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FRAMEWORKS:
Song of Solomon 5:
Preliminary
Comments: Please
ensure you have read the notes in the Introduction. Very well,
to begin with, the study which simply seeks to help the reader
absorb the text more easily:
Possible
breakdown :
v.1
An enigmatic reference to their coming together at what could
be the wedding
v.2-8
A lost opportunity when he comes to find her
v.9-16
She extensively extols his handsomeness when challenged by the
chorus
He
v.1
[I
have come to my bride and enjoyed her fully] I
have come into my garden, my sister, my bride ;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Friends
[celebrate
this love!] Eat,
friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.
She
v.2
[we
slept in adjoining bedrooms [?], he came knocking in the night
but I am damp from the warm night] I
slept but my heart was awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.'
v.3 [I
hesitated, must I change again for him?] I
have taken off my robe –
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet –
must I soil them again?
v.4 [he
reached to open the door and my heart beats strongly] My
beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
my heart began to pound for him.
v.5 [I
prepared myself with spices] I
arose to open for my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
v.6 [but
when I eventually opened the door he had gone ] I
opened for my beloved,
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure.
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.
v.7 [I
went out to look for him but the watchmen beat me for being out
in the middle of the night] The
watchmen found me
as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those watchmen of the walls!
v.8 [Oh
you watchers, if you see him just tell him I love him ] Daughters
of Jerusalem, I charge you –
if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.
Friends
v.9
[so
tell us, prove to us you love him so] How
is your beloved better than others,
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?
She
v.10 [well,
to start with he stands out above all others] My
beloved is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
v.11
[such
a noble head with exquisite wavy hair] His
head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
v.12 [his
eyes tell he is humble and pure] His
eyes are like doves
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.
v.13
[everything
about his looks is wonderful] His
cheeks are like beds of spice
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
v.14
[with
such strong arms and the body of an statue] His
arms are rods of gold
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
v.15
His
legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.
v.16
[he
speaks only good and he's wonderful – and he's my friend!]
His
mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem
[Concluding
Comment: The first half of this chapter 5 [v.1-8] is
about how she was more concerned to look good, when he came to
her, but missed her chance to be with him. The chorus challenge
her to say just what it is about him she loves [v.9] and the remainder
of the chapter is her describing him in glowing terms [v.10-16].
Again there is no reference to Solomon or identification of the
couple. Again her descriptions could apply to any young man.]
And
now the drama:
| The
Text: |
The
Drama: |
HE
5
1 I
have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered
my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my
honey;
I
have drunk my wine and my milk.
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(As
the lights come back up the couple are walking hand in hand
across the stage and he speaks)
I
have received of the garden that you have presented to me
so willingly, my love, and the delight you have given me
is beyond description.
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FRIENDS
Eat,
O friends, and drink; drink your fill, O lovers. |
(The
chorus breaks in)
Indeed,
dear ones, enjoy each other.
(The
lights fade) |
SHE
2
I slept but my heart
was awake. Listen! My lover is knocking:
"Open
to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one.
My
head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of
the night."
3
I have taken off my
robe-- must I put it on again?
I
have washed my feet-- must I soil them again?
4
My lover thrust his
hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound
for him.
5
I arose to open for
my lover, and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my
fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
6
I opened for my lover,
but my lover had left; he was gone.
My
heart sank at his departure. A I looked for him but did
not find him.
I
called him but he did not answer.
7
The watchmen found
me as they made their rounds in the city.
They
beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those
watchmen of the walls!
8
O daughters of Jerusalem,
I charge you-- if you find my lover,
what
will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love. |
(As
the lights come back on the girl is on stage alone, seated
on a tall stool. She reflects back The backdrop is blank).
You
know, there was a time when it nearly didn't happen. There
was a night in our early days when he came to my home in
the middle of the night. He gently rapped on the shutters
and called, my love, it is I, let me in.
It
was the middle of the night, I was damp with perspiration
from the warmth of the night. I was in my nightdress. I
thought, he can't see me like this, I must get dressed.
I heard him trying to unlatch the shutters.
I
got out of bed and thought, I must put on perfume, he can't
see me like this.
By
the time I was dressed and ready for him, he was gone. My
heart sank. I went outside to look. I called into the darkness
but I was too late.
I
hurried after him into the city, but it was after the curfew.
The watchmen encountered me and thought the worst and beat
me.
Oh
my friends, tell him I am sorry, tell him I love him. |
FRIENDS
9
How is your beloved
better than others, most beautiful of women?
How
is your beloved better than others, that you charge us so?
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(The
chorus break in)
Really?
Really? Convince us oh most beautiful of women that he means
more to you than any other man.
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SHE
10
My lover is radiant
and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
11
His head is purest
gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
12
His eyes are like doves
by the water streams, washed in milk,
mounted
like jewels.
13
His cheeks are like
beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
14
His arms are rods of
gold set with chrysolite. His body is like polished ivory
decorated with sapphires.
15
His legs are pillars
of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like
Lebanon, choice as its cedars.
16
His mouth is sweetness itself;
he
is altogether lovely. This is my lover, this my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.
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(She
pauses with bowed head, then lifts her face forcefully and
continues)
“Very
well then! I cannot get him out of my mind. Every detail
of him is etched in my brain! His face shines with the healthy
glow of the outdoor life. He is more handsome than ten thousand
others!
He
looks almost gold reflecting the sun, and yet his hair is
black as a raven. He says my eyes are gentle; well his are
more so, pure and bright as well.
Just
the sight of his face is more beautiful to me than perfume.
His arms and body are strong like polished stone, his legs
like marble columns set in gold. He stands tall and strong,
and when he smiles – well my heart just melts. This, my
friends, is him, this is the one who is both my best friend
and my love! Now will you believe?
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Continue
to Songs 6
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