Study notes

Song of Solomon 4

Introducing Song of SolomonWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

1:1–8:14 Section

The woman is the first one to speak in Song of Songs. Both she and the man she loves are shepherds. For hundreds of years, this job was very common among the people of Israel.

The woman and the man are both adults. This is true even though the woman’s brothers treat her like she is still young. The woman and the man both have very strong desires for each other. For the woman, everything about the man is delightful. For the man, the woman is so beautiful and so delightful. They are completely committed to each other.

Three times the woman talks about how she and the man belong to one another. This shows that they don’t love anyone else the way they love each other. It also shows that neither of them owns or controls the other. They both choose to do things to please the other. They each invite the other to come away with them. They desire to be together. They look for ways to find each other and spend time together.

Most of the woman’s and the man’s poems are about the sexual hopes they have. They hope to enjoy each other’s body fully. The poems are about what they imagine doing together. They imagine these things freely and they explain these things very carefully. But they can’t yet fully take action on their sexual desires.

Three times the woman talks about not waking up love. This means that they must wait to do what they imagine doing with each other. It’s very hard for them to wait.

The woman and the man compare each other’s bodies to many different things. These include things in creation like animals, gardens, mountains, flowers, fruit and spices. They include things in cities like towers, pillars, armies, gates, ivory, gold and silk.

The woman compares love to many things. It can’t be stopped by anything in creation or by death. It can’t be controlled by money. These words are a picture of how strong love is.

4:1

  • my darling (literally companion): The man is about to express his love with someone who is both his friend and lover (see also Song of Solomon 4:7).

  • like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead: Middle Eastern goats are very dark, often black. The woman's hair flows over and down her lighter veil.

4:1–5:1

  • The marriage is now complete.

  • This poem is the first "descriptive poem" in the book (see also Song of Solomon 5:10–16; 6:4–6; 7:2–8). Scholars often call these poems by the Arabic term wasf (meaning "description"). These poems are similar to songs sung at modern Arabic weddings. They are preludes to sexual intimacy. In describing physical beauty, they often start at the head and move downward.

4:2

each has its twin, and not one of them is lost: Her teeth are complete and symmetrical. In a time when dental care was not advanced, a woman with all her teeth was very special!

4:3

Pomegranates have a rosy look and are among the most abundant fruits in the Middle East.

4:4

A slender neck held high shows confidence, dignity, and beauty. The Tower of David is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

4:5

Your breasts are like two fawns...grazing among the lilies: This means they are soft, firm, beautiful, and round.

4:6

After mentioning the breasts in the previous verse, the man's exclamation about hurrying to the mountain of myrrh and hill of frankincense shows his desire to be close to this beautiful woman.

4:8

Mount Amana, Senir, and Hermon are the three northernmost peaks in Israel. They are the highest points on the border with Lebanon. These peaks symbolize the couple's greatest joy, from which they sometimes must come down.

4:9

my sister: The man calls the woman his sister to highlight their loving companionship and his role as her protector. This may sound unusual today, but it does not imply an incestuous relationship. Ancient Near Eastern love poetry often uses the terms brother and sister to describe two people in love.

4:10–11

wine...perfume...honey and milk: The woman is compared to things that are smooth, sweet, and sensual. Her love and their kisses, surrounded by rich fragrances, bring the bridegroom close to ultimate joy.

4:12

a garden locked up, a spring enclosed, a fountain sealed: This statement about her purity and virginity highlights his unique and special status (see Proverbs 5:15 for similar imagery). The images of spring and fountain suggest the most private parts of a woman's body.

4:13–14

The man now describes the most beautiful and pleasurable place between his lover's thighs.

4:16

  • Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choicest fruits: Finally, the woman invites the man to join her and experience her fully.

  • The man had poetically affirmed the woman's purity (Song of Solomon 4:12). However, she is now completely devoted to him, so she reveals her treasures and invites him into the garden.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources