Song of Songs 8: Summary and Commentary

Verse 1

8:1-4 The woman expresses her desire to be with the man and in his embrace.

8:1 If he were her brother she could kiss him publicly; romantic kisses were not appropriate in public, but kisses between blood relatives were acceptable.

Verse 2

8:2-3 bring you to my childhood home (literally to my mother’s house): Cp. 3:4.

Verse 4

8:4 Promise me: For the third time, the woman encourages the young women of Jerusalem to retain their virginity (see 2:7; 3:5). The virtue of virginity is confirmed in 8:8-9.

Verse 5

8:5 I aroused you under the apple tree: The apple tree is a symbol of fertility because it is fruit-bearing (see 2:3, 5; 7:8). • where your mother gave you birth: Mentioning his mother may be a subtle way of suggesting procreation as a fruit of sexual love (cp. 8:2).

Verse 6

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 wife wants her husband to mark her with his identity, privately upon her heart, and publicly upon her 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.

Verse 8

8:8-10 In the midst of a passionate exchange of romantic compliments and commitments, here again is strong praise for sexual abstinence until marriage.

8:8 We have a little sister: The wife’s brothers express concern for their sister’s chastity. According to ancient Near Eastern custom, they are the protectors of their sister’s sexuality until her marriage.

Verse 9

8:9 wall: There appear to be two metaphorical meanings for this term: (1) The prepubescent girl’s chest is like a wall (see 8:10); and (2) until she is married, she should be abstinent, impenetrable like a wall. • protect her with a silver tower: Towers were used as lookouts for protecting the city; a silver one would be more prominent and impregnable. If the woman is already a wall, having kept her virginity, they will honor and reinforce her resolve. • On the other hand, a swinging door indicates promiscuity. The brothers will force her to restrain herself.

Verse 10

8:10 I was a virgin, like a wall: The woman affirms that she was chaste in preparation for marriage. • now . . . like towers: The woman describes herself in the language of desirability (cp. 4:4; 7:4, 8) and challenges her brothers’ perception of her as immature.

Verse 11

8:11-14 In the dramatic view, the wife’s dilemma concerning the vineyard of 1:6 is finally resolved: She has managed to bring in the lease money from her vineyard in Baal-hamon, so she can pay Solomon and her hired harvesters. • If the passage is purely poetic, its main message is that love may not be bought, even by a powerful king like Solomon.

8:11 Baal-hamon is not otherwise mentioned in the Bible. However “Balamon” occurs in later literature as a place in northern Israel; it may be the same place. • a thousand pieces of silver (Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver): There are different denominations of shekels in the Old Testament, so the exact price cannot be determined, but the vineyard was a large one.

Verse 13

8:13 The scene has changed from that of the lease payment to the more familiar and pleasant gardens. • your companions: It appears that the wife may be talking with her friends. Her man is gently jealous and wants her to himself.

Verse 14

8:14 Come away, my love! She invites him to follow her, and he chases her with all the robust and exhilarating speed of a gazelle (see 2:8-10). • mountains of spices: Cp. 4:6.