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Tyler Hill
Hebrew Poetical and Wisdom Literature
Exegetical Paper: Song of Songs 1:2-17
Love as the Path to Restoration
Section I: Introduction
The Song of Songs, like so much of the Bible, has a long and varied history of
interpretation. From issues of authorship to genre, and everywhere in-between, people have
argued over what to make of this erotic, seemingly out-of-place text. But when one takes the
time to examine the profound nuances made possible by the medium of poetry, it becomes
apparent that, though a literal interpretation may be appropriate, there is much more at stake
here. The Song of Songs arguably subverts oppressive gender roles and affirms the material,
created world in a truly beautiful and remarkable way that is unparalleled by any other book in
the Hebrew Bible, and perhaps the Christian Bible as well. When studied closely, the Song takes
on an almost eschatological nature, illustrating the importance of living as if Gods Kingdom is
now but not yet, by partaking in the creative and restorative act of love, and using it as a way
to seek peace and renewal both relationally and physically.
Section II: Structural Analysis
I. The Womans First Short Speech (2a-7e)
A. The Woman addresses her lover (2a-4f)
1. She describes her lovers desirable traits (2a-3c)
a. She expresses her desire to be kissed by him (2a)
b. She explains things that she likes about him (2b-3c)
i. He is more intoxicating than wine (2b)
ii. His scent is luxurious (3a)
iii. The sound of his name is pleasing like perfume (3b)
c. He is desirable not only to her but to all women (3c)
2. She expresses her desire to be summoned by her lover (4a-4f)
a. She longs to be called to him (4a-4b)
i. She imagines being called (4a)
ii. There is a sense of urgency, she cannot wait (4b)
b. He is like a King who has called her into his chamber (4c)
c. The Daughters of Jerusalem respond (4d-4e)
i. We take joy in being with you (4d)
ii. We enjoy your love more than wine (4e)
d. The other women have good reason to love you (4f)

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B. The Woman describes herself (5a-6f)
1. She shares the details of her complexion (5a-6c)
a. She elaborates on her dark color (5a-d)
i. She is beautiful and dark (5a)
ii. She uses imagery to describe herself (5b-d)
a) She is different from other Jewish women (5b)
b) She is exotic (5c)
c) She is luxurious (5d)
b. She explains why she is so dark (6a-c)
i. Her appearance does not justify judgment (6a)
ii. She is vulnerable under his gaze (6b-6c)
a) This is why she does not want him to look (6b)
b) She has been made dark by the sun (6c)
2. She provides a glimpse of her family history (6d-6f)
a. She is selfless and familiar with affliction (6d-6e)
i. Her brothers were angry with her (6d)
ii. They made her work outside in their vineyards (6e)
b. She has made no investments in her own vineyard (6f)
C. The Woman seeks her lover (7a-7e)
1. She addresses him (7a-7b)
a. She asks him to tell her something (7a)
b. She professes her deep love (7b)
2. She compares him to a shepherd (7c-7d)
a. Where does he take his flock out to pasture? (7c)
b. Where does he take them to give them rest? (7d)
3. Why should she remain hidden from him amongst the masses? (7e)
II. The Mans First Short Speech (8a-11)
A. The Man responds (8a-c)
1. He addresses the Woman (8a-8b)
i. He calls her beautiful and says that if she does not know, (8a)
ii. She can follow the tracks of his flock to find him (8b)
2. She can bring her flock to pasture alongside his (8c)
B. The Man speaks of the Womans beauty (9-11)
1. He compares her to a fine horse (9)
2. He praises her appearance (10a-10b)
i. He extols her cheeks (10a)
ii. He admires her neck (10b)
3. He promises to cover her with luxurious jewelry (11)
III. The Womans Second Short Speech (12a-14b)
A. The Woman describes how she longs for her lover (12a-b)
1. When he is reclining on his couch (12a)
2. She is radiating desire for him (12b)
B. She describes his sensual appeal (sight and smell) (13a-14b)
1. His scent stays with her (13a-13b)
a. He is like a fragrant medallion (13a)
b. She wears his smell; it is on her person at all times (13b)

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2. She compares him to flowers (14a-14b)
a. He is like a bouquet of henna flowers (14a)
b. In a luxurious vineyard near the Dead Sea (14b)
IV. The Mans Second Short Speech (15a-15c)
A. He extols her beauty (15a-15b)
1. He tells her she is beautiful (15a)
2. He repeats himself (15b)
B. He compares her eyes to doves (15c)
V. The Womans Third Short Speech/Preface to First Long Speech (16a-17b)
A. She returns his praise (16a-16b)
1. She calls him beautiful (16a)
2. She calls him lovely (16b)
B. She combines the courtly/shepherd imagery previously used (16c-17b)
1. Their couch where they recline is green like grass (16c)
2. The forest is like a luxurious home for them (17a-17b)
a. The cedars rise around them like pillars (17a)
b. The pine trees are like a canopy or ceiling (17b)
It made the most sense to me to divide the text into its largest sections in terms of who is
speaking. Within those sections, I created subdivisions based on thematic elements. Each
speech and response is rich in imagery and description as the characters not only depict
themselves but praise each other as well. From the very beginning of the Song of Songs, the
lovers mutual admiration, respect, and the restorative nature of their love is immediately visible
in the structure of the passage, particularly in the nature imagery at the end.
Section III: Analysis of the Text
The pericope begins jarringly, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your
love is better than wine. The reader is thrown abruptly into a scene of passion. While kissing
was sometimes performed by the touching of noses, the woman in the Song of Songs is
specifically asking to be kissed on the mouth.1 This level of erotic closeness is not just physical
but also theological, since ancient Hebrew culture viewed sex as an inherently spiritual exercise.2
Kissing on the mouth as opposed to the nose would have been an especially vulnerable and
intimate act, and the woman speaks of the excitement of her lovers kisses as being similar to
wine in that they both come through the vehicle of her mouth, although the former is even more
pleasurable to her than the latter.3 Some scholars compare this sudden and passion-filled
1 J. Walton, V. Matthews, M. Chavalas, Song of Songs, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
576.
2 G. Schwab Song of Songs 1: Book Of, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings 745.
3 Dianne Bergant, Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry: The Song of Songs 8.

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beginning to the creation narratives in Genesis, attributing to it a similar creative and provocative
aesthetic.4 This verse is indicative of a passion that is luxurious, excessive, overwhelming, and
an intrinsic part of engaging in creative processes similarly to the way God, Godself creates.
Verse three adds even more sensual imagery, introducing the theme of olfactory
references that will permeate the entire Song. Your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is
perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you. Oil was both a part of every-day life in
the Ancient Near East as well as an essential part of sacred practices.5 It would have been used
cosmetically to moisturize skin and also in the religious practice of anointing.6 This is yet
another example of the luxurious and extravagant nature of the love between the characters of
the Song. Olive oil is rich, smooth, and fragrant, and the woman compares her lover and the
speaking of his name to such a sacred and essential part of life. Dianne Bergant points out that in
Ancient Near Eastern culture, ones name is tied closely with ones identity. The anointing oils
mentioned here would have additionally been rare and appeal to multiple senses including touch,
taste, and smell, continuing the striking sensual imagery of the Song.7 We once more see the
tangible passion of their love as it drips with stimulation of all kinds.
In verse four, the woman urges her lover to take her into his bedroom. Draw me after you, let us
make haste. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we
will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you. The bed as a symbol in the
Hebrew Bible reveals personal and intimate characteristics of the people to whom it belongs. It
would have been a place of privacy and security.8 She speaks with a sense of urgency as she
adjures him to take her with him. This verse also marks a shift to plural language. It is unclear
4 J. Cheryl Exum, Song of Songs: A Commentary, Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005, 92.
5 Oil, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 603.
6 Ibid.
7 Bergant, Studies, 10.
8 Bed, Bedroom, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 86.

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as to whether the we is the lovers, or the Daughters of Jerusalem who are later referenced.
This verse is full of vibrant and dynamic verb phrases, indicating vitality and a sense of motion
to their love.9
Upon first glance, verse five and the following two verses stand out as some of the most
intriguing and provocative of the entire passage. I am black and beautiful, O daughters of
Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. The NRSV is one of the only
translations that uses the conjunction and rather than but. Kedar is a reference to Bedouin
tribal groups whose tents were made of black goat fur, and the curtains of Solomon would have
been yet another reference to luxury.10 Throughout much of the Hebrew Bible, darkness is used
to describe people of ill repute, but the woman seems almost proud of her dark complexion,
earned by being in the sun.11 She describes herself with imagery of extravagance and wealth,
despite acknowledging apparent disdain from the Daughters of Jerusalem.12 This is just one of
many examples of the Shulammite as a confident, self-loving, and liberated woman. Some
scholars suggest that this reference is indication that the woman is not an Israelite, with some
going so far as to wonder if she is Egyptian royalty.13 This would certainly make sense,
considering the Songs positive treatment and seeming appreciation of exotic places.
The Shulammite elaborates on her complexion in verse six, Do not gaze at me because I
am dark, because the sun has gazed on me. My mothers sons were angry with me; they made me
keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept! In this part of the Song, many
believe that the vineyard is referring to the womans body, her sexuality and her needs.14 She
9 Bergant, Studies, 11.
10 Walton & Matthews, 576.
11 Darkness, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 191-192.
12 Bergant, Studies, 14.
13 Victor Sasson, King Solomon and the Dark Lady in the Song of Songs. Vetus Testamentum 39:4 (1989): 407414.
14 Vine, Vineyard, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 915-917.

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is perhaps explaining that she is weathered and darkened by the sun because necessity has
required her to look after others instead of herself. Bergant claims that there is also the
possibility that she has perhaps been promiscuous in the past, and has been looked down upon by
society. Grapes and wine were a key feature of an Ancient Near Eastern diet, and it fits with
some of the motifs of the Song that the woman describes herself using sensual, rich, nature
imagery which evokes luxury, passion, and intoxication.15 This description of herself indicates
that though she is overwhelmed with love, her romance may be held back by some sort of
societal opposition, which she and her lover will eventually overcome.16
Verse seven is also provocative and raises some interesting points and questions as the imagery
and descriptions shift from being royal and courtly in nature, to depicting the lives of shepherds.
Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at
noon; for why should I be like one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? Noon
was traditionally a time when shepherds and their flocks would be resting, and it served as a
moment to cease from the harsh and tiring work of the day.17 The word veil might be a
reference to the attire worn by prostitutes, but it could also be used to indicate status and power.18
Other sources suggest that veils were also worn by brides to be in the time leading up to the
wedding ceremony as a display of modesty.19 Bergant makes note of the potential double
entendre of the words regarding the flocks and lying down. She suggests that this passage is
purposefully ambiguous in order to connote such imagery. She also points out that though the
specific meaning of the veil is hotly contested among scholars, the use of the word seems to
indicate that the woman is so passionately in love that she is willing to take great cultural and
15 Bergant, Studies, 15.
16 Ibid., 16.
17 Noon, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 596.
18 D. R. Edwards, Dress and Ornamentation, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary 2:234-235.
19 Veil, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 911.

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societal risks in order to be near her lover.20 Scholars also propose that the term used for veil
could also indicate that the woman does not wish to be one who wanders and is asking for
specific directions to see her lover, perhaps for reasons of personal safety.21
The man replies for the first time in verse eight, saying, If you do not know, O [most beautiful]
among women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your kids beside the shepherds tents.
Bernard of Clairvaux suggests that this verse is about the importance of knowing oneself and
discovering ones own true nature.22 I suppose if one takes it completely out of context, perhaps
one could reach such a conclusion. However, most modern day scholars, who read the text
critically, suggest that the mans reply is a flirtatious response to the previous inquiry of the
woman, and that pasture your kids beside the shepherds tents, is perhaps a double entendre
referring to the womans breasts.23 This further points out a passionate and playful love that is
mutual and high in spirits.
It would not be difficult for modern readers to fail to see how comparing ones partner to
livestock could be a compliment, as the man says in verse nine, I compare you, my love, to a
mare among Pharaohs chariots. However, scholars believe this to be a reference to the war-time
practice of releasing a female horse into the midst of chariots, which were exclusively pulled by
males, in order to cause chaos and confusion.24 Some would argue against this interpretation, but
it certainly serves as characteristically evocative imagery to be using.25 The man is saying that he
is figuratively driven wild by his lover, unable to control himself as she excites him to the point
of complete chaos.
20 Bergant, Studies, 17.
21 Exum, 107.
22 Richard A. Norris, The Song of Songs: Interpreted by Early Christian and Medieval Commentators, Grand
Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003, 58.
23 Exum, 106-108.
24 Walton & Matthews, 576.
25 Exum, 109.

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The man continues to sing the praises of the woman in verse 10, Your cheeks are comely with
ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. After explaining the way she throws him into
chaos, the man speaks of how her stately features are complemented by fine jewelry. In the
Hebrew Bible, the neck is often associated with pride, suggesting that he is not only in awe of
her physical beauty, but her empowered personality as well.26 Keel also points out that this very
same type of pride is criticized in Isaiah, and mentions a recurring theme throughout the Song of
praising things scorned by the prophets.27
Verse 11 again shifts to plural language, We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with
silver. It is once more unclear exactly who is speaking in this passage. It could be the lovers, or
perhaps the Daughters of Jerusalem, or even the stallions who were thrown into a frenzy by the
Shulammite.28 Keel points out that the poems of adoration throughout the Song typically end by
referencing the future, hence the word will.29
In verse 12, the woman speaks again, While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its
fragrance. We return again to the sensual, olfactory imagery that has already been so prominent
in the Song. It seems impossible to overemphasize the importance that the Song places on
concrete, tangible descriptions and imagery of the lovers passion by appealing to all of the
senses. Nard was an exotic oil extracted from a root, and further depicts an extravagant and
sensual love.30 Modern Western culture tends to place a lot of emphasis on vision, even in
poetry. The Song appeals to the sense of smell and taste in a manner to which modern readers

26 Othmar Keel, The Song of Songs: A Continental Commentary, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994, 58.
27 Ibid.
28 Keel, 59.
29 Ibid.
30 Exum, 111.

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may not be accustomed.31 Boersma suggests that descriptions of scent and taste also indicate
sexual behavior in the Song, and frequently focus on various erogenous zones.32
She elaborates with more olfactory descriptions in verse 13, My beloved is to me a bag of
myrrh that lies between my breasts. Myrrh is another rare fragrance that is harvested from the
bark of certain trees.33 This verse could also be referencing pendants and amulets made of
various fragrances that were sometimes worn by women.34 Myrrh itself has connotations of both
eroticism and sacred practices.35 The woman could also very well be referring to her beloved as
the fragrant myrrh that lies upon her chest.36
The Shulammite also compares her lover to flowers in verse 14, My beloved is to me a cluster
of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-gedi. Bergant suggests here that perhaps En-gedi,
which could be translated as a referent to baby goats, is a play on words alluding to the womans
breasts. Here once more, It is not that the man is [necessarily] wearing rare and intoxicating
perfumes; he himself is the intoxicating fragranceThis is not a description of a brief encounter,
but a long and passionate embrace.37 Henna, was frequently used as an orange-colored dye, but
is here referred to for its potent and pleasing fragrance.38
The male responds with a one-verse interjection in verse 15, Ah, you are beautiful, my love; ah,
you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. Keel explains at-length that this verse is hotly contested
within the world of academia. However, it is perhaps closest to suppose that this comparison is

31 Matthew Boersma, Scent in Song: Exploring Scented Symbols in the Song of Songs. Conversations with the
Biblical World 31 (2011): 81.
32 Ibid.
33 Exum, 111.
34 Keel, 65.
35 Ibid., 66.
36 Ibid.
37 Bergant, Studies, 21.
38 Exum, 112.

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meant to express the lively, and even fluttering, nature of the womans eyes.39 This brief
exclamation is an illustration of the sheer rapture and amazement with which the lovers look at
each other and enjoy each other.40
In verse 16, the woman responds, Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly lovely. Our couch is
green. The fact that she repeats her lovers compliment is just one more indication of the
intense mutual nature of their love.41 The verdant color of their couch evokes nature imagery
once more and also connotes life, vitality and abundance.42 The couch on which they recline is
lush and full of energy. Those who read this passage allegorically have gone so far as to say that
the forest setting described in verses 16 and 17 is symbolic of the Church, but most modern
scholars would contest that this imagery is meant to simultaneously encourage the reader to
imagine the luxury of a courtroom and the vitality of the forest.43
The nature and courtroom imagery is continued by the woman in verse 17, the beams of our
house are cedar, our rafters are pine. Keel suggests that to surround the two lovers in a forest of
cedars is to depict them, more as divine than as royal. To have fresh greenery as a bed is the
prerogative of the gods.44 Bergant addresses the fact that this scene could easily be set in a
royal palace or in a rich forest, but that perhaps it is best to read it ambiguously as representing
both. Regardless, she says, the resplendence of its character corresponds to the magnificence of
the loving encounter that occurs within it.45

39 Keel, 69.
40 Exum, 112.
41 Ibid.
42 Green, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 350-351.
43 Norris, 89.
44 Keel, 75.
45 Bergant, Studies, 22.

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Ancient Near Eastern readers of this text would surely understand the intense nature of the
intimacy and sensuality described on its pages.46 However, one of the most unique features of
the Song of Songs is the bold and empowered personality of the Shulammite. Bergant
thoroughly documents and describes the sexual liberation of the woman in the Song as one of the
texts most profound characteristics.47 As Weems puts it, The books charm is its ability to
elaborate on the erotic while at the same time critiquing prevailing cultural norms. In fact, the
poet cunningly uses the former subtly to denounce the latter.48 Scholars have also noted the
dynamic and fluid nature of the gender roles between the characters within Song of Songs, using
this to support the claim that gender is an entirely social and performative construct as opposed
to a biological one.49 Regardless of whether or not one interprets the Song as evidence to this
claim, it is undoubtedly extremely subversive to gender roles in a way that is surprisingly
progressive for an Ancient Near Eastern society that was thoroughly patriarchal.
This restorative empowerment of women goes hand in hand with another key feature of
the Song, the affirmation of physicality and the material world. Modern scholars are at a near
consensus that the Song of Songs is a depiction of sexual love and should be read literally rather
than allegorically.50 This positive depiction of physical stimulation is seen in the
overwhelmingly pervasive sensual language and imagery used in the Song.51 Perhaps this is
what was meant by the famous Rabbinic statement in which the Song of Songs is praised as the
most Holy of all Hebrew Scriptures.52 The Songs poetic treatment of the physical world and of
46 Sex, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery 776-779.
47 D. Bergant, Song of Songs, Israels Wisdom Literature 124-140.
48 Renita Weems, Song of Songs, The New Interpreters Bible: Old Testament Survey Nashville: Abingdon Press,
2005, 265.
49 Yael Almog, Flowing Myrrh upon the Handles of the Bolt: Bodily Border, Social Norms and their
Transgression in the Song of Songs. Biblical Interpretation 18 (2010): 251-263.
50 R. Murphy, Song of Songs, Book Of, The Anchor Bible Dictionary 6:153.
51 Weems, 266.
52 Bergant, Israels Wisdom Literature, 124.

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the dimensions of love experienced by a young man and woman within that world convey a
perception of the world unique in the Hebrew bible. The Song features and entwines nature,
humanity, and love so insistently that the reader can comprehend any one only in terms of the
other two.53 This dialectic beautifully exemplifies the way love bridges the gap between the
physical and the spiritual, bringing restoration to the material world as two lovers engage in an
impassioned act of vulnerability.
Section IV: Conclusion & Application
The Song of Songs as a whole, verses 2-17 included, is a book of ambiguities. As
modern readers it might be tempting to seek certainty or resolution. However, perhaps when it
comes to this poem, it is most appropriate to allow room for varied interpretations. Is a poem not
more beautiful when allowed to be multiple things at once, operating on spectra rather than on a
scale of all or nothing?54 When we allow a poem to be a poem, we find that although the Song
of Songs can, and should, be interpreted literally as being about erotic love, it is also about the
spiritual restoration that occurs when humans allow themselves to engage in love. The Song
overflows with imagery of the created world, and some scholars suggest that this is meant to
recall descriptions of the Garden of Eden.55 In this way, the Song takes on an almost
eschatological nature, illustrating the importance of living as if Gods Kingdom is now but not
yet, by partaking in the creative and restorative act of love, and using it as a way to seek peace
and renewal both relationally and physically.
The most apparent application for this passage on the Universal Level is its treatment of
sexuality. For reasons pertaining to its subversion of oppressive gender roles as well as the
53 Daniel Grossberg, Nature Humanity, and Love in Song of Songs. Interpretation July (2005): 229.
54 Jennifer Pfenniger, Bakhtin Reads the Song of Songs. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 34.3 (2010):
331-349.
55 K. Schifferdecker Creation Theology, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings 68.

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affirmation of the physical, the church and society could both benefit from an examination of this
passage. In the text we see a woman who is liberated in her sexuality, who is in a loving, mutual,
and consensual relationship, who is bold, independent, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.
We also see two young people who love each other and who actively participate in a nearlysacramental human relationship by not hesitating to indulge in the pleasures and passion of the
material world. Society perhaps leans too far towards hedonism, the church tends to repress, and
both seem to agree that women are objects; this pericope challenges the oppressive ideologies
that have dominated the social landscape on a Universal Level for millennia and offers hope for
restoration in the profound vulnerability of relationship.
On a Personal Level, I would say that I have similar lessons to learn from this passage.
As a male I am undeniably conditioned to operate within, and benefit from, a patriarchal and
misogynistic society. This passage serves as a reminder of the immense beauty and power of
true, respectful love. It also challenges me and encourages me to take relational risks. I tend to
be a cynic, especially when it comes to interpersonal relationships. However, I am also a firm
believer that we find tangible evidence of Gods restorative love when we take the risk involved
in loving and being loved by humans. As we grow closer to each other, we grow closer to God,
and vice versa. This enables us to better pursue issues of peace and justice. The unbridled and
sensual passion of the lovers in the Song of Songs not only gives me cautious hope that I might
one day be in a relationship where I can love and be loved in such a restorative way, but it also
reminds me that human relationships, romantic or otherwise, are worth the risk.

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Section V: Works Cited

General References:
Bed, Bedroom, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C.,
Longman, and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 85-86.
Darkness, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C.,
Longman, and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 191-192.
Green, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C.,
Longman, and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 350-351.

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Noon, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C.,
Longman, and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 596.
Oil, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C., Longman,
and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 603-605.
Sex, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C., Longman,
and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 776-779.
Song of Songs, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C.,
Longman, and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 806-807.
Veil, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C., Longman,
and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 911.
Vine, Vineyard, in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Edited by Ryken, Leland, Wilhoit, James C.,
Longman, and Tremper III. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998, 915-917.
Bergant, D. Song of Songs, Israels Wisdom Literature: A Liberation-Critical Reading.
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997.
Branch, R. G.,Women, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings Edited
by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009),
919-924.
Edwards, D. R. Dress and Ornamentation. Pages 234-235 in vol. 2 of The Anchor Yale Bible
Dictionary. Edited by David Noel Freedman. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
Heider, G. C., Marriage and Sex, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry &
Writings Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2009), 455-457.
Hess, R. S.,Floral Imagery, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings
Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,
2009), 218-223.
Long, G. A., Song of Songs 2: Ancient Near Eastern Background, in Dictionary of the Old
Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns.
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 750-759.
Murphy, R. Song of Songs, Book Of. Pages 150-155 in vol. 6 of The Anchor Yale Bible
Dictionary. Edited by David Noel Freedman. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

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Schifferdecker, K., Creation Theology, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry &
Writings Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2009), 63-70.
Schwab, G., Song of Songs 1: Book Of, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry
& Writings Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2009), 737-750.
Walton, J., Matthews, V., and Chavalas, M. Song of Songs, pages 576-577 in The IVP Bible
Background Commentary: Old Testament. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, IL, 2000.
Wells, B. and Magdalene, F.R., Law, in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry &
Writings Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2009), 420-427.
Commentaries:
Bergant, Dianne. The Song of Songs. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997), 7-22.
Exum, J. Cheryl. Song of Songs: A Commentary. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press,
2005), 91-113.
Keel, Othmar. The Song of Songs: A Continental Commentary. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press,
1994), 40-76.
Norris, Richard. The Song of Songs: Interpreted by Early Christian and Medieval
Commentators. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003), 58-89.
Weems, Renita. Song of Songs, The New Interpreters Bible: Old Testament Survey.
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005), 262-268.
Articles:
Almog, Yael. Flowing Myrrh upon the Handles of the Bolt: Bodily Border, Social Norms and
their Transgression in the Song of Songs. Biblical Interpretation 18 (2010): 251-263.
Boersma, Matthew. Scent in Song: Exploring Scented Symbols in the Song of Songs.
Conversations with the Biblical World 31 (2011): 80-94.
Grossberg, Daniel. Nature, Humanity, and Love in Song of Songs. Interpretation July (2005):
229-242.
Pfenniger, Jennifer. Bakhtin Reads the Song of Songs. Journal for the Study of the Old
Testament 34.3 (2010): 331-349.
Sasson, Victor. King Solomon and the Dark Lady in the Song of Songs. Vetus Testamentum
39:4 (1989): 407-414.