The Shulammite's desire for her husband's love continued to increase throughout their marriage (vv. 1-3).
8:1 Ancient Near Easterners frowned on public displays of intimate affection unless closest blood relatives exchanged them. It was perhaps for this reason that the wife wished that her husband was her brother.
8:2-3 Here the wife pictures herself playfully leading her husband as an older sister or mother would lead a younger brother or son. Solomon and the Shulammite were close friends as well as lovers (cf. 5:1, 16). As his wife she desired his caresses (v. 3).
8:4 Solomon again urged his wife's friends not to try to awaken her love for him artificially but to let love take its natural course (cf. 2:7; 3:5). Her love was now fully alive and needed no further stimulation.
This section (5:2-8:4) that began with estrangement ends with the lovers entwined in each other's arms.
