(Nov 2012- Song of Songs: Exegesis paper 1:15-2:3)
I. INTRODUCTION
A literary approach will
be adopted consistently in interpreting this passage of ‘Song of Songs’ ,
seeing it as a poem composed and sung, or a drama written and played to
communicate a love story between a young couple, accompanied by those expressed
intense feelings of desire and love they have towards one another.
Though overall there seems
to have a story portrayed in the Song, it is considered not to be in a
sequential order. Some of the scenes we encounter within shall be taken as
imaginations or fantasies that go through the minds of the couple, as how
common lovers usually experience when they are in their passionate moments of
love, falling their head over their heels. The figurative and imagery speeches
used in forms of either simile or metaphor will be interpreted in accordance
with the historical and literal context of the Song itself.
II. EXEGESIS: SONG OF
SONGS 1:15-2:3
The background of 1:15-17
and 2:1-3 is understood to be in the countryside, where the loving couple is
free from the crowd to enjoy their private moments together. Many natural
metaphors or similes they use (e.g. trees, flowers, valleys, thorns, forest
etc) might indicate that they are either under an open air, in the forest, over
the green pasture or beside the mountain field. It is said that there is a hint
of returning to the naiveté, simplicity, equality and purity of the original
couple in the Eden
The Song sings of the
wonders of love of a couple, demonstrating a heart of mutual admiration
(1:15-16a), simple appreciation (1:16b-17), sincere affirmation (2:1-3a) and
rightful appropriation(2:3b) one can have towards love and his/her lover.
1.
SONG OF SONGS 1:15-16A:
SONGS OF MUTUAL ADMIRATION
V15 and V16 are love songs
sung by the couple towards one another, in a dialogue form praising each
other’s physical beauty, affirming and strengthening their relationship as it
grows and develops, with the man focusing on the beauty of the eyes of the
woman, and the woman on their private and natural ‘home’ .
The original Hebrew text
starts v15 with an emphatic word transliterated as ‘hinnāk’ (‘behold’ or ‘ah’) from the man, paralleled by a
corresponding exclamation of ‘hinnəkā’ echoed by the woman, both convey a
message of one’s attention being captured by something that is attractive,
desirable and admirable. It is noted that a common language of
description is used to deliver their mutual love and admiration, expressed by a
same Hebrew word used in both feminine (yāpāh, beautiful)
and masculine (yāp̄eh, handsome) forms[2].
1.1. SONG OF SONGS 1:15: THE
MAN INITIATES HIS LANGUAGE OF ADMIRATION
1:15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.
According to Murphy, the
word ‘hinnāk’ (‘you, indeed’, NIV expresses the terms as
‘how’ and ‘oh’ respectively) carries with it a strong affirmative and melodious
effect[3]. Twice the word ‘beautiful’ is used to describe his beloved,
and from the overall view of the Song, the praise from the man probably directs
towards the physical beauty of the woman, which also speaks of his strong desire
over her.
‘My
darling’ comes from a Hebrew transliterated word ‘ra‘yātî’ (my friend). She is
beautiful and the essence of her beauty is specifically contributed by ‘her
eyes’ ( ‘ênayik) which ‘are doves’ (yōwnîm). KJV translates it with the meaning
that the woman has the eyes of doves and NAS holds the view that it is probably
her eyes are like dove. The uses of metaphor or simile between the eyes and the
doves are frequent occurrences found in the Song, referring both to the eyes of
the lover and the beloved.
Over
centuries, there are many interpretations discovered regarding to the
connection between her eyes and doves, arguing from religious, biblical or
literary backgrounds and perspectives:
a)
Doves resemble the image
of the Holy Spirit, and they are deemed to possess the characteristics of
purity, chastity, humility, modesty, simplicity, sincerity, godliness and
innocence[4].
The eyes of the woman might have shone forth these glory and beauty. .
b)
It is an abbreviated form of the Song 4:1 ‘your eyes are like
doves behind your veil’, corresponding to Jeremiah 48:28 in describing a dove seeking
refuge high in craggy rock, and being perceived that her eyes are beautiful and
her beauty is too high to be reached by others[5].
c)
Doves are icons and imagery of lovemaking with power of
seduction. They are messengers of love[6].
Her eyes are said to signal her love message to the man. The iconography
evidence gathered from ancient Near East shows doves to be symbol of sexuality.
‘You eyes are doves’ could signify a statement like, ‘I find you sexuality
attractive.’[7]
d)
It could be understood as comparing her eyes with the colour
and shape of doves, where most Egyptian arts display this similarity[8].
Or it could refer to her sense of shyness that causes her eyes to be swiftly
moving around.
e)
Hebrews bases description of body not on its physical sense
but the inner substance of dynamic movement and liveliness. There is a
possibility that the verse conveys that her eyes are sparkle or gleam[9].
As the Song is written under
the ancient Near East and Hebraic context, we can conclude that the image of
‘doves’ relates to the eyes of the woman speaks of her glances of love sparkling
with liveliness and vitality, of which the beauty of the eyes accompanied by
the love message they deliver have captured the entire heart and being of the
man. We could see later in 4:9 the man cries out that one glance of the woman
has indeed stolen his heart.
1.2. SONG OF SONGS 1:16A
THE WOMAN ECHOES WITH HER ADMIRATION
1:16a How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!
The woman responds to the
praises of man with the same praises she receives, echoing her admiration and
adoration for her lover (dōwdî, my lover).
Adding to the word handsome is a descriptive word ‘charming’ (nā‘îm), which also means ‘pleasant, lovely, sweet and sweet
sounding’ etc. The figure of the man appears to be the very intrinsic attractiveness
and pleasantness in the eyes of the woman.
2.
SONG OF SONGS 1:16B-17
SONG OF APPRECIATION
After
making her praises to the man in a reciprocal manner found in 1:16a, the woman
now turns her attention to the ‘bed’ and the ‘house/houses’ they share in
privacy. She uses some natural imagery to describe their ‘love nest’. Though it
is not structurally constructed and it does not exist physically, the woman
sees its grandness and appreciates its originality through her imaginative mind.
This
portion of the Song tells us one of the essential elements that we could find
in love itself, which is a heart of appreciation. The woman appreciates the
moment they are able to be in union of love, and she sings in a language of
appreciation towards the surroundings they are in. Love makes all things
beautiful and bountiful.
2.1
SONG OF SONGS 1:16B
1:16b And our bed is verdant.
Our
bed ( ‘arśênūthey) is also translated as ‘our couch’, a kind of long sleeping
chair. Hwang sees it as a special bed with bedstead overshadowed by curtain
covered on top[10].
If the bed were to be perceived as this, then those details of the bed are
described further below, of which the bed is equal to the house/houses
mentioned in v17. It is actually not a literal ‘bed’ or ‘couch’ but instead the
greenery ground for them to lay down or sleep, as the immediate description ‘is
verdant’ (ra‘ănān), which means ‘is green, flourishing, leafty or luxuriant’,
most likely refer to a tree[11]
in the context of the Bible.
Bed
is the most intimate place a couple could have come together, and she
appreciates the natural beauty and setting they are in, a place where their
love is allowed to blossom and bear fruits.
2.2
SONG OF SONGS 1:17
1:17 The beams of our house are cedars;
Our rafters are firs.
The parallels are found between
the lines, where ‘beams’ and ‘rafters’, or ‘cedars’ and ‘firs’ are mentioned,
with ‘house’ relates to ‘bed’ in verse 16b. ‘Beam’ (qōwrāh) is referred to the roof while
‘rafter’ (rahîtênū)
is referred to the wall. The woman speaks of roofs overarched by the branches
of cedars (’ărāzekā)
springing above their head and walls interwoven by the trunks of firs (bərōwtîm)
surrounding them. Their house/houses (bāttênū) is indeed a descriptive vision of
romantic and idyllic love environment[12]
beheld in the eyes of the woman.
Cedar is considered to be
the strongest and finest tree found in the forest of Lebanon
The woman appreciates the
‘house’ they dwell in at that single moment. It is built with the finest
materials ever found on the earth, and its majestic and magnificent outlook and
substance could be compared to the ingredients found in the temple and palace of Solomon
3.
SONG OF SONGS 2:1-3A
SONG OF AFFIRMATION
In
1:5 the woman seems to have low self-esteem towards her skin complexion when
comparing herself to the fairness of the daughters of Jerusalem
3.1 SONG
OF SONGS 2:1
THE WOMAN’S SELF APPRAISAL
2:1 I am a rose of
Sharon,
a lily of
the valleys.
Here
the woman does a self-appraisal towards her own physical look and beauty. She
considers herself as ‘a rose of Sharon’ and ‘a lily of the valleys’. ‘Rose’
parallels with ‘lily’ and ‘Sharon
The
identification of ‘a rose’ (hăbasselet)
and its exact nature have invited many disputes throughout the interpretation
history. Most people identify it as crocus (Isaiah 35:1), ‘meadow saffron’, sea
daffodil, Tulipa sharonensis or ‘narcissus’, or any other kind of spring flowers,
because rose is a late transplant in that region[15].
She is a rose of Sharon, a common girl among many girls who might be more
outstanding and beautiful than her.
Some
think ‘the lily’ (šōwōšannat)
is hyacinth
or water lily, but most people refer it to be (blue) lotus which used to be a
popular symbol within the region of Syria
to Egypt
3.2 SONG
OF SONGS 2:2
THE MAN’S AFFIRMATION TOWARDS THE
WOMAN
2.2
Like a lily among thorns
is my
darling among the maidens.
The
man picks up her self-description and further affirms of her beauty and
outstanding position. No doubt she is like a lily, but she is not a lily among
the lilies of the valley. In fact she is compared to a lily among thorns (hōwhîm), which grows in the midst of those most
unpromising rocky outcroppings[18].
For him, the rest of ‘the maidens’ (bānōwt, young
girls) are just thorns, they are useless, unapproachable and unattractive in
his eyes. His heart is fully occupied and reserved for the ‘darling’, the lily
in his eyes. The woman stands out to be the extraordinary one among those
common girls, most probably are the daughters of Jerusalem
3.3 SONG
OF SONGS 2:3A
THE WOMAN’S AFFIRMACTION TOWARDS THE
MAN
2.3a Like an apple
tree among the trees of the forest
is my lover among the young men.
The
woman is assured by her lover of her speciality, and in great rejoice echoes
her affirmative remarks towards him. To him, she is a lily among the thorns. To
her, the lover is like an apple tree among the young men who are like trees of
the forest (ya‘ar).
He is an extraordinary man comparing to his young peers. He is a fruit tree, a
productive apple tree among the nameless ocean of trees. A commentator
illustrates the forest as an inhospitable and dangerous place haunted with wild
animals, while the apple tree is a life-enhancing fruit tree[19].
He is tame, safe and sweet while the rest of the men are wild, threatening and
tasteless.
Many
consider the apple tree (tappūah, which is
fragrance) was yet to be found as an agricultural plant in the land of Palestine Israel
4.
SONG OF SONGS 2:3B
SONG OF APPROPRIATION
The
woman celebrates over her enjoyment she has discovered in her lover. He is an
apple tree, bearing fruit that is sweet to her taste, and he is also a shelter
under the hot and scorching sun. She enters into the stage of appropriation, of
sharing something that is his very nature and inner traits. Love is more than
merely an outward admiration, appreciation or affirmation through words. It is
a real process of enjoying the very personality and property that could be withdrawn
from one another as love progresses and matures.
4.1
SONG OF SONGS 2:3B
THE WOMAN ENJOYS HIS COVERING AND
PROTECTION
2.3b I delight to
sit in his shade,
In
his shade (bəsillōw), could mean under
his protection or shadow, which OT speaks of shade as
image of protection from the dangers. The apple tree does not actually provide very
proper shadow against the summer heat[22].
Yet with the love that he offers, it seems that he is able to cover and protect
her from the scorching sun she has been exposed to because of tending the
vineyard for her brothers. She has come under his covering and taste of the
coolness under the young man. Many other trees might give better shelter, but
she is fully satisfied under him.
4.2 SONG
OF SONGS 2.3B
THE WOMAN ENJOYS HIS PROVISION AND
STRENGTH
2.3b and his fruit is sweet
to my taste.
Adding
on to the benefits of protection and shelter she receives from her lover, the
woman is pleased too to enjoy the fruit provided by him. The fruit is sweet or
pleasant (mātōwq)
to ‘my taste’ (ləhikkî).
Since apple is an emblem of sexuality, and the woman is said to taste of his
sweetness or goodness, some commentators thus conclude this verse to mean a
physical union between the couple. She has indeed reached a stage of
satisfaction and fulfilment being alone with her lover.
III. CONCLUSION
The passage is a poem of
love song that is celebrated and sung among the couple, who have fixed their
eyes and gazed upon the beauty and wonders of one another. What they see is the
uniqueness found in each other. The nature is a conducive environment for them
and even far more comfortable and enjoyable than those beautiful buildings
built by the hands of men. They see plants and flowers as a way to express
their love and affection, and to heighten one another with praises and words of
admiration, appreciation and affirmation. And they truly enjoy the fruit of
their love, which they have appropriated to their satisfaction. It is indeed a
song of reminder for all who are anticipating for a loving relationship.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barker, Kenneth L. & John R. Kohlenberger III, Ed. The
Zondervan NIV Bible
Commentary. Grand
Rapids
Bruce, F.F. New International Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids
Buttrick, George
Arthur. The Interpreter’s Bible v5. Nashville
1980.
Carr, G. Lloyd. The Song of Solomon. Leceister:
Inter-Varsity Press, 1984.
Davidson, Robert. Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. Louisville : Westminster
John Knox Press, 1986.
Fredericks, Daniel C. & Daniel J. Estes. The Ecclesiastes & The
Song of Songs.
Gaebelein, Frank E.,
Ed. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids
Zondervan Publishing House, 1991.
Garrett, Duane A. The New American Commentary. Nashville
Gledhill, Tom. The Message of the Song of Songs. Taipei
Fellowship Press, 2011.
Hwang, Andrew C.L.
Tien Dao Bible Commentary: The Song of
Songs. Kowloon
Tien Dao Publishing Hosue, Ltd., 1997.
Hwang, Andrew
& Samuel Goh. Song of Songs. Singapore : Asia
Theological
Association, Singapore
Keel, Othmar. The Song of Songs. Minneapolis
LaCocque, Andre. Romance She Wrote. Harrisburg
Longman III,
Tremper. Song of Songs: The New
International Commentary on the Old
Testament. Grand
Rapids
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. US: Hendirckson Publishers, Inc,
1996.
Metzger, Bruce M.,
David A. Hubbard & Glenn W. Baker. Word
Biblical Commentary
(23B): Song
of Songs/Lamentations. Nashville
Murphy, Roland E.,
O. Carm. The Song of Songs. Minneapolis
Provan, Iain. The NIV Application Commentary:
Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2001.
Richards, Lawrence Wheaton
Ryken, Leland
& James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III. Dictionary of Biblical
Imagery. Downers Grove :
Inter-Varsity Press, 1998.
Walton, John H.,
Victor H. Matthews & Mark W. Chavalas. The
IVP Bible
Background Commentary. Downers Grove : IVP Academic, 2000.
Weems, Renita J. The New Interpreter’s Bible. Nashville
[1] Kenneth L. Barker &
John R. Kohlenberger III, Ed., The
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House,
1994), 1029.
[2] Frank E. Gaebelein, Ed., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991), 1221.
[3] Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm, The Song of Songs (Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 1990), 132.
[4] Matthew
Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (US: Hendirckson Publishers, Inc,
1996), 873.
[5] Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard &
Glenn W. Baker, Word Biblical Commentary
(23B): Song of Songs/Lamentations
(Nashville
[6] John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews & Mark
W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background
Commentary (Downers Grove : IVP Academic,
2000), 577.
[7] Metzger, Word Biblical Commentary (23B): Song of Songs/Lamentations, 147.
[8] Othmar Keel, The Song of Songs (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994), 69.
[9] Ibid, 69.
[10] Andrew C.L. Hwang, Tien Dao Bible Commentary: The Song of Songs (Kowloon: Tien Dao
Publishing Hosue, Ltd., 1997), 136.
[11] Tremper Longman III, Song of Songs: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament
(Grand Rapids
[12] Duane A. Garrett, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1993), 390.
[13] Andrew Hwang & Samuel Goh, Song of Songs (Singapore : Asia Theological Association, Singapore
[14] Longman III, Song of Songs: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament,110.
[15] Renita J. Weems, The New Interpreter’s Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997), 389.
[16] Ibid, 111.
[17] Keel, The
Song of Songs, 78-80.
[18] G. Lloyd Carr, The Song of Solomon (Leceister: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984), 88.
[19] Daniel C. Fredericks & Daniel J.
Estes, The Ecclesiastes & The Song of
Songs (Downers Grove : InterVarsity Press,
2010), 318.
[20] Longman III, Song of Songs: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament,112.
[21] Metzger, Word Biblical Commentary (23B): Song of Songs/Lamentations,
149-150.
[22] Andre LaCocque, Romance She
Wrote (Harrisburg: Trinity Press International, 1998), 84.
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