David Moore

MC # 1972

Old Testament Honors

Song of Solomon Overview

Authorship: This entire book is narrated by Solomon, the famous

wisest king who ever lived, according to Chronicles, detailing his
affair with a foreign woman and other’s remarks on their king’s
lover, with some possible divine intervention or simply an
oxytocin-riddled dream.

Recipient: This is unclear, as it is not mentioned. It reads as

more flowery prose, so someone would obviously have to edit this,
possibly made for the court and all of Israel and beyond, possibly
even for foreign lands. It also holds connections with some myths,
and its later pseudo-Aramaic lingo points to a mythologized story
retold over the centuries, likely as a point of comfort in the
exile or beyond.

Dates/Places/Events: This poem deals with Solomon’s reign and his

lover’s search for her. This book holds a much later date than the
rest of the Old Testament, using lingo and subtext similar to
Daniel and the minor prophets, showing that this book was passed
down through word of mouth, with the edges sanded off by time,
placing this book at around 450-300 BCE.

Literature Type: Song of Solomon, though it certainly does not

seem like it, is Wisdom literature. It finishes off the Megillot,
or scrolls, of the Ketuvim.

Major Ideas: Love is paramount here, as it shows as a very strong

and paramount idea through this book, even to the exclusion of
God. All other things are abandoned in the process, as the two
circle around each other, and eventually meet.

Problems: While it details a story during Solomon’s reign, it

contains the pseudo-Aramaic typical of much later events. This has
convinced some that this book was made up whole cloth, as this
would not be the first time someone made a myth attributed to
Solomon and his group.
Summary: Song of Solomon is a story of two lovers meeting each
other, written by later Israelites as a source of comfort and
poetry.

1. Sweet Nothings (1-2)

a. Hello
b. It Was Only a Dream
2. Here Comes the Briiiiiide! (3-5)
a. Where Are You?
b. Rose Petals Everywhere
3. The Fairest Maiden of them All (6-8)

Bibliography

Arnold, Bill T., and Bryan E. Beyer. Encountering the Old

Testament. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Barker Academic, 2008.

Jewish Publication Society. The Jewish Study Bible. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press, 2004.