Keith Essex
The Song of Songs

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 25: Introduction, Themes, and Purpose of Song of Songs; and
• Lecture 26: Interpretive Problems of Song of Songs.

11. The Song of Songs [MSB, 923-4; ESVSB, 1211-5; HSB, 1103-7; RANE, 192-3; DOTWPW, 737-50]
    1. Introduction
       1. Title
          1. Hebrew: "The Song of Songs"
          2. Vulgate: Canticum Canticorum
          3. English: "The Song of Solomon"
             1. "by Solomon"
             2. "for (to) Solomon"
             3. "concerning Solomon"
             4. "in the style of Solomon"
       2. Date: 970-931 BC
       3. Canonical Position: between Ruth and Ecclesiastes [MT] or between Proverbs and Ruth
          1. Ruth, Song, Ecc, Lam, Est. [MT]
          2. Song, Ruth, Lam, Ecc, Est [Jewish Holy Days]
    2. Major Themes [see NIDOTTE, 4:1236-8]
       1. "My love" [companion] (Sng 1:9, 15; 2:2, 10, 13; 4:1, 7; 5:2; 6:4) /
          Bride (Sng 4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 5:1) /
          Sister (Sng 4:12; 5:1, 2) /
          Dove (Sng 5:2) /
          Most beautiful among women" (Sng 1:8) and
          "My Beloved" (Sng 1:13, 14, 16; 2:3, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17; 4:6; 5:1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 16; 6:2, 3; 7:9, 10, 11, 13; 8:14)
       2. The Daughters of Jerusalem (Sng 2:7; 3:5; 5:8; 8:4)
       3. The King (Sng 1:4, 12; 3:9, 11) /
          Solomon (Sng 1:5; 3:7, 9, 11; 8:11-12)
       4. A Shepherd (Sng 1:7; 2:16; 6:3)
       5. A Garden (Sng 4:12, 15, 16; 5:1; 6:2)
       6. Wine (Sng 1:2, 4; 4:10; 5:1; 7:2, 9; 8:2)
    3. Purpose: The marital joy experienced by the man and the woman is celebrated. [see BibSac 154:614 (April, 1997) 142-61; DOTWPW, 455-6]
    4. The Literary Structure (see outline)
    5. Bibliography
       1. Exegetical:
          • Garrett/House, Song of Songs / Lamentations (WBC).
          • Longman, The Song of Solomon (NICOT).
       2. English Interpretation:
          • Carr, The Song of Solomon (TOTC).
          • Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (NAC).
          • Hess, Song of Songs (BCOTWP).
       3. Expositional:
          • Gledhill, The Message of the Song of Solomon (BST).
          • Provan, Ecclesiastes / Song of Songs (NIVAC).
    6. Selected Interpretive Problems
       1. The Genre [MSB, 924; RANE, 192-3; DOTWPW, 750-60]
          1. Wisdom [Longman (in addition to love poetry); Garrett]
          2. Drama [Provan; KD]
          3. Love Poetry [Longman (i.e. lyric poetry); Carr; Hess; Gledhill]
       2. The Interpretation [see BibSac 154:613 (January, 1997) 23-46; DOTWPW, 760-9]
          1. Allegorical / Typological
          2. Dramatic
             1. Two-Character [KD]
             2. Three-Character [Provan]
          3. Historical
          4. Cultic
          5. Funerary (cf. Sng 8:6)
          6. Wedding Feast [DOTWPW, 835-42]
          7. Love Song(s) [Longman; Carr; Garrett; Hess; Gledhill]
       3. The Unity [MSB, 924]
          1. Chronological [Provan; EBC; BKC]
          2. Literary [Longman; Carr; Garrett; Hess; Gledhill]

       Song of Songs

       A

       "Take me away" (Sng 1:2-4a)

       B

       Friends speak (Sng 1:4b)

       C

       "My own vineyard (Sng 1:5-7)

       D

       "Breasts," "silver," "we will make" (Sng 1:8-14)

       E

       "House" (Sng 1:15-2:2)

       F

       "His left arm," "daughters of Jerusalem, so desires," "apple" (Sng 2:3-7)

       G

       "Fragrance," "come my companion," "blossoming" (Sng 2:8-13)

       H

       "Vineyards," "show me" (Sng 2:14-12)

       I

       "My lover is mine" (Sng 2:16-17)

       Ja

       "The watchmen found me" (Sng 3:1-5)

       Jb

       "Gold," "Lebanon," "daughters of Jerusalem" (Sng 3:6-11)

       Jc

       "Your eyes... hair... teeth" (Sng 4:1-7)

       K

       "Myrrh," "spice," "honey," "wine," "milk" (Sng 4:8-15)

       L

       "Into his garden" (Sng 4:16)

       L'

       "Into my garden" (Sng 5:1a)

       K'

       "Myrrh," "spice," "honey," "wine," "milk" (Sng 5:1bc)

       J'a

       "The watchmen found me" (Sng 5:2-9)

       J'b

       "Gold," "Lebanon," "daughters of Jerusalem" (Sng 5:10-6:1)

       J'c

       "Your eyes... hair... teeth" (Sng 6:4-11)

       I'

       "My lover is mine" (Sng 6:2-3)

       H'

       "Vines," "that we may gaze on you" (Sng 6:13-7:9a)

       G'

       "Fragrance," "come my companion," "blossom" (Sng 7:9b-13)

       F'

       "His left arm" "daughters of Jerusalem, so desires," "apple" (Sng 8:1-5)

       E'

       "House" (Sng 8:6-7)

       D'

       "Breasts," "silver," "we will build" (Sng 8:8-9)

       C'

       "My own vineyard" (Sng 8:10-12)

       B'

       "Friends" (Sng 8:13)

       A'

       "Come away" (Sng 8:14)
    7. Preaching The Song of Songs [see BibSac 156:624 (October, 1133) 399-422]

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.