Names of the Book
| English: | Song of Songs |
| Hebrew: | שׁיר השׁירים |
| Transliterated: | Shir HaShirim |
| Other names: | Song of Solomon |
Who
| Wrote the book: | Solomon |
| Are the key people: | Solomon, the Shulammite woman, and friends |
| Is it written to: | The people of Israel |
What
| The wedding (Song of Songs 1:1-2:7) |
| The courtship (Song of Songs 2:8-3:5) |
| The engagement (Song of Songs 3:6-5:1) |
| A troubling dream (Song of Songs 5:2-6:3) |
| The bride's beauty (Song of Songs 6:4-7:9) |
| The bride's appeal (Song of Songs 7:9-8:4) |
| The power of love (Song of Songs 8:5-14) |
When
| Was it written: | c 1000 BCE |
| Did the events occur: | c 1000 BCE |
| Was it canonized: | c 499-100 BCE |
| (see the Timeline of the Tanakh) | |
Where
| Was it written: | In Jerusalem |
| Did the events occur: | The land of Israel |
Why
| Song of Songs was written to inform us that: |
| Sexual relations are a blessing from G-d. |
| Physical intimacy has intense power on those involved. |
| Love and physical intimacy require commitment. |
| A lack of physical intimacy can cause problems within a marriage. |
Introduction
The Song of Solomon is a combination of poetry and wisdom literature that (according to common interpretation) celebrates the marital intimacy between a man and a woman that G-d intended to occur within marriage. It is a collection of love poems that alternately relate the thoughts of the bride, the groom, and their wedding guests. In Hebrew this book is called the "Song of Songs" and is generally attributed to Solomon, however, some scholars consider it to be anonymously written about him.
Scripture- Book Selection
| Chapter | Description |
| 1 | The woman expresses her desire for the king (to herself). The woman is brought into the king's chambers and Solomon's harem extols his love. The woman is embarrassed by her appearance that is swarthy from laboring in the vineyards. Solomon and the woman meet and are mutually attracted to each other. They compliment one another. |
| 2 | The woman describes herself as the "rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys". Solomon and the woman continue to compliment one another and they express their love. Solomon adjures the daughters of Jerusalem not to arouse or awaken love until it pleases. Solomon and the woman spend time together in the countryside and get to know one another. |
| 3 | The woman seeks her love in her dreams but cannot find him. When she does find him, she takes him to her mother's house. Solomon's wedding procession is described. |
| 4 | Solomon describes the beauty of his bride on the night of their wedding. Solomon and his bride consummate their marriage. |
| 5 | Presumably sometime after the wedding, Solomon goes to his bride but she is unprepared to receive him. She arrives at the door too late and Solomon is gone. She seeks for him but cannot find him. She adjures the daughters of Jerusalem to tell him that she is lovesick. When questioned, she describes her beloved in complimentary detail. |
| 6 | When asked where her beloved is, the woman replies that he has gone to his garden. When she goes to him, Solomon describes her using many of the same terms that he used on their wedding night. |
| 7 | Solomon goes on to describe his wife's physical attributes. The woman suggests they travel to the country and spend time in the villages and in the vineyards. It is there that she will give her husband her love. |
| 8 | The woman expresses her desire to be able to express her affection for Solomon in public as easily as if he were her brother. The woman desires to be Solomon's most prized possession. She recalls how her brothers defended her purity: the purity that Solomon found so attractive. |