Posts Tagged ‘song’

Song of Songs Chs 7 & 8 Notes

Posted: February 6, 2013 in Song of Songs
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1. Ch. 7:1-9a

This is the most erotic section of the entire Song as he describes his arousal regarding her body starting at her feet and working his way up.  In fact, he suggests in verse 1(b) that her legs are so beautiful they must have been formed by an artist!  He goes on to describe her naked body.

Outline:

1. ______________________________________ vs. 1

2. ______________________________________vs. 1

3. ______________________________________ vs. 2

4. ______________________________________ vs. 3

5. ______________________________________ vs. 4

6. ______________________________________ vs. 4

7. ______________________________________ vs. 4

8. ______________________________________ vs. 5

9. ______________________________________ vs. 5

Verse 6 is an exclamation, “Wow”!  And, verses 7-9 is their love-making.

2. Ch. 7:9b-13

This last portion of chapter 7 is her inviting him out to the countryside; this is a getaway where they escape the hustle and bustle of the city and find peace and privacy in the country villages.  Many of us neglect those getaway times in our marital relationships.

Can you share a time when you got away with your spouse?  Where did you go?  What was great about it?  Where do you go when you are on a budget?

3.  Ch. 8:1-5a

Chapter 8 is the culmination of the Song yet it starts with this odd description of her longing for him to be her brother!  This does not describe an incestuous relationship, rather scholars assume it refers to a cultural taboo for lovers to touch or to show public displays of affection.  All the while, apparently it must have been publicly okay for a brother to give his sister a little kiss in public (assumingly it was not erotic in nature).  It seems she wishes to defy cultural taboos in order to declare to the world her affection for him.

What do you feel about public displays of affection?  What do you do?  Does it benefit you or your family in any way?  What are some of our taboos?

Ch. 8:5b-14

This final portion of the Song is her giving herself to him.  She is literally “sealed” for him in verse 6.  This shows the power of love; it is a love that lasts beyond death.  In verse 7, “many waters cannot quench love”.  The verses starting at verse 8 through the end are then an affirmation to protect a young girl’s virginity for the man to whom she would one day be sealed.  It is certainly a picture of the exclusivity of a physical as well as emotional and spiritual union described in Genesis and referred to by Jesus in Matthew.

Hess describes and interesting feature of love in his commentary: (1)

There is a one-for-one correlation throughout the Song between the eleven appearances of the word for “love” (‘ahava) in the Hebrew text and the Greek rendering of it in the LXX as “agape”.  This term forms the basis for the NT understanding of the amazing love that God has given to believers.  This is most emphatically and consistently argued in the works ascribed to the Apostle John. . .

Paul proclaims the excellence of God’s love in terms of its inability to be overcome by any earthly force.  The surpassing value of this love, which abides forever, is nowhere more eloquently stated than in 1 Cor. 13.  Those who would follow Jesus as his disciples require this love alone (cf. Luke 14:33).  Hence the worth of the couple’s love, based on erotic experience and commitment, establishes the foundation for the Song’s understanding of a love whose basis, experience, and commitment is the all-surpassing-love of God (cf. Hosea 11:8-9).  This provides the resource for the understanding of love that the NT apostolic writers use.

John on Love (agape):

John 13:35, 15:9, 10, 13; 17:26; 1 John 2:5, 15, 3:1, 16, 17; 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16 (2x); 5:3; 2 John 3, 6; 3 John 6; and perhaps Rev. 2:4 & 19.

(1)

Hess, Richard S. Song of Songs Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2005.

Song of Songs Chs 5 & 6 Notes

Posted: January 30, 2013 in Song of Songs
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Jeremy’s notes

Commentary used for these chapters:

James E. Smith, Old Testament Survey Series: The Wisdom Literature and Psalms, (College Press), Accessed through Logos Bible Software.

For this evening, I have used a different commentary which poses the idea of an unmentioned character, a Shepherd.  From last week, please remember that there are many ways to potentially interpret this poem.  I would suggest we not get “attached” to one or the other, but that we would rather consider all “angles” in an attempt to fully understand God’s Word.  I have preferred to use the Solomon-Abishag approach since 1. it seems to work well interpretively with 1 & 2 Kings, although others disagree, and 2. it keeps an eye on a direct interpretation of the text as there is no “direct” evidence of a third person beyond the chorus.  However, remaining open to additional interpretations may yield insight.

As you might recall, in the first session, I suggested several interpretive approaches.  Let’s just review three of these:

  1. Allegory
  2. Solomon and Abishag
  3. Then, Miriam suggested the Shepherd idea.

Categorize the following in one of the above three approaches:

  • drama
  • sequential narrative (not chronological)
  • a symbolic
  • a theological work
  • a description of married life
  • entertainment
  • a “manual”
  • a love manifesto

From a consideration of these approaches, what might you say about:

Approach                           Pros                                 Cons

So long as we are keen to understand the pros and the cons of the different approaches, we are ready to discuss the scripture!  Tonight, we will handle the format slightly differently.  First, someone will read a selected passage from chapters 5 or 6, then, I will read a portion of a commentary and we will then discuss a question which is reflective of the text.  This will be a little more “strict”, but if you have read ahead or have studied at home hold onto your comments until we get to the relevant passage.  That will help us get through the entire selection of scripture in our hour and a half.  However, comments and questions are highly encouraged, especially when they are thoughtful!

1. READ Songs 5:2-7

Before we read the commentary, who are the characters?  Remember we are viewing this through the Shepherd lens now.

Beloved –

The Lover –

Other (X2)-

Commentary:

Solomon’s amorous advances and verbal flattery are deflected through a swoon.  She falls into a trance to escape the consummation of a marriage with a man she does not love.  His second attempt to woo the maiden had ended just like the first (cf. 2:8–3:5).  She tells Solomon this: “I sleep, but my heart is awake” (5:2a).  Before Solomon she is a lifeless body, but in her mind she is focusing on earlier experiences with her beloved.  By this means she maintains her virginity, and focuses her resolve to be faithful to her beloved.  The shepherd also was skilled in verbal expressions of love. He addressed the maiden with four epithets.  (1) “My sister” indicates that he treats her as his equal. Her attraction to him is more than sexual.  (2) “My darling”: a term of endearment indicating free choice.  (3) “My dove”: points to purity, simplicity, and loveliness.  (4) “My perfect one”: indicates perfect devotion, undoubting trust (5:2).

The remainder of verses recount a scene where the Shepherd attempts to come into her chamber, but she protests because she is already in bed and does not wish to get up.  After some persistence, she relents but he is gone.  Then, she chases him through the town resulting in a scene similar to chapter 3.

Application:

Just for kicks, let’s split up the guys and the girls (guys on one side, girls on the other).  The guys must come up with one group answer and the girls also must come up with their own group answer.

Remember the comments of the Shepherd’s address of the maiden (see above):

  1. Her attraction to him is more than sexual.
  2. She is free.  She chooses him.
  3. He notices (and appreciates) her purity.
  4. He completely trusts her.

Choose one of the above four points and one person in each group share a personal story affirming one of those four attributes he notices in her.  Once the stories are finished, please go ahead and return to where you were seated previously.

2. READ 5:8-6:3

Commentary:

The trance ends.  Again the Shulamite addresses the “daughters of Jerusalem.”  She is desperate that her shepherd know how much she loves him.  She pleads with these ladies to tell him, if they should ever see him: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am love sick.”  They must tell him, for she cannot.  Once married to Solomon, her contact with the world outside the palace would be over (5:8).

In the end of this section, the Shepherd returns to his place in the fields.  However, in between, she happily describes him to the rest of the Solomonic harem as they naturally might wonder what she sees in this Shepherd that would be so much better than the king.  She described him in ten different ways:

Shulamite’s description                                    Your Spouse

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Promise that when you get home tonight you will share this with your spouse!

3. READ 6:4-13

Commentary:

We return to a scene where the king re-enters the stage.  The smitten king begs the maiden to look away from him: “Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me.”  He feels helpless to withstand the gaze of her eyes.  Her looks melt him, and make it impossible for him to speak coherently to her.  Solomon now compares his bride to the other members of the harem.  “There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins without number.”  The setting of this love story is in the early reign of Solomon before he reached the three hundred wives and seven hundred concubines of 1 Kings 11:3.  The Shulamite exceeded all these women in beauty and purity: “My dove, my perfect one is unique. She is her mother’s only one; she is the pure child of the one who bore her.”  Just as the maiden stood out in her family as the favorite of her mother, so she stands out as unique among the women of the palace.  Emphasis here is on the purity of the maiden.  Her innocence, modesty and purity were qualities which attracted Solomon to her.  In the end, however, the timid country girl did not wish to be a spectacle (6:13).

Ladies, let’s let you have the last word tonight.  Reflect on what is most important to you in your married relationship.

Song of Songs Chs 3 & 4, Mona’s Notes

Posted: January 23, 2013 in Song of Songs
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The structure of Song of Songs. Poems vs chapters.  It may help us to understand the book better of we divide the chapters into poems as opposed to one chapter presenting one theme or story.

Poem One 3:1-5  The Bride’s Troubled Dream

Most interpretations consider this passage a dream rather than an actual event. It describes the woman longing, searching, then finally finding the one “whom my soul loves.” The Hebrew for “soul” used in this passage is the same used in “love The Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength.” What happens when she finds him?

What might be the significance of taking him to her mother’s house/room?

God’s promise to Israel in Deut 31:6,8  and Joshua in Josh 1:5 portrays the same intensity of “not letting go” described in verse 4: commitment, loyalty, and faithfulness are strongly implied.

This poem ends with another warning to not arouse love until it pleases or is ready (See 2:7 and 8:4).

Emotions can sometimes get the better of us, so how do we keep ourselves in check? How do we balance passion and self-control?

Poem Two 3:6-11  Solomon’s Wedding Day

A scene of power, wealth and strength is depicted here. Note that it does not say who is on the couch (see endnote 2)  if anyone; it might be Solomon or it may have been sent to bring the woman or bride to the lover she has been seeking.  A big celebration seems to be culminating with Solomon’s wedding day. Marriage is honored in this passage; and physical intimacy has greater meaning via the commitment of marriage.

Poem Three 4:1-7 The first “wasf”     وصف 

Do you have a theme song for yourself, your spouse or as a couple?

Wasf in an Arabic term meaning “description.” A German diplomat to Syria noted  wedding custom and songs that were similar to what he read in the Song of Songs.  Brides and grooms would have songs describing each other’s physical beauty. There are three other wasf in later chapters.

Have you lavished words or praise and admiration for the one you love lately? You might want to write them down!

Do you have a theme song for yourself, your spouse or as a couple?

Poem Four 4:8-9 The Invitation

He does not want to be far from her and calls to her to come to him. He tells her he is “head over heels” in love with her. As mom would say, “Use your words!” It is a powerful thing between a man and woman to express verbally the desire they have for one another.

Poem Five 4:10-5:1 Paradise

One of the words for garden used here is “pardes” (see the appendix for a detailed treatment of “pardes” versus “gan” in 4:12-13) which is a root word for paradise in English.

Can you think of any ideas about what this poem may be talking? Note that the woman gives her consent and invites her lover to her garden. This concludes with the chorus or friends encouraging everyone to celebrate the love between the man and the woman.

Appendix: Ancient Hebrew use of the word paradise pardes

(see endnote 2)

The Old Testament uses the older Hebrew version of the word, pardes, which tells us what it meant to them. The word translated ‘forest’ in the Old Testament is mostly the Hebrew word ya-ar meaning ‘to thicken’, but Nehemiah uses pardes to describe Artaxerxes’ forest.

And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest (pardes), that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. (Nehemiah 2:8)

This ‘king’s forest’ was paradise. Nehemiah is speaking of a pragmatic exchange and the word described a walled piece of land belonging to a king. The word also is used twice in Solomon’s writings where he speaks of his gardens as pardes.

I made me gardens (Hebrew: gannah) and orchards (pardes), and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:(Ecclesiastes 2:5)

A garden (Hebrew: gan) enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard (pardes) of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, (Song 4:12-13)

Solomon makes a difference between a Hebrew gan and a Persian pardes. All three references speak of trees. Both references by Solomon to pardes again refer to a plantation owned by a king. A Hebrew ‘gan’ contained plants in a walled area. However, ancient descriptions of Persian pairidaêza feature an enclosing wall, trees for shade, water in ponds and canals, pavilions and animals. The control of such large areas of water in a hot arid climate would explain why these gardens were associated with kings. Also called a pairidaêza, which was a great privilege for kings to own, was a very large enclosed area full of trees, with water, wild animals and birds for hunting by the king. This King’s pardes or pairidaêza was the area from which Nehemiah gained trees for building the gates of Jerusalem.

To find these notes on the internet, go to http://jeremywchambers.com

Ch. 3 (NASB) Ch. 4 (NASB)
The Bride’s Troubled Dream1 “On my bed night after night I sought him
Whom my soul loves;
I sought him but did not find him.
2 ‘I must arise now and go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I must seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him but did not find him.
3 “The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
4 “Scarcely had I left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had brought him to my mother’s house,
And into the room of her who conceived me.”5 “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,
That you will not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

Solomon’s Wedding Day

6 “What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all scented powders of the merchant?
7 “Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon;
Sixty mighty men around it,
Of the mighty men of Israel.
8 “All of them are wielders of the sword,
Expert in war;
Each man has his sword at his side,
Guarding against the terrors of the night.
9 “King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair
From the timber of Lebanon.
10 “He made its posts of silver,
Its back of gold
And its seat of purple fabric,
With its interior lovingly fitted out
By the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 “Go forth, O daughters of Zion,
And gaze on King Solomon with the crown
With which his mother has crowned him
On the day of his wedding,
And on the day of his gladness of heart.”

 Solomon’s Love Expressed1 “How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves behind your veil;
Your hair is like a flock of goats
That have descended from Mount Gilead.
2 “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes
Which have come up from their washing,
All of which bear twins,
And not one among them has lost her young.
3 “Your lips are like a scarlet thread,
And your mouth is lovely.
Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate
Behind your veil.
4 “Your neck is like the tower of David,
Built with rows of stones
On which are hung a thousand shields,
All the round shields of the mighty men.
5 “Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle
Which feed among the lilies.
6 “Until the cool of the day
When the shadows flee away,
I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh
And to the hill of frankincense.7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
And there is no blemish in you.
8 “Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
May you come with me from Lebanon.
Journey down from the summit of Amana,
From the summit of Senir and Hermon,
From the dens of lions,
From the mountains of leopards.
9 “You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride;
You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,
With a single strand of your necklace.
10 “How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is your love than wine,
And the fragrance of your oils
Than all kinds of spices!
11 “Your lips, my bride, drip honey;
Honey and milk are under your tongue,
And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 “A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up.
13 “Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates
With choice fruits, henna with nard plants,
14 Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,
With all the trees of frankincense,
Myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest spices.
15 “You are a garden spring,
A well of fresh water,
And streams flowing from Lebanon.”

16 “Awake, O north wind,
And come, wind of the south;
Make my garden breathe out fragrance,
Let its spices be wafted abroad.
May my beloved come into his garden
And eat its choice fruits!”

“I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Eat, friends;
Drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

Endnotes:

Note 1

palanquin

Note 2 http://biblefocus.net/consider/v19paradise/Ancient_Hebrew_use_of_the_word_paradise_I.html, accessed Jan. 23, 2013

Song of Songs Chs 1 & 2 Notes

Posted: January 3, 2013 in Song of Songs
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Rev. Jeremy Chambers

Wednesday Adult Bible Study, 7pm, Bellevue Foursquare Church, January 16, 2013

Introduction

During these four weeks we will journey through the Song of Songs.  Since there are 8 chapters in all, it should be a little easier to cover more detail than our last study in Isaiah.  So, therefore, the expectation is a little different in that in my teaching we will spend more time going through the text.  Therefore, you don’t have to read ahead unless you desire.  Of course, reading ahead is always helpful as it prepares you for better discussion!

Commentaries

Tremper Longman, Song of Songs: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2001)

Richard S. Hess, Song of Songs: Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005)

Authorship and Characters

It is widely accepted that Solomon is the author given the first verse of the text.  There is no other external evidence suggesting otherwise.  There are three main characters:

  1. Solomon is the Lover.  He is often referred to as a gazelle, a stag, and various other metaphors we’ll see as we move through the text.
  2. I believe (although it is somewhat of an assumption) that Abishag is the Beloved, the woman.  We’ll see how she speaks first and often.  Much of the text centers around her expressions of sexual desire; it is rather abnormal in that culture for a woman to be so assertive.  Read 1 Kings 1:1-4.
  3. A chorus of women who are Abishag’s friends.  They briefly comment on events revealing the feelings of Abishag.  They are not primary characters.

Notice how God is conspicuously missing.  This work is primarily a celebration of human love.  Often we view the Scripture as a collection of pages where God is speaking to us.  And, in general, that is a good approach to inspired scripture.  But, amazingly, in this case God speaks without being present in the text.  How might that effect your understanding of what is being communicated?

Title and Features

Often people are confused over the title.  The correct title of this book (per the Hebrew text) is literally “Song of Songs”.  We sometimes refer to it as the Song of Solomon making reference to the author; this is not wrong, but it is not the technical title of the book.

Some have suggested that this book resembles soft-core pornography.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  Although it is a veiled description of human sexuality, it belongs to a group of scripture in the Hebrew Bible which also includes Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, and Ruth.  We often call this grouping of books “wisdom literature” as it describes various aspects of human life and in the case of the Song of Songs celebrates human sexuality.

Interpretation

There are three main ways folks have viewed the Song.

  • Allegory.  It uses human sexuality symbolically as it describes the relationship between God and man, the church, Israel, and individuals.
  • Drama.  It is actually a “story” of a love affair between Abishag and Solomon.  Therefore, by reading it as narrative we can use it as an example of proper human sexual expression.
  • Poetry.  It is not so much concerned with symbols nor is it primarily concerned with relating facts in a story.  It is more concerned with the emotions surrounding human sexuality set within a marriage of Solomon and Abishag given certain language of commitment, closeness of the relationship, and titles including “Bride”.

Let’s experiment with your creativity!

Read the following passages and describe the imagery interpreting what it means:

  1. 4:12 a locked garden
  2. 1:6, 7:12 a vineyard
  3. 3:7-10 a palanquin
  4. 5:5 a locked room
  5. 8:9-10 a walled city
  6. 5:7 watchmen & walls

How NOT to read the Song:

  • Not drama
  • Not sequential narrative (not chronological)
  • Not as an allegory or a symbolic work
  • Not a theological work
  • Not description of married life
  • Not entertainment
  • Not a “manual”
  • Not a manifesto for free love

It IS a glimpse into the celebration of human love.

Outline

Although we will take roughly two chapters per week, below is a more precise outline of the book:

  1. Longing for her lover. Chapters 1 – 3:5
  2. Marriage at the heart of the song. Chapters 3:6 – 5:1
  3. Searching for her lover and getting away. Chapters 5:2 – 8:4
  4. The power of lover. Ch. 8

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 starts the first poetic grouping in vv. 1 – 4 as the woman’s pursuit.  In essence, it opens with a passionate love scene.  Remember that the woman talks first, the woman talks last, and the woman talks most.  The implication is that this piece of scripture is written from the woman’s perspective.  This might be unfamiliar to us in that our culture today looks at sexuality predominantly from the male perspective.  Therefore, it will be interesting to see the woman’s perspective in this celebration that bring such delight and joy.

READ vv. 2-4a

Her pursuit has a 5-point outline.

Outline Notes Conclusions(let’s fill this out together)
1. “Let him kiss me. . .”
  1. Kissing is the first thing she thinks about.
  2. This verb “let him kiss” is Jussive; a better translation would be “make him to kiss me. . .”
  3. The Hebrew word in this case “to kiss” is the more passionate type of kiss; not a peck on the cheek!
2. “your love is . . .delightful. . .” “Love” is literally “love-making”.
3. His fragrance She is sensitive to his personal scent.
4. He is popular He is desirable to more than just her.
5. “Take me. . .” There should be no doubt she wants him sexually.

READ v. 4b

The chorus of her friends reinforces her desire and experience.  They celebrate her opportunity as the intoxicating nature of physical love is certainly in mind (“your love is more delightful than wine”).  With regard to the friends, a woman’s friends often have a strong role in her self-image (in a very different way than men).  How are a woman’s friends influential in her life?

READ vv. 4b-17

  1. The woman’s self image is poor.
  2. Her husband enjoys looking at her and affirms her beauty.
  3. She responds and opens to him as she feels affirmed and safe.

Conversation starters:

  • Why is her self-image poor?
  • In verse 9, he uses comparison with other women (a mare among war horses) to flatter her.  It is obvious she is the tender one and her coy, demure, femininity becomes in itself attractive.  What do men find most attractive in women?
  • In verses 12 -14, we see him spending the night between her breasts as the ongoing theme of  fragrance is reinforced.  Let everyone try the henna blossom and myrrh.

Chapter 2

I am a rose of Sharon,

a lily of the valleys.

Sharon is a plain near the Mediterranean which is known for it’s remarkable fertility.  The rose of sharon is a category of flower that includes: asphodel, crocus, hyacinth, or narcissus.  In addition to the “rose of sharon” being a classification for a variety of flowering plants, there is a modern “rose of sharon” as well.

When she calls herself “a lilly of the valleys” or “a rose of sharon”, she is suggesting that she is one among the other maidens.  Maybe she is attractive, but there are many like her and she is therefore common.

He responds in verse 2 by suggesting that she is unique.  Her beauty is unique to him.  He is saying “you are my type” and that everything about her is sexually attractive to him and others don’t do it for him.  What is your type?

READ vv. 3-7

Here we find the climax of the first two chapters.

  1. She reinforces her unique attraction to him in response to his affirmation of her beauty.
  2. A literal translation of v. 4 would be “Let him come and bring me to the house of wine and let his intent be to go up into love-making”.
  3. Then, in verse 4, she swoons faint and needs food.
  4. She rests in the safe arms of her lover.
  5. Her admonition to the virgins of Israel is that they remain chaste while she has found how wonderful love is when saved for the appropriate time.

Comments?

READ vv. 8-14

In these verses her anticipation grows and her excitement builds as she waits for her lover to come.  She compares him to a gazelle or a young stag (swift, masculine sexuality, beautiful) and he invites her to a tryst (vv. 10b & 13b) in the vineyard.  Agrarian images and the warmth of Spring are repeating, universal images of new life, warmth, hope and anticipation.  Spring is an auspicious time!

READ v. 15

This verse seems to come out of nowhere.  Vineyards are a place where your work is rewarded with the fruit.  However, foxes ruin vineyards when they eat the fruit prematurely.  Therefore, the foxes could represent 1. obstacles to their love-making, 2. simple mischief, or 3. things that hamper their blossoming relationship.

Closing chapter 2, verses 16 and 17 reaffirms her desire for physical intimacy (especially 16a).  However, in reflecting on their physical passion in chapters one and two, someone mentioned to me that is nice for a young couple who is just starting to bond.  On the other hand, is it possible to keep a marriage physically “alive”?  Can we watch for “foxes in the vineyard”?  What gets in the way of your love-making and what hampers your blossoming relationship?