Song of Songs Chapter 5 – Explanation

Overview: Song of Songs (also known as Song of Solomon) is a poetic and allegorical book in the Old Testament that explores love, longing, and the deep emotional and physical connection between lovers. Chapter 5 continues the intense romantic dialogue between the beloved (the woman) and her lover (the man, often referred to as the bridegroom). This chapter explores the dynamics of desire, the pain of separation, and the longing to be reunited.

Verse-by-Verse Explanation

Verse 1: The Lover Speaks

“I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love!”

This verse seems to conclude the consummation hinted at in the previous chapter. The man (the bridegroom) declares that he has entered the “garden,” a metaphor for the woman and their shared love. The use of terms like “myrrh,” “spice,” “honey,” and “wine” conjure sensual and luxurious imagery, highlighting the richness of their love.

The last line may be an interjection from a third party (friends or divine observers), celebrating their union. "Be drunk with love" implies love that is overwhelming and intoxicating—in a good, divine, or transcendent sense.

Verses 2–8: The Woman’s Dream and Separation

“I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
‘Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night.’”
(Verses 2–3)

These verses shift into a dreamlike or visionary sequence. The woman is in bed, possibly asleep, yet internally alert—“my heart was awake.” She hears her beloved knocking and calling out in poetic, affectionate terms. His head covered in dew suggests he’s come in the deep of night, possibly weary or longing.

But she hesitates to rise.

“I had put off my garment; how could I put it on?
I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them?”
(Verse 3)

Her reluctance here is practical, even trivial, but deeply symbolic. Her hesitation reflects a moment of complacency or apathy in love. The excuses could represent missed opportunities to respond to love or to divine invitation.

“My beloved put his hand to the latch,
and my heart was thrilled within me.
I arose to open to my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh...”
(Verses 4–5)

The woman changes her mind and decides to open the door. The imagery of “dripping with myrrh” is sensual, suggesting longing and preparation, perhaps referencing both physical attraction and a spiritual readiness.

But when she opens the door:

“I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke.
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.”
(Verse 6)

This is the emotional crux of the chapter. She was ready, but now he is gone. The lover’s absence is heart-wrenching. “My soul failed me” shows her deep emotional collapse. The phrase might also imply the painful experience of spiritual or emotional separation.

“The watchmen found me
as they went about in the city;
they beat me, they bruised me,
they took away my veil,
those watchmen of the walls.”
(Verse 7)

She ventures out to find him, but instead of help, she is mistreated by the city’s watchmen. The violent imagery has been interpreted both literally (as a nightmarish dream) and symbolically—possibly referring to the vulnerability and shame of love unfulfilled or the harshness of societal judgment.

“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
that you tell him I am sick with love.”
(Verse 8)

She appeals to the “daughters of Jerusalem,” who act as a kind of chorus in the Song. She is “sick with love”—desperately longing and emotionally overwhelmed.

Verses 9–16: The Woman Describes Her Beloved

In response to her passionate plea, the chorus asks:

“What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O most beautiful among women?”
(Verse 9)

This question challenges the woman to explain what makes her lover so unique. It’s an invitation to articulate the depth of her love and admiration.

She responds with a lavish description:

“My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
distinguished among ten thousand.”
(Verse 10)

“Radiant and ruddy” evokes vitality and attractiveness. “Distinguished among ten thousand” elevates him above all others—a poetic way of expressing incomparable love.

“His head is the finest gold;
his locks are wavy, black as a raven.”
(Verse 11)

This begins a detailed portrait, from head to toe, likening parts of his body to luxurious and precious materials.

“His eyes are like doves
beside streams of water,
bathed in milk,
sitting beside a full pool.”
(Verse 12)

His eyes are soft, gentle, and filled with emotion. The dove metaphor adds a peaceful, pure connotation.

“His cheeks are like beds of spices,
mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.
His lips are lilies,
dripping liquid myrrh.”
(Verse 13)

His face is fragrant and beautiful—every aspect of him is life-giving, pleasant, and deeply appealing.

“His arms are rods of gold,
set with jewels.
His body is polished ivory,
bedecked with sapphires.”
(Verse 14)

His strength and appearance are compared to gold and precious stones—richness, nobility, strength, and beauty combined.

“His legs are alabaster columns,
set on bases of gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as the cedars.”
(Verse 15)

This continues the majestic imagery. Lebanon’s cedars were famed for their strength and beauty—here used to describe the man's impressive stature and masculinity.

“His mouth is most sweet,
and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”
(Verse 16)

The climax of the description comes with a tender twist: “This is my beloved and this is my friend.” Not just physical attraction, but intimacy, friendship, and emotional connection are highlighted.

Themes in Chapter 5

1. Longing and Separation

The chapter portrays the pain of separation and the anguish of love delayed. The woman’s missed opportunity leads to a quest filled with yearning and distress, echoing the universal human experience of longing—whether romantic, spiritual, or emotional.

2. The Elusiveness of Love

Even when love is mutual and passionate, it can be fleeting or hard to hold onto. The chapter dramatizes how quickly closeness can turn to distance, whether through hesitation, misunderstanding, or timing.

3. Desire for Union

The garden imagery, the luxurious descriptions, and the longing all point to a deep desire for union—physical, emotional, and possibly spiritual. The woman’s pursuit of her lover mirrors the soul’s pursuit of a deep connection, often interpreted allegorically as the soul’s longing for God.

4. Praise and Idealization

The woman’s description of her beloved elevates him to near-mythical stature. This idealization reflects how love can inspire admiration and poetic adoration, seeing the beloved as unparalleled.

5. The Role of Community

The “daughters of Jerusalem” serve as a literary device to reflect and question. They help externalize the inner dialogue of the woman and reflect how community often participates in or observes love’s unfolding drama.

Allegorical and Theological Interpretations

Jewish Interpretation

In Jewish tradition, the Song of Songs is often interpreted allegorically as the relationship between God and Israel. In this context:

The bridegroom (the man) represents God.
The bride (the woman) symbolizes Israel.
The knock at the door may symbolize a moment of divine calling or visitation.
Her delay represents Israel’s failure to respond immediately.
The later seeking and suffering may reflect the pain of exile or spiritual distance.
The eventual description of the beloved recalls the beauty and glory of God’s presence.

Christian Interpretation

In Christian allegory, the book is seen as describing the love between Christ and the Church (or between Christ and the soul). Here, Chapter 5 represents:

Christ’s initiative (knocking on the door, Revelation 3:20).
The believer’s delay in responding.
The resulting spiritual anguish and search.
The beauty of Christ’s character and majesty as described in the woman’s poetic praise.

Literary and Poetic Beauty

Chapter 5 is a masterpiece of Hebrew poetry. The rhythm, metaphors, and sensory-rich language invite readers not just to interpret but to feel. The use of repetition, symbolic items (myrrh, lilies, gold), and shifting perspectives creates a layered, emotionally intense narrative that transcends time and culture.

Modern Application and Reflection

Though ancient, the themes of Chapter 5 resonate today:

Missed connections and regret over love unfulfilled or delayed.
The intensity of longing for emotional, physical, or spiritual connection.
The recognition that love is not always easy—it demands attention, readiness, and vulnerability.
The understanding that friendship and intimacy go hand in hand in deep relationships.

Whether read literally, symbolically, or both, Chapter 5 is a profound meditation on what it means to love, lose, and long.

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Tuesday, April 15, 2025