Song of Solomon 1:2-4

TEXT 1:2-4

FIRST SCENEThe King's Palace

SHULAMMITE: SOLILOQUY

2

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for thy love is better than wine.

3

Thine oils leave a goodly fragrance; thy name is as oil poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee.

4

Draw me; we will run after thee: the King hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will make mention of thy love more than wine.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 1:2-4

4.

For whom does the Shulammite maid long in these verses? Is it Solomon or the shepherd?

5.

In what way is love better than wine?

6.

Why not just ask for kisses? Why mention the kisses of his mouth?

7.

The fragrance of the oils of the man involved compares to what in the personal grooming of men today?

8.

What name would be appropriate as suggested in verse three?

9.

Who are the virgins of verse three? Where are they?

10.

What is meant by draw me? (verse four)

11.

Why use the pronoun we in verse four?

12.

Why mention the fact that she is in the King's chambers?

13.

Is there a contrast between the King's chambers and the rejoicing and love mentioned in verse four?

14.

Twice love is compared with wineshow at least two parallels.

PARAPHRASE 1:2-4
SHULAMMITE'S SILILOQUY

2

Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For thy endearments are better than wine.

3

Thy perfumes have a delightful fragrance;

Thy name is as perfume poured out;

No wonder the damsels adore thee.

4

Draw me after thee; let us hasten away!

(For the king has brought me into his inner apartments).
We will be glad and rejoice only in thee;
We will praise thy endearments more than wine.
Deservedly do the damsels adore thee.

COMMENT 1:2-4

Our comments throughout this book will be threefold: (1) To give as careful an exegesis of the text as possible. We are concerned about every word in the Song of Solomon and its meaning! (2) The application of the text to the husband-wife relationship. We believe this book can become a veritable marriage manual in the area of love that should and can exist between those who are married. (3) As much as we need help in our day for our shakey marriages, we need more help in establishing a deep union and communion with our Lord. We shall relate the text to the mutual love between the believer and his Lord.

Exegesis

By reading Song of Solomon 6:12-13 we conclude the Shulammite maid was kidnappedperhaps willingly, by the servants of Solomon. She was taken to the palace of King Solomon. Perhaps this palace was one of his northern summer housesor was it at Jerusalem? At least there is a garden present with a latticework trellis. It is springtime. She is confined to the King's inner chambers. The women of the court or daughters of Jerusalem surround her. When the impact of what has happened hits her she cries out in deep longing for her betrothedLet him kiss me with his mouth; for his love is better than wine. Even the wines of Solomon cannot make her forget her beloved. In memory and imagination she can remember the fragrance of his presence. We would compare such fragrance to cologne used by both men and women of our day. The thought of his familiar fragrance prompts her to epitomize the total personality of her betrothed with the symbolism of the fragrance of his oil poured forthThy name is as oil poured forth. In her soliloquy she is sayingYou are as attractive to me in your personality as the cologne is to my sense of smell.

What is meant by the phrase, therefore do the virgins love thee? We see the Shulammite dreaming of her wedding day. All her girlfriends who share with her in the wedding party also share her estimate of the groom. These virgins love the shepherd, not, of course, in the same relationship as the bridebut they understand the beauty of his character and appearance and therefore admire him greatly.
The girl from Shunem asks the groom to indicate by some word or gesture that he wants her with him (i.e., draw me out)only a slight indication and we shall come running. We can see the girls and the bride of the wedding party frolicking on the green meadows of northern Galilee. All of this is fanticized in the mind of the maiden as she waits in the King's chambers. She is waiting for a weddingbut not with Solomon. The king wants her to rejoice and be glad in him and all the things he can give her. The Shulammite assures her far off lover that her heart is with himher joy is in himshe will tell the daughters of Jerusalem of her true lovershe will speak of him to them of his endearing charms.

Marriage

All husbands would be delighted to have a wife who loved them as this maiden loved her betrothed. And perhaps at one time such love existed as a mutual deep affection. What happened? Well, no perfume lasts foreveror very long at all. If we refer to only a surface put-on physical attraction we are sure this is true. But if it is true hidden fragrance of the man of the heart we are just as sure that such fragrance will not leave or change. Your wife has always wanted you with your kisses. Yes, she wants your kisses but not without you. The sense of smell has more power in it for recall than any of the other senses. We all associate some pleasant experience or the opposite with some fragrance. Today, we with tears remember, as we catch again the fragrance of yesterdayhow poignant and sad. What has changed? Not the perfumebut what it represented. There is only One who can give any of us a lasting fragrant personality. Please notice that the words concerning other women and their admiration of the husband are in the mouth of his wifenot in his. She knows her husband is attractive to other women and she is ready to admit itnot out of fear, but admiration. She is confident and secure in his love for her. She does suggest to her husband-to-be that she has an interest in expressing her lovebut it is the shepherd who draws her out. The expression of not only physical love but all love in the husband-wife relationship is reciprocal. Many husbands would be pleasantly surprised to know how very often their name is mentioned in conversation shared by their wife among other women. Your wife wants to rejoice and be glad not only in your presence but in her constant pleasant memory of your presence. There is a lovely intoxicating quality in a true love affairand it does not last for only a brief day, it is the continuing of the love of marriage where giving and not getting is the center.

Communion

Is it difficult for you to relate these words to yourself as the bride of Christ and to Him also as the groom? Or more to the pointcan you relate them to yourself as the betrothed and our Lord as the One to whom you are promised? We are not suggesting that everyone will emotionally respond to what they can remember of their Beloved. Many believers have not spent time enough in the gospel accounts to get personally acquainted with the beautiful One there revealed. Is it at all possible to fall passionately in love with Jesus of Nazareth who is the God of love in human form? Perhaps we should askif we do not love Him deeply from the heart what has prevented it? Do we expect from Him a relationship in which our senses will respond to His near, dear presence? The words from His lips are found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These words are expressions of love to uswhen we read them as such we cannot prevent emotional responsewhen we abide in His words we are moved emotionally. We are NOT saying this is our only response to His wordsbut we are saying this is one of our responses!

The Lord Jesus excels in all the fragrant graces of a perfect character. (Clarke) To become so intimately involved with Him in an appreciation of His character and His sacrifice on our behalf is better than wine. Can we say the joys we experience in our knowledge of Him creates a sensation (based on our knowledge) better than the physical inebriating capacity of wine? These are mere poetic words without meaning to those who have never hungered and thirsted after Him (who is our righteousness).

Jesus was the anointed of GodHe was thus anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. (Acts 10:38) The Holy anointing oil of the Old Testament was a combination of lovely fragrances (Cf. Exodus 30:22-25). The name of a person stands for or represents the person himselfHis name is The Anointed OneHe is even as His namefragrant in beauty beyond human description.

We are glad to affirm that our Lord has many, many times drawn us out in our love for Him. If we want His love He will provide the circumstance in which we can find it. You will find His love revealed in His word and in your meditation and prayer before Him. Do you want to spend time with your beloved? Ask Himhe will draw you out by arranging your schedule in such a manner that whereas you had no time or placethen suddenly there it is!When He has shown us the way, are we ready to run in it? Taking delight in the Lord is a cultivated capacity. Wine and its enjoyments is here contrasted with our Lord and His enjoyments. Which will it be? We cannot kiss two people at the same time.

FACT QUESTIONS 1:2-4

4.

Why do we believe the Shulammite maiden was kidnapped?

5.

Where is the maiden when she gives her soliloquy? To whom does she address these words?

6.

Why mention wine and perfume?

7.

What is meant by saying Thy name is oil poured forth?

8.

What is meant by the phrase, therefore do the virgins love thee?

9.

Explain the phrase draw me.

10.

The Shulammite is waiting for a wedding but it is not as Solomon planned. Explain.

11.

What is shared with the daughters of Jerusalem?

12.

The Shulammite surely offers all wives a grand example. How so?

13.

What do we mean by saying no perfume lasts forever?

14.

Explain the thought that your wife has always wanted you with your kisses.

15.

Discuss the powerful recall capacities of the olfactory sense.

16.

There is a way to always be fragrant. How?

17.

Who said the groom was attractive to other women than his bride? Why?

18.

There must be a mutual expression of love but someone must lead. Discuss.

19.

What is the large topic of conversation among women? How does this relate to the conduct of the husband?

20.

Discuss the lovely intoxicating quality of a true love affair.

21.

Why would it be difficult for some persons to relate the words of Song of Solomon 1:2-4 to our Lord and His bride, the church?

22.

Many people never emotionally respond to their heavenly groom. Why?

23.

We are not saying emotional response is all important, nor our only response. What are we saying? Discuss its importance?

24.

In our relationship with our Lord what is better than wine?

25.

Jesus is The Anointed One. What does this mean to us?

26.

Explain how our groom has often drawn us.

27.

Taking delight in our Lord is a cultivated capacity. Explain.

28.

What is meant by saying We cannot kiss two people at the same time?