In the NASB, NIV, and NKJV the translators identified the speakers in the various sections of the book. This is, of course, the interpretation of the translators, not part of the inspired text.
As the book begins, the young woman and young man have already met and "fallen in love."In verses 2-4a the girl voices her desire for her boyfriend's physical affection.
"It is significant to this work that the girl speaks first. This young lady is not extremely diffident. She seems to see herself as of equal stature with the male. She longs to express her love to him, and she wants him to reciprocate. There is a sense in which she is the major character in this poem. This is one of the aspects of this work that makes it unique in its day. Much more of the text comes from her mouth and mind than from his. It is more her love story than it is his, though there is no failure on his part to declare his love and admiration for her."28
Who was the Shulammite? No one knows for sure. It is possible that she may have been Abishag, the Shunammite (cf. 1 Kings 1:3-8). "Shulammite"could describe a person from Shunem (cf. Josh. 19:18; 1 Sam. 28:4).
"This would explain Solomon's rather severe reaction to the plot of Adonijah and also partially explain the women of the court listed in 6:8 without the necessity of understanding them to have been actual consorts of Solomon."29
The use of both third and second person address ("he"and "you") is a bit confusing. Is she speaking abouthim or tohim? This feature of ancient oriental poetry is common in other Near Eastern love poems that archaeologists have discovered. It was a device that ancient writers evidently employed to strengthen the emotional impact of what they wrote.30Here the girl appears to be speaking abouther love, not tohim.
1:2 The Hebrew word for "love"(dodim) in verse 2 refers to physical expressions of love.31The girl found her boyfriend's physical affection very stimulating.
1:3 His "oils"(v. 3) were the lotions he wore. Since the name of a person represented his character (cf. 2 Sam. 7:9), she meant his character, his whole person, was also as pleasing as oil to her and to other people. Her attraction was not due to physical factors alone.
1:4a We could translate the words, "The king has brought me into his chambers,"(v. 4) as, "May the king bring me into his chambers."This is an expression of longing for intimacy. Such a desire is normal and healthy (cf. Prov. 5:18-19). The king was Solomon.
1:4b The last three lines of verse 4 were evidently the words of the daughters of Jerusalem (v. 5; cf. 2:7; 3:5, 10, 17; 5:8, 11, 16; 8:4). These may have been hometown friends of the woman,32the female inhabitants of Jerusalem,33women who display the characteristics of city girls,34or the women of Solomon's harem (cf. 6:8-9).35Their words here show that they approved of the romance.
1:5-6 The young lady felt embarrassed because she had very dark skin as a result of having to tend her family's grapevines. Female courtiers did not work outdoors, so their skin was lighter than women who labored in the fields. The "tents of Keder"(v. 5) were apparently black and were probably animal skins. The Kederites were nomads who lived in northern Arabia southeast of Damascus (cf. Gen. 25:13; Isa. 60:7).
"These words express humility without abjectness."36
Her "own vineyard"(v. 6) refers to her personal appearance.37
"She had not had available to her the luxurious baths and toiletries or fashionable clothing of the court. There had been no opportunity for her to take care of her hair, skin, or hands according to the obvious courtly style."38
1:7 Solomon probably was not a shepherd. Ancient Near Eastern love poems commonly pictured men as shepherds.39The girl simply wanted to be with Solomon. If she could not, she would be very sad, just as a woman who veiled her face in mourning.
"The girl is saying that she does not want to be mistaken for a cult prostitute, a good picture of which is seen in Genesis 38:13-15."40
1:8 If this is Solomon's reply, he probably was kidding her and meant that she had no reason to feel he would disdain her. However these are probably the words of the girl's friends (cf. v. 4b). They evidently meant that if she thought Solomon would not want her because of her dark skin and hard work she was being ridiculous and should go back to her flocks. After all she was a very attractive woman.
1:9-10 Here Solomon reassured his love. Stallions, not mares, pulled chariots. A mare among the best of Pharaoh's stallions would have been desirable to every one of them.
"A passage from Egyptian literature demonstrates that mares were sometimes set loose in battle to allure and distract the pharaoh's chariot-harnessed stallions."41
Solomon meant his love was a woman whom all the best men of his court would have pursued.
"This is the ultimate in sex appeal!"42
Solomon's praise would have bolstered his beloved's confidence that he loved her. This encouragement is often necessary and is always appropriate in such a relationship.
"We have forgotten what a thing of beauty a horse can be when compared to other animals. We are also unaware what valuable creatures they were in the ancient world. They were beautiful in themselves, and the ancient royal courts insisted on brilliantly caparisoning [adorning with rich trappings] the ones that pulled the king's chariot. The beloved's jewelry, earrings, and necklaces make him think of such."43
"Such a comparison was not at all unusual in ancient literature. Theocritus, for example, compared the rose complexioned Helen' to a Thessalian steed.' For Solomon the horse was more a cherished companion than a beast of burden. His praise of Shulamith recognized her beauty and her graceful movements."44
1:11 Her friends volunteered to make more ornaments for her so she would be even more attractive to Solomon.
