INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS
The Hebrew title of this
Scriptural book is SONG OF SONGS, a title that employs a
common figure of speech in the Hebrew language, known as Polyptoton, the
reduplication of a word to emphasise its meaning, to intensify its significance,
and to raise its status above other songs. The Song is mighty hard to
understand in the A.V., and amongst modern translations there is still much
room for improvement in style. The author of the story described events in the
format of a play, and even without the naming of characters the reader would
understand who was speaking, because Hebrew, like other languages of the time,
retained gender classification in its pronouns. Contrariwise, English words
such as we you my your have no such signification, and require clear contexts
to ensure their intended connections.
The Song is about
faithfulness and true love, the love of a maiden for her shepherd friend. But
the title of the book has in itself produced some confusion over the years. THE
SONG OF SONGS, CONCERNING SOLOMON. As a result many have imagined
Solomon to be her suitor. But a careful reading of the text shows this not to
be so, and upon reflection, it would in any case be open to question, knowing
the history of Solomon's reign. Starting well, and seeking God's wisdom, he
built the
The powers of darkness have
manifestly sought to hide the true nature of this book behind the shroud of
language difficulties. The reason is not too hard to find. Here we have the
Bride of Christ, loved by her True Shepherd, and remaining faithful to Him
against the almost insuperable odds of Solomon’s charm, dignity,
position, and wealth. How many young girls would ditch their “country
lad” for the sparkle and grandeur of the royal court? How many indeed
would be able to stand against the ultimate flattery of the great King Solomon
himself? But this is exactly what happens! And it is so demonstrative a love
that even Solomon himself is unable to do other than release her, and let her
return to her native land of vineyards and pasture.
I have tried to rewrite
this book as a play. It has not been easy. To help, I have intertwined the text
with many notes in an attempt to supply all the necessary background material.
What emerges is a story that stands in its own right, a veritable jewel of
ancient inspired poetry. The sentiments of lovers has remained constant over
the centuries; we shall only find a difference in the similes and figures of
speech; the message is timeless.
SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK AS A
WHOLE
A young shepherd girl of
perhaps eighteen years lives with her widowed mother and her brothers, in one
of the towns of Shunem, a small settlement in Israel some 20 miles S.W. of the
Sea of Galilee. To the south of Shunem is the fertile Vale of Jezreel, an area
noted for its vineyards. The family maintains itself by husbandry and the
rearing of sheep. It is springtime when the story opens, and the brothers are
actively engaged tending the vines. Their sister watches over the sheep on
nearby hillsides.
One day she meets a
shepherd boy from an unrelated family. They sit and talk together, sheltering
from the noontide heat beneath the trees of the field. Friendship soon turns to
love, and their love is so deep that they pledge themselves to each other for
life. In days to come they hope to marry, but for now they are content to enjoy
each other's company in the freedom of the hills and valleys of Israel, watered
by the rain of heaven, and watched over by none other than the God of peace.
It is impossible for things
to remain quite so idyllic. In the process of time the brothers espy her with
her friend, and as is the wont of older brothers, they make arrangements to
ensure the chastity of their young sister. They take her from the sheep and set
her to work in the vineyards where a watchful eye may be kept on her. Grief struck
the hearts of the young couple when this occurred. Apart from stolen moments
early in the morning there was no other opportunity for them to meet.
One day she wanders from
the vineyard into an enclosed garden of nut trees, (an integral part of the family
estate) and to her great surprise comes upon a great concourse of people,
elegant and finely dressed. Before the sight has had time to sink in, she is
face to face with the King of Israel, the great Solomon himself. He has been
touring the realm, and has decided to stop for a while to rest. The King espies
her, and asks who she is. He is captivated by her simple beauty, and invites
her to join him on the royal palanquin. Non-plussed and highly embarrassed, she
shows a reticence that the King construes as a natural grace. He knows nothing
of her attachment. And unknown to her, the Shepherd Boy has seen it all, hiding
between the trees of the garden. There is absolutely nothing he can do about
it. To resist the overtures of a King would be to invite instant disgrace, even
to endanger life. Solomon has eyes for female beauty, and the women of
The experience overcomes
him, and he seeks to release her from her family obligations. Her mother is
approached, and permission granted. What mother in
And so, within the hour so
to speak, this simple girl finds herself swept off her feet into a foreign
world, where simplicity is exchanged for all the gaudy trappings of the royal
court, where the silence of the hills is exchanged for the continual chatter of
the multitudes who surround the King. What dread fate had caused these things
to transpire? First of all she had been parted from the Shepherd Boy by her
well-meaning brothers, and now she had been whisked away from her home, her
work, and her brief opportunities for meeting her lover, to be taken into the
world of another man, and although everyone admired their King, it was quite
another thing altogether to love him!
She sits in one of the
royal caravans, attended by court ladies, professional court ladies, ladies who
are well-versed in the art of beauty and elegance, but who are also well-versed
in the dubious art of intrigue and jealousy. Her eyes are seldom dry, and her
emotions are cloyed up. She feels imprisoned and could wish herself dead. But
the court ladies have seen it all before, and they are full of advice though
less full of sympathy - after all they had not been chosen by the King!
A large company of people
now leave the area, bound for the Capital. There are many caravans, surrounded
by the King's own household cavalry, a specially chosen bodyguard of sixty
soldiers. Central to all is the royal palanquin, vivid in its colours, lavish
in its splendour, decked out with priceless objets d'art and graced
with exquisitely embroidered curtains. Solomon's kingdom is the greatest in all
the world. Solomon himself is internationally respected for his great wisdom,
riches, and government. Peace pervades his empire, as peace is the meaning of
his name. God Himself has granted him all these things, and Solomon has richly
enjoyed them for many years. He has built the great
These are the contrasts now
set before these two, the King and the Shepherd Girl. Each finds a sudden
stress, but for wholly different reasons. The King is infatuated by the
sun-tanned maiden and she is at the centre of his thoughts. The girl is full of
fear, not knowing what the days ahead may bring. And so for several weeks to
come, the lives of these two become entangled.
The caravan is now out of
sight of her family home, as it wends its way along the rough dirt tracks
through beautiful countryside. Along the way they stop at Tirzah, later to
become the royal residence for the kings of
And so, at long last