Song of SolomonChapter 7

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Turn, turn, O Shulammite; turn, turn, that we may gaze on you. Why should you gaze on the Shulammite, as at the dance of two camps?

How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the work of a master's hands.

Your navel is a rounded bowl—may it never lack blended wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat encircled with lilies.

Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.

Your neck is like a tower of ivory. Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, looking out toward Damascus.

Your head crowns you like Carmel, and the flowing hair of your head is like purple; a king is held captive in its tresses.

How beautiful you are, how pleasant, O love, with all your delights!

Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are its clusters.

I said, "I will climb the palm tree and take hold of its clusters." May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples,

and your mouth like the finest wine, flowing smoothly to my beloved, stirring the lips of sleepers.

I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me.

Come, my beloved, let us go out to the countryside; let us spend the night among the villages.

Let us rise early for the vineyards and see whether the vine has budded, whether its blossoms have opened, whether the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.

The mandrakes give off their fragrance, and at our doors is every choice fruit, new as well as old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.

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Summary2

Chapter 7

Main Theme: The bridegroom's admiration of the Shulammite woman's beauty and her reciprocal declaration of love.

Content: The chapter opens with a call for the Shulammite woman to return so she may be admired. The bridegroom describes her beauty from head to foot using rich poetic imagery. The woman responds with the declaration of love, "I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me" (v. 11), inviting him to go out into the fields and spend the night together in the vineyards.

Key Words/Images:

Shulammite – The woman's name or title, possibly derived from "Solomon" or "peace/perfection."
Palm Tree – The woman's figure is compared to a palm tree; the man wishes to "climb up" and grasp its fruit.
Dudaim (Love Apples) – A fragrant plant associated with fertility and love, which the woman has set aside for her beloved.
Vine – A symbol of love and fertility; the couple will together see if it blooms.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Song of Solomon 7

Characters

The term "Shulamite" (הַשּׁוּלַמִּית, ha-Shulammit) in verse 1 is the only place in the Bible where this designation appears. The name has been interpreted in several ways: as a feminine form of "Solomon" (שְׁלֹמֹה), as a reference to a woman from the town of Shunem in the Jezreel Valley, or as a symbolic name meaning "the peaceful one" (from the root שׁלם, shalom). The location of Shunem in the fertile Jezreel Valley aligns with the rural imagery of the chapter.

Places

The chapter mentions several specific geographical locations. Heshbon (חֶשְׁבּוֹן) in verse 5 was an ancient city east of the Jordan, known from the books of Moses as a Moabite capital. Archaeological excavations at Tell Hesban have uncovered water installations, although the most famous finds are from later periods. The city's association with water illuminates the comparison to "the pools of Heshbon." Lebanon and Damascus in the same verse represent majestic landmarks north of Israel—Lebanon known for its cedar trees and mountains, Damascus as one of the ancient world's most important cities. Carmel (כַּרְמֶל) in verse 6 was a fertile mountainous region by the Mediterranean Sea, famous for its lush vegetation. The comparison likely refers to either the majestic shape or the rich, dark color of the vegetation.

Events and Customs

The expression "the dance of Mahanaim" (כִּמְחֹלַת הַמַּחֲנָיִם) in verse 1 has been the subject of much discussion. Mahanaim was a place in Transjordan associated with Jacob's encounter with angels (Gen 32:2). The dance may refer to a traditional wedding or festival dance performed by or before two groups (the name means "two camps"), or a cultic festive dance. The description of the woman's body from her feet upward (verses 2–7) follows a pattern called wasf—a detailed physical praise known from Egyptian and Mesopotamian love poetry, often performed during wedding celebrations.

Key Terms

Dudaim (דּוּדָאִים) in verse 14 are mandrakes, a plant (Mandragora officinarum) that grows wild in Israel and ripens in the spring. In ancient times, the mandrake was believed to have aphrodisiac and fertility-enhancing properties due to its human-like root shape. The plant has a strong, sweet fragrance. This term also appears in the story of Rachel and Leah (Gen 30:14–16), where it is explicitly connected with fertility and sexuality.

Argaman (אַרְגָּמָן)—purple—in verse 6 was the most expensive dye in ancient times, extracted from snails along the Phoenician coast. The color purple was reserved for royalty and the very wealthy, and comparing the woman's hair to purple underscores her exalted status and beauty.

People1

Shulammite1

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Key words9

Lovers — Two people who are deeply in love with each other and share a romantic relationship.
Love — An intense feeling of deep devotion, care, and closeness between people.
Intimacy — Closeness and trust between individuals, especially in a romantic or sexual relationship.
Beauty — The quality of being aesthetically pleasing or attractive, often used to describe a person's appearance or charm.
Bride — A woman who is about to marry or has recently married.
Groom — A man who is about to marry or has recently married.
Chamber — The upper room in a house, usually under the roof, used here as a metaphor for the height of love and passion between the lovers.
Palm — A tall, slender tree with large leaves, used as a metaphor for strength and beauty in Song of Solomon.
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