Song of Songs 8
The last chapter of Song of Songs ends in several different sections.
Song 8:1-4 begins with her longing to have her Lover to herself, commenting that she could be with him without social disgrace if he were her brother. She desires to give him all the delights of her love, but warns, “… Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (v. 4), a repeat of Song 2:7 and Song 3:5, which caution against arousing love/sexual desire artificially, but rather letting it be spontaneous and genuine.
The Beloved’s speech in Song 8:6-7 is perhaps the greatest affirmation of true love ever written:
… love is as strong as death, its jealousy (also translated “ardor”) unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Song of Songs 8:6-7
Great description!
Song 8:8-9 shifts focus; her brothers, responsible for her until marriage, speak of guarding her until the proper time.
The last speeches of the Beloved and the Lover conclude the book. She affirms her intention, her choice, to give herself to him: “But my own vineyard is mine to give…” (v. 11). He cries out for her, “… let me hear your voice” (v. 13). Finally, she calls to him, “Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains” (Song 8:14 NIV), to delight her with his physical beauty and strength.
They are together, happily married. We wish them well.
Thank you, Carol, for taking on the daunting task of walking us through the Song of Songs!
For all those who have found this book to be a bit challenging — and my guess is that includes all of us — let me just say that we’re not alone. It has been a challenge for millennia, as is well attested by an article I found today online: The History of Interpretation of the Song of Songs, by J. Paul Tanner. The article is rather lengthy but it is worth a read, as it covers the gamut of the major interpretations, providing summaries and critiques of each — including “The Three-Character Shepherd Hypothesis”. Perhaps that will help each of us think through this most challenging of books!
One more thing…
I just found this limerick that seems very much on topic:
🙂
Brilliant! 😎👍
Totally love it!