Song of Songs’: A short biblical love story in 8 chapters

The first time someone reads the “Song of Songs” the reader instinctively will wonder why it’s in the Bible. It’s a short book, only eight chapters, but written in salacious language. The book involves an exchange of love poems between a man and a woman. This willingness to present the topic of physical love between lovers has made many readers uncomfortable. Purportedly, King Solomon wrote the book as his name is mentioned therein seven times. The Scriptures state that Solomon had 1,000 wives (700 wives and 300 concubines). His wives included the daughter of Pharaoh and women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon and some from among the Hittites. In Solomon’s advanced age, his foreign wives influenced him to worship other gods. This led to Solomon’s downfall.

The “Song of Songs” is included in the Wisdom Books of the Bible along with Psalms, Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Yet, it does not teach wisdom. Neither does it show any interest in the Law, the Covenant, or the God of Israel. Instead, it celebrates sexual love through the voices of two lovers, praising each other and yearning for each other. This is not what one would normally expect from a book in the Bible.

The “Song of Songs” does not teach wisdom like Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. Instead, it celebrates sexual love, giving “the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other, proffering invitations to enjoy.” The women of Jerusalem form a chorus to the lovers. Their participation in the lovers’ encounters facilitates the participation of the reader. Jewish tradition considers “Songs” as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel. Contrarily, Christianity believes that “Songs” describes Christ’s unyielding love for His bride, the church.

“Song of Songs” comprises three basic sections: 1) Solomon began his book with two lovers longing for affection while expressing their love for one another (1:1–3:5). 2) Eventually, the lovers come together in marriage, the groom extolling his bride’s beauty before they consummate their relationship (3:6–5:1). 3) Finally, the bride struggles with the fear of separation, while the groom reassures the bride of his unfailing love (5:2–8:14).

At the Council of Jamnia in 90 A.D., when Jewish rabbis assembled to finalize the Old Testament Canon, many rabbis opposed the inclusion of “Song of Songs” saying it was nothing more than a collection of risqué poems. However, they were contradicted by the Hillel School whose leader, Rabbi Akiva, vigorously defended the book. Akiva contended that the “Song of Songs” was allegorical to the great love of God for the nation of Israel. In the end, Rabbi Akiva and the Hillel School won the day.

Inasmuch as the motif of the “Song of Songs” is love, the Scripture states, “we should love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” The Scripture adds this additional stipulation: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”

HHJ News