Study notes

Song of Solomon 8

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.

8:1

If he were her brother, she could kiss him in public. Romantic kisses were not appropriate in public, but kisses between family members were acceptable.

8:1–4

The woman wants to be with the man and in his arms.

8:5

  • I roused you under the apple tree: The apple tree symbolizes fertility because it bears fruit (see Song of Solomon 2:3, 5; 7:8).

  • there your mother conceived you: Mentioning his mother subtly suggests procreation as a result of sexual love (compare Song of Solomon 8:2).

8:6

seal over your heart . . . on your arm: In ancient Israel a seal was used for identification or to show ownership by pressing the face of a ring into soft wax. The husband wants his wife to mark him with her identity, privately upon his heart, and publicly upon his arm as well. • love is as strong as death: Though death is inevitable, the bond of love is resolute, unshakable, and broken only in death. • The energy of jealousy moves to protect an exclusive relationship such as that of husband and wife or between God and his people (Nah 1:2; Zech 1:14–17). • as the grave: Hebrew as Sheol. In the Old Testament, Sheol is the abode of the dead. It is not necessarily associated with punishment.

8:8

We have a little sister: The wife's brothers worry about their sister's purity. In ancient Near Eastern culture, they protect their sister's sexuality until she marries.

8:8–10

During a heartfelt exchange of romantic compliments and promises, there is strong support for waiting until marriage for sexual activity.

8:9

  • wall: This term has two metaphorical meanings:

    1. A young girl's chest is flat like a wall (see Song of Solomon 8:10)

    2. Until marriage, she should remain abstinent and strong like a wall

  • build a tower of silver upon her: Towers served as lookouts to protect the city; a silver one would be more noticeable and strong. If the woman is already a wall, having kept her virginity, they will honor and support her decision.

  • On the other hand, a swinging door suggests promiscuity. The brothers will make her control herself.

8:10

  • I am a wall: The woman states she remained pure for marriage.

  • like towers: The woman uses words of attractiveness (see Song of Solomon 4:4; 7:4, 8) and questions her brothers’ view of her as immature.

8:11

  • Baal-hamon is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. However, "Balamon" appears in later writings as a location in northern Israel; it might be the same place. \

  • a thousand shekels of silver: The Old Testament mentions various types of shekels, so the exact value is unclear, but the vineyard was large.

8:11–14

  • In the dramatic view, the wife's problem with the vineyard in Song of Solomon 1:6 is finally solved. She has collected the lease money from her vineyard in Baal-hamon, allowing her to pay Solomon and her hired workers.

  • If the passage is purely poetic, its main message is that love cannot be bought, even by a powerful king like Solomon.

8:13

  • The scene has shifted from the lease payment to the more familiar and pleasant gardens.

  • my companions: It seems the wife is talking with her friends. Her husband feels jealous and wants her attention.

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