Part Two: the Song of Songs, verse by verse study, chapters 7 - 8
Part One: we we take a look at others who looked at the book.
Part Three: A review and analysis.
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Chapter 7, the bridegroom / man
Most of this chapter is one long poetic description of the woman by the man/king. We'll wade through it in a couple of big chunks.
verses 1 - 6
Verses, then discussion.
"mah" (how) "yaphah" ('to be' beautiful (includes the idea of 'bright')) "paam" (feet / footsteps) in "naal / naalah" (sandal / shoe) are O "bath" (daughter) of a "nadib" (noble / prince / etc), "chammuq" (curves (the only use of this word in OT)) of your "yarek" (thigh / loins / side (includes hips)) are like "chali" (jewels / ornament) "maaseh" (work / product / etc) of the hands of an "omman" (skilled workman / craftsman). Your "shorer" (navel (the word includes the umbilical cord of a newborn)) "aggan" (bowl / basin) "sahar" (round) "al" (no / nothing) "chaser" (lack / 'in need of') "mezeg" (mixed drink (includes wine mixed with water, as well as liquor with juice, etc)), your "beten" (belly / womb / innermost parts) "aremah" (heap / pile) of "chittah" (wheat / grain) "sug" (fenced off (implies it was done intentionally and with care, only use in OT)) with "shushan" (lilies). The "shenayim" (two) "shad" (breasts) like two "opher" (fawns / young deer) "taom" (twin) of a "tsebiyyah" (gazelle).
Your "tsavvar" (neck) is like a "migdal" (tower) of "shen" (ivory (also - teeth'), your "ayin" (eyes) are the "berekah" (pool / pond) of "Cheshbon" (Heshbon (an ancient Amorite city east of the Jordan)) by "shaar" (gate) of Bath-Rabbim (means- 'daughter of multitudes / many'), your "aph" (nose / nostril) like "migdal" (tower) of Lebanon "tsaphah" (watching / watch tower) "panim" (face / before) "Dammeseq" (Damascus). Your "rosh" (head) "al" (on / over) you is "Karmel" (Carmel (Mount Carmel)) and your "dallah" (meanings include 'hair') of your head is like "argaman" (purple) of "melek" (king) "asar" (bind / restrained) "rahat" (channel (in this usage- hair in rings or braids)). "mah" (how) "yaphah" (to be beautiful) and how "naem" (delightful / pleasant) my "ahabah" (love) "taanug" (delight / pleasure).
Once again 'the king' goes into exquisite detail describing the woman. He uses more images from nature... and, for some reason, another armed tower and a city gate.
Go back up to the beginning of the passage. He mentions how pretty her feet are. OK, fine, she takes care of herself from head to toe. Then he says she is the 'daughter of a noble'. Which could be an elder of one of the tribes, or perhaps foreign royalty. Nowhere in the rest of the text does it ever mention that her family is anything of note, and when she does mention her mother, it appears she is a 'regular person'. Perhaps a bit of flattering exaggeration on his part or did her father get promoted into the aristocracy since the middle of chapter one?
And then we have an incongruity. He says her belly is fenced off with lilies and her neck is a tower of ivory. Didn't the woman introduce herself saying she was "dark, but lovely?"
In any case, he goes on....
7 - 8 the man continues
Verses, then discussion.
"zoth" (this) "qomah" (height / stature) "damah" (like / compare) "tamar" (palm tree) and your "shad" (breasts) like "eshkol" (cluster) of fruit. I said 'I will' "alah" (ascend / climb) "tamar" (palm tree) "achaz" (take hold / seize (as in 'to take possession of') "sansin" (stalks / twig / bough), and let "hayah" (become / come to pass / etc) now your breasts like "eshkol" (clusters) of the "geophen" (vine / grapevine), and "reyach" (scent / aroma) of your "aph" (nostril (also - the breath from)) like "tappauach" (apples / apple tree).
- - - - - yeah.
We're not sure how to take this one. The first image isn't one of romance and seduction, but more of a sexual assault.
Of course, at the time, the wife was the property of the man, and especially the king, and it was legally impossible for a man to rape his wife. Something that stayed on the books in many jurisdictions until embarrassingly late in history in the West (see link below), and remains so under some versions of Sharia. Also, denial of the 'marital obligation (sex)' by the woman was considered grounds for divorce in the days before "no fault".
And then to have him say her breath smells like apples? Well. It could be worse, he could compare her to a herd of goats again.
9 might be the woman (at least one translation had this as part of the above section - see discussion)
Verse, then discussion.
And "hik chek" (mouth / palate / to taste) "yayin" (wine) "towb" (best / good / pleasant / etc) "halak" (proceeds / comes) to my beloved "meshar" (smoothly / evenly / rightly) "dabab" (flow / glide / gently move) "saphah" (lips) as we "yashen" (sleep).
This statement doesn't make any sense if it is from the 'king / bridegroom'. It makes all sorts of sense if it is the woman talking about sleeping next to her boyfriend, and the 'mouth' in the beginning of the verse is actually 'my' or 'ours' or something like that.
10 - 13 the woman (at least one translation had this as part of the above section)
Verses, then discussion.
I am my "dod" (beloveds) and he "teshuqah" (desires / longs for) me. "halak" (come / proceed / etc) my "dod" (beloved) let us "yatsa" (depart / go forth) to "sadeh" (countryside / fields) let us "luwn" (remain / dwell (translated as 'spend the night')) in "kaphar" (village / small settlement). Let us "shakam" (start early) 'and go to' "kerem" (vineyard) 'we'll' "raah" (see / look) if "parach" (sprouted / broke forth) "gephen" (vine) "pathach" (opened) "semadar" (blossom) and have "nuts" (bud / scatter) "rimmon" (pomegranates) "sam" (there) I will "nathan" (give) to you my "dod" (love) to you. The "duday" (mandrakes) "nathan" (give) a "reyach" (aroma / scent / odor) and "al" (over / beside / next to) our "pethach" (doorway / entrance) "kol" (all / every) "meged" (precious / excellent / pleasant / etc) "chadash" (new) and "yashan" (old (includes idea of 'stale')), my "dod" (beloved) which I "tsaphan" (hid / stored / treasure) for you.
The woman once again states that she belongs to her beloved and he desires her. Then she makes a plan for them to run out into the country and inspect the vineyards. And there she will 'give him her love'... and, apparently, order room service. No, really.
Which is probably our favorite verse in the entire Song:
"The mandrakes give off a fragrance,
And at our gates are pleasant fruits,
All manner, new and old,
Which I have laid up for you, my beloved."
(NKJV, link below)
We first run into mandrakes in Genesis 30 where they were involved, and may have been the source of, some family drama, with Jacob and his wives and mistresses.
Mandragora officinarum the plant with the famous (infamous) human shaped main root, is a member of the huge Nightshade family, and is full of active chemical compounds. It has been used medicinally since ancient times even though it can be highly toxic, and is yet another aphrodisiac. It should be noted that there are several varieties of mandrake, and not all of them cause hallucinations if you so much as touch certain parts of it, although all of them have various alkaloids in them. There's a couple of links below to more about it.
End Chapter 7
Chapter 8,
verses 1 - 3 the woman continues
Verses, then discussion.
"mi" (who) will "nathan" (give) you as "ach" (brother) to me? One who "yanaq" (nursed / sucked) "shad" (breasts) of my "em" (mother), if I "matsa" (encounter / discover / find) you "chuts" ('on the' street / 'in the' open /outside) I could "nashaq" (kiss / touch gently) you "gam" (indeed) "lo" (no / none) "buz" (scorn / contempt) me. I would "nahag" (lead / conduct / guide) "bo" (come / enter) the "bayith" (house / dwelling) of my mother, she "lamad" (taught / instructed) me, I would give "shaqah" (drink) "yayin" (wine) "reqach" (perfumed / spiced) "asis" (new wine / fresh wine) of "rimmon" (pomegranates).
His "semovl / semol" (left hand) is "tachath" (beneath / under) 'my' "rosh" (head), his "yamin" (right hand) "chabaq" (embraces) me.
She muses that if her shepherd were her brother nobody would look twice if she ran up to him outside and hugged and kissed him. And she could take him inside and get him a glass of flavored wine. Which is probably true. Then the next line revisits something a little more intimate that we came across in chapter two.
Here, as there, the image is overtly sexual, and geared to the woman's pleasure. Which, in context, explains her next statement which is her last adjuring of the women's chorus in the poem. Which occurred in chapter two after EXACTLY the same sort of event, with the same words.
4 the woman continues
Verse, then discussion.
I "shaba" (adjure / 'want you to take an oath') you daughters of Jerusalem, "mah" (why / how) "ur" (rouse / awaken / stir up) "ahabah" (love) "ad" (until / before) it "chaphets" (is pleasing / delightful / etc)?
5 - a the women's chorus
Part of the verse, then discussion.
"mi" (who) is "zoth" (this / that) "alah" (ascending / climbing) from "midbar" (wilderness / desert) "raphaq" (stretch out / lean) on her "dod" (beloved)...
This verse appears to have been compiled of two different statements. Here in this phrase, we have the women's chorus wondering out loud who's coming in from the wild walking closely together. It makes sense in context. But then the voice changes, and apparently we switch to the woman talking about her boyfriend. Some translations make the break, others do not.
5 - b the woman
Verses, then discussion.
"tachath" (under / at the foot of) an "tappuach" (apple tree) I "ur" (awakened / roused / stirred up) you, "sham" (there) "chabal" ('in pain during the act of childbirth') your "em" (mother) "sham" (there) "chabal" ('...childbirth' (term was repeated)) and "yalad" (bore / begot) you.
Apparently she knew where he was born. The language here is more understandable if it is the woman.
6 - 7 the woman continues
Verses, then discussion.
"sum" (place / set / put) me "chotham" (seal / signet) "al" (on / upon) your "leb" (heart / mind), as a "chotham" (seal / signet) upon your "zeroa" (arm), for "az" (strong / mighty) as "mazeth" (death) is "ahabah" (love) as "qasheh" (hard / harsh / severe) as Sheol ('hades' / the abode of the dead) is "qinah" (jealousy / envy) its "resheph" (flames / burning) "resheph" (flames / burning (term was repeated)) of "esh" (fire) "shalhebeth" (flare of fire / blaze).
"mayim" (water / waters) "rab" (much / many / great) "lo" (not / no) "yakol" (able / prevail / overcome) "kabah" (quench / extinguish) "ahabah" (love), and "nahar" (river / Euphrates river) "lo" (not) "shataph" (wash away / cleanse), "im" (if) "nathan" (give / gave) a man "kol" (all) "hon" (riches / wealth / possessions) of his "bayith" (house / dwelling) for "ahabah" (love) "buz" (contempt / scorn) they would "buz" (contempt / scorn) it.
The woman wants her beloved to wear her love on his sleeve, and his 'heart' as a seal, a symbol of their relationship. Although the text doesn't say it, the fact that she had already warned off the women of Jerusalem, we might be able to guess who she is worried about.
Then the imagery takes a darker turn. We are told that love is as strong as death, it is as cruel as Hades, its jealousy burns with blazing fire, and that no amount of water can wash it away.
The line about a man giving his wealth for love ends with the statement that it will end up being hated.
8 - 9 the women's chorus
Verses, then discussion.
A "achoth" (sister) unto us "qatan" (little / small) and "shad" (breasts) are not hers, "mah" (what) should we "asah" (accomplish / make) for our sister on "yom" (day) one "dabar" (speaks / declares) for her. "im" (if / whether) a "chomah" (wall) she is we "banah" (construct / build) a "tirah" (fortress / battlements) of "keseph" (silver), and if a "deleth" (door) she is we "tsuwr" (confine / enclose (includes 'fortify')) her with "luach" (boards / planks) of "erez".
The chorus is saying that the woman is too young for her breasts to be filled out. Which isn't the impression we got from the king's statement in the middle of chapter seven. They also state that she is young enough that somebody has to speak for her. In that society, that would be her father, or other male family member, who is NOT mentioned in the poem.
The chorus then goes on to state that they will build a defensive tower or a wooden stockade for her. And, in a moment, she objects to their statements about her.
10 - 12 the woman
Verses, then discussion.
"I am a wall, my breasts like like towers..."
... "az" (then / at that time) I "hayah" (become / to be) "ayin" (eyes / sight) "matsa" (find / discover / obtain) "shalom" (peace / well-being). A "kerem" (vineyard) "hayah" (become / to be) there was for Solomon in Baal-Hamon (probably a village in the Jezreel Valley and/or near Mount Hermon.), he "nathan" (gave) the vineyard to "natar" (keepers / caretakers), a man "bo" (bring / come) for "peri" (fruit) a "eleph" (thousand) 'pieces' of "keseph" (silver). My vineyard, my own, is "panim" (before me / presence), the "eleph" (thousand) is for you, O Solomon, and 'two' "meah" (hundred) to the "natar" (caretakers) of its fruit.
This is an interesting statement from the woman. She begins with telling the women that she has firm breasts, then she says that her boyfriend sees her as something that gives him peace and well-being. Then she tells a story about the famous vineyards of Solomon... except, this is the only passage in the OT that mentions them, which is exactly one more Biblical reference than Solomon's equally famous mines. In the end, she tells him she has her own vineyard, and she doesn't pay a keeper.
13 the man
Verse, then discussion.
O you "yashab" (dwelling / staying) in the "gan" (garden), my "chaber" (associate / fellow) are "qashab" (listening / paying attention) to your "qol" (voice) I will "shama" (hear) it.
Here's a weird one. IF the woman IS Solomon's bride... what is she doing living in somebody else's garden? Where, evidently, she spends time singing to herself, and the king's associates hear her.
14 the woman
Verse, then discussion.
"barach" (flee / escape) my "dod" (beloved) "damah" (like / comare) yourself "tsbiy" (gazelle) or a "opher" (fawn) "ayyal" (deer / stag) on the "har" (mountains / hills) of "bosem" (spices / balsam).
Now the woman is telling her boyfriend to "head for the hills."
And that is the end of the existing text. It does seem that some sort of conclusion is missing. We have no idea what happens to either the woman or her boyfriend. But we do know that Solomon becomes a dotard, bows down to the foreign gods of his foreign wives, and ends up NOT being listed in the "Faith Hall Of Fame" in Hebrews 11.
But we'll look at more of that in a study review... stay tuned.
end chapter 8
The Word by Word Study: Chapters 1 and 2, Chapter 3 and 4, Chapters 5 and 6.
Outside Reference Links:
Hebrew and English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/songs/7.htm
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Song-of-Solomon-Chapter-7/
The New King James Version. https://biblehub.com/nkjv/songs/7.htm
Rape inside a marriage in US:
"Most states had marital rape exceptions as part of their law until 1979." https://www.npr.org/2019/05/04/719635969/this-woman-fought-to-end-minnesotas-marital-rape-exception-and-won
A discussion from inside Islam:
"Can a Wife Refuse Intimacy?" https://islamqa.info/en/answers/2006/can-a-wife-refuse-intimacy
-and-
https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-the-scholar/women-issues/can-wife-refuse-husbands-bed/
"The plant that can kill and cure... https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33506081
This is the one from the Holy Land: The European Mandrake https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1021/european-mandrake
Our study of Genesis 30 discussed mandrakes: NOTE: The Discussion presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.
From: The Media Desk.
https://centralparkchurchofchrist.org/genstudy/gen29-31.htm