Truth Of The Song 1l536o

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

On Interpretation

The Gist of the Greatest Song

The True Character and Wisdom of the Greatest Song

The Teaching and Meaning Conveyed by the Greatest Song

Dating and Authorship of the Greatest Song

History of Various Interpretations

On the Translation

About the Author

Truth of the Song George Panos

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Acknowledgments

An eternal praise and thanksgiving to God for my salvation and for the salvation of my brothers and sisters led to read this book (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). A special praise and thanks to Leo Emmanuel Lochard, whose gifted assistance has been instrumental in the rendition of Truth of the Song (Romans 12:5–8).

Introduction

The book you are about to read will enlighten your mind to the most obscured book of the Bible: the Song of Solomon. First, ask yourself the following questions:

Have I ever heard an expository sermon preached from the pulpit? Your answer is most likely “no.” Have I ever been to a “discipleship class” or “home Bible study,” where the song was taught in its entirety? Probably not. How much do I know about King Solomon?

In the analogy of the song, I will bring out the spiritual, historical, and cultural customs of that ancient era. This will provide a clearer description of who is communicating. When the central theme of the song is revealed, the teaching can be an excellent ancillary in giving consultation to single people, persons in courtship, and married individuals. I have shared this teaching in a group setting, as well as one-to-one, with persons in teaching positions. Since the Song of Songs is of the Old Testament wisdom literature, I have observed a Wisdom teaching that has been obscured. In the Old Testament, we see God-fearing men and women. We see individuals like Noah, Job, Daniel, along with Sarah, Rebekah, and Ruth.

After reading and analyzing this text, you will agree that the God-fearing Shulamite teenaged women should be acknowledged as an excellent role model for today’s youth. At the conclusion of the book is enclosed “the greatest song” in its literal, free (unrestricted) translation for your personal enrichment, edification, and reference. I would also like to state that my intent in writing Truth of the Song is to dissolve the obscurities that have quenched the true meaning of the greatest song for centuries. The analysis of this translation will bring to surface how great this God-inspired book of the Bible is. Before we analyze the figurative poetic meaning to the literal meaning, I would like to comment on the greatest song based on its history.

On Interpretation

When the Song of Songs is interpreted literally and without the preconceived notions of gross spiritualizing and allegorizing, it is a lyrical anthology of songs of love and courtship of the highest and purest caliber. The song embodies the central theme of human love’s enduring purity and unshakable loyalty in both courtship and marriage. The greatest song reveals what happened when the vowed young God-fearing maiden and her shepherd lover were put to a test, tempted by the showy blandishments of King Solomon’s actions. By God’s grace, they stood firm. The song also reveals the fact of the harem confines a “pocket of evil,” that is death to the purity of human love. The song reveals as fact, the sensual nature in King Solomon. It exposes shamelessness that evokes pity or sadness of any self-respecting man turned lecher and how with the noble blood, power, and prestige at his command goes about flattering himself while he tries to target this innocent girl. There is something special historically to be noted: Solomon has been sovereign! Since his youth, he has been given a harem to satisfy his lusts and cannot understand why a country girl would not be impressed with his position, as King Solomon does not understand that pure love is a sacrifice instead of an entitlement. His advances are a terrible revelation of how unknown to the “practitioners” what sin does to its victims (Nehemiah 13:26).

The Gist of the Greatest Song

The story is a story of faithful ionate love. A beautiful God-fearing virgin in love with a shepherd is unwillingly brought, away from home, to the king’s court (Song of Solomon 6:11–12 KJV), in order to become another one of Solomon’s wives. In the Hebrew language, the word wife or wives has a wide meaning. In English, we take the word wife as a legally married woman to a man. In Hebrew, the word is nashiym, which has the meaning of a “covenant-breaker, a woman in the sense of an adulterer or a whore” (Daniel 5:1–5). During Solomon’s declarations of affection and his royal promises and the exhortations of the harem, the Shulamite (peaceable) maiden remains true to her betrothed lover (6:3; 7:10) searching for her far away. When the mighty potentate finally leaves the scene, rebuffed, and the lover and Shulamite are back home to renew their vows, the lover concludes the event in 8:12. The young King Solomon who prayed for wisdom dedicated the temple, spoke thousands of proverbs (1 Kings 4:29–34), and is idealized as wisest of men! A type of Christ is the “Solomon” we wish to . But the biblical record is more sober and true to the facts which speak of the heavy taxation enforced to maintain his opulent splendor at the court (1 Kings 4:7) and his forced labor in his many building projects (1 Kings 5:13–18). In time, his fondness for horses and “strange women” (harem harlots), expressly forbidden by the Word of God in Deuteronomy 17, led him to a debauched idolatry. Solomon was an old lascivious king with whom the Lord was angry. We read: “For it came about when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away, after other gods. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, built a ‘high place’ for Chemosh, the detestable idol of Moab; thus also, did he, for all his ‘foreign wives’ who sacrificed to their gods. And the Lord was angry and said: ‘I will surely tear the kingdom from you’” (1 Kings 11:4–11). This absolute monarch could satisfy every whim and could command a young maiden to come to his harem. God would not, however, let him have the Shulamite. This is the setting

for the greatest story! An interesting note: Chemosh was the national deity of the Moabites, honored with horribly cruel rites, like those of Molech, to whom children were sacrificed in the fire. It is very interesting, archeologically speaking, that the anger of Chemosh is said in the famous Moabite Stone to be the reason for Israel’s subjugation of Moab (Judges 11:24). Solomon made the fatal mistake, instigated by his many “strange wives,” to rear a sanctuary and altar to Chemosh in Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7). This abomination was not destroyed until King Josiah’s purge, almost three centuries later (2 Kings 23:13). These abominations of sacrificing children to the fire were widespread in Israel, and King Solomon was responsible for bringing these false gods into Israel. Archaeologists have also excavated burial sites in Jerusalem and other areas, where thousands upon thousands of children’s bones were unearthed. A hill near Jerusalem—where Solomon established high places for Chemosh, Milcom, and Ashtoreth—is to the immediate south of the Mount of Olives, where hundreds of years later, the Lord Jesus would give his famous Sermon on the Mount. King Solomon also succumbed to the voluptuous worship of Ashtoreth, the goddess of fertility, whereby worshipping her involved participants engaging in sexual acts, both male and female, as an offering. Before tearing the kingdom from Solomon, the Lord appeared to him twice and warned him to cease practicing these abominations. This was a “pre-incarnation” of the Lord Jesus (1 Kings 11:1–12). You might say to yourself, “How could the society of ‘God’s chosen people’ accept this kind of ritual in the burning of children or the inordinate affection involving men and women and homosexuality?” No fear of God! Doesn’t this sound like today? If we look at today’s world society, the same degradation is happening daily. Inordinate affection and homosexuality are a “pervasive revolution.” In our modem era, no more children are put into the fire, but millions of human unborn babies (fetuses) are aborted each year. Our perverted modern society still worships Chemosh and Ashtoreth (Ecclesiastes 1:9–10).

The True Character and Wisdom of the Greatest Song

The greatest song, as always with the Word of God, is a wholly compelling presentation of the truth embedded in history and concretely express in real to human life. The whole song probes the sin in a human heart in all its fearful complexity and simultaneously offers the comfort and direction of the Lord’s blessing that speak to the seeking reader as a convincing truth. The song reveals the fact of the harem confines as a wanton “pocket of evil,” that is, death to human love. The ugly feature underneath the whole harem setting is the cruel attempt to get this innocent girl to be destined as “another decoration,” which all the women of the harem were. The song reveals a lustful Solomon, complete with the harem to satisfy those lusts. Solomon can’t understand why he can’t impress this girl. After all, if you were a woman in Solomon’s harem, the royal perks would be constant and lucrative. Solomon cannot understand that love is a joyful sacrifice instead of an appropriation. You have to : Solomon was “born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” His rounds of flattery and practiced lures are ordinary and crude. Again, a terrible revelation of what the effects of sin does to its victims. Through this test that the Lord put forth, the Shulamite and her lover remained firm and true. Solomon and the harem failed. The Lord hated this institutionalization of corruption in Solomon’s day, so much that he raised up such a woman as the Shulamite with her country lover to put the king to shame. The Song of Songs simply teaches that you cannot buy love, and the reasons why love cannot be bought or commanded are everywhere throughout the song. The lover’s song and profession of love (4:9–15) is gentle, intimate, and pure. By contrast, Solomon’s speeches to the Shulamite are finely characterized expressions of lust, not love. He catalogs her charms anatomically to her face (4:1–5), unlike the lover who is fascinated by his beloved loveliness. King Solomon is interested in gauging her delights for himself. The calculating “forward moves” are what perverts any movement toward true

love. Solomon lived almost three thousand years ago. His actions toward women back then are ominous of the twenty-first century man who would frequent a Chicago hot spot night club and would engage in this behavior. The same person would also be a major target of attack from the Me Too Movement at his place of employment. Solomon’s predatory self-gratification (7:1–9) is diametrically opposed in spirit to the quiet, tender approaches of the lover (5:1). The Scripture affirms and unashamedly encourages bodily celebration of human love but severely rejects Solomon’s practice of lust. When ion becomes fixed in a grasping adoration and the Lord’s created ordinances for the caresses of love are broken, then the ion is evil. Pure human love, when its enjoyment is saved for the right time, will be invigorated. Lust is avoided by a man and a woman when their ion is mutually given in the context of a vow. Solomon in the song tries so hard to “get and make love” rather than give it, resulting in his sadness (Proverbs 15:13). The pointed wisdom of the song’s true story is the bodily and natural ionately giving of the bonded nature of human love. You could say that its cutting edge is, if a man would practice love; otherwise, he will be broken.

The Teaching and Meaning Conveyed by the Greatest Song

The meaning of the greatest song with the whole scriptural of the historical development of God’s people begins with its critique of Solomon. The text refers specifically to him by name: his pompous arrival in a splendid traveling couch surrounded by his personal body guard (3:6–11). The sin with which the scriptures charge Solomon in fornicating with Ashtoreth and cult outrages was a lawless debasing of this mysterious union of a man and a woman into a hard, loveless, and monstrous lifestyle of the men of Israel. It is in this sinful context that the greatest song’s critique of Solomon finds its larger significance. The greatest song quietly indicts the “harem institution” of Solomon’s hoard of young girls (6:8) as an empty, unintelligent evil will based on vaunted lust that has no place among the sons of Jacob. The song is structured in a way of true love versus wanton ionate morals, much in the same way Ecclesiastes sets the fear of the Lord in opposition to many attractive vanities of the world. It portrays King Solomon’s attempted rape of the Shulamite (7:7–10) to real life with a reproof as seen in the contrasting of unrestricted true affection of the lover, whose ion is inspired by Jehovah. The teaching then of the greatest song is not about Christ and the church. The song’s message was to expose the brutal, loveless futility in Solomon’s honeyed words and sweet advances to the Shulamite who did not belong to him. Solomon was none other than a narcissist playboy. The song focuses on all proverbial wisdom against “seduction by the strange” upon unlawful love. This explanation is brought out in Genesis 2:21–25 for sin-troubled human lives. The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul used the Genesis-revealed mystery of the two becoming one in Mark 10:2–12 and Ephesians 5:22–23. An interesting note: in the study of the Old Testament, much of the wisdom literature is portrayed in the feminine gender. Through King Solomon’s observations in life and his many experiences, be it good or bad, God chose

Solomon to write Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the greatest song. Solomon wrote more about women and the facts of life than any other biblical writer. Wisdom in the Hebrew is chochmah, meaning a superior mental ability or a special skill. We can say that Wisdom is truth for living, with a firm basis on the right way, with no necessary moral reference, as was the case with Solomon (1 Kings 4:29–34; Nehemiah 13:26). Solomon always pondered why men and women engage in unlawful folly or sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20, 29). One must that in Solomon’s days, knowledge about the sin nature inherited from Adam did not exist yet. A little over a thousand years later, his thoughts would be brought out in the teachings of the New Testament by the writings of the Apostle Paul (Romans 3:23, 5:12–21). The greatest song also reveals the Shulamite belonging to her lover—before the stranger, Solomon, seeks to destroy the life of one man—by being faithful to one another and cleaving to one another in trustworthy and unashamed love. The choice is made clear in the greatest song. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of blessed love and human communion. The facts of life are that both men and women, by creation, will find some kind or form of a propensity to lust or to a true sanctified love. They will choose which shall be served (Proverbs 14:12).

Dating and Authorship of the Greatest Song

In chapter 6 verse 4 of the song, King Solomon is comparing the Shulamite, dressed as being charming, as Tirzah and Jerusalem. Tirzah was no city to compare with Jerusalem until Jeroboam made it the capital of the rebellious Northern Kingdom shortly after 925 BC (1 Kings 14:17). Tirzah lost this sudden prominence when Omri, an unscrupulous ruler, moved northern Israel’s capital to Samaria (1 Kings 16:23–24). So the comparison of Tirzah to Jerusalem is historically meaningful during a period when Tirzah was especially newsworthy, around 920–875 BC. Tirzah was an ancient Canaanite city on the west of the Jordan River. Who then could God have used during these years to put together in such a way this artistically gifted Book of Wisdom? Perhaps, the wise men who outlived Solomon—who had advised his son, Reheboam, at a critical time to speak gentle words of service to the people, officially objecting to Solomon’s heartless istration (1 Kings 12:6–8)—could have written the greatest song. These older wise men, doubtless, left Jerusalem to take up residence in the “chief city” of northern Israel. Thus, we can conclude that the song is understood to have been written in the historical time frame of 920–875 BC. The song’s message would be a Jehovah-inspired truth versus human power and glory. This could be understood as an early warning sign, especially to northern Israel. The title in 1:1, in all translations, is not part of God’s inspired Word; it has been placed by the translators to denote a historical fact and reference that Solomon or his wise men authored the greatest song. That’s fine. However, there is one problem with this. Why are there no parentheses in the verse? Throughout all scriptures, Old Testament and New Testament, parentheses are used by translators to define a word or a verse. This tells the reader that the verse is an insert and not the original text. The reader starts to read the Song of Solomon and thinks that it is the starting point of the event. You will see that the starting point begins in chapter 6 verses 11–12 when we analyze the text. , we are dealing with wisdom poetry, and alterations or deletions of words can throw off the narrative, including which party is doing the speaking. This is one of the obscurities that have caused confusion over who is who throughout the years.

The chapter 1 verse 1 does not appear in the original text.

History of Various Interpretations

Through the years, various pundits and theologians thought that the greatest song was too sensual, too explicit, and too descriptive for the ordinary believer. In other words, it was “not spiritual enough,” they thought. Some of them thought that it was not spiritual at all while others thought that it was lascivious. So in their preconceived notions, as stated earlier, they decided to “spiritualize” the song, allowing it to be “acceptable.” By allegorizing the translations, words were deleted, and words were added. And sentence structure was altered. In essence, they attempted to “spiritualize” and “allegorize” God’s Word. The King James Version even went as far as to take “Lord God” out of the verse (8:6–7). This is wrong, wrong, wrong! First of all, and always , that God doesn’t “give one snap” about what man thinks about what he thinks (Isaiah 55:8–9). God has chosen holy men, both in Old Testament and New Testament times, to bring us his Word (2 Peter 1:20–21). At no time has God given any man the authority to alter or change what has been inspired by him. The scriptures are very clear about what God says concerning this. Read these scriptures now: Deuteronomy 4:1–2; Proverbs 30:5–6; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16–17; and Revelation 22:18–19. I would like to state that I am not telling you to disregard the translation that you are currently reading. In all translations, there is always going to be language barriers causing uncertainties. The English language is not as expansive in its meaning as other languages, like Hebrew or Greek. However, a translator should never introduce bias in the process of his translating scriptures. If that happens, the translation is no longer merely an uncertainty; it is now a created problem. I will always advocate that a person who wants a proper and deeper knowledge of the truth of God’s Word obtain a concordance, a Bible dictionary, or a lexicon, and personally, do your research. The disciple of Christ should always have the same attitude that the people of Berea had in Acts 17:10–12.

Martin Luther’s translation understood the song as a “hymn of figurative praise and love,” for God’s people, the children of Israel. Luther rejected Solomon as the author. No allegory! The King James Version translators interpreted the song as an allegorical, describing the mutual love of Christ and his church. The Orthodox Jews give an allegorical interpretation, indicating that it is a capsule of history of Jehovah’s redemptive dealings with the children of Israel. Roman Catholic expositors usually adopt some form of spiritual love allegorical framework, also of Christ and the church, and the exemplary love between Christ and the Virgin Mary. For centuries, Christians or professing Christian commentators argued. How could God’s Word be recommending such physical interests and practices to believers? As generation after generation of Christian scholars kept reading past the sense of what was before them, they spent their so-called sanctified ingenuity ascertaining the hidden spiritual meaning of the song so as to lead the inexperience laity into an obscured truth. The Bible was thus taken out of the hands of the ordinary reader and given to a theological pundit or some “charismatic seer” who claimed to have “inside knowledge.” Therefore, the literal bearing of this biblical Book has remained not understood by ordinary believers for ages because of their excessive devotional reflections that have accompanied its allegorical treatments. My suggestion to the reader is, after we have analyzed the text of the greatest song, read the translation of the Bible you’re utilizing and let the various traditional and mythical interpretations “fall where they may.” In other words, read this translation, and after that, you make the decision as to the truth of the song.

On the Translation

The translation we are about to analyze of the Song of Songs is from the Hebrew text, as interpreted by translator Calvin Seerveld. This translation tries to get across exactly in the native tongue what is literally there as derived from the figurative, original context. The identification of voices and phrases at the left of the translation is an attempt to help make us aware of the delicate tension and tone, setting, and interplay of voices, which the original song intimates in its oriental way. In the chapter analysis, I will use the word Ahab. Ahab in the Hebrew has the meaning of love, defined as to have affection for sexually or otherwise in a good or bad sense. This gives us more clarity on the party speaking by the intent of the dialogue. I have sectioned the translation into three parts:

Section 1: chapters 1 through 3, setting the scene. Section 2: chapters 4 and 5, showing the movement of forward progression. Section 3: chapters 6 through 8, showing confrontation unto continuation.

In the song, there are six scenes. Solomon, the harem, and the Shulamite start the event. The true lover enters in the middle; and the Shulamite’s brothers enter at end, whereby the central theme of the song is brought to its climax. In the analysis of the song, we must keep in mind that the greatest song is in figurative speech. This is Old Testament wisdom literature, which means that it is not only poetic but also didactic with a Wisdom teaching. In this poetry, we are to use our imagination. However, our imaginings must become a mental

exercise that leads to the forming of an idea and/or of ideals and principles based upon facts and not fiction. We are not to imagine a mental fictional fantasy with no foundation in fact, wisdom, and reality. Our mental exercise should always be based upon the truth of God’s Word (Hebrews 4:12).

(Lights up on women relaxing at their toilette; Solomon and retinue through the harem.) Chorus of Veiled Women (1:2a) Solo Voice (1:2b) Another (1:3a) Another (1:3b) Another (1:3c) Shulamite Girl (1:4a) (entering looking back) Harem Chorus (1:4b) Shulamite Girl (1:5–7) A Leading Harem Woman (1:8) (The women withdraw as Solomon reenters.) Solomon (1:9–11) The Shulamite Maiden (1:12–14) Solomon (1:15) Shulamite (1:16) Solomon (1:17) Shulamite (2:1) Solomon (2:2) Shulamite (2:3–7) (reflecting almost to self; some harem women quietly return, listen)

Analysis of 1:2–17

First of all, as previously stated, there is no verse 1:1 in the original text. The starting point of the greatest song begins in chapter 6 verses 11–12). Solomon was on an itinerary and has brought into the harem this girl whom he had abducted. In his presence, the harem women display their sensual desires of their Ahab among themselves. In verse 1, to “soak” is to be satisfied abundantly. Slaves are a reference to the women that Solomon has been with. The harem is displaying their foolish ionate infatuation with Solomon (1:2–3). The Shulamite girl is no doubt under an emotional trauma of what has happened to her, as she yearns for her lover, while noticing the environment to which she had been brought by Solomon. Notice the word bedrooms in exclamation! The harem confines are just another name for Solomon’s brothels (1:4). Once again, the Ahab of the harem is displayed by their sensual lascivious assumptions that this new girl that had been brought in is one of them. The Shulamite will now identify herself and establish to them what kind of woman she really is. She is explaining her situation, her brothers who sequestered her from suitors in her. At the same time, she is yearning to be with her lover, in whom she delights and whom she desires. The Shulamite is showing her Ahab as genuine for her lover. The words “own garden” are a reference to her genital area. She quips back by calling the veiled harem as a den of whores (1:5–7). Here are the interesting questions: who is the Shulamite, and where was she taken from? Where was she when she was abducted? The “tents of Kedar” are mentioned because of the darkness of her skin burnt by the sun. This could indicate that she had been abducted from an area east of the Jordan River, in the region of Gilead, Ammon, or parts of Moab. These areas border Kedar, which is now modern day Saudi Arabia. So she could have been a God-fearing Gentile woman from that area. Hundreds of years earlier, there was another God-fearing Gentile woman from that same area. She was Ruth, the Moabitess (Ruth 1:14– 16). In the culture of that period of time, it was customary for the brothers to watch over and protect their female sibling. After the offensive comment made by the Shulamite, she received a stern rebuke from a harem overseer, usually an older woman. She reminds her that if she does not like this privilege or the

surroundings, then she should go back to the country where she belongs (1:8). This could suggest that this was the Gilead area where she dwelt. Gilead is a mountainous region noted for its beautiful scenery. The hills are fertile and crowned with forests. Scriptures name oak trees and herds of cattle, as found in Gilead (Numbers 32:1). Solomon enters in order to have a private consultation with the Shulamite. Already, he is sending his charming messages, not for one moment taking into consideration of what he has done nor for having no regard for the girl’s feelings. He compares her to the war horse given to him by Pharaoh (1 Kings 4:21, 26). He describes her, as she would look like, with interwoven braided hair, adorned with gold and other jewelry of high value, comparing her to a fully clad war horse. These are the worldly charms, he is trying to impress on her. Notice the comparison between what he wants her to look like and what the Apostle John writes in Revelation (Revelation 17:4–5). The Apostle Paul makes a reference on how a godly woman should be adorned (1 Timothy 2:9–10). The Apostle Peter makes a similar reference (1 Peter 3:1–5). As Solomon continues his charms of deception, the Shulamite’s mind and heart are for her lover in the pastures. She is comparing her lover with the iration she has for the foliage and flower blossoms in Engedi. Note that Engedi is located on the west side of the Jordan River, situated about thirty miles southeast of Jerusalem, on the edge of the wilderness, at the west shores of the mountain side of the Dead Sea. It was a place of palm trees and fertile soil (2 Chronicles 20:2; 1 Samuel 24:1–3). The Shulamite’s Ahab is genuine. Solomon’s is deceptive. Solomon advances with his charms once again, trying to impress a girl whom he has just abducted. The Shulamite tries to “brush him off” by impreson him the qualities of her lover. She compares their “bed of flowers” as purity. Solomon’s bed is that of lewd acts. She and her lover are a plain, pure, country people. Solomon again tries to impress her with his worldly wealth by describing the opulent plush domain that he has. Interesting note: the Phoenicians, also known as the Zidonians, were experts in timber felling. They were master shipbuilders and sailors. Their land yielded pine, cypress, and cedar trees. The two ports were Tyre and Sidon. This would be the modern day Lebanon area. This area, with its ports, is where King Solomon obtained his resources for his massive building

projects.

(The lights turn out and the performers leave in the darkness; end of the first rhapsody.) (It is morning; the Shulamite alone on a couch in a small room, suddenly attent.) Shulamite (2:8–10a) Her Lover (2:10b–14) The Shulamite (2:15) (responding with a ditty they used to sing together)

Shulamite (2:16) (rustle of harem women coming; awakened by her singing, curious to see wh

Analysis of 2:1–17

The Shulamite counters Solomon’s charming impressions by describing herself as a pristine flower from the plains of Sharon. The statement she is making to Solomon is what her lover commented to her (2:1). Solomon agrees as he compares her to thistles. The thistles are his “harem harlots” also known as the daughters. The same question arises again from chapter 1. Is the Shulamite a God-fearing Bedoin maiden from the area east of the Jordan River, or is she a God-fearing Israelite from the west side of the Jordan River? Sharon is a part of the coastal plain of Palestine extending from Joppa to Mount Carmel, which is noted for its fertile soil and its flowery beauty (Isaiah 35:1–2). In antiquity, the caravan routes ing through the plain was called the International Coastal Highway. This route was paramount in commerce, connecting Asia Minor, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. The King’s Highway is routed through the Gilead area east of the Jordan River, connecting to the International Coastal Highway at Damascus. So did King Solomon abduct this girl off the Coastal Highway or the King’s Highway? God was very clear about the laws that were given to Israel concerning kidnapping. If a person was guilty of committing a sin, a blood sacrifice was necessary to atone for the mistake. The priest would be the mediator who would service the atonement. In some laws, though a sacrifice of atonement was made, death was still required. Kidnapping was forbidden. Exodus 21:16 reads: “And he that stealeth a man and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.” Deuteronomy 24:7 reads: “If a man be found stealing and of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him, then that thief shall die, and thou shalt put evil away from among you.” The question in mind is, would King Solomon abduct one of his own kindreds while fully knowing he was committing a crime? Would these laws also apply to the God-fearing Gentile? The scriptures imply that these harem wives were foreign women who

turned his heart away from God (1 Kings 11:1–8; Nehemiah 13:26). We also know that Solomon turned away from God’s Law. The Shulamite expounds more on her iration of her lover. She is telling Solomon how her lover stands out over others, including him. Fruits are the results producing pleasures of her desire for her lover. Apples, in which she delights, remind her of her lover. With the harem back in her presence, the Shulamite tries to persuade the harem that true love should be taken slowly and naturally and that their Ahab is a fast sensual encounter akin to the speed of a gazelle (2:3–7). An interesting fact: in our English language, we think of an apple as a nice, ripe, red Washington state fruit. In the Hebrew language, the word apple has an expanded meaning. First of all, apples back then, three thousand years ago, were more like a small generic green crab apple. The Hebrew word for apple is tappuwach, which has the meaning of other fruits and their fragrances. Apples, in this context, could be fruit-bearing trees like fig or apricot trees. The apricot tree can reach heights of twelve to twenty feet with their leaves widespread, sums of which would complement a thick hidden vineyard or arbor area (Proverbs 25:11). With the day at end, the Shulamite is dreaming of her lover, expressing her desire for him. In her dream, she is anticipating his quick response to his coming for her. Here in the dream, her Ahab is displayed as true and faithful. She also, in the dream, is expressing the Ahab of her lover with his same desires for her to come and take her back home. In the dream, her purity is expressed by her description of the beauty of nature and her yearning for it with her lover. It is the time of spring and summer for their love to blossom. Speaking in her sleep, she is expressing her emotions by singing a little song they shared together. The statement she makes on their vineyards, now in bloom, is their maturity as a man and a woman. The word ah has a significant meaning (2:15). Through the years I have been studying Scripture, it has always amazed me how small words can have large meanings. The word ah, which has been removed in some translations, is the Hebrew word ach. This has the meaning of an expression of an emotional grief or surprise. To remove this small word is to take away the tone or mood of the speaker. , we are dealing with Wisdom poetry. As her sounds draw attention to her harem companions, she is ending the dream, awakening, to tell the lover to hide in the shadows. In other words, “wait

until the day turns to night,” “come back at night in the shade of protection,” when it is time to dream again (2:8–17). Here are some foods for thought that applies to us all. When we walk through a beautiful forest preserve or if we visit some beautiful natural creation of God, our mood prior to the experience changes to one of peace, contentment, and awe. Man and woman have never lost their yearning for the garden of Eden.

Shulamite (2:17)

(Harem women surround her, and the Shulamite explains the commotion as the troubled waki Shulamite (3:1–5) (The lights turn out, and the performers leave in the darkness; end of second rhapsody.)

(The Shulamite, now veiled, disconsolately ing time with the women in the harem confine One of the Women (3:6) (looking out a window) Another (3:7–8) Another (3:9–10)

Analysis of 3:1–11

The Shulamite explains her dream to the harem. The word night has a significant meaning in its text. Layil is the Hebrew word for night. Night, in this text, has a plural meaning where a repeat is involved. This can be compared to a regular duty, day or night, continual (Isaiah 21:11–12). With the Shulamite, this will be a nightly occurrence. As she remains in the harem confines, which gives indication that her stay will be of a considerable length, the Shulamite reveals the Ahab of her heart, yearning for the bedchamber where she was conceived. Interesting note: it was the cultural custom for the vowed couple to seal their vow in “mother’s chamber” (Genesis 24:63–67). Once again, the Shulamite impresses the purity of her love to the harem, reminding them of their first sensual “acts of Ahab” compared to letting love take its time naturally till he pleases (3:1–5). A new day arises where the fragrance and pompous entrance of Solomon is coming upon them. One of the harem wives describes the vehicle of Solomon. Notice that she calls it “a traveling couch,” not “coach,” as he approaches the confines with his personal body guard. In the description of the coach, the cedar wood from Lebanon is mentioned. Always in Scripture, Lebanon is noted for her beauty and cedar trees (Psalm 29:4–5). This coach is adorned with all the opulent amenities of expensive fabric, silver and gold. The furniture is in purple. Again, the Ahab of the enthralled harem is displayed by the comment for a sexual encounter. Here is the perfect example of “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (I John 2:15–16). An important note: the comment of the wives makes reference to the crown that his mother gave him on his wedding day. There are two words in Hebrew that give a distinct meaning to the word marriage. Ownah has the meaning “to dwell together” or “to cohabit sexually” (Exodus 21:10). Halal has the meaning “to celebrate, commend, sing to” or “to be worthy of praise” (Psalm 78:63). The reference made in 3:11 is the marriage to the throne of Israel (Solomon’s

coronation to being king). He has been on an itinerary through his kingdom, either on a yearly celebration or for a travel to one of his business enterprises (Ecclesiastes 2:7–10). These harem women called wives were not the women he would be legally ed to, as in the marriage with one woman. It seems that some wanted to paint a picture of King Solomon as the flower of decorum, as the one-woman man with the Shulamite, as a typical godly marriage. There is no truth in that. Even if that were the case, the Shulamite was unwilling. This girl was kidnapped and taken from the field where her brothers had placed her. Solomon was never espoused to this girl. She was to be another trophy in his collection. In Hebrew, the word for espousal is Chathan, which means “to give the daughter away in marriage.” The cultural practice was for the parents to arrange the marriage. Usually, it would be the father of the bride with the mother of the son. Let us look at an earlier leader in Israel named Samson (Judges 14:1–4). We can even go back further to Abraham in Genesis chapter 24. Then there are Esau and Jacob (Genesis 27:46, 28:1–9). In Genesis 21, God promised Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, to make him a great nation. Ishmael did not find his wife; Hagar arranged his marriage (Genesis 21:7–21). This, however, was not the case with Solomon. Solomon’s character would be more likened to a rogue rather than to a one-woman man. Interesting fact: purple in the Old Testament was the color for the elite and royalty. Great labor was required to extract the purple dye from the murex mollusks found off the coast of Phoenicia. Only royalty and the wealthy could afford these richly covered garments. When the Lord Jesus was condemned to the cross, as a mockery, the Praetorian Guard clothed him in purple, not realizing that he was the King of kings. Then the Roman guards divided his garments, fulfilling the prophecy (Matthew 27:27–53; Mark 15:17; Luke 23:36). The garment that the Roman soldiers cast lots for was the purple garment. It was worth money! In another writing of Solomon or by his wise men, we find another important Wisdom teaching. In Proverbs 31:1–5 (KJV), wisdom is given through the consultation with a mother’s advice. The Proverb reads: “The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother

taught him” (verse 1). And verse 2 reads: “What my son? And what the son of my womb? And what the son of my vows?” Verse 3 reads: “Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.” Verse 4 reads: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes, strong drink.” Verses 5 reads: “Lest they drink, and forget the laws and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.” This Proverb is Bathsheba giving motherly advice to a Prince Solomon before he ascended to the throne. King Lemuel in the Hebrew language has the symbolic meaning for the name of Solomon. She is putting important questions to Solomon, so he will pay attention. The word prophecy has a variety of meanings in the Hebrew language. The word used here is Massa, which has the meaning of a singing mental desire or of a song to a tribute. Examples are found in Exodus 15:1, Judges 5:1–2, 1 Samuel 18:6–7, and Revelation 15:3. This emphasizes why the greatest song is the song of songs all! In verse 2, questions are put forth to the young prince to gain his attention. “Are you my son?” “Are you my biological son?” “Are you the son of my husband David?” Now in verse 3, the warnings come. The word strength in verse 3 has a meaning “crouched” in the masculine gender. The Hebrew word is Chyil, which pertains to “men having an ability to perform” or “a strong substance.” Verse 4 has three onitions: (1) strength to women; (2) drinking for kings; and (3) excessive drinking to princes. These warnings are what can cause the demise of a king’s rule, as Solomon’s kingdom in latter times was torn away from him by God Almighty. Bathsheba poses another question that will affect Solomon’s Ahab for the rest of his life. Verse 10 reads: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far as rubies.”

What she is saying is, there is no self-righteous woman that has these qualities, as she lists them in verses 11–31. Solomon, because of his royal environment, would never find the perfect or ideal woman. However, in verse 30, Wisdom says that a woman that fears the Lord will be praised; that a God-fearing woman, because of the righteousness of God within her and not her own, would fulfill the qualities listed in verses 10–31. This is where Solomon failed the test from God because of the Ahab of his heart. He could not recognize the God-fearing Shulamite whom he abducted. Later in his life, as expressed in Proverbs 10:1, he evokes the effects that this motherly wisdom would have if not heeded by the son. The word heaviness in verse 1 is the Hebrew word Tuwcah, which means “to have depression, grief, or sorrow” (Proverbs 15:20, 17:25). There have been countless mothers throughout time who have given to their sons the best sound advice and have experienced grief or sorrow as to the outcome. In the best intent of the mothers’ hearts wanting the best life for their sons, they should not blame themselves for the actions of their offspring (3:11).

Another Woman (3:11)

(The harem women run out to look; the Shulamite remains alone inside; the music and bustle Solomon (4:1–5) Shulamite (4:6a) Solomon (4:6b–7)

(The lights turn out; connoisseur King Solomon and the Shulamite girl leave in the darkness;

(Early evening has come; dozing fitfully, the Shulamite maiden is alone in her room; she is dr Her Lover (4:8)

(Pause in the singing; the lover climbs and struggles and penetrates to the level of the Shulam Her Lover (4:9–15) The Shulamite (4:16) Her Lover (5:1a)

(Interruption; commotion; the harem women come to deck the Shulamite for the bridal night;

Analysis of 4:1–16

Solomon starts with another lustful advance towards the Shulamite. Once again, his Ahab is displayed. He describes her appearance as one of lusts more than iration, comparing her eyes to being as innocent as a dove which is compared to purity and her long hair as goats proceeding down Mount Gilead, possibly the area from which she was taken. Her teeth stand out as pure white as to a shaven sheep. What Solomon is doing is physically and verbally giving her his critique of the Shulamite from head to toe. His mention of bearing twins is the breasts of the fawns and the gazelle. She embodies the trophy of all that he has described about her. An interesting note: pomegranate also represents royalty and the elite. The fruit is purple, blue, and scarlet in color. Items of those colors were for expensive ornamentation. Pomegranate also represents the beautiful skin complexion of the Shulamite. An interesting fact: goats mentioned in the text is a reference to the Ibex. This mountain goat was one of the animals in the ancient culture respected with high esteem, along with the lion and greyhound (Proverbs 30:29–32). No other footed animal can attain mountain heights as the Ibex. It is fast and majestic as it stands high on the mountain peaks. It can jump wide lengths between peaks. Its sure footing can enable the Ibex to virtually scale the mountain sides at a ninetydegree angle. The horns of the Ibex can reach a length of over four feet, a formidable defensive weapon against predators. In the Hebrew culture, two horns were used: the ram’s horn and the Ibex’s horn. Both types of horns were known as shofar or trumpet. The Ibex’s horn was only sounded on special occasions, like the New Year or the Year of Jubilee, which was once every forty-nine years (Psalm 81:1–4; Leviticus 25:8–9). The Ibex is the goat which was the third beast in the book of Daniel, symbolizing the kingdom of Greece ruled by Alexander the Great (Daniel 8, KJV) that God had revealed to Daniel in a vision. Our day will be a special occasion when we hear the sound of the Shofar and the Lord takes us up in the clouds (1 Corinthians 15:50–55). As King Solomon makes his advances, the Shulamite replies in exclamation, thinking back to her dream of “wait till tonight” in 2: 17, ing her true

lover. Again, Solomon is unrelenting in his attempts to seduce the Shulamite (4:1–7). Again, the night comes, the Shulamite is dreaming and hears her lover’s call approaching. He is exhorting her to come away from that Lebanon. Here, this is a reference to the sin environment she has been exposed to. Lebanon was renowned for its grandeur and beauty, a high elevation of paradise. “Amana” are the pure running waters that are blocked by the inaccessible thickets. The thickets are worldly lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. This is sin city. The harem Solomon and that lifestyle are the den of lions and the leopard caves. Interesting fact: Mount Shenir is the poetic name for Mount Hermon. Hermon is situated thirty miles southwest of Damascus and forty miles northeast of the sea of Galilee. Hermon was the religious center of primeval Syria where the high places of Baal existed (4:8). The lover calling on her expresses his Ahab to the Shulamite while dreaming. The lover gives his critique of his love. The difference in the lover’s critique, as compared to that of Solomon, expresses iration of the purest form, sincere and candid. Solomon’s was selfish, deceptive, and lascivious. The lover’s intent was pure as indicated by the word bride. Between 4:8 and 5:1, the word bride is mentioned five times by the lover with his intent to honor the vow with her. He compares her to the purity of the fruit, spices, and fragrances of the pure Lebanon, not of Solomon’s Lebanon and his environment. The lover is describing her body in iration of her chastity; Solomon’s lustful attitude was the opposite being lewd. We see how fruit is used in the figurative to give a literal meaning. The Scriptures have always shown the association of man and fruits, whether it is in planting, harvesting, reaping, as alluding to relationships between God and man or between a man and a woman (Genesis 4:1–5, 9:19–21; Deuteronomy 28:2–4, 11; 1 Corinthians 3:8–9; James 5:7–8). The farmer plants seed into fertile soil resulting in growing fruit. In the Hebrew teachings, it was taught that the male genital organ plows and plants the seed into the ground to grow fruit. The female genital area when fertile results in the fruit being produced.

Let’s look at Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 30 (Genesis 30:1–3; Psalm 127:3–4). The garden mentioned in the text is the womb. The flowers mentioned have the meaning of the pure and clean female genitalia. The Shulamite was pure and sealed off, unlike the harem. Well, in the Hebrew language, Baar means “a pit to engrave.” The garden is the well described in Proverbs 5:15–23. The spring of the bubbling waters are pure as the garden is. The Hebrew word for water has a variety of meanings. The word is Mayim, meaning “water,” which can be used as a euphemism for urine, piss, or semen (1 Samuel 25:34; 1 Kings 14:10–11; Isaiah 36:12; Genesis 38:8–10). The unclean flower in the Hebrew language is “Niddah,” having the meaning of a menstruating woman or an unclean, impure, immoral, and a “product of incest.” These kinds of flowers are associated with the environment of Solomon and the harem. Flowers are the unclean harem women (Leviticus 15:21–24, 31, 33; Proverbs 7:25–27, 23:27–28). Interesting note: God thinks of man’s righteousness as that of filthy rags. These filthy rags are those of a menstruating woman, not too good of a picture for the self-righteous man (Isaiah 64:4–6). As the Shulamite is awakening out of her sleep, an emotional responsive desire for her lover to come to her takes hold. She is his garden only and his fruits. She expresses her faithfulness and loyalty (Ach). She makes reference to the north and south winds as a map for her lover to guide him to her purity. She is the awaiting destination point (Ecclesiastes 1:6). Interesting fact: the word Indian is mentioned in the text, along with flowers and spices of the garden. The Indian aloe tree equals “lign aloe tree.” The Hebrew word is Ahalim. This aloe was used for oil, perfumes, and embalming. It was very expensive. This tree can reach heights of 120 feet. This tree is only native to India and parts of China. As stated in the word Indian, there is only one other verse in Scripture that refers to the “Indian lign”: in Numbers 24. Balaam blesses Israel instead of a curse in verses 5–7. He makes clear that the Lord God Almighty planted this foreign tree in the promised land to Israel as they were taking possession. This was a divine sign from God to his people. Verse 6 says, “Lign aloe.” This is a deity verse. The question to ask oneself is, why the word Indian (Lign) has been removed from other translations? Why is deity taken out of chapter 4 of the greatest song in other translations (4:1–16)?

Her Lover (5:1b)

Eat and drink, my friends: Get drunk with your lovemakin

Shulamite (5:2–8)

I was asleep! But I was awake: the voice of my lover!? Is

A Head Woman of the Harem (5:9) But what is your lover compared to (the line of) David, m Shulamite (5:10–16)

My bronze and ruddy lover is one in a thousand! His head

Analysis of 5:1–16

The lover acknowledges the Shulamite’s desires comparing her to the best of spices, honey, wine, and milk. Taste in Hebrew is Chek, meaning “roof of the mouth.” Honey in Hebrew is Dbash, meaning “gummy sweet syrup.” Honeycomb in Hebrew is Yaar, meaning “a thicket of fresh or healthy bushes.” Wine in Hebrew is Yayin, meaning “intoxication” or “banqueting.” Milk in Hebrew is Chalab, meaning “the richest and finest.” All in unity with the best and purest of his bride to be! For a moment, the lover has come on the scene. In 5:1, a comment is made to the harem women, coming to see and hear the sounds of the Shulamite. : this has been a continual night-after-night occurrence for a considerable period of time. For the brief moment, the harem confronts the lover in his exit. His reply is not exactly cordial. The word friends in Hebrew is Rachel, with the meaning of “a flock of female sheep, wandering on a journey.” This is what he calls the harem, and he is telling them to “go about their business” with their illicit lovemaking. The Shulamite now fully awakened and in the presence of her harem companions explains what has just happened to her. She is befuddled and shocked, thinking of her dream and experiencing the fact that her lover was really there for a moment. She goes back and forth, reminiscing the dream as his apparent presence. She knows he was there, commenting to the harem, and she is hoping that if they see him, to give him the message that “she is yearning for him” (5:2–8). The harem is now “showing interest.” That is, all they’ve heard during the tenure of the Shulamite at the harem is how wonderful her lover is. How can he be compared to Solomon! The Shulamite goes into more detail by a critique of her lover, eulogizing in

iration why he is “better” than Solomon. Her Ahab, in describing the lover, is “purity.” He stands out as “one in a thousand.” She compares the wholeness of her lover to the grandeur of the great cedars of Lebanon (Psalm 104:16). She reminds the women at the harem that he is “set apart” exclusively for her and her alone and that she is faithful to him.

Interesting Fact about Precious Stones of Tarshish

Tarshish is a Phoenician word, meaning “smelting plant or refinery.” Archeologists have uncovered an inscription from the city of Nora Sardinia from the ninth century BC, referring to Tarshish as a “smelting plant or refinery” for precious metals and ivory. There were also refinery and smelting settlements in Spain. Solomon’s merchant marine fleet transported raw copper mined at distant ports in Southern Arabia and North Africa in exchange for gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks (1 Kings 9, 9:26–28, 10:22–23). Tarshish was also the city where Jonah tried to flee from the presence of the Lord (Jonah 1:3).

Another Head Woman of the Harem (6:1) Shulamite (6:2–3)

(The lights turn out to end the fourth rhapsody; the women dress the Shulamite in the darknes

(Solomon comes stately in to get the new bride; the harem women watch with fascination, the Solomon (6:4)

(Suddenly, a ringing young voice penetrates clearly into the room from out beyond the window Her Lover (6:8–9) Chorus of Harem Women (6:10)

(Solomon, irate, dispatches some guards to go get the treser; the harem women begin to ru Shulamite (6:11–12) (She turns her back on Solomon, forlorn but determined.) Chorus of Harem Women (6:13a)

Shulamite (6:13b)

(At this outburst the women withdraw; the Shulamite breaks into crying; Solomon watches, b Solomon (7:1–9a) (pause; no response)

Analysis of 6:1–13

Thus far, we have analyzed the first two sections of the song. As we start the third section, six points are highlighted in the translation of this text. Point 1: Solomon’s love is not genuine but selfish, insincere, and lustful. The potentate has everything. Yet he can’t have the Shulamite—a lesson from God and a test that he has miserably failed! Point 2: the Shulamite’s love is tested, and her love is genuine toward her lover. She is faithful and loyal to him. She is a God-fearing woman by standing firm (Proverbs 31:30). Point 3: the Shulamite’s lover is faithful and loyal to her as well. He is tested by the sacrifices he has to make by his coming for her. He is a God-fearing man. This is the man about whom Solomon comments in Ecclesiastes 7:25–29. The Shulamite’s comments about him are also in 5:10. Point 4: the central theme of the greatest song is brought out. Human love’s unshakable loyalty and enduring pureness, in sincerity of faithfulness, is in both courtship and marriage. Point 5: in this content, the translation does not teach us that Solomon is a onewoman man with the Shulamite as his wife on their honeymoon night nor does it teach us about Christ and the church! Point 6: the song is not just some lyrical poem but poetry that has a literal meaning with a Wisdom teaching. In 6:1, a “lead harem woman” displays interest in her predicament, asking for more information and saying that the harem would assist. The Shulamite makes reference to the fact that her lover has come for his garden of paradise to gather the lilies. Her response to the harem is that she is his, as stated in 6. She is the red lily mentioned in verse 2:1, as she expresses emotional surprise (“Ach! He belongs to her”) (6:2–3).

Solomon comes for the newest trophy to his collection, impressed by the way the harem harlots had dressed her up. He compares her to the ancient Canaanite city of Tirzah, as previously mentioned. He is about to receive the shock he was not expecting. The Shulamite is giving Solomon the look of rejection, as she stands firm and faithful to her lover. Solomon again repeats his advances, as done earlier, when she was first brought into the harem confines. What was being done over time was that this girl was being “groomed and dressed up” by the harem harlots to please the lustful desires of the king (6:4–7). We see now the confrontation and know who is going to win the possession of the Shulamite. The lover calls out as he returns to claim her. With the king present, the lover reminds him, Solomon, of the multitude of his queens and hoard of young girls. Interesting facts: in the Hebrew language, the word for queen is Shegal, having the meaning of a “legitimate wife” or a “concubine” who would be “a second wife.” Concubine in the Hebrew language is Pilegesh, having the meaning of a “paramour” or “illicit lover.” Queen in the Hebrew language is Malak, also having another meaning “to ascend to a throne” or “to reign in royalty” (Daniel 5:10, 22–24; Esther 7:1–3). Girl in Hebrew is Yaldah, which has the meaning of a “girl from infancy to adolescence,” “a damsel, maiden, or young woman.” This was the Shulamite! The lover, calling out, claims her as his own, not Solomon’s, referring to the purity of her innocence, confirming that she is a young girl. The lover goes on to proclaim that the “women queens” and “concubines” of the palace have praised her or “hold her in esteem.” Interesting note: this Shulamite was a God-fearing witness in Solomon’s kingdom to receive such praise. This would also indicate that she had been in the harem confines for a length of time. Even her harem companions were impressed (6:8–9). This act that is the lover’s arrival, without a doubt, angered Solomon. How could this happen to him, King Solomon? The lesson from God in action! (Ecclesiastes 4:13).

Now the Shulamite tells the story of how this whole situation began. This is the starting point of the greatest song, which is in progression when we read the written words in chapter 1:4–7. With the lover present, she repeats the story of her abduction by King Solomon how she was taken from the grove where she had been placed by her brothers (6:11–12). The harem harlots reply by showing that their only concern was how they dressed up the Shulamite to please the king. Interesting note: the faithfulness and loyalty of the lover is shown as he makes a personal sacrifice to come for his betrothed. At any time, King Solomon could have had this man killed! But he was God-fearing, and God’s hand was upon him (Romans 8:31). One thing can be sure: this man left a lasting impression on Solomon. Interesting note: the question that I have always had is, “How did this lover know about what had happened to the Shulamite?” Here is some food for thought: perhaps he saw the abduction as he came to the grove where the Shulamite’s brothers had sequestered her. Maybe someone else whom he knew told him. Whatever the case may be, it would have been a considerable time frame in claiming the Shulamite back from Solomon. One has to that three thousand years ago, most news was spread through continuous travel of the caravans. However, it was God in control, and this was part of the test for everyone involved (Romans 8:28). The Shulamite got offended after comments from the harem women, making a reference to the sword dance of the bride from Mahanaim. The question arises again: “is she a God-fearing Israelite woman from the plains of Sharon making a sarcastic comment to them, or is she the God-fearing Gentile from the area of Gilead where Mahanaim is located?” (6:13). Interesting fact: Mahanaim was the place where Jacob met the angels (Genesis 32:1–2). Mahanaim was also the location and place for provisions of Solomon’s many harem establishments. As far as cultural dances go, the sword dances were those of Arab culture. The dance celebrations of the Israelites were with trumpets, harp, stringed instruments, cymbals, timbrels, and organs (reed instruments) (Psalm 150:1–6).

(As he goes to raise her veil, the Shulamite, shamed at such language, righteously angry, break Shulamite (7:9b–10) (At this moment, the guards enter with her lover; and the harem women crowd in behind.) Shulamite (7:11–8:4) (running to him)

Analysis of 7:1–8:4

Solomon tries desperately to win her over with more of his copious lustful advances. He still can’t see that the Shulamite is a God-fearing woman. He compares her eyes to the pools near Heshbon. Interesting fact: Heshbon is located twenty miles east of the Jordan River, four thousand feet above sea level. Above is a turbulent stream that runs down and flows into the Dead Sea. Pockets of pools are on the west side. When the sun sets, it shines on the pools causing a glimmer. This Solomon compares to the eyes of the Shulamite. Mount Carmel is a mountainous, heavily wooded area. Stately means “beautiful.” King David’s favorite wife was Abigail from the town of Carmel (1 Samuel 25:39–40). Years later, Elijah, the Tishbite from the Gilead area (1 Kings 17:1), would be sent by God to destroy Jezebel’s prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:17–20). As Solomon continues his heavy advances, he uses the words “enchanting things.” Solomon is referencing to the Shulamite that she is anatomically better than the harem and that her intoxicating kisses will be desirable to him. That advance probably did not go over too good with the harem. Her sternness to him is a rebuke, as she stands firm in faithfulness to her lover. Both the lover and her are loyal. Earlier in the event, when Solomon had brought the Shulamite into the harem confines, she called the harem women “bedfellows,” meaning they were whores. Now at the final confrontation, she calls Solomon’s attention to his wellworn lips. The Shulamite is calling Solomon “a whoremonger.” These would be the last words spoken to a rejected Solomon (Hebrews 13:4). With her obvious choice, the Shulamite’s desires, thoughts, and dreams are being fulfilled. The time for love of the spring and summer is upon them. This is the fulfilled dream of verse 2:10. The openings are the kisses they shared, which are fulfilled in the dream of 3:1–5. The purity of their Ahab is displayed as an emotional surprise (Ach). She concludes her last words to the harem before

departing. The statement “till he pleases” is to remind them, as she has done throughout the story, not to go fast and take love slow. The final word charge is used toward them. Charge in Hebrew is “to repeatedly swear or declare” (7:1– 8:4).

(As if in answer to the charge, Solomon turns and slowly leaves the room with his guards; the

(The troubled brothers of the Shulamite stand about near one of the vineyards which they had The Eldest Brother (8:5a)

(Shulamite and her lover pause at a far corner of the family orchard; in sight but not hearing o Her Lover (8:5b) (They move to the spot and take or renew as it were their marriage vow, facing one another.) The Shulamite (8:6a) Her Lover (8:6b–7) (The Shulamite and her lover move on to where her brothers are congregated.) Shulamite (8:8–10) Her Lover (8:11–13) The Shulamite (8:14) The Shulamite Her Lover

(Her love escorts the Shulamite; the lights turn off, and the performers leave in the darkness; e

Analysis of 8:5–14

After the confrontation with Solomon is over, one would think that “everything is fine.” However, the couple has to face another hurdle. They have to reckon with the Shulamite’s brothers. Verse 8:5 starts with the return home. The brothers’ remarks upon seeing them coming is twofold. The sister returning with her lover? It was a question with a surprise! One has to that the Shulamite’s brothers had no idea at all regarding what happened to her during all the time she was away. Upon noticing that she was with her lover would raise the suspicion that they had eloped from their guardianship. The pair would have to explain what had happened while they were gone. This could be another dangerous confrontation for the lover. These guys could have annihilated the lover just as Solomon could have had him killed on the spot. As the two approach the grove, the lover reminds the Shulamite of the beginning of their love affair near her birthplace. Was the couple from the plains of Sharon or the Gilead area adjacent to Kedar? Their Ahab together is displayed in their dialogue. The Shulamite responds to her lover by reaffirming her vow. The word keep means “to guard,” which in Hebrew is Natar. The lover responds to her that he is the seal to her heart. The word seal in Hebrew is Chatham, meaning “to close up.” He states that this seal of clo his vow to her is permanent and that the drive of love is permanent with a frightful power. He defines the flames and flashes of love as true love from God. Their true love of God was the test and trial they went through. Their faithfulness and their true love for each other are the purity of God’s refinement (Proverbs 25:4). Nothing can ever quench the fire of God’s pure love. Important fact: there is only one inspired book of the Bible that does not have God mentioned in its text. That’s the book of Esther. As stated previously, the King James Bible translators removed “Lord God” from its text. Chapter 8 of the lover’s dialogue is inscribed the way the text was originally written.

The dialogue of the lover is in the presence of the Shulamite’s brothers. After showing his Ahab to the Shulamite, the lover closes with a statement that is a snub to Solomon, the man. As a matter of fact, King Solomon defines as a teaching, mentioned in the book of Proverbs, what the lover stated to the Shulamite (Song of Songs 8:6–7; Proverbs 14:20, 19:4). The lover and the Shulamite have to explain to them the situation they were in, in order to receive their blessings. The Shulamite is reminding her brothers of how they protected her as she was maturing. In the culture of that era, the sister sibling was held in high esteem by the brothers. They would protect her at any cost so as not to bring any dishonor upon their family name. She mentioned that the brothers would go to all lengths to protect her virginity. Planks of wood were used in some form as a chastity belt if the brothers had determined that she was promiscuous. If she was chaste, she would be honored and referred to as a silver crown. Silver is always the sign of purity (Psalm 12:6). In Genesis chapter 34, we see the position of the brothers’ role that played in the protection of the sister, as well as their approval of her as a potential spouse even if at times in the event of a disapproval regarding the approval of the parents or the willingness of the daughter. We see this in the actions that Jacob’s sons took in the matter of their sister, Dinah. Now that the Shulamite has finished presenting her case, it is the lover’s turn. The lover starts out by explaining his confrontation of the king to the Shulamite’s brothers. He describes the vineyard near Baal Hamon. The word vineyard is the Hebrew word Bavith, which has the meaning of “a palace” or “inside place,” such as a harem confines. Baal Hamon was one of the high places Solomon had erected for worshipping the false god Ashtoreth, Canaanite goddess of fertility. The location was uncertain. King Josiah removed all the high places around 640 BC (2 Kings 23:1–27). The harem of Solomon consisted of the goddess temple prostitutes, the oldest lucrative profession that still flourishes today (Proverbs 9:1–6, 13–18). Fruits are the services they provided at the cost of a thousand pieces of silver. Thousand also has the meaning of “Lord of the multitude,” which Solomon was, as men would pay for the harlot’s company. What the lover is explaining is that he rescued their sister, his beloved, from this kind of environment. Now he has brought her back while also explaining why she had been absent. He explains the

remark he made to Solomon that “Solomon had his thousand, but the Shulamite is his alone. Waiting for the Shulamite’s answer as people refers to the fact that the brothers are in approval. Final interesting fact: coined currency did not come into production until 650– 700 BC. Prior to those years, money for barter or service was weighted out in ounces. As world commerce was evolving, coins came in as an improved system to meet demands. The Assyrians introduced coins into the commercial economy. The price that the harem would receive for services would be approximately a half pound of silver, which equals to twenty-five pim shekels. By today’s standards, this would be the equivalent in silver of one hundred dollars per session (Genesis 20:15–17, 23:7–16). The Shulamite closes with the quick answer compared to the speed of the gazelle. Both express the results of their Ahab for each other with their emotions expressed as surprise in satisfaction with the rewards of the results. The closing “Ah!” is the culmination of the theme of the greatest song. Their loyalty and faithfulness to each other are the fruits of their desires, which have been fulfilled by God. They both showed their God-fearing stance amidst all opposition. Now starts a new life with the couple having the pure fire of the Lord God, as they continue in their vowed marriage with God being their focus as they are now one (8:14). This is the truth of the song!

In the study of the Old Testament, much of the wisdom literature (Chochmah) is portrayed in the feminine gender. Through King Solomon’s observations and his many experiences, God chose Solomon to write Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the greatest song. Solomon wrote more about women and the facts of life than any other biblical writer.

Wisdom in Proverbs Ecclesiastes 1:6–7 3:11 1:10–11 5:15 1:15–19 7:25–29 2:16–19 9:9 3:13–21 11:5 4:3–9 12:8–9 4:13 5:3–4 5:20–23 6:6 6:20–32 7:1–27 8:1–36 9:1–18 10:1 12:4 14:1 15:20 17:25 18:13 18:22 23:26–28 25:24 27:15–16

29:3 29:15 30:11–20 30:21–23, 28 31:1–31

True Love of God = Purity

This is a culmination of blessings, a fire (without ceasing fervor) that cannot be quenched (extinguished) (Psalm 12:6–8; Psalm 119:140; Matthew 5:8).

What Is a God-Fearing Man and Woman?

Not a self righteous religious church attendance. (Revelation 3:13–22) Willful worship (John 4:23–24, 3:30) Willful commitment (practice) (1 John 3:6–9, 3:22–24; John 3:3–7; Hebrew 13:20–21; Titus 3:5) Willful obedience

Love = agape of the word Keep = to guard the truth of the word (1 Peter 1:13–16; John 14:15, 21, 23; 1 Thessalonians 5:19–23, James 4:1–4, Titus 3:3–11)

What Is a Heretic?

Heretic = Greek Hairetikos, a person or persons causing divisions by a party spirit (action) that is in opposition to the truth of the Word of God, a contentious or factious person (1 Corinthians 1:9–13, 11:17–19; 2 Corinthians 11:3–4, 12– 20; 2 Timothy 4:3–4). Heretics and false teachers that disseminate heresy cause a rift in a relationship with God and man and with man and woman (James 4:4).

In Conclusion

In conclusion, it is my sincere hope that this teaching shall enhance your love and worship of God and love for the brethren. I have had this translation for close to forty years. I would like to make reference to the sources I used in the preparation for this study.

The Holy Spirit

The King James Bible Old Testament Wisdom Literature Syllabus Dr. Douglas A. Stevens, Moody Bible Institute 1981 Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia Unger’s Bible Dictionary Nave’s Topical Bible Holman Bible Atlas Archeology—Gaynor/Aactonen George Panos

A Literal Translation of Song of Songs by Seerveld:

(A free translation of Song of Songs from the Hebrew with suggested speakers listed at the lef (Lights up on women relaxing at their toilette; Solomon and retinue through the harem.) Chorus of Veiled Women (1:2a) Solo Voice (1:2b) Another (1:3a) Another (1:3b)

Another (1:3c) Shulamite Girl (1:4a) (entering looking back) Harem Chorus (1:4b) Shulamite Girl (1:5–7) A Leading Harem Woman (1:8) (The women withdraw as Solomon reenters.) Solomon (1:9–11) The Shulamite Maiden (1:12–14) Solomon (1:15) Shulamite (1:16) Solomon (1:17) Shulamite (2:1) Solomon (2:2) Shulamite (2:3–7) (reflecting almost to self; some harem women quietly return, listen) (The lights turn out, and the performers leave in the darkness; end of the first rhapsody.) (It is morning; the Shulamite alone on a couch in a small room, suddenly attent.) Shulamite (2:8–10a) Her Lover (2:10b–14) The Shulamite (2:15) (responding with a ditty they used to sing together)

Shulamite (2:16) (rustle of harem women coming; awakened by her singing, curious to see wh Shulamite (2:17)

(Harem women surround her and the Shulamite explains the commotion as the troubled wakin Shulamite (3:1–5) (The lights turn out, and the performers leave in the darkness; end of second rhapsody.)

(The Shulamite, now veiled, disconsolately ing time with the women in the harem confine One of the Women (3:6) (looking out a window) Another (3:7–8) Another (3:9–10)

Another Woman (3:11)

(The harem women run out to look; the Shulamite remains alone inside; the music and bustle Solomon (4:1–5) Shulamite (4:6a) Solomon (4:6b–7)

(The lights turn out; connoisseur King Solomon and the Shulamite girl leave in the darkness;

(Early evening has come; dozing fitfully, the Shulamite maiden is alone in her room; she is dr Her Lover (4:8)

(Pause in the singing; the lover climbs and struggles and penetrates to the level of the Shulam Her Lover (4:9–15) The Shulamite (4:16) Her Lover (5:1a)

(Interruption; commotion; the harem women come to deck the Shulamite for the bridal night; Her Lover (5:1b) Shulamite (5:2–8) A Head Woman of the Harem (5:9) Shulamite (5:10–16) Another Head Woman of the Harem (6:1) Shulamite (6:2–3)

(The lights turn out to end the fourth rhapsody; the women dress the Shulamite in the darknes

(Solomon comes stately in to get the new bride; the harem women watch with fascination, the Solomon

(Suddenly, a ringing young voice penetrates clearly into the room from out beyond the window Her Lover (6:8–9) Chorus of Harem Women (6:10)

(Solomon, irate, dispatches some guards to go get the treser; the harem women begin to ru

Shulamite (6:11–12) (She turns her back on Solomon, forlorn but determined.) Chorus of Harem Women (6:13a) Shulamite (6:13b)

(At this outburst, the women withdraw; the Shulamite breaks into crying; Solomon watches b Solomon (7:1–9a) (pause; no response)

(As he goes to raise her veil, the Shulamite, shamed at such language, righteously angry, break Shulamite (7:9b–10) (At this moment, the guards enter with her lover; and the harem women crowd in behind.) Shulamite (7:11–8:4) (running to him)

(As if in answer to the charge, Solomon turns and slowly leaves the room with his guards; the

(The troubled brothers of the Shulamite stand about near one of the vineyards which they had The Eldest Brother (8:5a)

(Shulamite and her lover pause at a far corner of the family orchard; in sight but not hearing o Her Lover (8:5b) (They move to the spot and take or renew as it were, their marriage vow, facing one another.) The Shulamite (8:6a) Her Lover (8:6b–7) (The Shulamite and her lover move on to where her brothers are congregated.) Shulamite (8:8–10) Her Lover (8:11–13) The Shulamite (8:14) The Shulamite Her Lover

(Her lover escorts the Shulamite; the lights turn off, and the performers leave in the darkness;

About the Author

George Panos is a retired government public servant and former elected official of twenty-five years. George studied at Moody Bible Institute in the 1980s. He has been in the ministry of evangelism and a confrontation-deliverance ministry ministering to those who have fallen victim to the adversary. Currently, George attends services at the Parker Road Bible Church of Mokena, Illinois. George was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago. He currently resides in Orland Park, Illinois.