Song of SolomonChapter 3

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On my bed through the nights I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I did not find him.

Let me rise now and go about the city, through the streets and the squares; let me seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"

Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of her who conceived me.

I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

Who is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

Look—Solomon's couch, with sixty warriors around it, from the mighty men of Israel,

all of them wielding the sword, trained for battle, each with his sword at his side against the terrors of the night.

King Solomon made himself a palanquin from the wood of Lebanon.[fn]

Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold, its seat of purple; its interior inlaid with love from the daughters of Jerusalem.

Come out, daughters of Zion, and gaze on King Solomon, wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day his heart rejoiced.

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Summary2

Chapter 3

Main Theme: Longing for the beloved and celebration of royal wedding splendor.

Content: The woman seeks her beloved during the night, first on her bed, then through the city streets and squares. After asking the city guards, she finds him and brings him to her mother's house. The chapter concludes with a magnificent description of King Solomon's wedding procession, featuring his litter surrounded by sixty of Israel's mighty men.

Key Words/Images:

Nighttime Search: The woman's intense longing drives her out into the city to find her beloved.
City Guards: Represent authorities whom the woman approaches in her search.
Solomon's Litter (appiryon): A magnificent canopy made of cedar from Lebanon, with silver pillars and a golden seat, symbolizing royal splendor.
Wedding Day: The daughters of Zion are urged to look upon the king wearing the crown his mother placed on him on his wedding day.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Song of Solomon 3

Places

The chapter mentions that the woman searches in "the city" (הָעִיר, ha'ir) with its "streets and squares" (שְׁוָקִים וּרְחֹבוֹת, shvakim urechovot). Although the city is not explicitly named, the context points to Jerusalem. Israelite cities of that time typically had narrow streets with open squares at the city gates where trade and social activity took place. Archaeological excavations in Jerusalem have uncovered remains of such urban structures from the Iron Age, including street networks and open plazas.

"Lebanon" (הַלְּבָנוֹן) is mentioned as the source of the wood for Solomon's litter (v. 9). The cedar forests of Lebanon were famous in antiquity and used for prestigious buildings throughout the Middle East. Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian texts all document the import of Lebanese cedar for royal construction projects.

People

Solomon's sixty warriors (vv. 7–8) form a royal guard around his bed (מִטָּה, mittah). The number sixty may reflect an actual military unit; we know from other ancient sources that royal guards were often organized in fixed numerical units. The description that each man has his sword at his hip "because of the terrors of the night" (מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת) points to a guard force that protected the king especially at night, when dangers were greatest.

"Daughters of Zion" (בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן, v. 11) is a poetic designation for the women of Jerusalem, who are invited to behold the king on his wedding day.

Events and Customs

The second part of the chapter (vv. 6–11) describes a wedding procession or royal parade. The description of incense rising "from the wilderness" (v. 6) reflects the custom of perfumed processions at royal weddings. Myrrh and frankincense were costly imported goods that marked solemn occasions. The use of incense in wedding ceremonies is well documented in the ancient Middle East.

The mention of "the crown with which his mother crowned him" (v. 11) suggests a wedding custom in which the groom received a crown or wreath. This practice is known from several Middle Eastern cultures and continued in Jewish tradition; the Mishnah (Sotah 9:14) notes that bridal crowns were forbidden during times of war.

Key Terms

"Mother's house" (בֵּית אִמִּי, bet immi, v. 4): This expression occurs several times in the Song of Solomon and points to the woman's sphere within the household. In patriarchal societies, women often had their own rooms or areas in the house. That the woman leads her lover to "mother's house" and "mother's bedchamber" marks both intimacy and legitimacy.

Appiryon (אַפִּרְיוֹן, v. 9): This rare word for Solomon's litter appears only here in the Bible. The word may be borrowed from Persian (paryānk, bed/sofa) or Greek (phoreion), both of which denote a closed litter or carrying-bed. Such processional vehicles were common at royal ceremonies in the ancient Middle East.

Chapter-Specific Findings

Ivory reliefs from Phoenician and Syrian workshops show royal processions with portable thrones surrounded by guards, illustrating the scenes described in verses 7–10. From Egypt, detailed depictions of decorated litters with pillars and canopies have been found that resemble the description of Solomon's appiryon with silver pillars and a gold base.

People2

Solomon3 Jacob1

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Key words9

Solomon — King Solomon of Israel, who is believed to be the author of Song of Songs and son of King David.
Bride — The woman loved by the man in Song of Songs, often representing God's people or the church.
Groom — The man who loves the bride in Song of Songs, often symbolizing God or Jesus Christ.
Love — A deep devotion and feeling between two people, here between the bride and groom.
Seeking — The act of looking for something or someone, in this case the bride's search for her beloved.
Night — The time of day when it is dark outside, used here as a metaphor for uncertainty and trials.
Day — The time of day when it is light outside, used here as a metaphor for joy and reunion.
Watchmen — People who protect and guard the city; in Song of Songs they help the bride find her beloved.
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