VI. THE EPILOGUE 8:8-14

Verses 8-12 flash back to the Shulammite's life before meeting Solomon and their first encounter. Verses 13-14 reveal their final mature love.

 A. The Past 8:8-12

8:8-9 These words by the Shulammite's older brothers (cf. 1:6) reveal their desire to prepare her for a proper marriage. Comparing her to a wall may mean that she might use self-restraint and exclude all unwarranted advances against her purity. If she behaved this way, her brothers would honor her by providing her with various adornments. However if she proved susceptible to these advances as an open door, they would have to guard her purity for her by keeping undesirable individuals from her.

8:10 She had proved to be like a wall rather than a door. Consequently she had become a great delight to Solomon.

8:11-12 The site of "Baal-hamon"is unknown. Evidently Solomon leased part of his vineyard to the Shulammite's brothers who put her to work in it (1:6). There she met Solomon. Her own vineyard probably refers to her own person (cf. 1:6).⁸⁶The Shulammite promised to give all of herself to Solomon freely whereas he needed to pay those who worked in his literal vineyard wages.

 B. The Present 8:13-14

These verses reflect the desire that Solomon and the Shulammite still felt for each other. Solomon seems to have spoken verse 13 and the Shulammite verse 14. The mountains probably refer to her breasts (cf. 2:17; 8:14).

The narrative closes with a call for the lover to return to his beloved. Many students of the Bible have noted the similarity with how the whole Bible ends: "Come, Lord Jesus"(Rev. 22:20).⁸⁷