SONG OF SONGS

Exposure

Paul A. Deiros

Practical Helps

Bernardo Stamateas

INTRODUCTION
Love is the most powerful human force that exists in the world. The Song of Songs is
the book of the Bible that presents the most extraordinary poems regarding the love that
unites a man and a woman. It speaks of a consuming and all-powerful love. Their songs
exalt an irresistible, invincible and triumphant love. The book is not merely a delicate
composition nor just an attractive piece of literature. There is something impressive and
heavenly in the Song, which reaches the limit of the fantastic and sublime. It is an
eclogue, which praises the idyll of a couple. Above all, it is a collection of love songs, a
love that transcends the barriers of space and time, to conquer and subdue everything
that gets in its way.

HIS PLACE IN THE BIBLE

The Song of Songs is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, the Ketubim or
Writings. The book is the first of the Megillot or “Five Rolls” that made up that
collection. These books were read on various Jewish holidays. Songs were read at the
Passover festival. In the Hebrew Bible it generally appears after Job. Its title in
Hebrew, “The Song of Songs,” is a superlative expression that denotes the best or most
excellent of songs. The LXX titles it Asma Asmaton and places it after Ecclesiastes. The
Vulgate titles it Canticum Canticorum.

Song of Solomon probably entered the canon of the Hebrew Bible quite late. Still in
the year 90 AD. by J.C. the rabbis debated its place in the canon. However, according
to the statement of Rabbi Aqiba before the Council of Jamnia (132 AD. of JC): “In all
the world there is nothing that equals the day when the Song of Solomon was given to
Israel. “All the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the holiest.” Possibly the fact
that the book was attributed to Solomon was the reason for its inclusion in the biblical
canon.

ITS AUTHOR AND DATE

The reason for attributing the book to Solomon is undoubtedly the fact that the book
mentions him (1:1, 5; 3:7, 9, 11; 8:11, 12); and also because he was very wise and
composed many poems (1 Kings. 4:32). Furthermore, Solomon was famous for his many
wives and concubines (1 King. 11:1–3), an “expert” in love matters. However, it is
doubtful that the book as a whole belongs to him. It has been suggested that the
language and style indicate a date after Solomon (971–931 BC). of JC). The vocabulary
is very particular and contains many expressions in Aramaic. There are also words that
come from Persian and Greek (4:13; 3:9). However, the sporadic appearance of late
words does not prove that the book as a whole is late, as they could be later additions.
It is difficult to date the book. There is a certain consensus in assigning a post-exilic
date, in the 3rd or 2nd century BC. by J.C. Those who make a cultic interpretation of
the poem say that the original form is pre-exilic.

UNIT AND LITERARY FORM

The character of the book must be determined by its internal evidence. There are
two possibilities. The book can be considered as a homogeneous poetic work or as a
collection of separate songs. Some follow the first criterion and see it as a drama. But
there is no evidence of a dramatic development or a coherent plot. There is not even
certainty who is speaking at certain moments, nor what the setting of the action is.
Rather, it appears that the poetic piece is lyrical in character. There are those who see
the book as a single poem, describing the progress of human love from the first
expressions of affection, through courtship and marriage, to the married state. But the
book presents more episodes and there is not much evidence of continuity of thought
between them.

If the book is neither a drama nor a lyric poem, then it can be understood as a
collection of love poems. Some scholars see parallels in Eastern wedding ceremonies
(in Syria, for example), in which similar love songs are sung. The book is said to
contain a collection of songs derived from similar ceremonies in ancient Israel. Other
scholars point to the rites of fertility cults as an explanation for the love poetry of the
Song. In this sense, the book would be a collection of liturgical poems. It is difficult,
however, to think that pagan liturgical expressions have been accepted and
incorporated into the Hebrew canon.

Most likely, the Song of Solomon is a collection of love poems, of uncertain origin,
composed simply as an expression of the most sublime human love. The various poetic
pieces would come from different authors, would have an eminently popular character
and would come from different parts of Palestine. Although the book does not have a
coherent structure, the unity of style and general theme presuppose a final editing work.
This does not exclude the possibility that some material may have been of Solomonic
origin.
ITS INTERPRETATION

There are four ways the book can be interpreted:

1. The allegorical interpretation. This has been the most traditional from the
rabbis, through the Church Fathers, to Orthodox Judaism and the current Roman
Catholic Church. Allegory consists of assuming that a biblical passage does not refer to
specific historical events of the past, but rather is a means of expressing a deeper
spiritual truth. This method of interpretation ignores the historical-grammatical
meaning of the text. What the original author said takes second place to what the
interpreter means. In the Mishnah and the Talmud the Song of Solomon is seen as an
expression of God's love for his people throughout their history. Christian allegorists
saw in the book a poem that exalts the love between Christ and the church.

Although the poems of Song of Solomon can be used to illustrate spiritual truths, the
basic weakness of the allegorical method applied to them lies in their subjectivity.
Furthermore, every time the man-woman relationship is used allegorically in the Bible,
this is explicitly indicated (Eze. 16; 23; Ose. 1–3). But in Song of Solomon the places
and situations are real. On the other hand, the allegorical method of interpretation is of
pagan origin, and accepts the Platonic and Gnostic concept that everything physical
and material is evil by definition, particularly sexuality.

2. The typological interpretation. This is different from the allegorical one.

Allegory denies or ignores the historicity of what happened and imposes a deeper,
hidden or spiritual meaning on the biblical text. The typology recognizes the facts as
real, but links them with events or teachings in the NT, or draws parallels with them,
pointing out that the OT anticipates them. The typological interpretation does not give a
“different” meaning than the text seems to offer, but it adds an extra dimension to the
meaning that is already present in the text. This approach to the Song of Solomon has
been very popular in the history of its interpretation. One reason for this is that in the
OT there is a “love song” (Ps. 45, title), which is cited christologically in the NT (Heb.
1:8, 9). The doctrine of the unity of the Bible and the idea that the NT is the fulfillment
and culmination of the OT is the basis of this method. However, it should be used with
caution. A typologization of the entire Bible can be dangerous and lead to confusion.
Certain parts of some OT books were interpreted Christologically in the NT. Other
parts are used to illustrate certain New Testament teachings without specific citation.
But you have to be careful not to see allegories and types everywhere.

3. Dramatic interpretation. This is as old as the allegorical, although it declined

during the last century. This interpretation takes two forms. According to the first, the
structure of the drama is relatively simple; The main characters are two, Solomon and
the Shulamite shepherdess, whom the king makes his wife. According to the second, the
plot is more complex and its details vary depending on the interpreter. But basically
there are three characters, which are Solomon, the Shulamite, and her peasant lover, to
whom she remains faithful despite Solomon's attempts to win her love. Other parts are
performed by a mixed choir. However, the literary character of the Song is such that it
does not allow an analysis in terms of speeches, mime, scenes, acts, scenography, and
the like, unless a very subjective reconstruction is made. As already noted, it is not
possible to see a compelling dramatic plot in the book. Furthermore, among the Semites
in general, and the Hebrews in particular, drama as such was unknown.
4. The literal interpretation. This is what interprets the book according to what it
seems to be: A series of poems that speak clearly and explicitly about the feelings,
desires, hopes and fears of two young lovers. There is no need or reason to allegorize,
typologize or dramatize the text in order to avoid the obvious erotic elements that are
present in it. This is how the Song of Solomon was understood in the first century.

There are those who seek to eliminate sexuality and eroticism from the Bible,
because they maintain that the biblical message has to do with the redemption of sin,
and according to them sexuality is sinful by definition. However, a simple reading of the
OT shows that the biblical writers did not think this way. From Genesis to Revelation,
human sexuality is considered a gift from God, and therefore, something sacred. The
Song of Songs praises this gift from God to the human couple, and celebrates the
dignity and purity of sexual love. Far from being an obscene writing, Song of Songs is a
poem of a didactic and moral nature, whose purpose is to teach us how much beauty
and pleasure there is in sexual communication between a man and a woman who truly
love each other. It is true that sexuality can be used and expressed in sinful ways, but in
Song of Solomon there is a picture of how rich, varied, pure and sublime the sexual
relationship between two who love each other can be in the context of marriage.

ITS STRUCTURE

As already indicated, most scholars do not consider the Song of Solomon as a single
composition, but as a collection of various love poems gathered together in a book. It is
not a mere love anthology, since the book presents a certain literary unity. But it is
almost impossible to find a dramatic structure or a plot of progressive development.
This makes it very difficult to draw up an outline. An internal cohesion is noted around
its central theme of the lovers' mutual desire and their dedication to love. Therefore, it
is convenient to treat the book as a unit.

For the purposes of this commentary, the divisions presented in the text of the RVA
will generally be followed. However, it seems evident that the book is divided into two
parts with a climax in the middle (see commentary on 5:1). The first part describes the
experiences of the beloved and the beloved, possibly prior to the consummation of their
love (3:6–5:1). The second part considers their marital experiences. In turn, it is
possible to define subdivisions of the material taking into account the repetition of the
sentence Swear to me, oh daughters of Jerusalem! (2:7; 3:5 and 8:4), as a conclusion to
those parts. Other subdivisions conclude with experiences of sexual consummation (5:1
and 8:14). In turn, each section begins with the idea of the sexual arousal of one or both
lovers (2:10; 5:2; 8:5) or the arrival of one of them and the invitation of the other (1:2,
4 ; 2:8, 10; 3:6; 8:5–7).

OUTLINE OF SONG OF SONGS

I. TITLE, 1:1

II. DESIRE, 1:2-3:5

1. Preparation for marriage, 1:2-2:7

(1) The beloved, 1:2-4a

(2) The wedding party, 1:4b

(3) The beloved, 1:5-7

(4) The beloved, 1:8-11

(5) The beloved, 1:12-14

(6) The beloved, 1:15

(7) The beloved, 1:16-2:1

(8) The beloved, 2:2

(9) The beloved, 2:3-7

2. Dreams and frustrations, 2:8-3:5

(1) The beloved, 2:8-13

(2) The beloved, 2:14

(3) The beloved, 2:15-3:5

III. MARRIAGE AND CONSUMMATION, 3:6-5:1

1. The wedding party, 3:6-11

2. The beloved, 4:1-15

3. The beloved, 4:16

4. The beloved, 5:1

IV. REALIZATION, 5:2-8:14

1. Dreams and frustrations, 5:2-8:4

(1) The beloved, 5:2-8

(2) The wedding party, 5:9

(3) The beloved, 5:10-16

(4) The wedding party, 6:1

(5) The beloved, 6:2, 3

(6) The beloved, 6:4-12

(7) The wedding party, 6:13a

(8) The beloved, 6:13b

(9) The beloved, 7:1-9

(10) The beloved, 7:10-8:4

2. Consolidation of marriage, 8:5-14

(1) The wedding party, 8:5a

(2) The beloved, 8:5b-7

(3) The wedding party, 8:8, 9

(4) The beloved, 8:10

(5) The beloved, 8:11-13

(6) The beloved, 8:14

SUPPLEMENTARY AID

Cate, Robert L., Introduction to the Study of the Old Testament. El Paso: Casa Bautista
de Publicaciones, 1990.

Moody Bible Commentary: The Old Testament. Editor: Pfeiffer, Charles. El Paso: Casa
Bautista de Publicaciones, 1993.

Gillis, Carroll. The Old Testament: A Commentary on its History and Literature,
Volume V. Second edition. El Paso: Casa Bautista de Publicaciones, 1992.

Nee, T. S. (Watchman). Song of songs. Terrassa, Spain: CLIE.

SONG OF SONGS
TEXT, EXHIBITION AND PRACTICAL AIDS

I. TITLE, 1:1
The book begins with the Hebrew words sir hassirim 7892 , lit. “Of all the songs, this
is the song,” that is, the best or the most beautiful. Which is Solomon's may refer to
Solomon writing it, editing it, publishing it, or dedicating it to him. It may also indicate
that Solomon is the male protagonist of Song of Solomon.

II. DESIRE, 1:2-3:5

1. Preparation for marriage, 1:2-2:7

Throughout this entire section, the loving couple exchanges expressions of desire,
doubts, encouragement and expectation in their love game. Apparently it is about a
woman and a man who hope to marry and eagerly anticipate the sexual consummation
of their love.

(1) The beloved, 1:2–4a. The first words of the book are those of the girl in love
who longs for her lover's kisses. She also awaits his sexual love (around 1730 ), which she
finds more appealing than wine. In Hebrew culture, wine was a symbol of a joyful
celebration. When thinking about the name of her lover, the young woman remembers a
perfume of great value that is poured out. Such is your appreciation for him. So
attractive is her lover's personality that other maidens are attracted to him. In ancient
times, there was a custom of rubbing the body with scented olive oil after bathing,
especially for festive occasions. The heat of the body caused the ointment to gradually
release its aroma (Ps. 133:2). The young woman in love, excited by these thoughts, asks
her lover to take her to her bedroom, and to do it quickly! The power that love has to
attract those who love each other is remarkable (see Jer. 31:3; Ose. 11:4).

Preparation for marriage

During the dating season, the couple should look for ways to promote
intimacy. Many marriages fail due to lack of this element. In the Song of
Solomon there are passages that help us foster intimacy. Some say it is the
theme of the book. We find five levels where the married couple must be
intimate: spiritually, sexually, intellectually, physically and emotionally.
Many couples, after years of being married, are not!

It is surprising to see the lack of knowledge in many of the

aforementioned plans. Cantares promotes a more intimate knowledge
between young people who are in love and plan to get married.

(2) The wedding party, 1:4b. Frequently in the OT, the expressions we will rejoice
and be glad are linked to praising God for his deliverance. Here the object of joy is the
lover. The imaginary chorus seems to be happy about what is happening in the privacy
of the room. For them, the act of love is also more attractive than the best of
celebrations (more than wine).

(3) The beloved, 1:5–7. She speaks first to other maidens in Jerusalem, and
expresses her doubts about her physical attractiveness. Like every matchmaker, she
feels looked at by other women, perhaps with less tanned skin than hers. Her skin is
tanned by the sun, perhaps from being a peasant girl who spent a lot of time outdoors.
Despite his fears, he knows that it is beautiful like the tents in Kedar (see RVA note), or
like the curtains (pavilions) that Solomon had in his palace, also made with the hair of
black goats. Then the girl seems to talk to herself (v. 6b), when reflecting on its physical
appearance and the reasons that justify its rusticity. The phrase my mother's children
would be out of place if her father were alive, which is why this young woman would be
an orphan of her father. Her brothers were very strict and forced her to work hard in
the family vineyards all day. This probably occurred in the mountains of Lebanon (4:8).
It is not said in the text why her brothers became angry with her. The point is that in
order to fulfill the imposed duty she could not pay attention to herself and make her
dreams come true: I did not take care of my own vineyard! The young woman was a
kind of Cinderella! How many young girls in Latin America suffer the same fate as this
brunette from the north of Israel!

homiletic seedbed

Essential elements for a happy marriage

1:5–11

Introduction: We are always interested in considering everything that has to

do with a successful marriage. It is interesting that the author of the Song of
Solomon helps us with three elements.

I. A self-appreciation that pays attention to personal details (v. 6).

1. The beloved had spent so much time tending to the brothers' vineyard,
and had neglected her own appearance.

2. The beloved did not realize the harmful effects of the sun on her skin.

II. The constant desire to foster companionship between spouses (vv. 7, 8).

1. The couple needs to be able to isolate themselves from others (v. 7).

2. The couple needs to experience intimacy (v. 8).

III. A deep admiration for your spouse (vv. 9–11).

1. Praises her physical beauty (under the figure of a mare decorated for
a parade with the pharaoh's chariots).

2. Manifests his love and attention by gifts of perfume and jewelry (vv.
10, 11).

Conclusion: The three elements are as necessary today as in the day of

Solomon. We need to promote the sincere expression of love in these ways.

Finally, she speaks to the beloved of her soul, whom she has chosen to love deeply.
He is referred to as a shepherd of sheep. She wants to know where she can find him
without wasting time looking for him everywhere, wandering as if she were a prostitute
(as if she were veiled, like prostitutes walked in ancient times; see RVA's note). She
wants to meet him at noon, when the heat is unbearable and makes animals and humans
rest in shady places. This young peasant girl lives the drama of all girls her age. She
knows she is pretty, but she has some complexes about her personal appearance
compared to other young women, perhaps from a more sophisticated and polished
background. The one with whom he truly feels completely at ease is his beloved
shepherd of sheep. She is so anxious to see him that she cannot wait until nightfall and
asks him to inform her where she will rest at midday, so that she can go see him.

(4) The beloved, 1:8–11. It seems that the young man received the message from his
girlfriend and now he answers her. Note how well the lover knows the young woman,
since to her complex, he responds by calling her the most beautiful of women. It won't
be the last time I rate it this way. Then, he gives her instructions to get to her resting
place. She must follow the tracks of the flock until near the shepherds' huts. It is
interesting that in his instructions the beloved uses words that in other contexts have an
obvious erotic meaning. The Hebrew word for footprints 6118 is translated heel or hooves
elsewhere (Gen. 3:15; 49:17), and is occasionally used as a euphemism for genitals
(Jer. 13:22). The goats are also sexual symbols, since they served as payment for a
sacred prostitute (see Gen. 38:17). The young man creates in his beloved an expectation
for a loving encounter.

He himself gets excited anticipating that meeting at noon in the freshness of an

oasis. Letting his beloved know the path to love makes him remember her beauty and
exalt her. For him, she is his mare. In Latin America, saying “mare” to a woman would
mean the worst insult. But not in Israel, where horses were invaluable. Remember that
horses were one of Solomon's most precious treasures (1 King. 10:26–29).
Furthermore, according to the Hebrew, it is a mare among strong war horses. The
young man is telling his beloved that she is like a beautiful mare among the steeds that
pull Pharaoh's chariots. Its attractiveness cannot go unnoticed! A mare would create
intense excitement among the royal steeds. She is the most beautiful company a prince
could hope for. The expression my beloved appears nine times in the Song of Solomon,
always on the lips of the lover, and usually in relation to an explicit declaration of the
beauty of the beloved. The meaning of the verbal root is to keep, take care of, attend to,
with emphasis on the pleasure and delight that this responsibility involves. The young
man in love wants to give his beloved the love that she did not receive from her brothers
at home (v. 6). This expression of true love must have been extremely encouraging and
comforting to her.

The lover continues to think of a mare's harness, adorned with jewels, precious
metals, leather, fabrics and feathers. As he does so, he compares these images of
decorative beauty with the beauty of his beloved's face, which is enhanced by the
ornaments around it. Likewise, her neck looks beautiful adorned with necklaces. Such is
the young man's enthusiasm that he promises to have other gold and silver jewelry
made to give her. In all cultures of all times, gifts have been an appropriate way to
express love. The young woman's natural beauty and the care she puts into highlighting
it with her personal grooming are not only an incentive for his praise, but also for him
to feel moved to give her gifts.

Dialogue, essential element

A pastoral exercise that is frequently used when facing a couple is to tell
the man to start talking as if she were his wife; For example: I am Estela and
I like it... after five minutes of speaking, silence arrives, ignorance makes its
appearance. Then it's the woman's turn, she positions herself as if she were
her husband, begins to speak and after five minutes... silence appears again.
There is no doubt, lack of INTIMACY.

(5) The beloved, 1:12–14. It seems that the long-awaited love meeting finally
happened. The woman is described lying next to the king on his couch. This was a kind
of bed where people reclined to eat. The scene apparently is from an intimate banquet.
The woman perfumed herself with tuberose, which was a very expensive and insinuating
oily fragrance. With the heat of the body, the perfume was released, while the two ate
together.

In this context of intimacy, the woman responds to the comparison made by her
lover (v. 9), with two other comparisons: On the one hand, he says that he looks like a
bunch of myrrh. Myrrh was a resin obtained from a tree in southern Arabia. It was
customary for a woman to wear a bag of myrrh around her neck at night. She is saying
that her lover, resting between her two breasts, is like that little bag scented with myrrh.
The other comparison says that he is like a bunch of henna flowers. Henna is a common
plant in Palestine, whose leaves were used as an orange or yellow dye, and whose
flowers are fragrant. The oasis of En-gedi (see RVA note), “the place of the wild
goats”, was for centuries a place of refreshment for travelers. Vines refer to all types of
plants that grow there, especially those from which cosmetics and perfumes are made.
Just as in 1:9 the mare is the best of all Pharaoh's horses, here En-gedi's products are
the best of the best. The girl returns her lover's compliments in terms of the best she
knows, the vineyards (see v. 6) from En-gedi. It is always good to talk about the person
you love using the best terms and concepts. Much better is to tell him or her the most
beautiful things that can come from your mind and heart.

(6) The beloved, 1:15. Again the beloved praises the beauty of his lady, repeating
his expression of v. 9 (my beloved) and making another comparison, this time with a
dove. According to him, the most beautiful thing about her are her eyes, which look like
two doves. The beauty of the eyes was considered an expression of perfection in a
woman (see Rachel and Leah, Gen. 29:17). Rabbinic tradition identifies the beauty of
the eyes with the beauty of the personality (see 2:12, 14). Furthermore, the dove is a
symbol of innocence and purity. That's how she was, like her eyes, beautiful and
innocent.

emotional intimacy

1:15, 16

This is another of the pastoral elements rescued in the Book of Songs.

Unfortunately for the male of our Latin culture, being intimate is something
like "superficiality", "triviality" or "something queer." A good pastoral care
of the couple must review what it means to be a "man" according to the
Bible.

All men are traumatized, some more, others less; We have been victims of
commands and beliefs of our ancestors and our current culture.

Yes, they did not teach us what it means to be a man, what masculinity is;
or, rather, we have been hit with stereotypes that consciously or
unconsciously sold us. They sold us a catalog of what it means to be male
and female, and some confused believers even defended it as "inspired by the
Holy Spirit," faithfully following it.

(7) The beloved, 1:16–2:1. She is not short in her compliments to her lover. Like
his, her praise begins with the expression, how beautiful...! The word appears fourteen
times in the Song, but only here in its masculine form and addressed to the beloved. The
beautiful and sweet expression is loaded with tenderness. Some are surprised that in
this romantic context, the woman mentions a piece of furniture typical of the bedroom,
such as the bed. However, the bed is a symbol of the sexual relationship that crowns the
couple's love. By describing it as leafy, you are probably referring to a bed with a
canopy or canopy, and profusely decorated with panels carved from fine wood. She is
moved just by thinking about the scene of their love. In the same way, she thinks about
the beams of the ceiling of her house and the coffered ceilings (ornaments with
moldings, which are placed on the ceilings and vaults), which she will surely
contemplate when the act of love with her lover is consummated. Wood was scarce in
Palestine, and was only used in the most luxurious temples and palaces (1 King. 7:1–8).
The cedar surely came from Lebanon, while the cypresses were Phoenician junipers.
For this woman, the bed did not represent a place of torture or unpleasant experiences.
On the contrary, for her it was the delightful place.

It has been said that the house is an extension of the woman's body. A beautiful
house, well decorated and arranged, cannot be anything other than the result of a
woman who feels herself like the rose of Sharon. Sharon is the region of the coastal
plain south of Mount Carmel. There grew abundantly a flesh-colored wild rosacea with
a leafless stem. Lily of the valley refers to a six-leafed plant or six-petaled flower that
grew in fertile, moist valleys. The beauty that women recognize is like that of wild
flowers: simple in appearance, but attractive. How much beauty there is in the Hispanic
American woman, simple, humble, most of the time poor, but full of courage, nobility
and passion!

(8) The beloved, 2:2. The man confirms his beloved's self-evaluation. She is like a
lily, it is true, only her beauty is such that other women look like thistles next to her. She
is also his beloved, his friend and companion, the prettiest of all maidens. What a
wonderful way to encourage the self-esteem of your beloved, who for a moment doubted
her beauty in front of the other young women! Perhaps these young women spent their
lives “taking care of their own vineyard.” As well-off girls, they had more time and
resources to pay attention to their personal grooming. But she has an unparalleled
natural beauty. This freshness and simple beauty is also a very prominent characteristic
of the Latin woman.
(9) The beloved, 2:3–7. After a series of compliments between the lover and the
beloved, she is the first to burst into a monologue full of sexual excitement and
contradictions, new comparisons with the animal and plant kingdom, and a great
expectation of making love. It is very likely that in the first part of his monologue (vv. 3–
7), the beloved is describing an erotic dream. It is interesting to note that, as in other
cases of Near Eastern love poetry, the woman is the one who takes the initiative and the
one who expresses herself the most. Something similar occurs in some subcultures of
the Latin American continent.

The beloved has no inhibitions in expressing all the passion and sexual delight she
feels with her beloved. He compares it to an apple tree, which is a symbol of love (see
8:5). Here she ponders her lovemaking prowess. In Latin America, where it is generally
men who boast about their sexual qualities, it would be interesting to know what women
think. Note the parallelism between her words and his in the previous verse. The
expression pleases me to sit under its shadow; Its fruit is sweet to my palate has been a
puzzle for exegetes. To a large extent, this is due to prejudices regarding the expressions
of sexuality in the human couple. It has been suggested that the woman is referring to
the effect

(4) The beloved, 1:8–11. It seems that the young man received the message from his
girlfriend and now he answers her. Note how well the lover knows the young woman,
since to her complex, he responds by calling her the most beautiful of women. It won't
be the last time I rate it this way. Then, he gives her instructions to get to her resting
place. She must follow the tracks of the flock until near the shepherds' huts. It is
interesting that in his instructions the beloved uses words that in other contexts have an
obvious erotic meaning. The Hebrew word for footprints 6118 is translated heel or hooves
elsewhere (Gen. 3:15; 49:17), and is occasionally used as a euphemism for genitals
(Jer. 13:22). The goats are also sexual symbols, since they served as payment for a
sacred prostitute (see Gen. 38:17). The young man creates in his beloved an expectation
for a loving encounter.

He himself gets excited anticipating that meeting at noon in the freshness of an

oasis. Letting his beloved know the path to love makes him remember her beauty and
exalt her. For him, she is his mare. In Latin America, saying “mare” to a woman would
mean the worst insult. But not in Israel, where horses were invaluable. Remember that
horses were one of Solomon's most precious treasures (1 King. 10:26–29).
Furthermore, according to the Hebrew, it is a mare among strong war horses. The
young man is telling his beloved that she is like a beautiful mare among the steeds that
pull Pharaoh's chariots. Its attractiveness cannot go unnoticed! A mare would create
intense excitement among the royal steeds. She is the most beautiful company a prince
could hope for. The expression my beloved appears nine times in the Song of Solomon,
always on the lips of the lover, and usually in relation to an explicit declaration of the
beauty of the beloved. The meaning of the verbal root is to keep, take care of, attend to,
with emphasis on the pleasure and delight that this responsibility involves. The young
man in love wants to give his beloved the love that she did not receive from her brothers
at home (v. 6). This expression of true love must have been extremely encouraging and
comforting to her.

The lover continues to think of a mare's harness, adorned with jewels, precious
metals, leather, fabrics and feathers. As he does so, he compares these images of
decorative beauty with the beauty of his beloved's face, which is enhanced by the
ornaments around it. Likewise, her neck looks beautiful adorned with necklaces. Such is
the young man's enthusiasm that he promises to have other gold and silver jewelry
made to give her. In all cultures of all times, gifts have been an appropriate way to
express love. The young woman's natural beauty and the care she puts into highlighting
it with her personal grooming are not only an incentive for his praise, but also for him
to feel moved to give her gifts.

Dialogue, essential element

A pastoral exercise that is frequently used when facing a couple is to tell

the man to start talking as if she were his wife; For example: I am Estela and
I like it... after five minutes of speaking, silence arrives, ignorance makes its
appearance. Then it's the woman's turn, she positions herself as if she were
her husband, begins to speak and after five minutes... silence appears again.
There is no doubt, lack of INTIMACY.

(5) The beloved, 1:12–14. It seems that the long-awaited love meeting finally
occurred. The woman is described lying next to the king on his couch. This was a kind
of bed where people reclined to eat. The scene apparently is from an intimate banquet.
The woman perfumed herself with tuberose, which was a very expensive and insinuating
oily fragrance. With the heat of the body, the perfume was released, while the two ate
together.

In this context of intimacy, the woman responds to the comparison made by her
lover (v. 9), with two other comparisons: On the one hand, he says that he looks like a
bunch of myrrh. Myrrh was a resin obtained from a tree in southern Arabia. It was
customary for a woman to wear a bag of myrrh around her neck at night. She is saying
that her lover, resting between her two breasts, is like that little bag scented with myrrh.
The other comparison says that he is like a bunch of henna flowers. Henna is a common
plant in Palestine, whose leaves were used as an orange or yellow dye, and whose
flowers are fragrant. The oasis of En-gedi (see RVA note), “the place of the wild
goats”, was for centuries a place of refreshment for travelers. Vines refer to all types of
plants that grow there, especially those from which cosmetics and perfumes are made.
Just as in 1:9 the mare is the best of all Pharaoh's horses, here En-gedi's products are
the best of the best. The girl returns her lover's compliments in terms of the best she
knows, the vineyards (see v. 6) from En-gedi. It is always good to talk about the person
you love using the best terms and concepts. Much better is to tell him or her the most
beautiful things that can come from your mind and heart.

(6) The beloved, 1:15. Again the beloved praises the beauty of his lady, repeating
his expression of v. 9 (my beloved) and making another comparison, this time with a
dove. According to him, the most beautiful thing about her are her eyes, which look like
two doves. The beauty of the eyes was considered an expression of perfection in a
woman (see Rachel and Leah, Gen. 29:17). Rabbinic tradition identifies the beauty of
the eyes with the beauty of the personality (see 2:12, 14). Furthermore, the dove is a
symbol of innocence and purity. That's how she was, like her eyes, beautiful and
innocent.
emotional intimacy

1:15, 16

This is another of the pastoral elements rescued in the Book of Songs.

Unfortunately for the male of our Latin culture, being intimate is something
like "superficiality", "triviality" or "something queer." A good pastoral care
of the couple must review what it means to be a "man" according to the
Bible.

All men are traumatized, some more, others less; We have been victims of
commands and beliefs of our ancestors and our current culture.

Yes, they did not teach us what it means to be a man, what masculinity is;
or, rather, we have been hit with stereotypes that consciously or
unconsciously sold us. They sold us a catalog of what it means to be male
and female, and some confused believers even defended it as "inspired by the
Holy Spirit," faithfully following it.

(7) The beloved, 1:16–2:1. She is not short in her compliments to her lover. Like
his, her praise begins with the expression, how beautiful...! The word appears fourteen
times in the Song, but only here in its masculine form and addressed to the beloved. The
beautiful and sweet expression is loaded with tenderness. Some are surprised that in
this romantic context, the woman mentions a piece of furniture typical of the bedroom,
such as the bed. However, the bed is a symbol of the sexual relationship that crowns the
couple's love. By describing it as leafy, you are probably referring to a bed with a
canopy or canopy, and profusely decorated with panels carved from fine wood. She is
moved just by thinking about the scene of their love. In the same way, she thinks about
the beams of the ceiling of her house and the coffered ceilings (ornaments with
moldings, which are placed on the ceilings and vaults), which she will surely
contemplate when the act of love with her lover is consummated. Wood was scarce in
Palestine, and was only used in the most luxurious temples and palaces (1 King. 7:1–8).
The cedar surely came from Lebanon, while the cypresses were Phoenician junipers.
For this woman, the bed did not represent a place of torture or unpleasant experiences.
On the contrary, for her it was the delightful place.

It has been said that the house is an extension of the woman's body. A beautiful
house, well decorated and arranged, cannot be anything other than the result of a
woman who feels herself like the rose of Sharon. Sharon is the region of the coastal
plain south of Mount Carmel. There grew abundantly a flesh-colored wild rosacea with
a leafless stem. Lily of the valley refers to a six-leafed plant or six-petaled flower that
grew in fertile, moist valleys. The beauty that women recognize is like that of wild
flowers: simple in appearance, but attractive. How much beauty there is in the Hispanic
American woman, simple, humble, most of the time poor, but full of courage, nobility
and passion!

(8) The beloved, 2:2. The man confirms his beloved's self-evaluation. She is like a
lily, it is true, only her beauty is such that other women look like thistles next to her. She
is also his beloved, his friend and companion, the prettiest of all maidens. What a
wonderful way to encourage the self-esteem of your beloved, who for a moment doubted
her beauty in front of the other young women! Perhaps these young women spent their
lives “taking care of their own vineyard.” As well-off girls, they had more time and
resources to pay attention to their personal grooming. But she has an unparalleled
natural beauty. This freshness and simple beauty is also a very prominent characteristic
of the Latin woman.

(9) The beloved, 2:3–7. After a series of compliments between the lover and the
beloved, she is the first to burst into a monologue full of sexual excitement and
contradictions, new comparisons with the animal and plant kingdom, and a great
expectation of making love. It is very likely that in the first part of his monologue (vv. 3–
7), the beloved is describing an erotic dream. It is interesting to note that, as in other
cases of Near Eastern love poetry, the woman is the one who takes the initiative and the
one who expresses herself the most. Something similar occurs in some subcultures of
the Latin American continent.

The beloved has no inhibitions in expressing all the passion and sexual delight she
feels with her beloved. He compares it to an apple tree, which is a symbol of love (see
8:5). Here she ponders her lovemaking prowess. In Latin America, where it is generally
men who boast about their sexual qualities, it would be interesting to know what women
think. Note the parallelism between her words and his in the previous verse. The
expression pleases me to sit under its shadow; Its fruit is sweet to my palate has been a
puzzle for exegetes. To a large extent, this is due to prejudices regarding the
expressions of sexuality in the human couple. It has been suggested that the woman is
referring to the delightful and refreshing effect that the presence of her lover produces
on her. Others see here a reference to the sweet, fresh taste of the beloved's words and
actions. Still others point to the apple tree as a symbol of his loving caresses, which she
savors and enjoys. In any case, the girl is here expressing her pleasure in the love
techniques in which he has instructed her.

The banquet hall (lit. “wine house”) is the place where wine is grown, produced,
stored or consumed (ie the vineyard). It can be the private bedroom or dormitory where
the intimate banquet is held. He takes the initiative in taking her to the place of
celebration of love. His flag refers to the fact that he owns her, and consequently, she
can look at him and follow him in the direction he leads her. This direction, at this
particular moment, is to make love to her. The phrase can be translated literally “and
his desire for me was to make love,” or more simply “his intentions were to make love.”

The mere thought of her lover leading her to sexual experience greatly excites the
beloved, who bursts into an extremely sensual exclamation. Surrounded by passion, she
imperatively demands to be entertained (lit. “sustain” or “sustain”) with raisins, and
refresh it with apples. It was believed that apples had a high aphrodisiac power, and
combined with raisins or raisin cakes, they had the virtue of restoring strength to
continue making love. She is suffering from an insatiable desire, which makes her feel
literally lovesick.

The verbal expression of affection

The lover expresses words of love and tenderness to his beloved over and
over again: 1:8, 11, 15; 1:16; 2:14; 4:15, etc. Words that she will also return
in affection: 2:37, 16, 17, etc. Both become emotionally intimate through
words and looks.

Just like that wife, who in the silence of the night says to her husband:

—Dear, do you love me?

He, looking straight into her eyes and with a tender voice, answers:

—Dear, 40 years ago I told you that I loved you, and I still love you more
now than when we first got married.

Love is expressed in actions but also in words. Both are part of emotional
intimacy.

At last, her burning passion seems to find satisfaction in the arms of her lover (it
will not be the only time she experiences this sexual satisfaction!; see 8:3). This
embrace refers to sexual union (Prov. 5:20). The assumed position indicates that both
are lying down. She rests her head on his left arm, while he affectionately caresses her
body with his right hand, preparing her for sexual intercourse.

Inexplicably, the beloved seems to interrupt the love game almost at the point of
consummation, to address a group of imaginary witnesses. This will not be the only time
he does something like this (see 3:5; 8:4). His words seem to close the first part of his
monologue, which began at 2:3. His demand is urgent and emphatic: Swear to me!
According to Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:2, oaths could only be made in the name of the
Lord: Anything else was idolatry and prohibited (see Matt. 5:33–37). To avoid naming
the Lord, she swears by the deer and the gazelles of the field. It is interesting that even
his oath is erotic, since these animals he mentions symbolize love and are animals
known for their sexual potency.

The reason for such an oath is not very clear in the text. It may be that she does not
want to force love to be born prematurely, but rather to develop it as something natural.
According to Bible commentator Delitzsch, what she is asking is that you “do not
interrupt the sweet dream of love she is enjoying by calling her to the reality of the
present situation,” or, as is more likely in the context, “do not begin the process of
loving exchange until the appropriate opportunity and occasion presents itself.” The
expression may mean: “Do not awaken, do not accelerate the passion, before it is ready
to spring forth.” Perhaps the young woman is warning the “daughters of Jerusalem”
not to give themselves sexually to anyone (premarital relations), until it is with the right
person and at the right time, as seems to be the case with her. If this interpretation is
correct, it reminds us of Paul's exhortation in 1 Corinthians 6:12–20 and the wise
counsel of Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Obstacles to intimacy

The male chauvinism

They told us that we are "macho" and we must endure difficult situations;
They told us that crying is for faggots, they told us that beatings make men,
that not playing soccer or not knowing about cars is being kind of effeminate.
This is exactly how I write it, they have taught us. It is not surprising then to
understand why in our continent there are so many battering men, sexually
abused women, fatherless children, family violence, etc. What can we say
about many psychosomatic illnesses that hide an inability and at the same
time an intense search to become intimate with someone. This also explains
why it is more common for men to have an extramarital affair than to fall in
love and maintain a stable relationship. Precisely falling in love is giving
oneself to the other, it is thinking about the other, it is becoming intimate.

Song of Songs destroys the myth of the evangelical cowboy that is still
alive in many believers. They believe that being a man is something like the
lonely and silent man, of few words, in search of adventures that he will face
with courage. There is no place for feelings and weaknesses, there is no
place for crying, for being moved. Simply being an evangelical cowboy
means NEVER expressing any feelings.

2. Dreams and frustrations, 2:8-3:5

(1) The beloved, 2:8–13. It gives the impression that the beloved's erotic dream is
interrupted by the arrival of the beloved. The woman returns to reality when she wakes
up to the familiar timbre of her lover's voice and the sound of his approaching footsteps.
The v. 8 presents a parallel between mountains and hills, and between jumping and
leaping. The expression mountain and hill is common in Hebrew poetry (Isa. 40:4; see
Eze. 6:13). “Jump” and “jump” are verbs that also go together. The idea is that the
beloved comes running quickly to meet his beloved. The animals that are mentioned,
deer and fawn, serve to reinforce the idea of the agility, urgency, speed and virility with
which the lover approaches her.

Now he has arrived (v. 9) and stands behind our fence, looking out the windows.
The beloved is still outside the house, but he looks for his beloved through every open
window. The expression peering through the lattices suggests that the beloved is
approaching to look through the cracks. One wonders why he delays this action, instead
of going directly inside the house and meeting his lover. Perhaps your intention is to
excite yourself and your loved one sexually with this game of hide-and-seek and
delaying the meeting.

Probably from outside the house and through the lattices, the lover wakes up his
beloved and invites her to stop dreaming, get out of bed and go for a walk in the
countryside. He comes enthusiastically from the countryside, and that is why his
invitation is emphatic, as indicated by the use of the imperative in Hebrew and the
pronouns that follow them: get up and go out. The day seems to be so beautiful and
nature appears so exuberant, that it is not one to stay in bed, not even dreaming of love,
as the young woman seems to have been (vv. 3–7). In this way, the best treatment for a
woman bedridden because she feels lovesick (v. 5), it is not always an immediate
satisfaction of their sexual desire, but rather a walk in the open air, outside the city, in
which lovers enjoy each other's company.
In any case, note that his invitation is not an order or a whim of his. The beloved
wants to get his beloved out of bed with expressions full of tenderness and passion: my
beloved (see 1:9; 2:2) and my beautiful (see 1:8). His invitation to the walk is enveloped
by these expressions of love (vv. 10, 13b). In addition, the lover stimulates his interest in
going outside by describing the beauty of nature that awakens to spring. This is the
reason for your invitation: Enjoy the beauty of creation.

The winter, or rainy season in Palestine, when sowing was done, has already
passed. It's spring, the season of love! Wildflowers are blooming on the green carpet of
the fields. Birds and humans are moved to sing. It's song time! The presence and song of
the turtle dove are evidence that spring has begun. The turtle dove is a migratory bird
that nests in Palestine during the spring and summer (Jer. 8:7). In contrast, the dove,
which is mentioned in other texts (1:5; 2:14; 4:1; etc.), is the rock dove, permanently
residing in large numbers in Palestine.

After the olive tree, the fig tree was the most important tree in Israel and, like the
vine, was a symbol of peace and security (1 Kings. 4:25; My Q. 4:3–5; Zac. 3:10). The
fig tree blooms around mid-March and immediately produces a first summer fig, which
is the precursor to the true fig, which matures around August and September. If the tree
does not produce the first sterile figs, it will not produce true fruit either (see Matt.
21:18–22). Another evidence of the arrival of spring is that the vines are in bloom
(2:15; 7:12). The atmosphere is saturated with the fragrance of wildflowers and
flowering vines. There is no time to lose. The best option for the day is to go for a walk
in the countryside. Arise, oh my beloved! Oh my beautiful, come! (v. 13.)

Obstacles to intimacy

Stereotypes

We usually classify men and women with specific characteristics:

Male Female

Active, strong Passive, weak

Independent Dependent

Unemotional, hard Emotional, soft, easy to convince

Gruff, rude Courteous, polite

Intellectual, cold Affective, sentimental

For work For home

Brings and manages money Takes care of children and spends it

Make the final decision Obey your husband

Safe, confident Insecure, return

Dominant, "head" Submissive, "feet"

These concepts battle against the freedom to act authentically.

(2) The beloved, 2:14. The young man intervenes again, who probably has not
entered the house yet. Peeking through the lattices he continues to try to see his
beloved, while inviting her to leave the house to go together to enjoy nature. Note that
she is also playing hide and seek, and this seems to be extremely exciting for him.
Again, he calls her little dove (1:15), as was apparently his custom (4:1; 5:2, 12; 6:9).
It is not about the turtledove (v. 12), but from the dove of the rocks, that is, the one that
hides in the crevices of the rock (see Jer. 48:28). Like these shy and demure birds, the
girl hides from the sight of her lover. He doesn't do it out of shame, but as part of the
game of hide-and-seek in which they are both participating.

The beloved expresses his desire to see her figure and hear her voice. What he
wants is to delight in the beauty of his beloved's body. Contemplation of her beautiful
figure gives him pleasure. The sweetness of his voice (it is the same word as v. 12 for
the turtledove's voice) she finds it charming. She is not merely a sexual object for him,
nothing more than a pretty body. She is a beautiful human being in her entire person.
He enjoys her presence.

(3) The beloved, 2:15–3:5. If these verses are in any way related to the previous
ones we can presuppose the following. For some reason, perhaps an altercation
between the couple (see 2:15), the loved one left the house to go out into the
countryside. The beloved was left alone and went to sleep. While she was sleeping, she
had an erotic dream (2:3–7), which was interrupted by the arrival of her beloved (2:8,
9), who from outside the house plays hide-and-seek with her while inviting her out for a
walk. (2:10–13). Before responding to his invitation, the beloved seems to remember the
reason for the conflict (v. 15).

homiletic seedbed

Small things that damage a marriage

2:15

Introduction: When there are problems in a marriage, it is almost always the

minor things that accumulate to damage the marriage. The author of Song of
Solomon speaks of the little foxes that entered the vineyards in Palestine to
damage the grapes. Let's consider some of the small things.

I. What are they?

1. Distraction due to many activities that do not allow us to stop and

analyze what is happening in our marriage.

2. Neglect of important aspects, such as grasping what the spouse is

thinking.

3. Worry about secondary things.

II. How do they work?

1. Unconsciously, deceiving ourselves about our feelings.

2. Gradually, so as not to catch what is happening.

3. Progressively, and they accumulate.

III. What consequences do they have?

1. The love between the two goes out.

2. Children go astray and are lost from home.

3. Consecration to the Lord diminishes.

Conclusion: To prevent small things from damaging the marriage, we must

be attentive to what is happening. The little things are not important, but the
truth is that they are like termites. Although you don't see it, you are working
to damage the furniture.

In every couple there are small things that spoil the best dreams and love projects.
The foxes undermined and gnawed at the roots of the vines. The young woman was an
expert at tending vineyards (1:6), and she uses that figure to illustrate her argument.
The vines, beautiful and with fragrant flowers, refer to their love pact, while the foxes
seem to be a symbol of the small problems that eat away at the lovers' blossoming
relationship. These small conflicts cannot be left aside. They must be faced (“caught”)
and resolved before the relationship can develop further. These small animals rarely
measured more than 40 cm. By digging their holes they loosened the soil and affected
the growth of the vines. Foxes are well-known symbols of destruction (Neh. 4:3; Eze.
13:4).

Although she recognizes that the relationship is somewhat deteriorated due to some
conflict, she is nevertheless clear in the affirmation of her pact of love with her beloved:
My beloved is mine, and I am his! (see 6:3; 7:10). The expression emphasizes mutual
devotion and dedication to one another. Beyond small domestic problems, they both
know that love unites them and that they owe it to each other. Therefore, she has hope
and is not afraid (1 Jn. 4:18). The love they have for each other will cause present
shadows to flee, and the dawn to break (see 4:6). No conflict between two who truly
love each other can last long.

Meanwhile, she is of the idea that he feeds among the lilies. The expression may
mean that she wants him to give her his love, despite having a fight. She regards herself
as the lily of the valley (2:1), and he himself esteems her that way (2:2). “To graze” is
to shepherd, care for and feed. But in Song of Solomon, the expression has a deep erotic
meaning (see 4:5). The best way to defuse tense situations in a couple is a good sexual
relationship. You should not wait to solve all the problems before indulging sexually.
The Bible says that there is only one reason not to make love: dedication to prayer (1
Cor. 7:3–5). It may also be that vv. 16, 17a are an expression of the total mutual
dedication of the lovers, and of the way in which that shared love is expressed by
making love throughout the night, until dawn breaks and the shadows flee.

Obstacles to intimacy

hard shell

Donald Winnicott, famous English psychoanalyst, says that people with

difficulties in relating and expressing themselves are people who have a hard
shell on the outside that protects a weak and soft core inside (which they try
to keep hidden), which is the lack of self-confidence.

This "hard" exterior means that no one allows anyone to know their
"weak" interior. We say that the "more macho" on the outside, the weaker on
the inside, the more expressionless on the outside, the more sentimental on
the inside. They are people who cannot "undress" themselves emotionally,
they believe that they must hide certain parts of themselves, since if another
knew them that would be something shameful and dangerous. They then live
making sure that others do not know what they vigorously hide so as not to
be discovered. Precisely for these people, getting intimate would mean that
the other discovers this weak and poor core, then assumes characteristics of
firmness and hardness. The person who can be intimate is the one who has a
permeable exterior and a firm and consistent core. Your self-esteem is firm
and secure, your interior is stable, you can open up and allow others to
reach the deepest part of your being.

That's why Erik Erikson, another psychologist, says that the desire to
share is a characteristic of a mature man.

The second part of v. 17 perhaps expresses the longing of the beloved during the
long night of her beloved's absence. This wish for the absent companion was apparently
fulfilled, according to 2:8, 9.

In 3:1–5, the beloved seems to continue remembering that sad night when she felt
alone, in the midst of erotic dreams and nightmares, due to the distance from her
partner. The bed on which she is lying is a bed of loves (miskab dodim 1730 , Eze. 23:17).
The connotation of the term is evident here (see Gen. 49:4; No. 31:17–20). Her sexual
desire for him, stimulated by erotic thoughts or dreams, caused her to anxiously search
for him in her bed. Note the repetition of the verb for emphasis, and the woman's great
frustration at not finding her partner.

Frustration over the absence of the desired person apparently turns the erotic
dream into a nightmare (3:3, 4). The young woman sees herself anxiously roaming the
streets and squares of the city (perhaps Jerusalem, see 3:5), but with the same negative
result of not finding her lover. The nightmare worsens when the girl runs into a patrol
of those patrolling the city. Far from finding her lover, she encounters the guards. What
is a decent woman doing on the streets at that time of night? Her desperation is such
that before they question her, she raises her own desperate question: Have you seen the
one my soul loves? It doesn't even cross his mind that soldiers may not have the foggiest
idea who it is that loves his soul. She knows him well, and it seems to her that everyone
else knows him too!

homiletic seedbed

The sobs of single parents

3:1–5; 5:2–6

Introduction: We are seeing an increase in the number of single parents, due

to divorce, abandonment, and pregnant women who do not marry. The
consequences of these shattered dreams can be perceived in the suffering of
people who have been left alone. The author of Song of Solomon mentions
something about feelings in these two passages.

I. Loneliness due to abandonment (3:1).

1. They feel alone because the loved one is no longer there.

2. They long for the times when they were by their loved one's side.

II. Ill-founded illusion (3:2).

1. They dream that the loved one is going to return.

2. They dream that they will make another attempt at happiness.

III. Disappointment because they cannot force him to return (3:4).

1. Broken relationships are rarely mended again.

2. The attempt to grab and tie does not work.

Conclusion: There is a potential ministry of meaning among people who

have experienced marriage failure or love deception. It is important to help
them face reality and look to the future.

In the V. 4 the nightmare transforms once again into an erotic dream. Apparently
the guards did not answer his question or did so in the negative. The thing is that as
soon as he left the patrol he ran into his lover. As soon as she saw him she jumped into
his arms, and so, hugging him tightly, she led him to her mother's house, which was
surely there in the city. As soon as they entered the house, the beloved (note that it is she
who takes the initiative in the love game) leads him to his mother's bedroom (see 1:4;
8:2), to make love. The v. 5 is an exact repetition of 2:7, and closes the second section
of the first part of Song of Solomon.

III. MARRIAGE AND CONSUMMATION, 3:6-5:1

This section of Song of Solomon forms the heart of the book, while 4:16 and 5:1 are
the central pivot around which the entire poem revolves. All the preparation of the
couple throughout the first part concludes in the wedding and the consummation of the
sexual act between those who love each other.

1. The wedding party, 3:6-11

These poems tell us about the lovers' wedding and the consummation of their love.
In 3:6–11 we find a wedding song in honor of Solomon, which describes a procession
with soldiers and one or more chariots, on the occasion of the celebration of the king's
wedding.

The procession is still at a distance, but its display and luxury make it evident that
the person about to be married is a noble or royal personage. The one who approaches
can be none other than the betrothed of a great king (see 6:10; 8:5). The caravan comes
from the desert, that is, an uninhabited region, but one that is used for grazing. As the
mass of people, animals and carriages that make up the procession advance, it raises a
column of smoke or dust. The phrase may also refer to myrrh, frankincense, and
merchant's dust, which were burned to give off their fragrances.

Corporal intimacy

For many years our theology lacked body; It was "saving souls", being
"spiritual", "growing in the spirit", etc. It seemed that the Holy Spirit lived
only in our spirit (and if he lived in the body it was only up to the waist!).
Moving the body or taking care of it was synonymous with "carnal",
"corporeal".

That is why in our homes there is so little physical intimacy. There are
couples who have lost "the touch", "the kiss", "the caress". Many women,
when touched on the shoulder, already interpret it as a synonym for
intercourse: "No dear, I don't feel like it today," "Again tonight?" Every
touch has been genitalized, so it is best to avoid it, and thus our bodily
intimacy has been lost.

Couples who have never bathed together, have never seen each other
naked! They have never caressed each other, they only touch each other to
have sexual relations...

Cantar de los Canteres rediscovers the intimacy of the body in the couple
(1:13; 2:16; 4:18; 5:10–16; etc.) The protagonists appear as a couple that
touches, looks at each other, desires each other. Just read vv. 3 to 6 of
chapter. 2! In the Song of Songs we see the couple who has rediscovered
intimate distance for themselves.

When you reach the intimacy of your own body, then you can reach the
intimacy of the other's body.
Finally the caravan has gotten close enough to the city so that each carriage can be
identified. The astonishment of the witnesses is evident: It is Solomon's litter. It is
striking that Solomon's name appears three times in this passage. It is probably an
appeal to the beauty and position of the royal class, as an expression of the best that is
known (see 1:9). The escort of sixty mighty men... of the strongest in Israel is
reminiscent of David's personal guard (1 Sam. 23:8–39). The mention of Israel suggests
that at least this part of the Song of Solomon may have been composed before the death
of Solomon (931 BC). of JC) and the division of the kingdom. Part of the splendor of the
procession is that each and every soldier wears swords (note the repetition, he carries a
sword), and is trained in the practice of war. Only Solomon had such a sophisticated
army.

homiletic seedbed

The wedding march

3:6–11

Introduction: The author of the Song of Solomon presents us with a picture of

what a wedding parade could be like. Let's look at the various facets:

I. The arrival of the wife (v. 6).

1. Its beauty is described.

2. Its arrangement with ornaments and perfumes is described.

II. The bridegroom's preparations (vv. 7–10).

1. He comes in a luxury vehicle (v. 9).

2. Has an escort to guarantee security (v. 7).

3. The adornments reflect the royalty of his love for his wife (v. 10).

III. The guests are shocked (v. 11).

1. For the splendor of the occasion.

2. By the expression of interest in details.

3. For your desire to congratulate the couple.

Conclusion: Sometimes the exaggerated expenses of weddings are criticized,

but this description reflects the love that the couple has and their desire to
communicate it to each other and to the community.

It is likely that the queen traveled in the litter of v. 7, while the king was in the royal
chariot, on which was his purple seat or throne (v. 10). Everything was luxurious in this
carriage: the wood, the columns, the backrest, the seat, the interior. Everything was
worthy of a great king! And there he was, with the diadem that his mother put on him on
their wedding day. It is not the royal crown, but a ribbon made with branches (like the
laurel wreath of the Olympic Games), or with precious stones or metals (Ps. 21:3). This
diadem symbolized honor and joy on the occasion of the king's wedding. Therefore, the
one who crowns is the mother. In the case of a royal coronation, the crowner was the
high priest, as God's representative (1 Kings. 1:32–48; 2 King. 11:11–20).

2. The beloved, 4:1-15

This long section is divided into two parts. The first ends in v. 7, which summarizes
the beauty of the beloved, which is described in detail in the previous verses. The
second begins and ends with the mention of Lebanon in vv. 8 and 15. The entire passage
is characterized by intense eroticism. The passion seems to increase, reaching
consummation in 4:16–5:1.

The beloved begins a detailed physical description of his beloved, from her head to
her genitals. Start by highlighting her eyes (1:15), which look beautiful through your
veil. The veil (4:1, 3; 6:7; Isa. 47:2) was worn by women on special occasions, such as
engagements (Gen. 24:65) and marriages (Gen. 29:23–25). In this case, it would be the
wedding veil. The beloved's hair is compared to a herd of goats, characterized by their
long black hair. The movement of a large flock down a distant hill has the effect as if the
entire elevation were moving (see 1:5; 5:11). This is how loose the beloved's hair is.

The idea of the flock now extends to the teeth of the beloved. His teeth are white,
polished, shiny, symmetrical, and complete. The description of the mouth continues with
the mention of the lips, which are like scarlet thread. Surely the beloved has red lipstick.
Cosmetics were common in the ancient Near East. The mention of teeth and lips leads
the lover to consider that her entire mouth, as an instrument of speech (see RVA note),
is beautiful. His words have been a source of great satisfaction to him (see 2:3b). From
her mouth, the lover begins to ponder his wife's cheeks, which look pink like the shell of
a pomegranate, half covered by the black hair that falls on them and the faint veil that
covers her face. The pomegranate was known in Egypt as an aphrodisiac fruit, and in
Mesopotamia it was used to prepare love potions (see 8:2).

Intellectual privacy

The couple is "intimate" intellectually, not when they think in the same
way, but when, being different, they can open up to each other, in their
differences and coincidences. Intimacy is identifying with the other, getting
"into the other's skin" without losing one's own skin, it is being with the other
while being oneself. It is giving "welcome" to others in our territory without
feeling invaded.

As the couple from Song of Solomon says; "I am his and he is mine," and
we do not invade each other! Intellectual intimacy can be given by a common
profession, or it can be given by a book, a conference, music, a painting, etc.

Willi Pasini, president of European sexology, correctly says that for

identification to be possible, two psychological processes are necessary:
projective identification and introjection. In the first case you have to be able
to put yourself in the other's place without getting confused, without
becoming the other. In the second, you have to be receptive to the other's
messages, to be willing to let them enter into intimacy without fear of being
invaded.

For intellectual intimacy to exist, it is important to know how to respect

the differences in the couple and know that no one has "the best tastes" on
certain topics, but simply "personal tastes."

To achieve intellectual intimacy it is important to have time, have a quiet

place and a lot of desire. Each of the couple will write the following areas on
a piece of paper:

Music—Reading—Politics—Outings—Writing 3 more areas.

You will write down in outline what you think about the topic, what you
like and what you don't, in detail. After completing it, the two will meet to
share what they have written. It is only important to share what is written
without "wanting to change the other's opinion," much less argue.

The beloved continues to tour her body, but changes the telluric comparisons to use
a military-style image. Her neck is like the tower of David (Neh. 3:25), which speaks of
his upright and royal appearance. The beauty of her neck is enhanced by the ornaments
she wears, probably a series of bead necklaces, which resemble the shields that were
hung from towers to give them greater protection (see v. 9). The lover's comments move
from his wife's neck to her breasts in v. 5. The idea of symmetry is repeated here (see v.
2) when comparing her breasts with two little deer, gazelle twins. Remember the deeply
erotic character of these expressions (see 1:7; 2:1, 7, 16; 6:3).

In the V. 6, the beloved seems to take into account his wife's desire, and repeats
what the beloved has said in 2:16, 17. The idea of the love act (they graze among
lilies... until dawn breaks and the shadows flee) arises as a consequence of the fact that
the beloved now quickly passes from his beloved's breasts to her genitals. The text
presents a case of synthetic parallelism, since the mountain of myrrh and the hill of
incense appear to be the same. These are not geographical locations, because myrrh
and frankincense do not originate in Palestine. Rather, these expressions refer to a part
of the woman's body. In this sense, it cannot be anything other than the “Mount of
Venus.” In this way, with increasing excitement, the beloved has been describing his
wife's body from head to genitals, perfumed (see 5:1) and prepared for the lovemaking.
At the end of the sensual journey, the beloved cannot help but conclude in a manner
similar to that which opened his description (v. 7): She is perfect!

Distortions of the body schema

Those that are most observed in pastoral and professional consultation

1. Fear of the body: More and more we see in pastoral practice what is
known as sexual phobia, which is where the person persistently feels deep
discomfort when being touched or touching the body of another. This is
avoided by looking for the most frequent and unusual excuses that are
necessary. This aversion can be to the genitals, kissing, contact, penetration,
orgasm, undressing, etc. Unfortunately, many of these phobias "appear as a
surprise" on the honeymoon. Some feel repulsion, nausea and anguish, even
vomiting.

2. Body shame: Other people without reaching the phobia feel deeply
ashamed of showing certain parts of their body. They believe that there is the
seat of the "worst carnal sins." If they could remove certain parts of their
bodies, they would do so because of the guilt they feel. Everything is covered
and abandoned. The ancient Gnostic antagonism continues to be sustained
without knowing it. They believe that the body and sex are only for
reproduction.

3. Exaltation of the body: Totally contrary to the previous item, the

person lives by and for his body. In search of the obviously non-existent
"ideal body", he comes to have great distortions of his body schema.
Anorexia (loss of appetite) and bulimia (atrocious desire to eat) are the most
common pathologies in our continent regarding the illness of adolescents. In
anorexia, for example, the person "feels and looks fat" even though they
weigh 40 kg. It is a disease that without treatment leads directly to death.
The "magnification of the body" of the "perfect body" in our society has
made more than one girl feel disgust and repulsion for her own body,
fighting daily with herself and thus avoiding all bodily contact.

The v. 8 interrupts the love game just at the moment when the sexual union is about
to be consummated, and opens a parenthesis in the sequence of what happens.
According to the RVA translation, Solomon would be asking the Shulamite to come with
him from Lebanon (see RVA note) to Jerusalem. This is difficult to square with the
preceding verses, which seem to describe the wedding in the context of the city of
Jerusalem (3:6–11). It is likely that the preposition min 4481 is better translated as in,
with which the beloved would be here inviting his beloved to go with him to Lebanon, to
the quietest and most delightful places in the region where she was originally from, to
do there love. If the v. 8 is a continuation of the love sequence of the previous verses,
what the beloved is doing is inviting his wife to make love. She is his girlfriend. The
word serves to designate a married woman, with emphasis on her sexual rights. It is not
clear why lions and leopards are mentioned.

After the parenthesis of v. 8, the beloved continues his description of the beloved in
vv. 9–15, until finally the lovers come to consummation in 4:16–5:1. It gives the
impression that the lover once again goes over the woman's body, but this time not to
make a description of it, but to express the pleasure he finds when looking at it, kissing
it and caressing it, while she actively responds to the game. loving. It is clear that he is
very sexually excited (you set my heart on fire...!). Not only do her seductive eyes (1:15;
4:1) motivate him, but a single bead of the necklaces she wears sends him into delirium.
Now he praises her loving caresses. For him, those caresses are sweet (beautiful, 1:8)
and better than wine. It is interesting that he speaks of the sexual stimulation she
lavishes on him using the same expressions that she has used regarding his stimulation
(1:2, 4; 2:3). Wine was a symbol of supreme pleasure. The tenderness of this moment of
love is well reflected in the affectionate and intimate way in which he names her again
and again: ... oh my sister and bride! The expression does not indicate an incestuous
relationship, but the intimate and trusting communication that arises from the fact that
she is his wife, a woman married to him, and not a chance lover.

sexual intimacy

In sexology we see couples who don't know each other every day. They
do not know the tastes, preferences, areas and pleasant touches. They have
made love for almost all their lives and have never verbalized what they feel
before, during or after each relationship. In Cantares we rescue some useful
elements for the enrichment of sexual life.

1. It has its physical place. We know that the housing crisis on our
continent often gives rise to incest, homosexuality, perversions, etc. One of
the causes of sexual problems, whether called premature ejaculation,
anorgasmia, etc., is the fact of not having a PLACE to be sexually intimate.

Many couples have sex when their children sleep with them and believe
that because they are asleep they don't realize it! Others say that they have
sex with the door open to "listen if something happens to the baby."

2. It is mutual delivery. Predatory animals, such as the lion, when they

are going to have sex, hide so as not to be seen. They precisely know from
their instinct that if they are captured at that moment by other animals they
will be easy prey. Sexuality is precisely ABANDONING YOURSELF,
surrendering to PLEASURE AND LOVE.

The important thing is not the orgasm (which only lasts 2 to 4 seconds!)
but the entire relationship. Many people cannot enjoy their sexual life, they
cannot give themselves up because they suffer from what in sexology is
known as "performance anxiety." What interests them is having orgasms, or
having several, or "performing masterfully"; then a "strabismus" occurs: one
eye of theirs has relationships and the other looks from above at what is
happening in the relationship. Kinsey already said in his famous 1948 report
that 75% of men ejaculated within two minutes of penetration, and in
Argentina approx. one in five couples suffers from a sexual problem. We
believe that something similar happens in other Latin American countries. In
Song of Solomon we see the couple abandoning themselves to love, caresses,
and romance (3:6–5:1; 8:35; etc.).

3. He takes his time. If there is something striking about the couple in

Song of Solomon, it is that they both take their time making love! They
describe themselves, they have all the time in the world for themselves. As we
saw previously, the anxiety of many, and the exaltation of the orgasm as the
most important thing in sex, makes them have sexual relations "very quickly."
Some call it the “three-minute relationship”: in the 1st they get an erection,
in the 2nd they ejaculate and in the 3rd they fall asleep.

4. It is based on love. By this we mean that an "intimate experience" is

not the same as an "intimate relationship." The first has to do with a moment
and a special time; The other has to do with a state, with a lifestyle of the
couple. Precisely those who cannot be intimate search again and again for
"intimate experiences", without any commitment. If intimacy is not based on
love, over time the feeling of intimacy will be lost. You can have sex (pure
genitality) but not sexuality (which has to do with contact, words, affection,
our way of knowing each other, etc.). We can be united from the waist down
and thousands of miles away. from the waist up. Sexual intimacy involves
both the genitals and the heart. Hence adultery can be of the body or the
mind. True faithfulness and love involves both, hence Song of Solomon 8:6,
7.

While kissing the head of his beloved, the husband perceives the aroma that she
gives off (v. 10b). It is not about the smell of the artificial cosmetics and perfumes that
she uses, but rather the natural fragrance of her hair and her entire body. Again the
lover uses praise here, which she has already made of him (1:3). When kissing his wife's
lips (4:3; 5:13; 7:9), the beloved finds her kisses as sweet as honey. His tongue meets
hers to taste so much sweetness together. Once again (v. 11b), the husband praises the
fragrance of his beloved, but on this occasion not of her body but of her clothes. The
word may refer to the bedspread or the sheets of the marriage bed (Deut. 22:17), or to
the light and perfumed clothing that she wears, which allows her to show off her
physical charms.

Finally, the husband reaches her genitals again (vv. 12–15), and seems to stop
there, to express in detail how much pleasure he finds in that part of his wife's body.
Metaphorically, the garden is used as a euphemism to refer to the female sexual organs.
The husband says that her genitals are like an enclosed garden. Probably what he
means is that she is still a virgin. The love game has not reached its culmination, with
her deflowering. In ancient times, springs were sealed to protect the water for the
exclusive use of its rightful owner (see Prov. 5:16). Thinking about her vagina (his
garden), he finds satisfaction in knowing that his wife is a virgin and has not given
herself to another man.

The word plants in v. 13 in RVA does not clarify very well an expression that is
difficult to translate. But in light of the context it seems evident that the Hebrew word
selahayik 7964 is very similar to the Arabic word salk, vagina. If so, the husband is
exalting in superlative terms the pleasure that his wife's vagina gives him. Later, she
will be very pleased about it (5:4, 5). For him, entering it is like entering a pomegranate
orchard. The word garden (or paradise) is one of the Persian words that appear in
Song of Solomon, and indicates a fenced garden, generally circular in shape. The
husband feels that the act of love with his wife is like entering Paradise! The
indescribable pleasure he finds there is expressed in the multiplicity of symbols of
beauty and sensuality, of fragrances and spices that he mentions (vv. 13b, 14). All these
exotic spices that are listed generally have erotic connotations in love poetry. She seems
to be ready for the act of love: It is a spring surrounded by gardens and a well of living
waters. The moment of consummation has arrived.
The act of love

"We should not be ashamed to speak what God has not been ashamed to
create."

For the act of love you need a comfortable place, time and tranquility.
The couple must enjoy the necessary privacy to be able to enter into the
dialogue, the game of love and the consummation of the act. Hopefully there
was adequate preparation for both of you to experience orgasm. Afterwards,
there should be opportunity to verbalize your love and appreciation. They
describe their sensations before, during and after the sexual act. They
discuss ways to enrich sexual life. They talk about things that prevent
complete satisfaction.

Biblical jewel

Come my beloved to your garden

and eat of its exquisite fruit (4:16).

3. The beloved, 4:16

After her husband's very sensual words, describing and exploring the beauty of each
part of her body; After the exciting way in which he has recognized how much pleasure
she gives him, the woman is at the peak of her excitement. She had cried out not to
awaken or provoke love before its time (2:7; 3:5; 8:4). The young woman did not want
to have sexual relations until the time was right and she was well prepared for it (until
she wanted to). Now that long-awaited moment has arrived, and it is she herself who
shouts “Wake up!” (Get up!). Burned with passion, she begs her husband to initiate the
sexual act (see Gen. 38:8, 16; Eze. 23:44). She desires that he enter (blow) like wind
(see RVA notes) into her vagina (garden). She is totally willing and ready to offer her
husband all the pleasure he expects in love. Her greatest wish now is that he come to
take possession of her garden and enjoy its fruit.

4. The beloved, 5:1

Her lover's response is as passionate as her demands, and the full intimacy they
now enjoy is the culmination they have long desired. In the RVA, verb tenses are
translated as past perfect (I have come, etc.), which suggests an action that began in the
past and continues in the present. But perhaps, in light of the context, it would be better
to translate the verbs as what in English is called “present continuous” (I am coming),
which indicates an action in progress or nearing completion.

Note that the beloved, while penetrating his wife, responds to each of her
invitations. The garden is now open to him (see 4:12). She is no longer a virgin.
Consequently, she will no longer be the bride, but the wife (beloved, see 6:4). He is
receiving all the pleasure he had anticipated during the love game (myrrh and perfume,
vv. 13b, 14). All her sweetness is now his (comb and honey, see 4:11a), and he delights
in savoring the pleasure she lavishes on him (wine and milk, see 4:11b). In the love
poetry of the Near East, the figure of honey and honeycomb was frequently used as
euphemisms to refer to female genitalia.

The final three lines of the verse present the problem of who is speaking, and who is
being invited. Some scholars suggest that the speaker is the husband, which is not likely
because he would be inviting a group of people to sexually use his wife, who belongs
exclusively to him. Others have said that the words are addressed to the loving couple,
from the imaginary witnesses of the wedding. It is possible that the speaker is God, who
is not mentioned throughout the book. If so, God would be speaking to those who love
each other at this climax of the poem, encouraging them to enjoy their sexuality, which
is the fruit of his providential love and creative power. In this case, God would be
inviting the loved ones (dode 1730 , “those who make love”) to drink from their sexual
passion until they are drunk with love (drink abundantly!).

It is interesting to note that precisely at this moment of the consummation of the love
act we find ourselves in the exact middle of the Song of Solomon in the Hebrew text.
There are 111 lines (60 verses, plus the title of 1:1) from 1:2 to 4:15, and 111 lines (55
verses) from 5:2 to 8:4. In 4:16 and 5:1 there are five lines of text in the Hebrew, and
they represent not only the climax of the lovers' love but also the climax of the poem's
thought. Everything up to this point has been moving towards the consummation of love.
From this point on, everything will move in the direction of the consolidation and
confirmation of what the lovers have experienced up to this point. The relationship will
appear more stable and deeper, as the spouses give themselves more and more fully.

IV. REALIZATION, 5:2-8:14

The second part of Song of Solomon presents the process of maturation of the
couple in their marital relationship. The situation does not seem ideal. New problems,
conflicts and frustrations arise. The couple needs to adjust to each other, especially in
their sex life. But the solution to these tensions comes when lovers recognize their
shared responsibility and the duties that each has toward the other (see 1 Cor. 7:3–5).
Note that throughout this second part (as in the first) it is the woman who mostly
expresses herself. Evidently in the Song you can hear the distinctive timbre of the female
voice.

1. Dreams and frustrations, 5:2-8:4

This section basically presents the beloved's perspective on the conflicts that arise in
married life.

(1) The beloved (5:2–8). Once again, the beloved finds herself dreaming (5:2–7).
This dream may have occurred immediately after his first sexual experience (4:16–5:1),
although not necessarily. Again there is a combination of invitation and denial, of
search and encounter, with a certain tinge of anguish and frustration, as in the previous
nightmare-dream (2:3–6; 3:1–4). Note that in each case, the dream experience
concludes with a claim to the daughters of Jerusalem (2:7; 3:5; 5:8). The woman is the
protagonist of the action (note the emphatic use of the personal pronoun I, vv. 2, 5, 6,
7), and the content of this poem has to do with her relationship with her husband.
In her dream, the woman sees and hears her husband knocking insistently on the
door and calling for her (2:8). His attitude seems tender and seductive, judging by the
way he names her (my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one). Faced with such
compliments, what woman would resist opening the door to her lover! However, she
does not seem very willing to do so (v. 3). Could it be that there was a quarrel between
the lovers and that this restless dream is an expression of it? She does not seem to take
much into account his situation, as he is soaked with dew, perhaps after having spent
the entire night outside the house (v. 2b), either because they actually quarreled or
because his job as a shepherd required it (1:7). The point is that the excuses she makes
(v. 3) in order not to get up and open the door, they seem of little weight, on the lips of a
woman who at another time was excited just by hearing the voice of her lover (2:8).

The awakened heart

5:2

1. He is ready to listen.

2. He is ready to respond.

3. Be alert to danger signs.

4. He is ready to offer himself to serve.

Her first excuse is “I'm naked,” and the second is “I don't want to get my feet
dirty.” The word how (ekaka 349 ) reflects a petulant unwillingness to act, rather than an
inability to act. She doesn't want to have anything to do with him. It is likely that her
rejection has specifically sexual connotations, that is, in the face of his advances, she is
not willing to make love that night. In some cases, the word feet is a euphemism for
genitals. “Wash your feet” and “sleep with my wife” are parallel expressions in 2 Sam.
11:8, 11 (see Deut. 28:57; Ruth. 3:3–9; Isa. 7:20). The poet is probably playing with a
double meaning in this section. On the one hand, it seems to describe a specific
situation of a woman lying down and sleeping in a room, who does not want to open the
door to a man wet with night dew, who knocks because he wants to enter. The other
meaning is that of an erotic dream, in which the man sexually requests the woman, but
she refuses to make love, presenting not very convincing excuses.

Taking into account the character of Song of Solomon, the second sense seems to be
the dominant one. In this case, v. 4 would indicate that the lover managed to overcome
the woman's resistance, starting a very aggressive love game: he put his hand in. The
word hand (yad 3027 ) is sometimes used with sexual connotations (see Heb. in 1 Sam.
15:12; 2 Sam. 18:18; Isa. 56:5), and specifically with reference to the penis (memorial
in Isa. 57:8; and especially 57:10). If hand refers to the male copulatory organ, then the
hole in the door cannot be anything other than her vagina. The effect of this action on
her is clear: My heart was moved because of him. Again, there are instances in which
the heart (lit. womb) refers to the male reproductive organs (2 Sam. 7:12) or, as in this
case, feminine (Ruth. 1:11; see also Gen. 25:23; Salt. 71:6; Isa. 49:1). Her sexual
excitement is evident.
Now the beloved seems to abandon her reluctant attitude towards making love.
Resistance broken, she is willing to give herself completely to him. Note the parallels in
this and the verses that follow with 2:10–3:5. The beloved's invitation to rise (2:10, 13)
and her response (3:2) are repeated. It seems that she now wants to repair her previous
indifference, and becomes intensely involved in the love act (the personal pronoun “I”
is emphatic in vv. 5 and 6). Lit., she “gives up” (“open”, see 2 Kings. 15:16; Isa. 45:1)
to love.

In the V. 6, it gives the impression that the erotic dream turns into frustration, to
become a true nightmare (v. 7). After the sexual act (I opened my lover), it seems to
disappear. The distance from her husband makes her feel like she is dying. The
sensations of 3:2 are repeated again. The anguish she experiences in this part of her
dream is reflected in her insistence. Note the parallelism of the last two lines. The v. 7
repeats 3:3, only in this case the nightmare is harder, since before asking her question,
she becomes a victim of those who are supposed to protect the city and its inhabitants.
Apparently the attack by the guards has sexual connotations, since the woman was
beaten and stripped of her clothes. It is not strange that her unconscious developed a
dream of this type, after a possible altercation with her husband. The association of
sexual arousal and orgasm with your loved one, and sexual assault by strangers seems
a logical dream theme in a context of marital conflict.

The v. 8 closes the section of dreams and nightmares, of desires and frustrations.
The proverb is repeated in 2:7 and 3:5, and will reappear in 8:4. In these cases, it
serves to introduce the final verse of a larger section within the Song of Solomon. But
here, the balance of the verse is different and does not seem to conclude an important
section. In any case, the beloved here seems to make a more objective assessment of the
real situation. Beyond the extremes of searching and rejection, desire and frustration,
she cannot help but recognize the truth that she is desperate to make love to him. The
expression that if you find my beloved, you will tell him that I am sick with love in
Hebrew is a rhetorical question. She is challenging the daughters of Jerusalem, asking
them: “What are you going to say to my beloved? That I'm exhausted (hala 2470 , “weak,
sick, exhausted”) from making love so much? That I don't want more? In her rhetorical
turn what she is really trying to say is: “Don't be stupid. How could I not want more?”

(2) The wedding party, 5:9. The town girls' questions serve to set the scene for a
detailed description of the lover's charms. The beloved seems to be better than any
other lover, and the girls seem to be curious to find out in what ways he is the best. Note
that they name the beloved (see 6:1) in the same way that he has already described her
(1:8).

(3) The beloved, 5:10–16. Love poems describing the physical charms of lovers
were common in the ancient world, especially in relation to women. This is one of the
few cases in which a poem praises the physical beauty of the male. As in the case of the
description of the beauty of the beloved (4:1–5; 6:5–7; 7:1–5), the beloved is described
from head to toe, compared to some animals , with natural beauties, with flowers and
species, with fountains and streams, with the work of architects, blacksmiths and
jewelers. The beauty that is presented is that of an ideal male. He is a model man.

Possible marital conflicts

1. Because of the concept that sex is a sin. The Gnostics greatly
influenced the early Christians. The majority considered the body to be the
fruit of evil, a source of impurity for the soul. There were two groups among
them: those who hurt the body by torturing it, since what was important was
the spirit; and those who "gave free rein" to their appetites since it did not
matter as long as they cultivated the spirit. The concept grew that sex was an
expression of carnal nature. Augustine, in the 5th century, went beyond his
contemporaries by stating that the marital act is not sinful in itself, but it is
the only means for original sin to be transmitted; The only purpose of
sexuality was children within the framework of fidelity since marriage was
indissoluble. However, to this day some consider the sexual act to be a sin.

2. Due to concepts that on certain days sexual relations should not be

had. For example, in the Middle Ages (6th to 10th centuries) in Catholicism,
"penitential manuals" appeared that showed the penances that corresponded
according to the sins committed. Abstinence was imposed on sterile
marriages; sexual pleasure was implicitly considered sinful. This is seen very
clearly since during certain dates sexual relations were prohibited: Sundays,
certain holidays, etc., because they were "sacred times." For example, on
Thursdays you could not have relations, in memory of the capture of the
Lord, on Fridays in memory of his death, on Saturdays in memory of the
Virgin Mary, on Sundays in honor of his resurrection, on Mondays in
commemoration of the dead, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays off! as long as
they were not days of fasting or religious festivities. This is the germ of
distance between the "spiritual" and the "sexual", a legacy that still weighs
today on a social and religious level. Intercourse during menstruation was
prohibited due to the belief that deformed children could be born.

The v. 10 gives a general description of the beloved. It doesn't mean that he is

Caucasian in terms of skin color, but that he is radiant and healthy (pink). Evidently, he
is a distinguished individual, an extremely good-looking man. It seems that his
complexion sports the golden-copper tone (his head is fine gold) characteristic of
someone who spends a lot of time outdoors and exposed to the sun's rays. Her long hair,
loose and flexible, is wavy and black as a raven (v. 11). Note that the beloved describes
his eyes in the same way that he has described her eyes (as doves, see 1:15). Her
description is so detailed that she seems to highlight the contrast between the color of
the iris and the white of the sclera (bathed in milk and sitting on settings).

Cheeks are again mentioned (see 1:10), but this time it is his cheeks that are
praised. It is interesting to note that many of the compliments that he has said to his
beloved, she now applies to him. More than one Hispanic-American man would feel
somewhat annoyed if his beloved praised him for being well perfumed! But a little facial
lotion doesn't hurt, if it is applied to please the person you love. The same goes for the
lips, as instruments of the loving kiss (see 4:3). It is difficult for a woman, no matter
how in love she may be, to want to kiss a bearded man with bad breath and sweat.

From the head of her lover, the beloved moves on to the description of his hands
and arms (the Hebrew term can refer to any part of the arm, see Jer. 38:12). The belly
is the trunk of the body, which seems to her like an ivory plate, perhaps because of its
whiteness (they are the parts least exposed to the sun). The mention of precious stones
should not be taken other than as hyperbolic expressions, which aim to highlight the
beauty of the male body. Finally, she reaches the legs or thighs, which she sees as
marble columns, due to the strength of their muscles and how they are shaped.

Wonderfully done

The human body is made in such a way that it can derive pleasure from
the touch of all the parts mentioned in the Song of Solomon. A positive
exercise for couples is the following: The couple should retire to an intimate
place and have at least 1 hour. One of the two will begin to massage and
caress the other for at least 20 minutes. The one who is massaged will only
perceive the caresses and the pleasure received, telling him how and where
he likes to be touched the most, in what way, speed and pressure.

You should not touch the genital areas or have sexual intercourse. The
purpose of this exercise is to rediscover the intimacy of bodies and
degenitalized body contact.

Then the role changes, the one who was the receiver will become the
giver, telling him where and how he likes to be caressed.

For the beloved, he is superlative from head to toe (v. 15b). For her, its figure is like
Lebanon, since there is nothing more majestic than that region in the north of Palestine,
nor anything more imposing than the cedars that grow there. In their eyes, he is
unparalleled. Furthermore, he recognizes that his mouth, as an organ of speech, is
sweet (see 2:3). This man is not only physically attractive to her, but his conversation
seduces her. All of it is desirable! (v. 16). He is his beloved (Heb. dode 1730 , “lover,”
1:13), that is, his sexual partner. But he is also your friend, that is, your comrade and
sidekick. A good husband should be both things to his wife: a good lover and a good
friend.

(4) The wedding party, 6:1. After the panegyric of the beloved, the maidens of
Jerusalem raise a second question. This question does not mean that he has distanced
himself from her, or is occupying himself with other tasks. Rather, it seems to be a
rhetorical device by the poet to introduce the love act, which seems to be consummated
in 6:2, 3. The girls' question allows the beloved to say what her lover's reaction was to
the love game that she started. A certain envy is evident on the part of the maidens, who
want to participate, like her, in the pleasure that the beloved has anticipated.

From myth to expectation

In family therapy, everything that each of the members believes is called

"myths"; their tastes, their way of seeing life, what they consider good or
bad, their way of eating, dressing, the roles that each person should have,
etc. From the moment we are born we form our world of values. Many come
from our parents and their teaching towards us; others come from the
culture in which we are immersed and others are created by us.
Family therapist Antonio Ferreira defines myth as "the set of well-
systematized beliefs shared by family members regarding their mutual roles
and the nature of their relationship, although many may turn out to be false."

This system of myths or beliefs is not always conscious or explicit to the

person. The "myths" are transformed into truths "inspired by the Holy Spirit
of God" that must be fulfilled, no matter what. We say that a couple is sicker
when they have a greater number of myths, they are very rigid, they are more
deeply rooted, they are more unconscious and they are more distorted or
distant from reality.

In more normal families these myths are more conscious for the person,
they can be modified, they are closer to what we could call "expectations."

Expectation is the hope that something will happen in a certain way, but
it can be modified depending on the circumstances.

The myth is unquestionable truth, at all costs, it does not admit

confrontation; He says: "You should study music, yes or yes, I know what I'm
telling you, I know it will make you happier."

Expectation "influences"; the myth "catches". "I would like you to study
music, but it is a decision that is up to you, what you think will make you
happy."

In the happiest marriage we progress from the plane of myths to a plane

of living with expectations, without putting too much pressure or trying to
impose our desires or appreciations.

This section of the Song emphasizes the mutual respect that spouses feel.
You can frankly express your appreciation for each other, without fear of
offending or hurting.

(5) The beloved, 6:2, 3. She responds, confident that she has the affection and
faithful passion of her lover. After a period of increasing sexual excitement, in which
she took the initiative by praising her lover's body, he now descends into her garden (v.
2). As indicated (see 4:16–5:1), this expression and those that follow refer to the sexual
act. The repetition of poetic expressions (four in total), which have to do with the act of
love, not only express the tremendous sexual excitement of the moment but also serve to
emphasize its intensity. By giving herself to her husband, she re-experiences what she
has experienced before (2:16) and will experience again later (7:10). The sexual act is
a powerful resource to seal the pact of mutual belonging between spouses. There is no
other experience, in the life of a couple, that serves better to confirm and solidify the
mutual promises of love and fidelity (Gen. 2:24).

(6) The beloved, 6:4–12. Once the lovemaking is over, while she rests relaxed at his
side, the beloved seems to remain excited and enthusiastic about the beauty of his
beloved. Perhaps until the moment of making love he seemed somewhat resentful,
probably because of her previous indifference (5:3). But now, after having enjoyed each
other together, he feels more than motivated to exalt the charms of his beloved's body
and character. Many of these compliments have already been said, but there are others
that are mentioned for the first time in the poem.

She is beautiful. This is not only your opinion (1:15; 4:1), but also what other
people think (6:1). She is as beautiful as the capital of the kingdom, Jerusalem (Lam.
2:15), or as one of the most delightful cities in Palestine, Tirzah (see KJV note). She is
radiant and splendid (imposing as flag-bearing armies, see 6:10). Note that he begins
with a general description of her beauty, then moves on to a detailed description of her
charms (6:5–7). In this sense, his eulogy follows the reverse order of the act by the
beloved, who began with the details (5:10–15a), to conclude with a general observation
(5:15b, 16).

The beloved begins by highlighting his wife's eyes. He has already referred to them
as beautiful and seductive (1:15; 4:1, 9). Now he says that those eyes “drive him
crazy,” that is, her gaze is so suggestive that it is irresistible to him. His description of
the hair, teeth, and cheeks repeats what was already indicated in 4:1–3. It is not known
why the beloved cuts here the physical description of his beloved, which in chap. 4
extends to her lips, neck, breasts and vagina.

It is not likely that the reference to queens, concubines and women in v. 8, has to do
with Solomon's harem (1 Kings. 11:3). Rather, what the poet seems to want to highlight
is the unique and special place that the beloved occupies in the heart of the beloved.
Note the increasing number of women (sixty, eighty, countless) and their descending
rank (queens, concubines, young women), all of which highlights the uniqueness of the
beloved. For him there is no other who, like her, is his dove and perfect (5:2). She is
also her mother's favorite, rather than the only child. It would make no sense to call her
“favorite” or favorite if she was an only child. She is a very special woman. The women
of Jerusalem (1:5) consider her very happy (blessed). She is so great that even the
queens and concubines praise her, that is, they praise her. Who is that? the most exalted
women ask (3:6). The answer cannot be other than her, the beloved. This beautiful
woman rises bright as the dawn, beautiful as the moon, radiant as the sun and imposing
as flag-bearing armies.

Some commentators consider that the beloved ends the description of the beloved,
which began in 6:4, here. Its description would be enclosed between two similar clauses
(imposing as flagged armies, vv. 4, 10). In this case, vv. 11, 12 would correspond to the
beloved and express her growing anticipation of sexual union, which will come later.
Note that she will be the one who repeats the second part of the verse in 7:12. However,
in the RVA the vv. 11, 12 are considered part of the lover's monologue. In this case, the
lover's reference cannot be to anything other than the sexual experience already lived
(6:2, 3). In 6:2, 3 we would have the woman's evaluation of that experience, while here
the husband's evaluation of it would be expressed (as in 4:12; 5:1). Note the parallels
and differences that exist. Although the sexual experience is the same, each person's
experiences have different nuances. As in 6:2, 3, the metaphors taken from agriculture
in vv. 11, 12 are markedly erotic in tone (see 7:12).

The v. 12 is the most difficult to interpret in all of Song of Solomon, and one of the
most difficult in all of the OT. The words are clear, but the syntax is very complex.
Probably, what the beloved is saying is that, after having made love to his wife, and
perhaps in the midst of the drowsiness and general state of well-being after the orgasm,
he imagined (my soul, napsi 5315 ) that he was moving on the cars of his people. In other
words, he began without realizing it to fall asleep and dream that he was leading his
people, leading a team of royal chariots. A sexually satisfied man usually has these
types of dreams.

(7) The wedding party, 6:13a. The Hebrew and Greek texts number this verse as the
first of chapter. 7 (see KJV note), so this chapter there consists of 14 verses instead of
13 as in the KJV. The urgency of the request made by the anonymous witnesses is
evident (returns, sub 5437 is repeated four times). What does not seem very clear is the
purpose of the claim. Apparently, what these people want is for the woman to return, so
that they can carefully examine her beauty, which has just been described. For the first
time, we are made aware of the name of the beloved. Shulamite can indicate a proper
name, or the name of the place where she comes from. It is also likely that it means
nothing other than “Solomon's wife” and is simply a feminine form of the name
Solomon (see RVA note).

(8) The beloved, 6:13b. Another possibility of interpretation of the Shulamite name
is that the Hebrew root slm in this context has the meaning of “giving a gift of
consummation” to a wife, the morning after the wedding. In this case, the Shulamite
would be the “consummate,” a woman who has already had a sexual relationship.
What follows is a response to: “What do you see in someone who is no longer a
virgin?”

The last line poses a serious interpretive problem. Dance was an important part of
Hebrew culture, as an expression of joy over victory in battle (Ex. 15:20; 1 Sam. 18:6),
of joy in the worship of God (Ps. 149:3; 150:4), or simply of joy over happy events (Jer.
31:13). It was generally a group practice, accompanied by singing and instruments. In
this case, it is probably a particular type of dance, known as the dance between the two
camps or “dance of the two groups” (or armies). If so, the woman is asking the
anonymous witnesses: “Why do you want to look at me when there are so many others
participating in this dance?” Once again (see 1:6), the beloved displays her modesty
and modesty.

(9) The beloved, 7:1–9. The beloved seems to be the one who answers the question
raised by his beloved (6:13b). The answer is presented in two parts. In the first (vv. 1–
5), the beloved seems to repeat some previous metaphors and comparisons (4:1–6; 6:5–
7), adding new elements. In the second (vv. 6–9), the description is more intimate and
personal. In both cases, the content of the description is very explicit and erotic.

The beloved begins his first praise of her at the height of her feet and goes up until
he reaches the top of her head. From 6:13b it appears that the Shulammite is dancing
before him in very subtle clothing or completely naked, so that her physical charms are
clearly visible. It is natural that, contrary to the previous descriptions that begin in the
head, here the beloved first focuses on his wife's feet. She is dancing with very attractive
sandals, which highlight the beauty of her feet in movement. She knows how to move
when she dances, so that her hips appear more rounded and seductive. Her hips are a
gem! Her thighs are so well shaped that they are the work of an artist's hands!
The lover's eyes move from the undulating hips to the bare belly, which also moves
suggestively. The word translated navel (sarr 8270 ) most likely refers to the entire female
genital area. The Arabic word sirr indicates the “secret” parts. The root sr means a
valley or a place to be cultivated. The idea of “plowing” as a euphemism for sexual
intercourse is well attested in the literature. If so, her private parts were not only
perfumed but were a promise of great pleasure (wine). From there, the beloved goes on
to describe the belly itself, that is, the lower part of the abdomen, below the navel. The
reference to the heap of wheat may mean the color of the skin in that part of the body,
while the expression surrounded by lilies may be a reference to the pubic hair. This man
does not fail to praise every single square centimeter of his beloved's body, with the
most exquisite language one can imagine! The mention of the two breasts repeats his
praise of 4:5, only here the comparison with the deer and the twin gazelles seems more
appropriate, because of the woman's movements as she dances.

A stark contrast

There is a stark contrast between the words expressed here by the author
of the Song and some contemporary concepts that reject equality.

It is surprising to see that this topic generates "violent" reactions in many

siblings when EQUALITY in the couple's interaction is analyzed. Partial
interpretations of the Scriptures, a sexist history and our own personal
history weigh on our shoulders. It is not for nothing that the issue of roles is
one of the main issues in relationship conflicts. In Song of Solomon we see a
couple giving each other the same place.

The sexist is someone with a deep feeling of inferiority and resentment

towards women; His quest is to rationalize arguments that allow him to
cover up his own conflicts with the opposite sex.

The path of the beloved's gaze now continues higher, to present repeated but
modified si-miles. In 1:10 and 4:4, the neck appears surrounded and adorned with
beautiful necklaces; Here it is praised for its natural beauty (its dignity, tower; and its
color, ivory). The eyes, which were previously compared to the iridescent shades of
mauve and gray of doves (1:15; 4:1; etc.), are here described as pools, that is, calm,
deep. Near the eyes is the nose, which is mentioned here for the first time. It is
compared to the tower of Lebanon. The simile probably refers to the whiteness (laben
3836
, “being white”) of the nose, rather than its size or shape. The v. 5 completes the
observation of the head, which appears majestic like Mount Carmel. The hair, carefully
and luxuriously arranged (like royal purple), falls on the shoulders of the imprisoned
woman (combed) in braids.

In 7:6–9 the lover's praise of his wife takes on an even more intimate tone. The man
is dazzled by his wife's physical beauty (see 1:8), perhaps as much as she is dazzled by
him (see 1:16). He cannot help but think of the pleasure it gives him to remember when
he made love to her (4:16–5:1), or to anticipate such an experience (7:10–12). There is
nothing greater for a man and a woman in love than making love! As the beloved says:
“How extraordinarily delightful is love above all other pleasures.”
Learn from the past

The author of the Song can teach us a lot regarding the proper attitude
toward one's wife. The story contrasts with the Song of Solomon.

In the industrial revolution, men were on the street and women were in
the home. He in the street, fighting and fighting and the woman in the house,
calm and cleaning. He expected her to receive someone who came tired from
working all day, to tell the children: "Don't bother him, Dad is coming
tired." "Look, I worked all day and the only thing I want is to eat, watch TV."
and go to sleep.” The feminine was associated with the domestic and the
masculine with the intellectual and the struggle. Marriage was a business
deal. The Paris menagier said in 1939:

“You, being 15 years old, and in the week we were married, you asked
me, please, to be lenient in the face of your youth and to forgive the fact that
you did not know how to care for me well, until you had learned more, and
you promised to take the greatest care and diligence... humbly asking me, in
our bed, that, for the love of God, I would not correct you in front of
strangers or relatives, but that I would do it every night or day after day in
our bedroom, showing you the improper or foolish things done in the past
day, and punishing you, if I wished, then you would not fail to amend
yourself, according to my teachings and corrections, and you would do
everything possible to obey my will... and like these two things, save your
soul and gladden your husband, are the most important, I have placed them
in the foreground.”

She is tall and elegant like a palm tree. Her breasts, which were already described
as two little deer (7:3; 4:5), are now compared to bunches of dates, perhaps to continue
the simile of the palm tree and expressing the sweetness and delight they produce.
Extremely excited, he wants to approach her sexually and caress her breasts. In the V.
8b continues the simile in relation to breasts, but this time their sweetness (pleasure) is
compared to bunches of grapes. The word translated mouth (see RVA note) can refer to
the nipples or the vagina. Because of the highly erotic context of this passage, it is very
likely that the lover is talking about the fragrance of his wife's private parts, under
sexual arousal (like apples, see 2:3, 5). At this moment, her kisses are as pleasant as
good wine. To her his are equally delightful (see 1:2).

(10) The beloved, 7:10–8:4. Now, the woman who has been the object of so many
compliments from her lover responds by affirming her total dedication. For the third
time (2:16; 6:3), she confirms her faithfulness and her trust in the love he professes for
her. She considers herself fully fulfilled, because she feels like a woman desired by her
husband. Her response to his desire is expressed in the terms in which he has already
invited her to enjoy life (2:10–14). The idea of going to the countryside is to spend the
night there together (see note from RVA). There is a certain urgency in his invitation
(let's get up early, lit. "let's start early"). The phrases that follow all refer to the act of
love and have a marked erotic overtone (see 1:6; 2:13, 15; 6:11). She is eager to make
love to her husband (there I will give you my love!).
The beloved seems to be ready for the sexual act. The mandrake is considered an
aphrodisiac plant (see RVA note). Lovers need no more encouragement than they
already have, but here probably the mention of the “love apple” and its “fragrance” is
another reference to the fact that she is ready for sexual intercourse. All its attractions
and charms are now at his disposal, so that he can serve himself as if he were a plate
full of fresh and dried fruits, so that he can eat as much as he pleases. She has been
saving herself for him, and now it is her joy to give herself fully to her beloved, thus
expressing her love.

Misconceptions of women

Juan Luis Vives in 1528 in "Instruction of the Christian Woman" said:

"That in the love of the wife there must be great obedience and compliance
with the husband since he occupies the position of God on earth."

Fray Luis León in 1583 in "La Perfecta Casada" said: "God did not
provide you with the ingenuity that major affairs require or with strength...
measure yourselves with what you are and be content with what your lot is,
and understand in your home and walk in it, for God made them for her
alone."

The writer Honore de Balzac in 1829 said: "The destiny of woman and
her only glory is to make the hearts of men beat. The woman is a property
that is acquired by contract; a movable property, because possession is
worth a title; In short, properly speaking, the woman is nothing more than an
annex of the man."

In 8:1, the beloved introduces a hypothetical desire regarding her beloved. What
she wants is not for him to be her full brother, but for him to feel free to publicly express
his love for her. What was not allowed to be done in public between a husband and wife
was permissible between siblings, such as kissing. Another thing she would do if she
were his sister is to take him and put him in her mother's house (v. 2). Obviously, the
purpose would not be to play as full brothers, but to make love as lovers. You would
teach me means that he would teach her the secrets of love, in the place where she had
her first sexual experiences (3:4). She is willing to learn from him the art of loving, even
though throughout the Song of Solomon the beloved expresses herself sexually with
great mastery. The woman's erotic intention is clear in the last two lines of v. 2. The
expressions are distinctively sexual in nature (5:1; 7:2). Probably the v. 3 is the
fulfillment of the desire expressed by the beloved in v. 1, and repeat 2:6.

In the V. 4 this proverb is repeated for the third time (2:7; 3:5), which concludes
with a fourth section of Song of Solomon. At this point, love is already awakened and
consummated (see 8:5), and does not need further encouragement from anonymous
witnesses. In this way, this entire part, which began with confused dreams and
frustrations, estrangements and disagreements, concludes with the lovers each in each
other's arms.

2. Consolidation of marriage, 8:5-14

In this last section of the Song of Solomon, all the protagonists of the love poem
seem to come together to make their last comments, while the lovers consolidate their
love relationship by reaffirming their mutual commitment, sealing it with sexual union.

(1) The wedding party, 8:5a. This section begins with the same words that begin the
third section of Song of Solomon (3:6–5:1), and both end with the consummation of
love. The question: Who is this? It also appears in 6:10, although in 8:5 the answer is
explicit: it is about the beloved. She comes lying on her beloved, which indicates
closeness and intimacy. The lovers seem to return from making love in the field (7:11,
12). Now they are calm and their love has been confirmed again. The courtship
intervention provides a transition to what follows.

(2) The beloved, 8:5b–7. Once again, it is the woman who takes the initiative to
express her feelings regarding the sexual experiences she is experiencing. In this case,
she is associating the apple tree with the beloved's maternal home. The sexual
connotation that the apple tree has in Song of Solomon has already been indicated. On
a previous occasion, she compared her lover (the lovemaker) to an apple tree (2:3), and
asked to be refreshed with apples (sexually satisfied, 2:5). This is probably implying
that the couple had some sexual intercourse on the same bed where the beloved's
mother gave birth to him (see 3:4; 8:2). Just as she “woke up” sexually (see 2:7; 3:5;
8:4) on that occasion, he also did so because of her.

Biblical jewel

The powerful waters

They can't turn off love,

nor can rivers overwhelm it (8:7).

The vv. 6, 7 are the most beautiful of all the Songs, and they summarize the central
theme of the entire poem, which is love. In these verses, the beloved presents three
images, and each of them, in turn, suggests a distinctive characteristic or quality of
love. The images are death, the grave and fire; The attributes or virtues suggested by
these paintings are strength, passion and vehemence.

Death is something that no power on earth has ever been able to defeat. Death has
an irresistible force. No one has been able to defeat her, except Jesus Christ. This is
love for the beloved: unbreakable and irresistible like death. In this way, v. 6 presents
the passionate and urgent cry of the beloved, who wants to be close to her beloved,
never to be separated from him again. This is clearly seen in the reference to the seal
upon your heart and upon your arm. The seal was a worked ring or a carved precious
stone. The man carried it on one of his fingers, and the woman tied it with a string
hanging from her neck and arranged so that it hung over her heart. When these seals
were exchanged by lovers, this was a sign that only death could separate them. The
force of their love was as solid and irresistible as death itself. In addition, seals were
used as a mark of ownership, like a personal signature today. The context suggests that
the beloved wants to mark her beloved as her own (see 2:16; 6:3; 7:10).
The second image is that of the tomb, and the virtue in question is passion.
According to the beloved, passion (the desire to possess the loved one) is inflexible like
the grave. Love has something very important in sexual passion. Fervent desire for the
loved one enriches and keeps alive the flame of love. Passion absolutely captivates
those who love each other. The word unshakable translates a Hebrew term that means
“hard,” “firm,” “obstinate.” This is the grave (Sheol, see note on RVA and Prov.
30:15, 16). There are no tears or moans that move her, nor prayers or supplications
that make her return the loved ones that lie within her.

The third image is that of fire, and the virtue it expresses is that of vehemence. The
burning fire of love is a divine flame! These words speak of the intensity of love. True
love is so deep and strong that there are no human adjectives that can describe it. The
beloved says that it is a flame from Jehovah (see RVA note). If this reading is accepted,
this would be the only place in the entire poem where God is named. So vast is its scope
and deep its content, that it is a bonfire that is impossible to put out. The water of all the
seas cannot extinguish the embers of love (v. 7a), nor can the waters of rivers dilute or
wash it away (v. 7b).

These are some of the reasons why love is not for sale nor can it be bought (v. 7c).
Love is priceless. If someone offered all their wealth for a little love, the only thing they
would receive would be ridicule from people. Why would people look down on a person
like that? Because they mistakenly think that love can be earned, bought or deserved.
The beloved, from a lover, becomes a philosopher, and from her own personal
experience she presents one of the most profound and beautiful reflections on the love
that unites a man and a woman.

(3) The wedding party, 8:8, 9. According to some commentators, Song of Solomon
ends in v. 7, since what follows does not seem to have much relationship with the rest of
the poem and represents an anticlimax after vv. 6, 7. There are those who consider that
the final verses are a kind of appendix or addition from later editors. The vv. 8, 9 seem
to reflect a deep concern for a minor sister, who evidently has not yet reached sexual
maturity. The specific question that causes concern regarding her is what to do when a
man asks her to marry him (when people start talking about her, see Ezek. 16:7–14).
These verses can also refer to the beloved's previous experience, during her puberty or
adolescence. The possible relationship of these verses with 8:10 would support this
interpretation, in which case vv. 8–10 would speak of the beloved in terms of before and
after, childhood and sexual adulthood.

Either way, the passage speaks of a time of preparation for marriage (v. 9). The
preparation strategy has to do with her character. The wall suggests the firmness of its
character, which will be fortified with silver towers. Thus, if she is sought after by
young people, her family will encourage and stimulate her to maintain her virtuous
position. On the contrary, if she is a door, that is, she is open to being seduced or is
accessible to it, her family will provide cedar panels to protect her. In reality, these two
clauses are not contrasted but are in apposition, that is, both images emphasize the
need to prepare the young girl by providing her with strength and security. In this way,
encouragement and discipline are combined in an admirable balance to develop the girl
and prepare her for a life of greater sexual happiness, in the context of marriage.
(4) The beloved, 8:10. The speaker now is a mature and sexually realized woman.
In clear reference to the images used by courtship in the previous two verses, the
beloved proclaims her maturity and readiness for love and marriage, which she is
already experiencing. She is no longer the young girl who needed protection and
discipline; She is now a fully developed woman (see Eze. 16:7–14). Since her fragile
puberty and immature sexuality, this woman has become, over the years, a sexually
admirable person for her husband (in his eyes). In her relationship with her loved one,
she is a permanent source of “peace,” that is, of wholeness, harmony, and total
fulfillment. No wonder her name is Shulamite: “the peaceful one” (see KJV note on
6:13), “the full one” or “the complete one.”

(5) The beloved, 8:11–13. The opening words of this verse recall the parable of the
vineyard in Isaiah 5:1–7, which is also a love song. In the case of Isaiah it is an
allegory (Isa. 5:7), but not here, although the traditional interpretation identifies the
vineyard with Solomon's harem (see 1 Kings. 11:3). But the beloved should not
necessarily be identified with King Solomon. The contrast these verses raise is between
the king's rights to manage his own possessions and the beloved's right over her own
person. Some see here a contrast between Solomon's great estates (his harem with
numerous wives and concubines) and the person of the beloved, over whom only she has
full rights. She is not property that he can dispose of and hand over to the care of
others, as could be the case with other women in his harem.

The idea in this passage is that the owner of the vineyard in Baalhamon, Solomon,
leased it to the guards, to exploit it. The rent that the owner expected to receive was one
thousand pieces of silver, something like about six months of work in most of our Latin
American countries. The owner (Solomon) had the full right to receive payment of the
agreed rent. Likewise, the tenants were entitled to 20% of the profit obtained (two
hundred pieces of silver remained in their hands, v. 12c). In contrast to this contract of
lease of the vineyard, based on the property right of the owner and the contractual
obligation of the tenants, the king has a vineyard in relation to which other principles
govern. This particular vineyard is my vineyard, which cannot be other than his
beloved. Many times she compared herself to a vineyard (1:6; 2:15). That vineyard,
which during the years of his puberty and early youth, was jealously guarded by his
brothers (8:8, 9), is now ripe and fruitful before him (v. 12a), ready to yield abundant
fruits for your satisfaction, fruits that are priceless.

A beautiful equality

The author of the Song reflects the concept of equality between spouses.
It fosters a mutual appreciation between the two. This contrasts with
contemporary concepts.

This is what often happens with couples: We start from the false
assumption of inequality in rights and freedoms, of the roles and
responsibilities of each person. The problem is not the fights, but the
erroneous budget from which it was based.

Many couples don't see the solutions because they can't see the problem.
Complete acceptance of each other will help solve this problem.
Anticipating the pleasure of the last sexual encounter, with which the Song of Songs
concludes, the beloved now demands a personal word from his beloved. The
companions (his or hers?; the Hebrew does not say mis) are probably the group that
gathered for the celebration in 6:13. They want to hear the beloved, the central
character of the entire poem, say one last word. The one most eager to hear her is her
husband, who invites her to respond to his presence and sexual appeal (see 2:14).

(6) The beloved, 8:14. The woman responds to her lover, and her response is a
synthesis of many of the longings expressed throughout the Song of Solomon. By the
way, his response could not be other than an exciting invitation to make love
immediately. She calls him to hurry and fly to her (run away, oh my beloved!). The
phrase has eminently sexual connotations and expresses her demand that he make love
to her immediately. Literally, she seems to be asking him to pierce or penetrate her. The
Hebrew verb barah 1254 is used with this connotation in Exodus 36:33 (beriah), and in
Isaiah 27:1 in relation to the twisting or penetrating serpent, which is also a very
common sexual symbol. The images of the deer and the fawn represent frolicking and
sexual potency (see 2:9, 17). The mountains of spices (see 2:17; 4:6, 8, 10, 14; 5:13)
are another way of referring to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of incense (4:6), that
is, the breasts and private parts of the wife. She is inviting her beloved to sexually enjoy
“her vineyard,” to enjoy with her the celebration of love and sexual communication to
which they are entitled as husband and wife.

Thus, the pleasure of physical union and full sexual expression between a man and a
woman who love each other in the context of marriage has divine approval, since the
Song of Songs is part of the inspired record of the word of God revealed in the Holy
Scriptures.