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Tag: Song of Solomon

Mandrakes Bible

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Genesis, Songs of Solomon, What’s new?.

What are the mandrakes mentioned in the Bible?

In Song of Solomon 7:13 we read, “The mandrakes send out their fragrance, / and at our door is every delicacy, / both new and old, / that I have stored up for you, my beloved.” A mandrake is a short-stemmed, flowering plant in the nightshade family (and therefore related to the potato). Mandrakes are mentioned in one passage in Genesis and once in Song of Solomon.

Mandrakes have unusually large, forked roots that sometimes resemble a human body with open arms and legs. In the ancient world, mandrake roots were considered an aphrodisiac and were commonly prepared and eaten as a fertility drug. There are many references to mandrakes in folklore and superstitions in various cultures.

The mention of mandrakes in the Song of Solomon is part of a romantic encounter between Solomon and his new wife. Mandrakes were around them in the countryside, along with grapes, pomegranates, and “every delicacy” (Song of Solomon 7:13). The mandrakes are providing a fragrance, and, given their reputation as an aphrodisiac, are suggestive of intimacy. The entire description in verses 10–13 is of a romantic setting that enhances the desire of the husband and wife for each other.

In this particular scene, the Shulammite invites King Solomon to join her for a sexual rendezvous out of doors in the early morning: “Let us go early to the vineyards / to see if the vines have budded, / if their blossoms have opened, / and if the pomegranates are in bloom— / there I will give you my love” (Song of Solomon 7:12). The description of this romantic time is full of beautiful imagery, including the mention of mandrakes in the verses that follow, as the husband and wife enjoy each other among the vineyards.

The one other biblical account to speak of mandrakes is found in Genesis 30. There, Jacob’s two wives, Rachel and Leah, vie for Jacob’s attention. Rachel wants a child, and Leah wants more children. Leah’s son Reuben finds some mandrakes in the field and gives them to his mother. Leah then trades the mandrakes to Rachel in exchange for the opportunity to sleep with Jacob that night (Genesis 30:14–16). Rachel, who was as yet childless, accepts the trade, believing that the mandrakes would help her conceive at a later time. Leah sleeps with Jacob that night and becomes pregnant with her fifth son (verse 17).

Solomon wife sister

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Songs of Solomon, What’s new?.

Why does Solomon refer to his wife as his sister (Song of Solomon 4:9)?

The Song of Solomon is a beautiful, poetic presentation of married love. Chapter 4 deals with the wedding night; as the bridegroom and his bride consummate the marriage, they speak to each other tender words of praise and affirmation. Four times, in speaking to his wife, the bridegroom calls her “my sister, my bride”—or “spouse” in some translations. “How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!” (Song of Solomon 4:9; see also 4:10, 12, and 5:1).

Solomon had not married his actual sister, so we can dispense with that theory right away. Rather, the term sister was a common expression of closeness and love. In ancient Egyptian love songs, “my sister” was a customary name for a female lover. It was a term of endearment that emphasized the permanence of the relationship (a sister never stops being a sister). In giving his bride a double title, he shows her double honor: he loves her with the passion of a spouse and with the purity of a sibling. Blood is thicker than water, and the bridegroom wants their relationship to showcase the permanence of a blood relation.

There is an interesting parallel in Song of Solomon 8:1, where the bride says, “If only you were to me like a brother, / who was nursed at my mother’s breasts! / Then, if I found you outside, / I would kiss you, / and no one would despise me.” Here, the bride yearns for the freedom to express her love, even in public. Outward shows of affection were taboo in their society—with an exception made for siblings. So, the bride wishes for the freedom to kiss her husband—the same freedom a sister had in kissing her brother in the public square.

We still use the term sister today, in a different context. True, a husband might not call his wife “sister,” but a group of women may express the closeness of their relationship to each other by forming a “sisterhood” and referring to themselves as “sisters,” even though they are not blood relations.

Do not awaken love

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In the Song of Solomon, why is it said that we shouldn’t awaken love until it pleases?

Three times in the Song of Solomon, the daughters of Jerusalem are given this charge: “Do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (Song of Solomon 2:7; 3:5; 8:4, ESV). The NIV’s wording is similar: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” With the three-fold repetition, this command can be considered a refrain and becomes a theme running throughout the song.

The speaker addresses the “daughters of Jerusalem”—young, unmarried women in Israel’s capital city—and gives them some wise advice. Do not awaken love until it pleases. It’s a solemn charge, given by one who has found true love and is experiencing its joys. Do not attempt to arouse or awaken love. Don’t stir it up. Love should be allowed to “rest” until it awakes on its own accord.

The meaning seems to be this: true love, that which is worthy of being called “love,” should be spontaneous. There is danger in trying to “force” love or to stir up passions before their time. There is a tendency, especially among the young, to fall victim to “puppy love” or to mistake infatuation for true love. The speaker in the Song of Solomon would save us much grief. The charge not to awaken love until it pleases is a warning against entering romantic relationships too young. It is a warning against becoming so desperate to find love that we start looking for it in all the wrong places. It is a warning against trying to manufacture feelings of love where there were none to begin with.

The NLT translates Song of Solomon 2:7 in a way that emphasizes the need for proper timing: “Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, . . . not to awaken love until the time is right.” Waiting is never easy; in matters of the heart, waiting may be even more difficult. But waiting for the right one, at the right time, has prevented many a broken heart. Let love rise naturally; let affection be without affectation. The result will be beautiful.

If a relationship is to move on to the next level, then it will do so without artifice or stratagem. If romance is God’s intention, then romance will come. No need to press it. True love is special. It cannot be ginned up, and it cannot be manipulated. Romantic feelings should not be stirred too early. Let them sleep until it’s time for them to awake.

The wording of the adjuration is interesting and quite significant. In two instances, the charge makes an appeal to fauna. Here is the whole of Song of Solomon 2:7: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (ESV). Using beautiful imagery, the speaker underscores the truth that love must have freedom. Just as gazelles and deer are free to roam, so love should have freedom to move in our hearts in its own time and in its own way. Love should not be manipulated any more than a gazelle should be fettered or caged.

When the time is right, love will bloom. Until then, wisdom advises us to guard our hearts. It will be worth the wait.

Shulammite dark skin

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Songs of Solomon, What’s new?.

What does it mean that the Shulammite had dark skin (Song of Solomon 1:6)?

The Shulammite, the woman Solomon loves, refers to herself as having dark skin: “Do not gaze at me because I am dark” (Song of Solomon 1:6, ESV). In the NASB, she is “swarthy”; in the KJV, she is “black.”

Some have suggested that the Shulammite woman was a dark-skinned woman, perhaps of African descent. However, a more likely answer is found in the very same verse. Immediately following the mention of the woman as “dark,” we read, “Because the sun has looked upon me” (ESV). In the NIV, it’s clearer what she means: “Because I am darkened by the sun.” And the rest of the verse explains why the Shulammite was in the sun: “My mother’s sons were angry with me / and made me take care of the vineyards; / my own vineyard I had to neglect” In other words, she was forced to work outside in the sun and had not taken care of her skin as she preferred.

In modern Western culture, many women go to great lengths to tan and darken their skin. However, the opposite was true of women in the ancient Near East. Dark or tanned skin was undesirable because it indicated a woman had spent significant time working in the sun, something that servants or poor women did. More affluent women would not labor in the sun; they would stay indoors more or have nicer clothing that covered their skin.

The Shulammite woman did not want to be stared at because of her tanned skin. In Song of Solomon 1:5 we read, “Dark am I, yet lovely, / daughters of Jerusalem, / dark like the tents of Kedar, / like the tent curtains of Solomon.” The tents of Kedar were made from the wool of black goats. The curtains of Solomon is a difficult phrase to render from the Hebrew text. Many believe the correct understanding is instead “the tents of Salma.” If so, the word picture is fitting. The Salma people lived in the same general region as Kedar and likely also constructed their tents with black wool. Otherwise, the curtains of Solomon were likely purple, the color of royalty, a color that would not fit the description in verse 6. Regardless, the Shulammite is telling the other women not to think poorly of her because of her tanned skin.

Some have also sought meaning in Song of Solomon 1:6 based on the identity of Shulammite. The term Shulammite has been interpreted in different ways. Two of the most likely interpretations are that Shulammite means “O perfect one” or that it refers to an area called Shunem (as the LXX chooses). If this latter interpretation is correct, the Shulammite was from Shunem, a village near Jezreel inhabited by the Jews during Solomon’s time. The woman would likely have had an olive complexion, though darker than some due to her working out of doors.

Though the woman in Song of Solomon had some concerns about her appearance, she was clearly loved by Solomon and desired by him. The Song of Solomon offers a great example of how, though imperfect, a man and woman accept and love one another unconditionally and pursue love and intimacy in the context of marriage.

Shulammite woman

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Songs of Solomon, What’s new?.

Who was the Shulammite woman?

The Shulammite woman, or Shulammite maiden, is the bride of Solomon who features in the Song of Songs. She is only mentioned once by the title “Shulammite,” in Song of Solomon 6:13. Her exact identity is unknown, although there are a couple of theories.

She is most likely called the Shulammite because she came from an unidentified place called Shulem. Many scholars consider Shulammite to be synonymous with Shunammite (“person from Shunem”). Shunem was a village in the territory of Issachar, north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa. Other scholars link Shulem with Salem, believing Solomon’s bride was from Jerusalem. Still others believe that the title Shulammite (“peaceful”) is simply the bride’s married name, being the feminine form of Solomon (“peaceful”) and only used after her marriage to the king.

One theory on the identity of the Shulammite is that she is the daughter of Egypt’s king, whom Solomon married (1 Kings 3:1), but there is no evidence supporting this theory in the Song of Solomon. Another speculation points to Abishag, a young Shunammite who served King David in his old age (1 Kings 1:1–4, 15; 2:17–22). It is plausible that Abishag is the Shulammite; we know she was from Shunem, which could be the same place as Shulem. Also, as David’s personal servant, Abishag would have been known to David’s son, Solomon. Solomon’s half-brother Adonijah attempted to have Abishag as his own wife, and Solomon prevented the union (1 Kings 2:13–25).

Solomon uses passionate language to describe his bride and their love (Song 4:1–15). Solomon clearly loved the Shulammite—and he admired her character as well as her beauty (Song 6:9). Everything about the Song of Solomon betrays the fact that this bride and groom were passionately in love and that there was mutual respect and friendship, as well (Song 8:6–7). This points to the fact that the Song of Solomon is the story of Solomon’s first marriage, before he sinned by adding many other wives (1 Kings 11:3). Whoever the Shulammite was, she was Solomon’s first and truest love.

What is a canticle

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What is a canticle?

The word canticle is Latin in origin and simply means “little song.” In Latin versions of the Bible, the Song of Solomon (also expressed as the Song of Songs based on the opening verse) is called Canticle of Canticles.

Canticles are biblical. They are songs derived from biblical texts other than the book of Psalms. Canticles are non-rhythmic songs and are either spoken, chanted, or sung in liturgical worship services. For the most part, canticles are said at Lauds, or morning prayer services. Denominations that incorporate canticles include Roman Catholic, Anglican, Episcopal, and Eastern Orthodox churches. The Greek Orthodox Church has nine biblical canticles, called odes.

Examples of Old Testament canticles are the two Songs of Moses (Exodus 15:1–19 and Deuteronomy 32:1–43); the Song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1–10); the Song of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:2–19); the Song of Isaiah (Isaiah 26:1–21); and the Song of Jonah (Jonah 2:2–9). Examples of New Testament canticles are Ephesians 1:3–10; Philippians 2:6–11; Colossians 1:12–20; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 2:21–24; and Revelation 4:11.

Three better-known canticles are taken from the Gospel of Luke. The Benedictus is the hymn of Zechariah celebrating the birth of his son, John the Baptist, and the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation for Israel (Luke 1:68–79). The Magnificat or Canticle of the Blessed Virgin is Mary’s song of praise upon greeting Elizabeth (Luke 1:46–55). Mary expresses joy over the privilege of giving birth to the promised Messiah and praises the Lord for His power, holiness, and mercy toward her and the nation of Israel. The Nunc Dimittis is Simeon’s hymn of joy and praise for the Lord’s salvation of all people (Luke 2:29–32). These three canticles have been used in public worship since the earliest Christian centuries and can still be found in many contemporary prayer books, including the Book of Common Prayer.

Te Deum, believed to be written by Ambrose of Milan, is the only canticle not taken directly from Scripture, although some consider it to be a hymn rather than a canticle.

Augustine of Hippo noted a distinction between canticles and psalms. While canticles are sung with the voice only, psalms are accompanied by instruments, “so by a canticle, the intelligence of the mind is signified, by a psalm the operation of the body.” Jerome, translator of the Latin Vulgate, distinguished them “to the effect that psalms properly belong to the region of ethics, so that we know through the bodily organs what to do or avoid—while canticles deal with higher matters, the harmony of the universe, and the order and concord of creation” (Hotham, H. J., “Canticle,” A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, Vol. I, Smith & Cheetham, eds., London: John Murray, 1875, p. 284).

Psalms, then, are poetic compositions from the Bible set to music for praise and worship. Canticles, on the other hand, are non-metrical biblical texts that are chanted, spoken, or sung.

Book Bible romantic love

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Songs of Solomon, What’s new?.

Why is there an entire book of the Bible dedicated to romantic love?

Some people believe that the subject matter of the Song of Solomon—romantic love—is not a very noble theme. Some try to allegorize the book in order to provide it with a “higher” or more “spiritual” purpose. But what is “low” or “unspiritual” about the love between a husband and wife? The Song of Solomon is dedicated to the theme of romantic love. The Lord knows we need to see how love should look between a husband and wife.

Of course, Solomon had more than one wife. In fact, “he had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines” (1 Kings 11:3). While it is uncertain how old Solomon was when he composed his Song of Songs, his emphasis on one true love leads many scholars to suspect that Solomon was writing of his relationship with his first wife, before the sinful multiplication of wives occurred.

An overview of the contents of the Song of Solomon reveals many important aspects of romantic love. For example, there is a proper time and place for romantic love to begin to grow (Song 2:7). Romantic love involves a longing between a man and woman (1:2–4), mutual admiration (1:12—2:7), and a desire to be together (3:1–5). Also, romantic love includes sexual expression, and the appropriate context for sexual intimacy is within marriage (3:6—5:1).

After the wedding, couples face many different situations, and it is important for them to keep the romantic love alive. Couples will face occasional indifference to each other or time apart from each other (5:2–8), followed by renewed displays of love—a rekindling of the romance (5:9–16). Also important is communication within marriage. Chapter 7 focuses on improvement in this area, followed by an increase in intimacy (chapter 8).

Romantic love and intimacy in a God-honoring marriage is an important goal for all couples. God presents love as something to be desired: “Many waters cannot quench love; / rivers cannot sweep it away. / If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, / it would be utterly scorned” (Song of Solomon 8:7). True love endures. It overcomes adversity. Nothing is worth giving up on godly love. Love is priceless.

In today’s society marriage is often ridiculed or broken or redefined, but the principles found in the Song of Solomon offer a godly perspective on the importance of marriage, romantic love, communication between husband and wife, and the value of a marriage that endures.

Rose of Sharon

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What is the Rose of Sharon?

The Hebrew word sharon means “a plain or a level place.” The Plain of Sharon is the coastal plain between the mountains of central Israel and the Mediterranean Sea, north of Joppa to Mt. Carmel. The area is mentioned in Acts 9:35 in conjunction with the town of Lydda, which is about eleven miles SE of Joppa and is called “Lod” in the Old Testament (1 Chronicles 8:12). Modern Israelis have reverted back to the Old Testament name. This town is located in the midst of the Plain of Sharon. This area was proverbially fertile and known for its flowers. The “rose of Sharon” is found in the Song of Solomon 2:1. Therefore, we can surmise that the rose of Sharon flower is named for the district of Sharon.

Webster’s says that the “rose of Sharon” is a hardy plant of the mallow family with the name “Hibiscus Syriacus” and has white, red, pink, or purplish flowers. However, the Rose of Sharon mentioned in the Song of Solomon is a crocus-like flower and the source of saffron. The Hebrew word habaselet as used in Song of Solomon 2:1 is translated twice as “rose,” once here in the Song of Solomon and once in Isaiah 35:1. The translators may indeed have used the word rose to refer to the meaning of the Hebrew word, which is a flower similar to what we now know as a crocus or a bulb flower like a tulip. The NIV uses a footnote that says, “Possibly a member of the crocus family.” Therefore, the “rose of Sharon” is not really what we would classify today as a “rose,” but it could be a plant similar to the hibiscus or it could be a crocus or tulip.

Some Bible expositors see the rose of Sharon as Christ and the lily as the church, His bride. Some of the early church fathers were fond of this analogy as well. There are some parallels that may be drawn between Christ and the rose of Sharon, but most of them fall apart when we realize the rose is not a rose at all, but a crocus or tulip. In addition, the church is never portrayed as a lily in the Bible. In fact, the word “lily” doesn’t even appear in the New Testament. Some say that because the rose of Sharon grows in dry, unfavorable conditions, it symbolizes Jesus coming from the root of Jesse and David (Isaiah 11:1; Revelation 22:16), but labeling the house of Jesse and David as “dry” has no basis in Scripture, either. Of course, Jesus is as lovely and fragrant as a rose, but that is insufficient to definitively identify Song of Solomon 2:1 as symbolic of Christ.

Lily of the valley

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Songs of Solomon, What’s new?.

What is the lily of the valley (Song of Solomon 2:1)?

The Song of Solomon is an extended love poem. In Song of Solomon 2:1, the woman declares, “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.” Then the man affirms in verse 2, “Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women.” Then in verse 3 the woman responds, “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men.”

In the first verse, the woman says she is a rose of Sharon and a lily of the valleys. Many different plants have been called a rose of Sharon, and we do not know the specific species that is referred to here. There is also some question as to how the lily of the valley is to be identified. Suggestions include wild-growing anemone, hyacinth, tulip, iris, and gladiolus. In any case, the lily of the valley was a beautiful and fragrant plant. In the context of Song of Solomon, it may be that the woman is comparing herself to some common wildflowers that would not necessarily be considered valuable or beautiful when compared to cultivated flowers.

On the contrary, the man sees his beloved as a lily among thorns. Thorns are ugly, unattractive, and uninviting. But his beloved is a lily among the thorns—she stands out in his eyes, and her beauty outshines that of all other women. By the same token, the woman sees her bridegroom as an apple tree among the other trees in the forest—he is unique and valuable in her eyes.

The point seems to be that each lover finds the other superior to all the other options. The bride is a lily, as compared to thorns. The bridegroom is an apple tree, as compared to the other forest trees. There might be a lot of trees in the forest that are large and tall—like the mighty oak or the cedar of Lebanon. A rather small, scrubby apple tree would not seem to be very significant by comparison. However, when one considers the fruit that the apple tree gives, it is extraordinary. A person might chop down any number of trees for firewood, lumber, etc., but would most likely save an apple tree because of the fruit.

The point seems to be that comparing a beloved with others is all a matter of perspective. A lily of the valley compared to cultivated flowers might be rather insignificant, but compared to thorns that grow around it, it is beautiful. An apple tree is not the greatest tree in the forest, but when you consider the fruit that it gives, it is a wonderful tree.

This is the attitude that married people need to have when viewing each other. Each spouse needs to emphasize the positive strengths of the other. If one spouse looks around and starts to compare himself/herself against others who are better looking, more successful, richer, more powerful, more talented, more capable, etc., he or she may begin to feel inadequate or unworthy. It is the responsibility and privilege of the other spouse to point out the strengths and to demonstrate that “I only have eyes for you.” If the other spouse falls into the trap of negatively comparing his or her spouse with others, then things can go downhill quickly. Pornography and so much of what popular media defines as beautiful, sexy, or successful can be devastating to marriages because they set impossible, artificial standards that a spouse in real life can most likely never meet.

Every husband should see his wife as the lily of the valley and thank God for the beautiful and delightful blossom He has provided for him in the wilderness.

Daughters of Jerusalem

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Who are the daughters of Jerusalem in Song of Solomon?

The “daughters of Jerusalem” are mentioned seven times in the Song of Solomon. These persons are obviously female, but who exactly are they?

The most likely identification of the daughters of Jerusalem is that they were the young, unmarried women of Jerusalem, the city where Solomon lived. Some translations say “maidens,” “virgins,” or “young women” instead of “daughters.” A look at this term’s use in the book helps to strengthen this interpretation. In Song of Solomon 1:5 the Shulammite states, “Dark am I, yet lovely, / daughters of Jerusalem.” In contrast with the “dark” skin of Solomon’s lover, it seems that the daughters of Jerusalem were lighter-skinned. This may indicate the daughters of Jerusalem were more affluent or worked indoors, since the Shulammite attributes her dark skin to working in the heat of the sun (verse 6).

Song of Solomon 2:7 says, “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you / by the gazelles and by the does of the field: / Do not arouse or awaken love / until it so desires.” This is an important passage in the book, since the command not to “awaken love” is repeated twice elsewhere. Again, the Shulammite addresses the other women of the area, advising them not to force love until the appropriate time—love comes when it comes. This same command is also seen when the daughters of Jerusalem are mentioned in Song of Solomon 3:5 and 8:4. The Shulammite is giving her advice to the other girls in town.

In Song of Solomon 3:10–11, the Shulammite again speaks to the young girls of Jerusalem: “Daughters of Jerusalem, come out, / and look, you daughters of Zion. / Look on King Solomon wearing a crown, / the crown with which his mother crowned him / on the day of his wedding, / the day his heart rejoiced.” The context speaks of a royal carriage Solomon had made (verse 9). Some translations indicate that the interior of Solomon’s carriage was decorated “by the daughters of Jerusalem” (e.g., NASB, ESV, NET, ISV). This may give us an additional clue: the daughters of Jerusalem could be the female household servants of King Solomon.

Song of Solomon 5:8 also mentions the daughters of Jerusalem, saying, “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you— / if you find my beloved, / what will you tell him? / Tell him I am faint with love.” This charge to the daughters of Jerusalem also supports the idea that they were household servants. If they happen to see the king during the day, they are called on to report the status of Solomon’s new wife as being lovesick and wanting to be with him.

Song of Solomon 5:16 ends a description of Solomon with “he is altogether lovely. / This is my beloved, this is my friend, / daughters of Jerusalem.” The Shulammite’s husband is both her lover and her friend, something she declares openly to the young women of the city.

There are several places in the song that are spoken by a group of people in response to what Solomon and the Shulammite say (Song of Solomon 1:4, 11; 5:9; 6:13; et al.). The speakers could very well be the daughters of Jerusalem whom the Shulammite addresses so often.

In the New Testament, Jesus speaks to a group of women whom He calls “daughters of Jerusalem” on one occasion. As Jesus carried His cross to Calvary, many women followed in mourning. He says to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children” (Luke 23:28). Jesus was speaking generally to all the women in the city of Jerusalem and specifically to those near Him.

The daughters of Jerusalem play a small but important role in the Song of Solomon. As the young maidens of the city listened to advice from Solomon’s wife, they received wisdom about romance. If they were indeed servants in Solomon’s household, they would have been a natural audience as they made preparations for the wedding and waited on their new queen.