Song of Songs

In this new idyll—which, from its beginning, resembles a wedding song—several voices alternate. The Shulamite, whose litter appeared in 3:7, is invited to dance between two choirs. It is a rhythmic dance, as the translation itself shows. As the dancer, now called “daughter of the Prince,” spins, someone (we do not know if it is the husband or the poet) describes the woman’s body from head to toe. It is perhaps the most sensual scene in the entire book. Sexuality and fertility blend in the images. Some are already familiar: breasts like twin gazelles (4,5). Others are new: the necklace on her hips, the amphora, the ivory tower, the pools of Jebson—the city of troubadours—the well-defined nose, straight as the tower of Lebanon, the lion-like head, the mane on the comb. The mixture of wine and wheat symbolizes fertility. Architecture also contributes to the description of the beloved’s body: the ogive that forms the curves of the hips; the neck, which is an ivory tower; the eyes, which are pools; the upright, lion-like head… Such beauty irresistibly captivates the king in love, who is smitten with the Shulamite as the mane is caught in the comb. There must be something divine about such beauty. The king recognizes the divine touch and proclaims it: “How beautiful and sweet is Love in its delights.” Love (again without an article in the Hebrew text) transforms the woman’s body, making it as slender and fruitful as a palm tree. The time has come to climb the palm tree and pick the dates. The husband will take possession of such beauty, which will be as juicy as grapes, as tasty as apples, as intoxicating as the finest wine (the connections between 1:2-4 and 5:1 are clear). The woman confesses that the union has been consummated. The final words of the idyll refer to Genesis 3:16, except that now it is the man who desires the woman.

This song again takes place in the countryside (cf. 2:8-17). The girl invites him to go out into the countryside, whereas in 2:10, it was the boy who asked her to go out. Between this short song and the idyll of 2:8-10, there is a description of the girl’s naked body (4:1-7)—which stirs the boy’s desire (4:6)—and memories (6:1-3). This depicts an encounter that is more imaginary than real, and a second encounter that feels more like a memory than the present. When the young people are already in the field, hidden under the cypress trees, everything will belong solely to the one they love. The girl has reserved both the new and old fruits for her beloved. This is a promise that leads to other promises to come later. The couple goes out into the field to love, not to harm each other (cf. Gn 4:8).