translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: SNG

label: NET study note

text: The term גַּן ( gan , “garden”) is used six other times in the Song. In five cases, it is used figuratively (hypocatastasis) to describe her body or the sexual love of the couple ( 4:12, 15, 16 a, 16b; 5:1 ). There is only one usage in which it might refer to a real garden ( 8:13 ). Thus, this usage of “garden” might be figurative or literal: (1) He went to a real garden for repose. Solomon did, in fact, own a great many gardens ( Eccl 2:4-7 ; 1 Chr 27:27 ). (2) The “garden” is a figurative description referring either to: (a) the young woman, (b) their sexual love, or (c) Solomon’s harem.


text: The phrase כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם ( ka ’ arugat havvosem , “flower-beds of balsam”) is used elsewhere in the Song only in 5:13 where it is a simile comparing his cheeks to a flower-bed of balsam yielding perfumed spices. The term הַבֹּשֶׂם (“balsam-spice”) by itself appears five times in the Song, each time as a figure for sexual love ( 4:10, 14, 16; 5:1; 8:14 ). Thus, the two options are: (1) the term refers to a real flower-bed of balsam to which Solomon had gone or (2) this term is a figure for sexual love.


text: The term שׁוֹשַׁנָּה ( shoshannah , “lily”) or שׁוֹשַׁנִים ( shoshanim , “lilies”) appears eight times in the Song ( 2:1, 2, 16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2, 3; 7:2 ). Of these five are unequivocally used figuratively as descriptions of a woman or women ( 2:1, 2 ), the color and softness of her breasts ( 4:5 ), the attractiveness of his lips ( 5:13 ), and her waist ( 7:2 ). The closest parallel to 6:2 is the description “the one who grazes among the lilies” ( 2:16; 6:3 ) which is a figurative expression comparing his romancing of his Beloved with a sheep feeding on lilies. However, this still leaves a question as to what the lilies represent in 2:16; 6:2, 3 . The phrase “to gather lilies” itself appears only here in the Song. However, the synonymous phrase “to gather myrrh and balsam spice” is used in 5:1 as a figure (euphemistic hypocatastasis) for sexual consummation by the man of the woman. There are three basic options as to how “lilies” may be taken: (1) The lilies are real flowers; he has gone to a real garden in which to repose and she is picking real lilies. (2) The term “lilies” is a figure for the young woman; he is romancing her just as he had in 2:16 and 5:1 . He is kissing her mouth just as a sheep would graze among lilies. (3) The term “lilies” is a figure expression referring to other women, such as his harem (e.g., 6:8-9 ). Two factors support the “harem” interpretation: (1) Solomon had recently departed from her, and she was desperate to find him after she refused him. (2) His harem is mentioned explicitly in 6:8-9 . However, several other factors support the Beloved interpretation: (1) She expresses her confidence in 6:3 that he is devoted to her. (2) The immediately following use of “lilies” in 6:3 appears to refer to her, as in 2:16 and 5:1 . (3) He praises her in 6:4-7 , suggesting that he was romancing her in 6:2-3 . (4) Although his harem is mentioned in 6:8-10 , all these women acknowledge that he is disinterested in them and only loves her. (5) Her exultation “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; the one who grazes among the lilies” ( 6:3 ) is a statement of assurance in their relationship and this would seem quite strange if he was cavorting with his harem while she said this.


text: This is the second occurrence of the poetic refrain that occurs elsewhere in 2:16 and 7:11 . The order of the first two cola are reversed from 2:16 : “My beloved is mine and I am his” ( 2:16 ) but “I am my beloved’s and he is mine” ( 6:3 ). The significance of this shift depends on whether the parallelism is synonymous or climactic. This might merely be a literary variation with no rhetorical significance. On the other hand, it might signal a shift in her view of their relationship: Originally, she focused on her possession of him, now she focused on his possession of her.


text: The literary unity of 6:4-10 and boundaries of his praise are indicated by the repetition of the phrase אֲיֻמָּה כַּנִּדְגָּלוֹת (’ ayummah kannidÿgalot , “majestic as bannered armies/stars in procession…”) in 6:4 and 6:10 which creates an inclusion. His praise includes his own personal statements ( 6:4-9 a) as well as his report of the praise given to her by the maidens, queens, and concubines ( 6:9 b-10). His praise indicates that he had forgiven any ingratitude on her part.


text: The sequence “sixty…eighty…beyond number” is an example of a graded numerical sequence and is not intended to be an exact numeration (see W. G. E. Watson, Classical Hebrew Poetry [JSOTSup], 144-50).


text: The term עַלְמָה (’ almah , “young woman”) refers to a young woman who is of marriageable age or a newly married young woman, usually before the birth of her first child ( HALOT 835-36 s.v. עַלְמָה ; BDB 761 s.v. עַלְמָה ) (e.g., Gen 24:43 ; Exod 2:8 ; Ps 68:26 ; Prov 30:19 ; Song 1:3; 6:8 ; Isa 7:14 ). The only other use of the term “young women” ( עֲלָמוֹת ) in the Song refers to the young women of Solomon’s harem ( Song 6:8 ). The root עלם denotes the basic idea of “youthful, strong, passionate” ( HALOT 835 s.v. III). While the term עַלְמָה may be used in reference to a young woman who is a virgin, the term itself does not explicitly denote “virgin.” The Hebrew term which explicitly denotes “virgin” is בְּתוּלָה ( bÿtulah ) which refers to a mature young woman without any sexual experience with men (e.g., Gen 24:16 ; Exod 22:15-16 ; Lev 21:3 ; Deut 22:23, 28; 32:25 ; Judg 12:12; 19:24 ; 2 Sam 13:2, 18 ; 1 Kgs 1:2 ; 2 Chr 36:17 ; Esth 2:2-3, 17, 19 ; Job 31:1 ; Pss 45:15; 78:63; 148:12 ; Isa 23:4; 62:5 ; Jer 2:32; 31:3; 51:22 ; Lam 1:4, 18; 2:10, 21; 5:11 ; Ezek 9:6 ; Joel 1:8 ; Amos 9:13 ; Zech 9:17 ; HALOT 166-7 s.v. בְּתוּלָה ; BDB 143 s.v. בְּתוּלָה ). The related noun בְּתוּלִים ( bÿtulim ) means “state of virginity” ( Lev 21:13 ; Judg 11:37-38 ; Ezek 23:3, 8 ; Sir 42:10) and “evidence of virginity” ( Deut 22:14-15, 17, 20 ) ( HALOT 167 s.v. בְּתוּלִים ).


text: This rhetorical question emphasizes her position among women (e.g., Mic 2:7 ; Joel 2:1 ).


text: The common point in these four comparisons is that all are luminaries. In all four cases, each respective luminary is the focus or center of attention at the hour at hand because it dwarfs its celestial surroundings in majesty and in sheer brilliance. All other celestial objects pale into insignificance in their presence. This would be an appropriate description of her because she alone was the center and focus of his attention. All the other women paled into the background when she was present. Her beauty captured the attention of all that saw her, especially Solomon.


text: It is difficult to determine whether the speaker in 6:11-12 is Solomon or the Beloved.


text: It is not clear whether the “valley” in 6:12 is a physical valley (Jezreel Valley?), a figurative description of their love relationship, or a double entendre.


text: The chapter division comes one verse earlier in the Hebrew text ( BHS ) than in the English Bible; 6:13 ET = 7:1 HT, 7:1 ET = 7:2 HT, through 7:13 ET = 7:14 HT. Beginning with 8:1 the verse numbers in the Hebrew Bible and the English Bible are again the same.