Troublesome Topic: Feminine Beauty Part 1 Song of Solomon ch 2 & ch 7

1

Ivory was hard to come by, thus was in style only for the rich.

2

Tower means strength.

3

Pools were a source of refreshing.

4: The name Heshbon

This is the site of an excellent spring which creates pools and streams making it an extremely desirable location which represents cool, fresh, life-giving water (Unger). Archeological digs have discovered that there were large reservoirs built in that area to hold the water from said spring (Easton) and many cisterns have been found in the area (Smith’s Bible Dictionary). That means the spring had sufficient flow to provide water for many, many people. According to Hitchcock the name means “industry or invention,” according to Easton it means “intelligence,” and according to BDB it means “reckoning or giving an account.” All these meanings have some overlap because they have to do with the activity of the mind and the application or consequences of ideas.

5

The gate was a key part of the protection of the city.

6

The name Bath Rabbim means “daughter of abundance.”

7

The nose was literally “the breathing place,” in contrast to our thought process which emphasizes smelling. The Hebrews never lost sight of the fact that one word meant breathe, life and spirit,  i.e. the Spirit of God. It was into Adam’s nostrils that God breathed the breath of life, not into his mouth.

The impact on marriage: A godly wife is essential for a healthy marriage. I cannot think of a quality that is more important than godliness. We should all be controlled all the time by God’s Spirit. Here the Peaceful Man is expressing gratitude that the Peaceful Woman possesses and displays that very quality.

8

Because Damascus is watered by the Abana River that comes down from mount Hermon, it is a fertile place, abounding in gardens, orchards and meadows. She lies along the main trade route leading from East to West. Some consider it the oldest city on earth that still exists as a city. In summary, it was an important and historic city, situated in a beautiful and fertile valley. Its name means either “activity” (Easton) or “sack full of blood\similitude of burning” (Hitchcock), or “swift camel,”  and some say it is named after a great grandson of Noah who built the city. However, a number of scholars classify the meaning of the name as unknown because none of the above has sufficient evidence to solidify it as accurate. Since the meaning of the name is uncertain and does not seem to be a key factor in understanding this passage, I have not included an attempted meaning in the paraphrase.

9: "breath"

This is the word “nose.” However, because the Hebrew people saw the nose as “the breathing place,” it could also mean “breath,” which makes more sense here.

10: "Apples": Implications for marriage

A wife’s spiritual qualities are extremely important. A wife does more for her husband by being godly than by any other thing she can do.

11: “apples”

This word refers to a tree that produces blossoms and then fruit, both of which have a pleasing aroma. Some type of apple tree fits best and is the specific tree most Hebrew scholars choose when translating this word. The people of that region were particularly fond of the smell of an apple, and were known to use that smell to revive themselves when feeling faint. The apple was also thought to have medicinal value, which only heightens the idea of reviving.

12: “young men”

Just as the word for daughters was used earlier to communicate “maidens, or young ladies,” so here the word that is usually translated “sons” is used to communicate the idea of “young men.”

13: “fruit”

We have seen her ability to revive him; here we see that he also revives her. They revive each other. That’s the way it should be.

14: “meadow flower”

Although there are 7 species of roses that do grow naturally in Israel (according to Unger), this word, often translated “rose,” is most likely a reference to something other than our rose—maybe to the narcissus, or the autumn crocus. There are two types of narcissus that grow in that region. Because of its use in conjunction with “Sharon” (known for flowery beauty), I believe it was a flowering plant known for its beauty, its fragrance and possibly its usefulness in providing essential oils. It could be a reference to simple beauty, which also fits the Song well. Simple beauty still has power to refresh and inspire.

15

Sharon was a coastal plain noted for its flowery beauty, and as a garden spot (i.e., a place of natural beauty). The word means “plain” and probably came from the word for “spread out,” which makes me think God carefully arranged it, laying it out like one would do with a table.

16

The lily found in Israel is not quite the same as the lily found in America because the American kind does not grow naturally in Israel (according to Unger). We cannot be sure which plant this is, but most scholars seem to think it was a type of lily or iris. This word comes from a root word which means “white, to be bright, to bring cheer and to be happy” (Davidson & Strong’s). The color was considered regal and bright, with brightness being a key part of its meaning. We do not think of white flowers as regal, but apparently people of that day did. The word was also used of musical instruments, causing us to conclude that the flower and the musical instrument had a similar shape and brought joy. Thus we think the flower in mind has a tubular, or trumpet-like shape. It is thought to have been a plant with a bright white flower that had a tendency of coming up in the fields and providing a smattering of brightness to the plain-looking fields. For all these reasons lilies were a symbol of regal beauty that adorned places that were otherwise ordinary, thus bringing cheer to those that saw them. We could call them a floral serendipity.

17

Valleys were known as places where water and vegetation could be found, and they were often contrasted with the more arid open country around them. Thus valleys became a symbol of production, fertility, and abundance.