HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON
  The unswerving love of a Shulammite maiden for a shepherd boy in spite of King Solomon’s attempts to win her for himself
  Written by Solomon, evidently quite early in his reign
The Shulammite maiden in Solomon’s camp (1:1–3:5)
  She longs for the love of her dear one, a shepherd, and wants him to take her away from the royal surroundings
  To the women of the court, she explains that the reason for her dark complexion is exposure to the sun while working in her brothers’ vineyards
  Solomon promises her gold and silver ornaments, but she insists that she will keep loving her dear one
  Her shepherd appears and praises the Shulammite girl’s beauty, likening her to a lily among weeds
  The Shulammite tells the women of the court that her shepherd is like an apple tree whose shade she passionately desires; she puts them under oath not to arouse in her a love for Solomon; she remembers when her lover invited her to accompany him; however, her brothers told her that the vineyards must be protected from the little foxes
  At night, she dreams about looking for her lover and finding him
Tested in the city of Jerusalem (3:6–8:4)
  Solomon’s magnificent entourage begins its return to Jerusalem
  The shepherd again gets in touch with the Shulammite (now veiled) and speaks of her beauty, likening her to a barred garden filled with aromatic plants
  She invites him to enter this garden and enjoy its fruits
  To the women of the court, the Shulammite relates her bad dream: Her lover arrived while she was in bed; he departed before she could open the door; she searched for him fruitlessly in the city and was mistreated by the city watchmen
  The daughters of Jerusalem ask about her dear one, and she replies by giving a glowing description of him
  Solomon now expresses his love for the Shulammite, saying she is more beautiful than his 60 queens and 80 concubines
  The Shulammite is unmoved, pointing out that she is only here because an errand of service brought her near his camp
  Solomon vividly describes her beauty, but the Shulammite resists his skillful speech, insisting that she belongs to her dear one
The Shulammite returns, her loyalty proved (8:5–14)
  The Shulammite returns home, leaning upon her dear one
  Earlier, her brothers wondered whether she would be constant like a wall, or fickle like a swinging door that admits anyone
  The Shulammite has turned down all that Solomon could offer, proving her exclusive devotion to her dear one; her love is as strong as death, and its blazings as the flame of Jah