adult analysis of the Song of Solomon

1. Song of songs
Song of
Solomon

2. Outlines

3. Outlines
I. Title (1:1)
II. The First Meeting (1:2;2:7)
III. The Second Meeting (2:8;3:5)
IV. The Third Meeting (3:6;5:1)
V. The Fourth Meeting (5:2;6:3)
VI. The Fifth Meeting (6:4;8:4)
VII. The Literary Climax (8:5-7)
VIII. The Conclusion (8:8-14)

4. Outlines
Introduction (1:1–6)
Dialogue between the lovers (1:7–2:7)
The woman recalls a visit from her lover (2:8–17)
The woman addresses the daughters of Zion (3:1–5)
Sighting a royal wedding procession (3:6–11)
The man describes his lover's beauty (4:1–5:1)
The woman to the daughters of Jerusalem (5:2–6:4)
The man describes his lover, who visits him (6:5–12)
Observers describe the woman's beauty (6:13–8:4)
Appendix (8:5–14)

5. Guides for Understanding
• A Song of Song –
A poem made up of poems
• Gender in the original
Hebrew identifies speakers
• New King James or NIV
show speakers

6. Speakers
• “She” or “The Shulamite”
• “He” or “The Beloved”
• “Friends” or “The Daughters of
Jerusalem”

7. Themes
•The Song of Songs is unique within the
Hebrew bible: it does not mention the
Law, Covenant or Yahweh the God of
Israel, nor does it teach or explore wisdom
like Proverbs or Ecclesiastes
•Instead, it celebrates sexual love. It gives
voices to two lovers, praising each other
and yearning for each other

8. Interpretations
• In modern Judaism, certain verses from
the Song are read at Passover to symbolize
the love between the Jewish People and
their God.
• The “Christian” church's interpretation of
the Song as evidence of God's love for his
people, both collectively and individually,
shifted tounderstanding of the Bride as
the Virgin Mary,

9. Difficulties
• Unlike Christ’s parables that are true at
all levels, the allegory of the love ofGod
breaks down at any but superficial levels
• The lovers experience egalitarian gender
relations –not typical of God’s one-sided
love for us
• The feminist companion to the Bible uses
this interpretation in Depatriarchalizing
Biblical Interpretation

10. Is it even Bible?
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not
recognize the book as "inspired scripture",
• It’s not mentioned in other scripture
• Matthew 24:35
• Matthew 5:18

11. Why Study It?
• Theme is relevant today
• Sex is not “dirty”
• Genesis 1:27-28
• Sex belongs in marriage
• Hebrews 13:4