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Bible Articles and Lessons: S

Song of songs, introduction and background

Different backgrounds, and frameworks, for the Song of Songs are almost as numerous as students of the book. There are perhaps more different interpretations of this Book than of any other in the Bible, including Revelation! Plainly, this is a difficult book to place in historical context, and to present in outline form. There are a number of separate short songs, which are clearly related but not necessarily sequential in time. At times it is very difficult to know for sure who is speaking, and to whom the words are being spoken; also, it is difficult to know whether the person or persons to whom the words are being spoken is/are physically present or absent at the time.

The author of the book is not stated (it is not necessarily Solomon: see Song 1:1n). This in itself allows for any number of possible backgrounds and outlines.

As to the historical, or Old Testament, background, this study (following HAW's idea) suggests that the Song of Songs is based on King Hezekiah's attempts to regather the remnant of the Northern Kingdom back to his own Southern Kingdom. This would include especially his effort to reclaim them for the worship of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Only a study of the whole book, in some detail, can prove (or disprove) the reasonableness of this scenario.

Other scenarios are therefore offered, in the Outlines section. The reader may find that one or more of these are perhaps more appealing as a framework for study; and to this the author can make no objection.

Whatever the historical context that gave rise to the Song of Songs in the first place, it is almost universally accepted that -- in an Old Testament context -- the underlying theme is the relationship between the God of Israel and His people (cp Isa 62:4,5; 64:5; Hos 2:16,19). And furthermore that -- in New Testament terms -- the Book is an allegory about Christ and his Bride, the church or ecclesia (cp Mat 25:1; Rom 7:4; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:32; Rev 19:7; 21:2,9). There is a natural progression and development in these ideas. No matter where the Song of Songs is placed as to its composition and historical context, these spiritual truths will surely be recognized as the primary purpose, and most fulfilling study, of the Book.

These twin themes (of God and Israel, and Christ and the body of believers) will receive most of the attention in the verse-by-verse notes that make up the main part of the commentary.

Old Testament background: one possible view

Hezekiah inaugurated a great religious reformation: The temple was cleansed and rehabilitated; idolatry was swept away. He sent messengers throughout all 12 tribes inviting them to renew their allegiance to Yahweh and to come to Jerusalem for the Passover (2Ch 30:5-12,18,21). His intention was no doubt to reunite the nation politically as well as religiously. (The Northern Kingdom was in turmoil with devastations from the Assyrians, and this would appeal to many of the victims therefrom.)

This master plan was thwarted, however, by the invasion of Sennacherib. Only Jerusalem escaped. But the enemy host was overthrown, and there ensued a 15-year period of unmatched peace and prosperity. During this time Hezekiah's wooing of the northern tribes would undoubtedly be resumed (although Scripture does not mention this) -- this time without fear of Assyrian interference.

The first purpose of the Song of Songs, then, may have been these worthy attempts to unite at least the faithful remnant of the North with the God-given religion and kingship centered in Jerusalem. Thus the name "Shulammite" would suggest the northern tribes, and "betrothal" would suggest Hezekiah's great Passover. In this scenario, the shepherd's disappearance and the woman's resultant nightmares, fears, and separations would symbolize the Assyrian invasion of the Northern Kingdom and the continuing attempts thereafter to unite nation.

Consider:

Parallel of Jerusalem and Tirzah (Song 6:4).
Almost all geographical allusions are to the north. En-gedi (in south) refers to the Bridegroom.
The "Beloved" is a term which, in Hebrew, very closely echoes "David", thus referring to the royal line of Judah.
Solomon's name is used because he was the last king before Hezekiah to reign over an undivided kingdom.
The "two companies" (Song 6:12,13) suggest northern and southern kingdoms.
Military allusions such as Song 3:8; 6:4,10 suggest a time of war.
The 1,000 and the 200 of Song 8:11,12 are intended to represent the 10 tribes and the 2 tribes.
The mountains of "division", at the beginning, become at the end the mountains of "spices" (Song 8:14n) -- implying unity and peace.
The description of the "Beloved" sounds very much like a description of the Temple at Jerusalem (Song 5:10-16), to which the northern remnant is being invited to worship.

[GL Carr, in the "Tyndale OT Commentary", refers to an ancient tradition preserved in the Mishnah, that "Hezekiah and his company... wrote the Song of Songs." (This would match what is known about Hezekiah's work in compiling the Proverbs in Pro 25:1.) He adds, however, that this may be understood in terms of editorial work done on an already existing body of material.]

In the "Hezekiah" scenario, "Solomon" does not refer to the real person of that name, but is a designation of spiritual significance -- a royal prototype. It refers to a righteous son of Solomon, and hence son of David -- one who is keenly interested in the worship at the temple built by his ancestor Solomon.

Other Hezekiah connections

Psalm 45 is the portion of Scripture that most closely resembles the Song of Songs. For various reasons, the authorship of Psalm 45 may be attributed to Hezekiah -- and the bride there described could have been, in the first instance, Hephzibah (for more on this point, see George Booker's "Psalms Studies"). From that, we quote the following:

"Psalm 45 is a 'miniature Song of Songs'. Both Scriptures describe the marriage of a great 'king' to a special 'bride'. The righteous King (vv 2,7), taken from among his fellows (v 7), but now elevated above all them to sit on God's throne (v 6), celebrates a great marriage (vv 9-11). This is none other than 'the marriage of the Lamb' (Rev 19:7-9), with a 'Bride' out of the Gentiles (vv 11,12)! This King is also a great High Priest (cp Isa 61:1,2,10: a 'bridegroom who decketh himself as a priest'), for (as in the Song of Songs) he is described in imagery reminiscent of the temple and its services. It is because of the surpassing sacrifice that the King-Priest has offered that his prospective Bride has been cleansed, and prepared for him (Eph 5:25-27, citing Song 4:7; cp Song 6:8,9)."

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Other possible historical backgrounds have been suggested:

The Song of Songs is taken to be the story of one of king Solomon's romances, this one with a young girl of non-Jewish ancestry. In one form or another, this is probably the most common assumption about the book. (Some scholars take this to be the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh: cp the imagery of Song 1:9 and 1Ki 3:1; 7:8. HP Mansfield follows this idea. However, it is difficult to see how the Shulammite, who seems to be a poor girl well-acquainted with labor, could be the daughter of a great king.)
The Song is taken to be a sort of romantic "triangle", where the king and some obscure shepherd vie for the affections of the young girl. Exponents of this viewpoint allege a distinction, in the songs, between two men, one a "king" (who would be Solomon, of course) and the other the "beloved" (who would be the shepherd). [This view is held by EW Bullinger, and is outlined in "The Companion Bible".]
In another view, the Shulamite is Abishag the Shunammite, the beautiful young virgin who cared for the aged king David (1Ki 1:2,4). It is supposed that after his death she is wooed by his son Solomon -- but her love remains only for the father, even though he is now deceased, rather than for his less righteous son.
RW Ask suggests that the Song is "pure allegory" -- that, although written by Solomon, it bears no relation to any transaction between himself and any of his wives, but is solely an expression of spiritual love, first between God and Israel, and secondly between Christ and the church.
Some commentators suppose that the Song of Songs is a compilation of several different love songs (the number most often used is seven), songs that are unrelated to one another. But evidence of unity within the book argues against its being a collection of poems that have merely a general similarity to one another.

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The historical background of the Song of Songs may be distinguished from the Old Testament theme. The underlying theme of the Book, in OT terms, is the great love of the God of Israel for His people -- even when they were forgetful of him. It is noteworthy that the Song was traditionally read at the time of Passover -- because that feast commemorated the purest expression of God's covenant love. This love was expressed in the promises to Abraham and the fathers, when He delivered His children out of slavery in Egypt, and solemnly "betrothed" them to Himself at Sinai. (Hosea 1-3 corroborates this picture -- there, plainly, the relationship of a real man and his wife is made to describe, typically, the relationship between God Himself and His people Israel. Throughout the Old Testament the idea of a marriage union between God and His people occurs repeatedly, and the most frequent metaphor for religious apostasy is drawn from the crime of adultery: cp Exo 34:15,16; Num 15:39; Psa 73:27; Eze 16:23; Jer 3:11.)