Song of Solomon 6:8

This is evidently a description of a hareem, and it can only be Solomon's own. The word translated arehere is somewhat anomalous, and Budde would substitute -to Solomon are." But this is a much more moderate hareem than the account of Solomon's given in the historical books would lead us to expect, e.g. 1 Kings 11:3, where we read of 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon being here the speaker, it is natural that he should in his present circumstances minimise the size of his establishment, and veil it under the vague last phrase.

queens These are wives of royal birth.

concubines Heb. pîlaghshîm, plur. of pîlegeshor pillegesh, appears in Greek as πάλλαξ, παλλακή, and is probably there a loan word from the Semitic peoples. But the derivation is unknown. Oettli says that as the king speaks here, he witnesses against Delitzsch's idea that he was united in marriage to the Shulammite in ch. Song of Solomon 5:1, by using the word tammâthî, -my undefiled"; but that is surely to press the word too far. Marriage was not regarded as impairing a woman's purity.

virgins The word used here, -ǎlâmôth, does not necessarily mean -virgins," but young women of marriageable age. Consequently, either subordinate members of the hareem, or young women not yet, but about to be, taken into it are intended.