Bible

The Bible room is open again today, and we are reading a summary of the book of The Song of Solomon.

Notes: 1) Various titles for this book appear in different Bible translations including, “Song of Songs,” “Solomon’s Song of Songs,” among others. The title used here appears in the NKJV – New King James Version of the Bible.

2) This summary is gleaned primarily from the NKJV, with a few translated words from the NIV – New International Version.

_______________________________________

The Song of Solomon

Introduction to The Song of Solomon:

Writer: Unknown. Some commentaries conclude that Solomon is the writer, and the text of the book contains several mentions of King Solomon. Most Bible scholars hold that the writer cannot be determined with certainty. The book is a poem, or a collection of poems, either about Solomon, or for Solomon, or possibly by Solomon. The date of these poems is not known. Some scholars say portions of this Hebrew text are difficult to translate and discern the meaning.  

Scope: This collection of songs is composed as a dramatic presentation in a wedding ceremony and banquet. Various Bible translations use differing names for the main characters and the back-up singers. In this summary we use the identifiers shown in the NKJV with the following explanation: The Shulamite is the woman who loves the man; The Beloved is the man loved by the Shulamite woman; The Daughters of Jerusalem are their mutual friends who sing in the chorus.

Chapter 1. Songs

This book is a collection of the best songs for, or about Solomon:

The Shulamite speaks:

• Your love is better than wine;
• Your name is like a fragrant ointment;
• Women love you, and that includes me;

The Daughters of Jerusalem speak:

• We will follow you;

The Shulamite speaks:

• I have been invited to see the king;

The Daughters of Jerusalem speak:

• We are very happy for you;
• Love is better to remember than wine;

The Shulamite speaks:

• You are loved by everyone;
• My skin is dark, but I am lovely;
• My brothers forced me to work in the sun;
• And the sun has tanned me;
• They have made me work in their vineyards;
• So, I have neglected my own vineyards;
• I am looking to find the one I love;
• Where does he rest his flock at noon?

The Beloved speaks:

• Most beautiful woman,
• Follow the footprints of my flock;
• And bring your little goats around our tents;
• You are special to me like my favorite filly;
• Your beautiful skin makes jewelry look better;

The Daughters of Jerusalem speak:

• We will give you gold ornaments with silver;

The Shulamite speaks:

• The king sits at his banquet table;
• I have fragrant perfume for him;
• My beloved is like a bundle of myrrh to me;
• He is like blooms in a flowering oasis;

The Beloved speaks:

• My love, you are beautiful;
• You have lovely eyes;

The Shulamite speaks:

• My love, you are handsome, and pleasant;
• Our bed is green, alive;

The Beloved speaks:

• Our house is made of the best kinds of wood.

Chapter 2. Feast

The Shulamite speaks:

• I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys;

The Beloved speaks:

• My darling is like a lily among thorns;

The Shulamite speaks:

• My lover takes me to the feast;
• I am faint with love: feed me fresh fruit for strength;
• Here comes my lover, leaping like a gazelle;
• He invites me to be with him;
• Winter is over, it’s spring time;
• It’s the season for flowers and singing;

The Beloved speaks:

• Let me look at you, you are lovely;
• Let me hear your sweet voice;

The Shulamite’s brothers speak:

• Help us catch the little foxes in the vineyards;
• Those that destroy the vines that bloom;
• The vines now have tender grapes;

The Shulamite speaks:

• My beloved belongs to me, and I to him;
• We will spend the night together.

Chapter 3. Night

The beloved has left the room in the night, and is missing:

The Shulamite speaks:

• I will go into the streets and look for him;
• Soon, I found him, and I will hold him close;
• I will take him home with me;
• Someone is coming from a distance;
• It looks like a king on his throne;
• He has sixty armed guards with him;
• It’s like his wedding day.

Chapter 4. Garden

The Beloved declares his love for his bride:

The Beloved speaks:

• Look how beautiful you are;
• Everything about you is lovely: your eyes, your hair;
• Your teeth are perfect, your lips, your mouth, your neck;
• Your whole body is spotless beauty;
• You have consumed my heart;
• You are like a verdant garden of flowers and fruit;
• You are like a well of living waters;

The Shulamite speaks:

• Let my love enter his garden and enjoy everything.

Chapter 5. Knocks

He knocks at her chamber door:

The Beloved speaks:

• I have drunk wine with milk;

The Shulamite speaks:

• My Beloved knocks at my door;
• He says he would like to enter;
• I wanted to let him in, but;
• When I opened the door, he was not there;
• I called for him but there was no answer;
• I went into the streets looking for him;
• The guards caught me and abused me;
• My friends, if you see him, tell him I am lovesick;

The Daughters of Jerusalem speak:

• Why should we help you find him?
• Is he any better than other men?

The Shulamite speaks:

• My Beloved is a far better man;
• He outshines ten thousand others;
• His hair is wavy, and black as a raven;
• His body is like chiseled ivory;
• He is altogether lovely;
• And he is my Beloved.

Chapter 6. Awesome

The Beloved says his bride is awesome:

The Daughters of Jerusalem speak:

• Where do you think your beloved has gone?
• We will help you look for him;

The Shulamite speaks:

• I think he has taken his flock to feed near the lilies;
• I am his, and he is mine;

The Beloved speaks:

• You are beautiful, as lovely as Jerusalem;
• You are awesome, like an army with banners;
• There are many beautiful women, but you are perfect;
• You are blessed among all women;
• You are awesome, like an army with banners.

 The Shulamite speaks:

• I went down to see the beauty of the valley;
• And suddenly I was among some of my people;

The Beloved and some of his friends speak:

• Return to us quickly, O Shulamite;
• Return so that we may look at you;

The Shulamite speaks:

• What is it that you see in me?

Chapter 7. Admiration

The Shulamite woman and her beloved share mutual admiration:

The Beloved speaks:

• Your body is beautiful, like the work of a skilled workman;
• You are fair, lovely, and delightful;
• You are a statuesque beauty;
• Your beauty will hold a man captive;

The Shulamite speaks:

• I belong to my beloved, and he loves me;
• I want us to be together and go places;
• I will give you my love wherever we travel.

Chapter 8. Seal

The woman pleads for her love to be as an indelible seal on her lover:

The Shulamite speaks:

• If it were possible, I would treat you like my brother;
• If you were outside, I would kiss you;
• Then take you in the house and give you spiced wine;
• Friends, be careful with love, always take it seriously;

A relative speaks:

• You are the one born under the apple tree;

The Shulamite speaks:

• Place me like a seal on your heart, and on your arm;
• Protect me from jealousy;

The Shulamite’s brothers speak:

• You are our sister and we will help you;
• We will protect you as you need;

The Shulamite speaks:

• I have brought peace to my beloved;

The Beloved speaks:

• I listen for your voice;

The Shulamite speaks:

• Come away with me, my love;
• To the mountains of spices.

End of the book of The Song of Solomon