seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Song of Songs 8:1 If only you were to me like a brother,
who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
I would kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you
and bring you to my mother’s house—
she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.
who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
I would kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you
and bring you to my mother’s house—
she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the nectar of my pomegranates.
3 His left arm is under my head
and his right arm embraces me.
4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.
Friends
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness
leaning on her beloved?
leaning on her beloved?
She
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it[c] would be utterly scorned.
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it[c] would be utterly scorned.
Friends
8 We have a little sister,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.
She
10 I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels[d] of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.
11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon;
he let out his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels[d] of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is mine to give;
the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred[e] are for those who tend its fruit.
He
13 You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!
She
14 Come away, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the spice-laden mountains.
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the spice-laden mountains.
a. Song of Songs 8:6 Or ardor
b. Song of Songs 8:6 Or fire, / like the very flame of the Lord
c. Song of Songs 8:7 Or he
d. Song of Songs 8:11 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms; also in verse 12
e. Song of Songs 8:12 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
"If only I knew a little something about you"...... She still looks stolen to me!
This is from the easy English site.
Oh, that you were like my brother… If I should find you outside, I would kiss you: The maiden’s idea is based on the cultural acceptance of some public displays of affection between brother and sister. She wished that she could be as open with her beloved as she would be allowed to be with her actual brother.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases: This is the third time that this phrase is used in the Song of Solomon (previously at 2:7 and 3:5). As before, this idea can be understood as a plea to leave her sweet romantic dream uninterrupted. Or, it can be understood both in the context of relationship and in passion.
In terms of relationship it means, “Let our love progress and grow until it is matured and fruitful, making a genuinely pleasing relationship – don’t let us go too fast.” In terms of passion it means, “Let our love making continue without interruption until we are both fulfilled. Don’t let us start until we can go all the way.”
“What is this warning? That love is so sacred a thing that it must not be trifled with. It is not to be sought. It stirs and awakens of itself. To trifle with the capacity for it, is to destroy that very capacity.” (Morgan)
“The reader having just seen their lovely portrait of marriage might be tempted more than ever to force such a relationship in impatience.” (Glickman)
Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved: As with a few passages in the Song of Solomon, it is difficult to say with certainty who the speaker and the intended hearer are with these words. Perhaps it is best to simply assign it to an observer, either a relative (such as the maiden’s brothers who will be mentioned later) or one of the Daughters of Jerusalem.
Leaning upon her beloved: The idea here is not that the maiden is old and infirmed; rather that she simply accompanies her beloved and walks with him in the closeness characteristic of husband and wife.
I awakened you under the apple tree: The speaker reminds the couple of their youth and family roots. They were now grown and happily married but still connected to and the product of their families.
Jealousy as cruel as the grave: It is hard to know if this was meant in a positive or a negative sense. There is a jealousy that is good and appropriate in the marriage relationship, and there is another aspect of jealousy that is corrosive and destructive. In the context, it is more likely that this speaks of the unrelenting desire for appropriate oneness that is not broken by a romantic competitor.
If she is a wall, we will build upon her… and if she is a door, we will enclose her: The brothers wisely decided to guide and help their sister according to her own character and choices. If she were like a wall that stood effectively against despoilers and exploiters, they would reward, encourage, and build upon her. If she were more like a door allowing unwise access, they would then restrict her freedoms in her own self-interest (we will enclose her).
I have noticed that when it comes to sex..... commentaries are wordy.... and they are monogamous. Solomon was not monogamous.... Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines and only a handful of kids. At first I thought.... the reason he had so many woman and so few children was that he was perverted by Bathsheba. After all, David and Bathsheba had a secret that, if overheard by Solomon, might pervert his idea of women and marriage. So at first I thought, the man turned gay.... and he only had a few kids because that's all he could arouse himself to procreate. Then yesterday I got the idea that he was roaming the halls of harem holding cells, each holding a harem virgin or a whore, depending on the circumstance of the sweep. In the book of Esther, they said a girl had to go through a menstrual cycle before going to "visit" the king. Solomon was wise.... maybe he understood the cycle and visited the virgins when he knew they were not in the fertile time of the cycle.... try them on for size... so to speak.... without causing a bunch of kids to battle him for his own throne.
Perhaps the first time Solomon was outside her door, was after the first time she was caught up..... and she got away. Maybe then she was in the running for a spot of a wife. The second time Solomon was outside her door was after the second time she got caught up in a sweep. Her brothers had warned her to work in the vineyard and stay home at night.... but she was wandering around looking for a shepherd boy she liked. That would have put her in the running for a spot as concubine. In either circumstance.... she would have spent the rest of her life around 999 other women who belonged to the king.
Yes, the cold hard truth is all of Solomon's wives and concubines were possessions.... just like the gold shields on the wall. What little girl wants to be a possession.... prized or otherwise?
I think this is about the harem itself. Not one of those harem girls really got to know Solomon. He showed off for the likes of the Queen of Sheba. What would he have to talk about with a child who works outside in the hot sun all day? I think this little girl wants that shepherd boy who understands their class.... who knows what it's like to peel their own grape.
This is from the easy English site.
The young woman continues her story about the children. But now her story seems more serious. She speaks about the struggle when a baby is born. Now she is not merely playing. Sometimes a girl must work hard when she looks after her baby brother. Sometimes the mother is too weak to help the girl. So the girl cannot play. She must stay with her younger brother continuously. The two must always be together.
The young woman needs to be with Solomon continuously. They must not leave each other. Their work is difficult. She depends on him.
Face it.... it's just a matter of fact.... a young girl of 12 or 13 wants to have her "husband" around her all the time. She wants to know about him.... and his day.... and his future..... What teen girl do you know who would like to be one of 1,000 other girls with only one boy?
Did this little girl want a husband she has to share with 999 other women..... or the little shepherd boy that she grew up around? She doesn't seem to talk about being a queen or having high status..... I think this is a warning..... and a statement that the #metoo people might want to inquire about.
