Bible Commentaries
Song of Solomon 8

Verses 1-4

Son 8:1-4

Song of Solomon 8:1-3

This final chapter is more eloquent in what it does NOT say than in what is clearly declared. Note that the Shulamite is not with king Solomon. She is not in his harem. She is in her own vineyard, not in the one Solomon let out for a thousand pieces of silver.

I WISH YOU WERE LIKE MY BROTHER

Song of Solomon 8:1-3

"Oh that thou wert as my brother,

That sucked the breasts of my mother!

When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee;

Yea, and none would despise me.

I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house,

Who would instruct me;

I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine,

Of the juice of my pomegranate.

His left hand should be under my head,

And his right hand should embrace me."

Balchin saw these verses as, "the maiden’s soliloquy.” "She expresses here a longing for the closest intimacy with her lover.” It is difficult to see any real connection here with rest of the Song. "It may be a separate piece altogether." "The Shulamite is addressing her lover on their way to the fields together; and she wishes he were as a brother, so that she might kiss him affectionately in public.” The background of this is that in the East brothers and sisters might show their affection in public, but not so with husbands and wives. This fragment offers no solution as to the identity of the lover, whether he is the shepherd or king Solomon; but the weight of evidence favors the shepherd. If Solomon had been the lover, he would have taken her into the royal bedroom adjacent to his harem, not into the house of the bride’s mother.

Song of Solomon 8:4

THE FAMILIAR REFRAIN

"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

That ye stir not up, nor awaken my love,

Until he please."

This is repeated in Song of Solomon 2:7 and Song of Solomon 3:5. See comment under those verses. It is not clear why this refrain is repeated just here.

Song of Solomon 8:1 : The shepherd had addressed her as his sister, she now reciprocates with the thought that if he were her brother she would rush into his arms and kiss him at any time and any place. We like the words of Adeney here: “This singular mode of courtship between two lovers who are so passionately devoted to one another that we might call them the Hebrew Romeo and Juliet, is not without significance. Its recurrence, now on the lips of the bride, helps to sharpen still more the contrast between what passes for love in the royal harem, and the true emotion experienced by a pair of innocent young people, unsullied by the corruptions of the court—illustrating, as it does at once, its sweet intimacy and its perfect purity.” (ibid., p. 535.)

Song of Solomon 8:2 : Why go to her mother’s house? This would be after their marriage for instruction from the mother in the art of lovemaking. No mention is made of her father—perhaps her mother is a widow. Such a simple home-like atmosphere is in strong contrast to the oppressive magnificence of Solomon’s palace. She has some wonderful home-made country beverages for him—spiced wine and pomegranate juice. “Perhaps what is here called ‘spiced wine’ is especially prepared juice from the pomegranate.”

Song of Solomon 8:3-4 : We have treated these verses earlier in our comments on Song of Solomon 2:6-7. The fourth verse is repeated twice: in Song of Solomon 2:7 and Song of Solomon 3:5. Please see our comments upon these verses. This would seem to be the final word to Solomon and the women of the court. She is saying in essence: “I am committed to the shepherd as my husband—I can already feel his strong arms around me. Do not, as I have said twice before, attempt to arouse any love on my part for Solomon—love will take its spontaneous course—and in my case it is for my shepherd.”!

Verses 5-14

Son 8:5-14

Song of Solomon 8:5-7

"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?"

We have great respect for Waddey, his scholarship, insight and perception; and although we cannot agree with his interpretation here, we cite it as one view of the passage:

"Solomon appears with his bride on his arm; as the loving couple approach, Solomon points to the very spot where they first met (under the apple-tree!).” To this writer, there seems to be an impossible incongruity in the king of the mightiest empire on earth seducing some country girl under an apple tree!

Our interpretation of this verse is inherent in the stark contrast with the expression in Song of Solomon 3:6, "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, etc."

In Song of Solomon 3:6, the reference was to the royal parade of the magnificent Solomon in all his glory.

Here in Song of Solomon 8:5, the reference is to this simple maid leaning upon her shepherd lover.

Note the contrast: Solomon stands for all the worldly allurements: wealth, power, fame, glitter, pomp and circumstance, ease, luxury, ostentation, feasting, sensuality, lust and gratification. That disgusting picture answers the question in Song of Solomon 3:6.

The Shulamite stands for simple beauty, purity, wholesomeness, fidelity, patience, true love, morality, truth, honor and holiness, representing the Church in the days of her probation, sorely tempted, wooed, solicited and flattered by the evil world, but clinging, nevertheless, to the Shepherd above who is her true love, and to whom the Church is faithful even in his absence "in the far country." This answers the question of, "WHO IS THIS"? as it appears in Song of Solomon 8:5.

Balchin elaborates this understanding of the passage, as follows:

"The Shulamite and her shepherd lover here approach their home. The question, `who is this’? is on the lips of the villagers. The king’s court with its luxuries and allurements is now far away; and she is now at home in every sense. Her shepherd lover tells how he made love to her under the apple-tree in her mother’s garden.”

Song of Solomon 8:5-7

THE SHEPHERD’S ACCOUNT OF HIS WOOING THE MAIDEN

"Under the apple-tree, I awakened thee;

There thy mother was in travail with thee,

There she was in travail that brought thee forth.

Set me as a seal upon thy heart,

As a seal upon thine arm:

For love is strong as death;

Jealousy is cruel as Sheol;

The flashes thereof are flashes of fire,

A very flame of Jehovah.

Many waters cannot quench love,

Neither can floods drown it:

If a man would give all the substance of his house for love,

He would utterly be contemned."

All of these short paragraphs in this chapter are dramatically separated in the American Standard Version; and there remains the possibility mentioned by Jordan that, "We have here a series of lyrical fragments."

The most acceptable interpretation which we have encountered for this short section is that, "It has in it the deepest and most comprehensive statements concerning true love that are found in the whole Song." These marvelous words about genuine love could not possibly have been uttered by a man like Solomon. These wonderful words about love would fit Solomon exactly like a diamond ring in a swine’s snout. The divine jealousy concerning his Church’s constancy ("Jehovah is a jealous God") appears here. The Divine love for the Church is beyond comparison. No human power can overcome it. The flood waters of death, Sheol, Satan, and all the allurements of the world and the flesh cannot dissipate the love of Christ for his Church. "And true love is not only unquenchable; it is also unpurchasable. Solomon had made every effort to buy the Shulamite’s love with all the glittering luxuries of his court, but to no avail.”

"There thy mother was in travail with thee" (Song of Solomon 8:5 b). This is a reference to the bride’s home place, not merely to the apple-tree in the orchard.

Here the Shulamite pleads with her lover to set her as a seal in his very heart; she has seen through all the tinsel ugliness of Solomon’s ostentatious court, and here renounces all of it for the genuine and eternal love of her shepherd.

What a beautiful picture of Christ’s holy Church is this? She rejects all of the golden promises of a materialistic and sensual world for that "Love of God that passeth understanding."

Song of Solomon 8:8-10

THE SONG OF THE LITTLE SISTER

"We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts;

What shall we do for our sister

In the day when she shall be spoken for?

If she be a wall,

We will build upon her a turret of silver,

And if she be a door,

We will enclose her with boards of cedar.

I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof

Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace."

The paragraphing we have followed here is that of the Revised Standard Version. It is not clear who the "little sister" may be. It could be that the Shulamite is merely stating the principles of the family in which she was reared. "In the days of her adolescence, they were concerned to protect her innocence and purity until she was of marriageable age. `If she be a wall,’ meant that she would be strong and virtuous, and that no man would be able to seduce her. `If she be a door,’ meant that she would be weak and easily `entered,’ as through a door, by some seducer."

"I am a wall" (Song of Solomon 8:10). "I was a wall," is far better here, corresponding with the past tense in the next line. "This means that the Shulamite kept herself chaste and pure for the man she married."

"Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace" (Song of Solomon 8:10 b). "This means (1) either that Solomon, realizing that he cannot conquer her, desists from further amorous warfare and `calls it a day,’ or (2) that she finds peace in her exclusive relationship with her true lover. Our view is that both these meanings are in the passage.

Jordan mentioned the interpretation we have just written, saying that, "It seems far-fetched to make the `peace’ mentioned here to mean one to whom Solomon gave peace because he could not conquer her." Indeed this is so; but we have never seen any interpretation of this Song that was not far fetched! Certainly we have found no better explanation than the one offered here.

Song of Solomon 8:11-12

THE SHULAMITE’S INDEPENDENCE OF SOLOMON

For these two verses, we shall use the following version:

"Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;

But let out the vineyard to keepers;

Each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

My vineyard, my very own, is for myself,’

You, O Solomon, may have the thousand,

And the keepers of the fruit two hundred.”

What is the Shulamite’s vineyard? "The whole spirit of this passage justifies the view that she is speaking of her own person." Granting this view to be correct, Bunn’s interpretation is eloquent and convincing: "Solomon’s vineyard is that immense harem with a thousand women in it; the ’keepers’ are the eunuchs in charge of it. Solomon can have his godless harem and all its profits. The Shulamite’s `vineyard’ is her own chaste and virtuous person, reserved for her lover alone."

It is extremely significant that the great king is not giving orders in these verses; it is the Shulamite who is `calling the shots.’ This passage alone is absolute proof that Solomon did not overpower this young woman and succeed in taking her into his harem, despite his constant efforts to do so. We have encountered no convincing denial of this obvious fact.

Song of Solomon 8:13

THE ABSENT BRIDEGROOM CALLS FOR THE BRIDE TO SPEAK

"Thou that dwellest in the gardens.

The companions hearken for thy voice:

Cause me to hear it.

Make haste, my beloved,

And be thou like to a roe or to a young hart

Upon the mountains of spices."

"The Song of Solomon closes here with the bridegroom’s request, for the bride to speak so that his friends may hear her voice. This reflects the constant desire of Christ the heavenly Bridegroom to hear the prayers of his people. Inherent in this request is the evident physical absence of the bridegroom.

Back in Song of Solomon 8:5, the bride is seen "leaning on the arm of her lover"; but here they are separated. How is this? Christians are "with Christ" continually. We walk with him; we commune with him; and he is `with us’ always (Matthew 28:18-20); and yet he is physically absent. The narrative corresponds to that paradox.

The absence of the bridegroom shows that Solomon was not the woman’s lover. Solomon was present.

"Make haste, my beloved, ..." (Song of Solomon 8:14). Balchin catches the spirit of this perfectly: "In this, the bride’s final recorded response, she earnestly requests that her husband come to her with the speed and agility of a gazelle or a young stag. This anticipates the Bride of the Apocalypse and her cry, `Yea, ... come quickly. Amen; Come, Lord Jesus’! (Revelation 22:20)."

This should be contrasted with the interpretation that must rest on these verses if the theory is received that Solomon was the woman’s husband. In that case, what we would have here is a neglected, disconsolate, love-starved woman in Solomon’s immense harem, pleading and waiting in vain for her jaded old lover to call her to his bed. How does that stack up against the interpretation which we have adopted here? How does the love of God for his Church appear in that comparison? (And practically all the scholars admit that this is the essential ingredient in the whole Song).

As this writer sees it, the overwhelmingly predominant question in this book is simply, "Who is the Shulamite’s lover"? Solomon, or a shepherd? We sincerely believe that we have correctly answered this in seeing him as the shepherd, on the grounds of his being a far more acceptable representative of Christ than Solomon.

We confess that this does not answer all the questions, solve all the mysteries of this book, nor fit every single verse in the Song. We would welcome a better solution if we could find it. We pray that God through Jesus Christ will forgive any errors we have made or solutions which we have overlooked.

Exegesis Song of Solomon 8:5-14

The comments of Walter F. Adeney are unexcelled on this section of scripture.

“Now the bridegroom is seen coming up from the wilderness with his bride leaning upon him, and telling how he first made love to her when he found her asleep under an apple tree in the garden of the cottage where she was born. As they converse together we reach the richest gem of the poem, the Shulammite’s impassioned eulogy of love. She bids her husband set her as a seal upon his heart in the inner sanctuary of his being, and as a seal upon his arm—always owning her, always true to her in the outer world. She is to be his closely, his openly, his for ever. She has proved her constancy to him; now she claims his constancy to her. The foundation of this claim rests on the very nature of love. The one essential characteristic here dwelt upon is strength—‘Love is strong as death.’ Who can resist grim death? Who escape its iron clutches? Who can resist mighty love, or evade its power? The illustration is startling in the apparent incompatibility of the two things drawn together for comparison. But it is a stern and terrible aspect of love to which our attention is now directed. This is apparent as the Shulammite proceeds to speak of jealousy which is ‘hard as the grave.’ If love is treated falsely, it can flash out in a flame of wrath ten times more furious than the raging of hatred—‘a most vehement flame of the Lord.’ This is the only place the name of God appears throughout the whole poem. It may be said that even here it only comes in according to a familiar Hebrew idiom, as metaphor for what is very great. But the Shulammite has good reason for claiming God to be on her side in the protection of her love from cruel love and outrage. Love as she knows it is both unquenchable and unpurchasable. She has tested and proved these two attributes in her own experience. At the court of Solomon every effort was made to destroy her love for the shepherd, and all possible means were employed for buying her love for the king. Both utterly failed. All the floods of scorn which the harem ladies poured over her love for the country lad could not quench it; all the wealth of a kingdom could not buy it for Solomon. Where true love exists, no opposition can destroy it; where it is not, no money can purchase it. As for the second idea—the purchasing of love—the Shulammite flings it away with the utmost contempt. Yet this was the too common means employed by a king such as Solomon for replenishing the stock of his harem. Then the monarch was only pursuing a shadow; he was but playing at love-making; he was absolutely ignorant of the reality.

The vigour, one might say the rigour, of this passage distinguishes it from nearly all other poetry devoted to the praises of love. That poetry is usually soft and tender; sometimes it is feeble and sugary. And yet it must be remembered that even the classical Aphrodite could be terribly angry. There is nothing morbid or sentimental in the Shulammite’s ideas. She has discovered and proved by experience that love is a mighty force, capable of heroic endurance, and able, when wronged, to avenge itself with serious effect.

Towards the conclusion of the poem fresh speakers appear in the persons of the Shulammite’s brothers, who defend themselves from the charge of negligence in having permitted their little sister to be snatched away from their keeping, explaining how they have done their best to guard her. Or perhaps they mean that they will be more careful in protecting a younger sister. They will build battlements about her. The Shulammite takes up the metaphor. She is safe now, as a wall well embattled; at last she has found peace in the love of her husband. Solomon may have a vineyard in her neighborhood, and draw great wealth from it with which to buy the wares in which he delights. It is nothing to her. She has her own vineyard. This reference to the Shulammite’s vineyard recalls the mention of it at the beginning of the poem, and suggests the idea that in both cases the image represents the shepherd lover. In the first instance she had not kept her vineyard, for she had lost her lover. Now she has him, and she is satisfied. He calls to her in the garden, longing to hear her voice there, and she replies, bidding him hasten and come to her as she has described him coming before,—‘Like to a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.’

And so the poem sinks to rest in the happy picture of the union of the two young lovers.” (Exposition of the Bible, pages 535–536.)

Marriage Song of Solomon 8:5-14

Every marriage should have a honeymoon more than once. Do these words of the text awaken fond memories of the day when your beloved said, “Come, my beloved, let us go forth . . .?” Make them true again—only this time you can plan it well ahead. You have so much more experience. Your wife would be delighted to respond to such an invitation and these words really could be hers.

Do you remember the place where you asked her that great question? That place cannot be repeated—that question cannot again be asked, but the devotion and excitement and commitment can all be repeated a thousand times a thousand. We can be that seal upon her heart and upon her arm. What message is written upon the seal? It is surely obvious—it says: I love you. But what is meant? It means: “I give myself to you.” The whole person of the husband is given to the wife—not some of the time, but all the time. Love is an act of the will as much as an expression of emotion. The seal is upon the arm as well as the heart. Our wife finds protection and very visible evidence in a multitude of little acts of love that we have given ourselves to her.

As the reader can observe from the Paraphrase, we believe Song of Solomon 8:6 b and Song of Solomon 8:7 are the concluding observation of Solomon concerning the whole story of his Song. As he said in Ecclesiastes 12 : “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter”—so here we believe he is saying—“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole subject of love—human and divine”: Love is strong as death. Once the total self has been given, that commitment is just as irrevocable and immutable as death! It will not change—it will not yield. The possessiveness and protection of that decision is “as cruel as the grave.” To challenge that decision is to expect a flame of fire! A fierce fire like the fire of God! Solomon is going on record for all time that there is nothing—absolutely nothing so indestructable as pure love. He could, and did command a flood of waters to overflow the Shulammite—; it was a flood of flattery and wealth. When the waters subsided, she was as immovable as she was before he started. If anything, she was more intractable. As she looked at him with the kind of cold indifference only scorn can give, he said—“Turn your gaze from me, I cannot look upon thee.” (Song of Solomon 6:5) Solomon of all men should know that love (not lust) cannot be bought. Are we to read into his words: “If a man would give all the substance of his house . . .” that he was willing to give a great sum of money—even “half his kingdom” for the love of the Shulammite? If so, he found her love not for sale.

The above comments all apply to many wives—and they are married to some unworthy husbands—i.e., there are many of us who do not appreciate the dear girl our Lord has given us for a wife.

From the reading of our earlier comments you will notice we have applied verses eight through ten to the Shulammite. These verses describe her in her childhood at home (a “little sister that hath no breasts”). These could be the words of her brothers as they expressed their concern over her as she approached the marriageable age. She is too young now but she will soon “be spoken for.” When she arrives at that age will she be a wall or a door? i.e., will she refuse unworthy advances upon her? or will she welcome all who come, to her? In either case her brothers wanted to help her. If she was a wall they would reinforce it with silver turrets—if she was a door they would enclose her with boards of cedar. After her experience with Solomon she can say that she was indeed a wall. In her maturity she proved herself to be a virtuous woman; very much like the one Solomon described in Proverbs 31:10-31. Because of her resistance and refusal, she was given release from his court and enjoyed peace.

Is your wife a wall or a door? So very much depends upon our total attitude toward her. Surely we can have at least as great a concern as the brothers here described. Most virtuous women become such because someone believed they could and wanted them to. In the case of our wives, it has been the example and words and love of our Lord who has created the resolve and surrender that gave them peace; but the constant concern and support of a husband who also loves her Lord would be a great help.

Verses eleven and twelve describe an offer made by Solomon to the maiden. Was this his last desperate attempt to win her? She describes a vineyard Solomon offered to her—or to her family. It yielded a thousand pieces of silver every year and the clear profit on it was two hundred pieces of silver. She replies that she has her own vineyard—which in the poetic figure is herself and her beloved. Solomon can keep his vineyard and his servants can keep the profit, she much prefers her own vineyard.

Such loyalty can only arise out of genuine love. Our heavenly Father is mercifully kind to us in not only His gifts, but in what He withholds. How many wives would steadfastly refuse all the offers of Solomon? Would a large income for life be an attraction? We are glad most of us do not have to find out.

Verse thirteen probably contains the words of the friends of the bride. One of her friends refers to her as “Thou that dwellest in the gardens”—or “Thou that dwellest in paradises.” All her friends are eagerly waiting to hear of what happened in the paradise of the King.

We can imagine that every detail was told again and again. Yea, we are still telling the beautiful story of love strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave and a love that can neither be drowned nor bought.

So ends this song of songs. “No longer are there ‘mountains of separation’ between them (Song of Solomon 2:17), but ‘mountains of fragrant communion’ in their own waiting home. Solomon has chosen to conclude his inspired composition by recalling the Shulammite’s earlier invitation to her beloved but with an important change befitting the new circumstances. The Song began abruptly with the maiden’s musings (Song of Solomon 1:2 ff). It ends abruptly with her loving entreaty. In each case the beloved shepherd is the focus of her thoughts.” (Clarke)

Communion Song of Solomon 8:5-14

Surely Song of Solomon 8:5 a has in it a description of every Christian—In answer to the query—“Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” We could say that it is every member, of the bride of Christ. We have come up and out of the wilderness of this world and are leaning heavily upon our beloved Lord for support.

It was under a tree that He awakened within us a love for Him. “Beneath the Cross of Jesus, I fain would take my stand.” I can recall the love and wonder that filled my heart when I remember what happened when He died for me. It was at the same place my new birth took place. When I came to commit myself to Him and was buried in baptism unto His death—I was born of the water and the Spirit (Romans 6:1-4; John 3:3-5). We, like the maiden, ask Him to seal us. He has already done so with the blessed Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:21).

The conclusion of the whole Song of Solomon as well as the Christian experience, is that “His love is as strong as death, His jealousy is as cruel as Sheol.” He will not let me go. We give up—but He does not. How many times has our Lord hindered Satan’s efforts? How often has the flame of love stopped our adversary short of capturing us? We can identify many such times, and there are innumerable times when His jealous love protected us and we did not even know it. So many times we have indeed been overwhelmed and the flood of sorrow, or disappointment or discouragement have overflowed. But His love is unquenchable. We cannot buy it, we do not deserve it, but we are so glad that He will not sell it.

We are also that little immature sister. We need some older brothers who will take the kind of interest described in these verses. We have been “spoken for” by our beloved Lord. Will we be a “wall” to the allurements of Satan, or will we be a “door”? If we resist, we do need someone who will offer encouragement to keep up the fight. We want someone to come and help us erect our “battlements of silver.” There are times when we have been a door and welcome the knock of the evil one. O, how we need someone to “enclose us with boards of cedar.” “Ye who are spiritual”—help us—we need it! (Galatians 6:1-2).

What a solid satisfaction must have filled the heart of the Shulammite maid as she declares her victory of maturity—“I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof.” She was more than a conqueror because of her love. The victory and the strength and the growth are out of love and not stubborn resistance. Her peace was the gift of grace; so is ours.

Every Christian can remember a special offer of our enemy which had a personal appeal to us. It was much like the vineyard Solomon offered. We are asked to sell out for a very high price—“a thousand pieces of silver”—and the promise is that the benefits will continue at “two hundred” a month. Such an offer will be accepted if we do not have our own vineyard. We are branches in the great vine and my Father is the caretaker of this vineyard. My joy is to abide in the vine and bear much fruit. Therefore, I can have no interest in the vineyard of this world.

There are those who eagerly await our testimony. They want to hear all the ways God led us and delivered us from Satan’s harem. Before we can tell them anything we must speak again to the one my soul loveth. “Make haste my beloved”—lead me to “the mountains of spices.” When we have spent time in prayer and meditation we shall have something to say and not before.

The Bride’s Tender Appeal - Song of Solomon 7:10 to Song of Solomon 8:4

Open It

1. What makes a person feel secure in a relationship?

2. What makes a person feel insecure in a relationship?

3. When do you think it is OK for a woman to take the initiative in a relationship?

Explore It

4. To whom did the Beloved say she belonged? (Song of Solomon 7:10)

5. Where did the Beloved want to go to spend the night? (Song of Solomon 7:11)

6. Why did the Beloved want to go to the vineyards? (Song of Solomon 7:12)

7. What did the Beloved say that the mandrakes sent out? (Song of Solomon 7:13)

8. What had the Beloved stored up for her Lover? (Song of Solomon 7:13)

9. Whom did the Beloved wish her Lover was like? Why? (Song of Solomon 8:1)

10. Where did the Beloved say she would take her Lover? (Song of Solomon 8:2)

11. What did the Beloved say about her Lover’s arms? (Song of Solomon 8:3)

12. What charge did the Beloved give to the Daughters of Jerusalem? (Song of Solomon 8:4)

Get It

13. How would you describe this relationship between husband and wife?

14. In what way do married people belong to one another?

15. What does the fact that the Beloved felt comfortable with taking the initiative suggest about the couple’s relationship?

16. During what season did these events take place?

17. Why might the Beloved wish her Lover were like a brother to her so that she could kiss him outside without being despised by others?

18. What feeling about their relationship might the Beloved’s description of her Lover’s arms suggest?

Apply It

19. What can you do this week to deepen your relationship with your spouse?

20. How can you make your spouse feel loved, accepted, and secure this week?

The Power of Love - Song of Solomon 8:5-14

Open It

1. What do you consider to be the most powerful emotion? Why?

2. Why does sex sell?

3. Who has most helped or inspired you to stay true to God’s plan for marriage?

Explore It

4. What question did the Friends ask? (Song of Solomon 8:5)

5. What events happened under the apple tree? (Song of Solomon 8:5)

6. What did the Beloved ask the Lover to do? (Song of Solomon 8:6)

7. How did the Beloved describe love? (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)

8. What question did the Friends ask about their sister? (Song of Solomon 8:8-9)

9. Who helped the Beloved prepare for the day of her marriage? (Song of Solomon 8:8-9)

10. What had the Beloved become like to Solomon? (Song of Solomon 8:10)

11. What did the Beloved say that Solomon had? (Song of Solomon 8:11)

12. What did the Beloved say she had? (Song of Solomon 8:12)

13. What did the Lover say he wanted to hear? (Song of Solomon 8:13)

14. What did the Beloved invite her Lover to do? (Song of Solomon 8:14)

Get It

15. In what way is love strong and unyielding?

16. How is love like a blazing fire?

17. In what way is love unquenchable?

18. How does the Beloved reflect upon her childhood and her courtship?

19. What do the words of the Lover and Beloved in Song of Solomon 8:13-14 recall about their relationship?

20. What do the verses and this book say about physical love between a husband and his wife?

21. In what ways do we take love for granted?

22. How can we keep the passion and commitment in our marriage?

Apply It

23. What can you do this week to rekindle the flame of romantic love in your marriage?

24. What commitment will you make to honor love and sex within marriage and not to abuse it?