of an artist. 2"Your navel is like a round goblet Which never lacks mixed wine; Your belly is like a heap of wheat Fenced about with lilies. 21 The ancient imagery aside, it is clear that Solomon and the Shulammite have worked out their conflicts because they are back at admiring one another sexually again. Here he says that her feet look beautiful in sandals, and he calls her a daughter of a prince. She is not of royal lineage, being of humble birth, but this is a high compliment. He is saying, in effect that she is a woman of nobility, to which the phrase could just have easily been translated. He admires the curves of her hips, her navel, and her belly. All parts of her are a delight to him. 3"Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle. 4"Your neck is like a tower of ivory, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, Which faces toward Damascus. As further evidence that their differences were worked out, he enjoys looking at her eyes once again. He also expresses his delight in noticing her breasts, her neck, and her nose. 5"Your head crowns you like Carmel, And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads; The king is captivated by your tresses. 6"How beautiful and how delightful you are, My love, with all your charms! There are so many things about her that charm Solomon. He loves her head and her hair. She is totally beautiful and delightful to him, and he is sure to express this to her. His romantic speech toward her has not diminished since their first night together. 7"Your stature is like a palm tree, And your breasts are like its clusters. 8"I said, 'I will climb the palm tree, I will take hold of its fruit stalks.' Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of your breath like apples, 9And your mouth like the best wine!" "It goes down smoothly for my beloved, Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep. Getting more and more intimate and sexual, Solomon speaks of touching her breasts and indulging in kissing her. 10"I am my beloved's, And his desire is for me. 22 After they express their love toward one another, the Shulammite is convinced that she belongs to Solomon and that he delights in her. His love, delight, and affection with her are more than evident. 11"Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country, Let us spend the night in the villages. 12"Let us rise early and go to the vineyards; Let us see whether the vine has budded And its blossoms have opened, And whether the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. 13"The mandrakes have given forth fragrance; And over our doors are all choice fruits, Both new and old, Which I have saved up for you, my beloved. He speaks of going on a romantic trip with her out into the country, spending a night in one of the villages. He says that they will go and visit the vineyards and look at the pomegranates together. Last time he took a walk like this he was by himself. This time, he is going to make sure that they stay together and go together. The mandrakes, which were supposed to increase sexual desire and/or fertility, were saved up by Solomon for this occasion. She appreciates that he desires her sexually and is planning on romancing her as such. The forethought and planning is highly valued because it means that she is highly valued. Song of Solomon 8 1"Oh that you were like a brother to me Who nursed at my mother's breasts. If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me, either. 2"I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me; I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates. 3"Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me." Likely what is going on here is that she is once again missing Solomon as he must attend to all of his kingly duties. If he was like a brother and if they lived in the same small unknown house, then they would probably have more time together. Right now, she is probably feeling despised given that, not only is Solomon busy with the things pertaining to running a kingdom, but he also has many other queens and concubines to satisfy. Thus, he is really damaging this relationship, and she misses him. She longs for the times where they can be intimate. She wants him to focus on her. 4"I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, 25 could lead to a fulfilling marriage for her. She is still young, having not gone through puberty, but they are aware that someday some man will show interest in her and pursue marriage with her. They are wise to think through things before the time arrives. If we don’t think through standards, principles, and boundaries beforehand, we won’t likely make wise choices when decision time arrives. What they hope to do is protect her from danger so that her purity is maintained. 10"I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace. The Shulammite follows their analogy and says that she herself was like a wall. And if she was like a wall with her standards, she made sure that she was not going to give away her sexual purity and dignity in saying that her breasts were like towers. The tower was the place of ultimate security, the last resort. It was the stronghold of strongholds (cf. Judges 9:51, Proverbs 18:10). There was no way she was going to let any man be seduced into sin because of immodesty on her part. Nor was she going to be weak in judgment and restraint, letting herself be taken advantage of sexually. She was going to be sure to keep herself pure until marriage, and it is important that Solomon’s resolution was the same. Her breasts were going to stay untouched until the wedding night. The word for peace could also mean favor. Because of her stand for morality and purity, she found that Solomon really appreciated her even more. She found a man who had a joy in honoring her and God, and he found a woman who had dignity and honor as well. Both benefited by her guarding what should be kept for marriage. He never spoke once of his attraction and desire for her breasts until the wedding night. They were not going to come between their love and commitment to each other and to God. They were barricaded in a stronghold. Thus, they both had peace and welfare in their relationship. Not even a hint of immorality was going to be named regarding their relationship (cf. Ephesians 5:3). 11"Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. Solomon had an actual vineyard which he entrusted to caretakers who were to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. They could make money off of the fruit, but they had to pay a leasing amount in the sum of one thousand pieces of silver. 12"My very own vineyard is at my disposal; The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit." Referring to her own body as a vineyard, she explains that she has given her entire being to Solomon. Solomon alone reaps the entire benefit of her vineyard, i.e. her purity and devotion to him. Two hundred of the shekels are allotted by Solomon’s approval to maintain her appearance and beauty. In other words, though he has a right by her permission to have her and be with her whenever he wants, he is sure to give her time to 26 herself and a chance to be refreshed inwardly and outwardly. She is able to care for her appearance and state of mind (cf. how the word “fruit” is used in 2:3; 4:13, 16; 7:8, 13) 13"O you who sit in the gardens, My companions are listening for your voice-- Let me hear it!" 14"Hurry, my beloved, And be like a gazelle or a young stag On the mountains of spices." Solomon spent a fair amount of time in the gardens, perhaps carrying on official business in a place of beauty. Her friends were listening for his voice, and she desperately wanted to hear it. Even some time into their marriage, the flame is still hot. The overriding theme of the book (in addition to the theme of purity) is that sexual expression in marriage is good, normal, desirable, and healthy. In fact, it appears that it is even a sign of a healthy marriage. This woman couldn’t wait to hear her husband’s voice. She wanted him to hurry on home so that he could get back to making love to her, visiting his favorite “mountains” (cf. 4:5-6, 8). She loved intimacy with her husband because she loved her husband and knew that he loved her. She invited the sexual touching because he was so good and loving toward her. This is a picture of how marriage should be. By Brent Barnett of www.relevantbibleteaching.com