INTRODUCTION: Today, we get to the heart of things! Remember that a few weeks ago we looked at the organization of the Song, and we found that the first and last verses were parallel—and that kept happening until we got to the very middle of the Song. And in the middle we have the consummation of the marriage. Well, 4:16 is the middle and the consummation. It is part of our study today, so let’s get into it!
I. The Wedding Continued
A. Remember that last week we had the chariot pulling up in a cloud of smoke and dust, and we heard Shulamith saying, “Look at King Solomon with his wedding crown on.”
B. Let’s continue with the proceedings. Read 4:1–5. Who is talking here? (Solomon)
C. What would you guess is happening here? Remember that the chariot has just pulled up and Shulamith has said, “Look at Solomon.”
D. Ladies, assuming that you consider these words as compliments, would you like it that Solomon was saying them to you?
E. Is Solomon saying that he only has eyes for Shulamith?
F. Let’s jump ahead for just a moment and read v. 8. What is Solomon doing here? (Giving Shulamith an invitation.)
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- An invite to do what? (Go with him. But more than that. He says, “Come with me … my bride [or my spouse, KJV].” He is publicly asking her to marry him.)
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G. Since I do not want to get too far ahead here, this pattern or ceremony was observed in Syrian villages well into the 19th century:
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- Publicly describing the beauty of the bride (vv. 1–7)
- Extending a public invitation to marriage (v. 8)
- And declaring the groom’s admiration for his bride (vv. 9–15)
H. Let’s go back over the details now. Husbands, pay attention: what is the first compliment that the wisest man on earth paid to Shulamith? Verse 1?
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- That she is beautiful: eyes like doves and hair like goats. How is this a compliment? (We discussed the dove’s eyes before.)
- What is good about the goats quote?
(The picture of a flock of goats on a hillside is sort of like long hair falling down her ears, neck, and shoulders. One commentator wrote that Palestinian goats have long, black, wavy hair. The picture here is that the goats are moving. So he likes the way her hair moves.) - Have you ever tried to compliment your spouse or the one you were dating, and it came out all wrong? Well, I think that Solomon may be prone to this problem. (“What part of me looks like a goat?”)
I. How about v. 2? She has nothing growing on her teeth! What is the compliment here? (Clean, white, and a matched set. Nice teeth.)
J. In v. 3 the compliment about her lips and mouth is pretty understandable. What about telling her that her temples are like half a pomegranate? (The word translated “temples” really refers to the sides of the head, so he simply could be saying that she has a blush and smooth skin.)
K. Let’s read v. 4 again. Any idea here? (Two suggestions: (1) Her neck is strong and her head will not be turned by other men. (2) It was common then to wear heavy neckwear—made of beads that were laid in courses. It was common for fighters to hang their shields on the outside of the tower between wars. So this is an allusion to that practice.)
L. Last, in v. 5 he says her breasts are like two young deer. The browsing among the lilies is a suggestive expression that we discussed in the context of 2:16 and will in 6:3.)
M. Read v. 7. What does Solomon publicly say to sum up his description of his bride? (She is beautiful.)
N. Do you compliment your spouse in public? Think about the last time that you said something about your spouse to someone else. Did you say something good or something bad?
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- Was your marriage the last time that you said something good?
O. We looked briefly at v. 8 before. Let’s linger a bit longer. It appears that Solomon is saying to Shulamith, “Come from Lebanon to me in Jerusalem.” But Shulamith was from Shunem in Galilee. It is a long way from Lebanon and is in the opposite direction from Jerusalem: Lebanon—Shunem—Jerusalem. She would go to Lebanon only if she were running away from the king. Or he could be saying, “Let’s go on our honeymoon to Lebanon.”
II. Declaring His Admiration
A. We now come to that part of the marriage ceremony where the groom declares his admiration for his bride.
B. Read vv. 9–15. What do you think Solomon means when he says that Shulamith has “ravished his heart” or “stolen his heart?” (This term is used in some Mesopotamian literature. A series of magical texts about male potency use the term “the rising of the heart.” At least two commentators think that gives us the drift of what is meant here: “You have aroused my passion.”)
D. The King James puts this in a humorous way: “Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes.” Sounds like she’s wall-eyed. What is meant here? (Just one look and he was caught.)
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- Does Shulamith have great eyes? (He talks about them in 1:15; 4:1.)
- Is that just this woman, or is there something to this? If you want to strengthen your relationship with your spouse, should you look them in the eye? (Eyes have always played a featured role in interpersonal communication.)
E. In verse 10 he repeats a theme that we have seen before: that her love is better than wine (yayin) and that they smell good.
F. Why do you think Solomon speaks of her lips as being sweet and her tongue as if it had honey under it? (It could be that he is speaking of her words. But most likely he is speaking of kissing her. Compare 1:2.)
G. How is Shulamith like a garden “locked up” in v. 12? (Her private garden is her virginity. Notice that it is locked up at the time of the wedding ceremony. A timely suggestion.)
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- And how does this girl have all of these plants and fountains referred to in vv. 13–15? (Prov. 5:15–18 makes a clear reference to fountains and lovemaking. Instructions against bedding a prostitute—“keep to your own cistern,” it says, and do not let your fountain run over into the street.)
H. Finally, let’s read v. 16 and 5:1. Verse 16 is Shulamith’s response. What does she invite Solomon to do after the wedding ceremony? (Consummate the marriage.) (Note that her garden is now his garden.)
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- And what is his response in 5:1? Does he accept her invitation? (Yes!)
III. Next Week: I did not teach my class and did not write a lesson.
Copr. 2019, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc. (TM), unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: [http://www.GoBible.org](http://www.GoBible.org). Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.
