Song of Solomon 6:8-9

In the end, Solomon would have 700 wives. And 300 other women lived with him in the palace (1 Kings 11:3). So we can see that Solomon is still a young man in this Song.

Solomon married these women for political reasons. They came from many countries. Solomon married all these women so that his country would be at peace. For example, he married the daughter of the king of Egypt. So Solomon’s country was at peace with Egypt. We do not think that this was a good plan. But this was how Solomon behaved.

So Solomon had many wives. These women lived in his palace. They were important women. But they probably did not really love Solomon. And he probably did not love them. But the young woman in Song of Solomon was different from these other women. Solomon really loved her. Everyone in the palace realised this fact. Even the other queens approved of Solomon’s love for this woman. They all knew that she really was special.

Many Christians behave rather like Solomon’s other wives. Such Christians like to be Christians. And they are glad to receive God’s good gifts. But they do not love God deeply. They do not try always to please God. They will never become mature Christians. In fact, they do not even want to be mature Christians.

We should be like the young woman who really loved Solomon. We should want to obey God. We should try to become mature Christians. We should learn the lessons that God teaches us.

Jesus taught us to love God with all our heart. And with all our mind. And with all our strength. Jesus said that this is God’s most important command (Mark 12:28-29).

The young woman’s beauty

The women of Jerusalem

v10 Who is this woman?

She seems to shine like the dawn.

She seems as beautiful as the moon.

She seems as bright as the sun.

She is as wonderful as the stars.

Since the beginning of chapter 3, the poet has been describing how the couple became engaged and married. But often, we have not been sure what events he is describing. That is because we do not know all the traditions. Those traditions were, of course, very familiar to the first readers of the Song.

However, the poet is now describing traditions that seem more familiar.

At the end of the wedding parties, the bridegroom would take his new wife home. This seems to be the event that 6:8-13 describes. It is important to realise that those parties would usually last for several days. So the man and the woman were already married. And this was a final opportunity for the woman’s friends and relatives to say goodbye to her.

It was the tradition that the wife’s family would try to delay this occasion. They would urge the woman (and her new husband) to remain with them. They would continue to arrange more parties that the couple would have to attend! They would give many excuses why the couple could not leave yet. The strongest example of this is perhaps Jacob. He had to remain with his wives’ parents for another 14 years after the marriage. And still they did not want him to return home! (See Genesis Chapter s 29 to 31.)

In verse 8, the poet describes the many wives of different ranks that kings often had. King Solomon was well-known for all his wives! He married them for political reasons. When he wanted to make peace with another king, he married that king’s daughter. In the end, he had 700 wives and 300 women of lower rank. He built palaces for them in Jerusalem.

There were all these beautiful women in Jerusalem. But if this man could choose any of the women in the palace, he would still choose this woman. In fact, if he could choose any of the beautiful young women in Israel, he would not select another woman. That is how special he considers her. That is how much he loves her.

And it was not just the man who praised her. Everyone in Jerusalem could see her beautiful character. Even the queens and the other women in the palace praised her.