And at the end of chapter 7 and the beginning of chapter 8, the Shulammite bride appears to be upset with all the demands of public life in the royal palace. In chapter 5, for example, there is a misunderstanding between the lovers.

It’s a real story from Solomon’s life, written in poetic form. In the two-lover view, this is not a fairy tale. This does not mean, however, that the story closes with 'and they lived happily ever after'! No. In the context of the royal palace and in the public eye, the love relationship between Solomon and his bride deepens and matures throughout the rest of the Song. The wedding takes place within chapter 4, and the marriage is consummated at the beginning of chapter 5. The marriage procession with all its splendor is described at the end of chapter 3. King Solomon, of course, spared no expense for the wedding. She had no idea that she would soon become a 'Cinderella.' Rather than use his powers as king to abduct the maiden for his harem, Solomon decided to disguise himself as a shepherd and win her heart by slowly building a love relationship with her.Īnd the plan worked! Soon after Solomon revealed his true identity the couple was married. The young woman was working nearby in her family's vineyard when Solomon saw her (1:6). Solomon had observed this beautiful young woman while on a trip in the northern territories of his kingdom - maybe to certain crown properties or vineyards. In the traditional two-lover view of the Song, we have the account of King Solomon's true love for a Shulammite peasant girl. She and her shepherd then travel home together, happily looking forward to their marriage. Finally, Solomon grants the maiden her freedom. In the meantime, her shepherd lover comes to Jerusalem to see what he can do to get his fiancee released from Solomon's clutches. She remains true to her shepherd, and continues to dream and talk only of him. But in spite of all his wooing and wealth, Solomon cannot persuade the maiden to wed him. But along comes the 'villain' of the story - King Solomon! When he catches a glimpse of the beautiful maiden, he lusts after her and abducts her for his already-large royal harem (6:8).

The young woman and the shepherd are simple country folk who have fallen in love and are planning to marry. In this view, the true love affair is not between King Solomon and a Shulammite maiden, but rather between a young Shulammite shepherdess and and shepherd. The three-lover “triangular” view was first put forward in the late 1700's (that’s relatively recent in Church history). Some say there are two lovers in the story, while others say there are three lovers. In fact, Bible scholars and commentators have a variety of opinions on how the Song should be interpreted. Many growing Christians have never even read Solomon’s Song - and those who have read it know it’s not easy to understand.

It's great to be alive! How welcome is that walk in the park or through the woods - especially with that special person!īut what does all this 'love in the springtime' talk have to do with the Bible? And that title sure doesn't sound biblical! Well, the Bible has a lot to say about love - including 'budding romances.' In fact, Song of Solomon is all about love and romance! As for the title? It’s taken straight from the Bible! 'Catching the foxes' is a figurative expression for something that’s very important in a love relationship.īut first let's talk a little about the Song of Solomon in general. Warm breezes and colorful blossoms arrive. Spring is the time of year when everything bursts into bloom - including love! Bitter winds and bare branches disappear.

Catch a lover traps