Tyndale Open Study NotesSong of Songs 8

The woman wants to be with the man and in his arms.

If he were her brother, she could kiss him in public. Romantic kisses were not appropriate in public, but kisses between family members were acceptable.

bring you to the house of my mother: Compare Song of Solomon 3:4.

I adjure you: For the third time, the woman urges the young women of Jerusalem to keep their virginity (see Song of Solomon 2:7; 3:5). The importance of virginity is affirmed in Song of Solomon 8:8–9.

• I roused you under the apple tree: The apple tree symbolizes fertility because it bears fruit (see Song of Solomon 2:3, 5; 7:8).

• there your mother conceived you: Mentioning his mother subtly suggests procreation as a result of sexual love (compare Song of Solomon 8:2).

seal over your heart . . . on your arm: In ancient Israel a seal was used for identification or to show ownership by pressing the face of a ring into soft wax. The husband wants his wife to mark him with her identity, privately upon his heart, and publicly upon his arm as well. • love is as strong as death: Though death is inevitable, the bond of love is resolute, unshakable, and broken only in death. • The energy of jealousy moves to protect an exclusive relationship such as that of husband and wife or between God and his people (Nah 1:2; Zech 1:14–17). • as the grave: Hebrew as Sheol. In the Old Testament, Sheol is the abode of the dead. It is not necessarily associated with punishment.

During a heartfelt exchange of romantic compliments and promises, there is strong support for waiting until marriage for sexual activity.

We have a little sister: The wife's brothers worry about their sister's purity. In ancient Near Eastern culture, they protect their sister's sexuality until she marries.

• wall: This term has two metaphorical meanings:

  1. A young girl's chest is flat like a wall (see Song of Solomon 8:10)

  2. Until marriage, she should remain abstinent and strong like a wall

• build a tower of silver upon her: Towers served as lookouts to protect the city; a silver one would be more noticeable and strong. If the woman is already a wall, having kept her virginity, they will honor and support her decision.

• On the other hand, a swinging door suggests promiscuity. The brothers will make her control herself.

• I am a wall: The woman states she remained pure for marriage.

• like towers: The woman uses words of attractiveness (see Song of Solomon 4:4; 7:4, 8) and questions her brothers’ view of her as immature.

• In the dramatic view, the wife's problem with the vineyard in Song of Solomon 1:6 is finally solved. She has collected the lease money from her vineyard in Baal-hamon, allowing her to pay Solomon and her hired workers.

• If the passage is purely poetic, its main message is that love cannot be bought, even by a powerful king like Solomon.

• Baal-hamon is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. However, "Balamon" appears in later writings as a location in northern Israel; it might be the same place. \

• a thousand shekels of silver: The Old Testament mentions various types of shekels, so the exact value is unclear, but the vineyard was large.

• The scene has shifted from the lease payment to the more familiar and pleasant gardens.

• my companions: It seems the wife is talking with her friends. Her husband feels jealous and wants her attention.

• Come away, my beloved: She asks him to follow her, and he chases her as fast as a gazelle (see Song of Solomon 2:8–10).

• mountains of spices: Compare Song of Solomon 4:6.