Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon is attributed to King Solomon, as stated in its opening verse (1:1). Solomon composed 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32), and this is his masterpiece — 'the Song of Songs,' meaning the greatest song. It was likely written during the early, prosperous period of Solomon's reign around 960 BC.

The Song of Solomon contains 8 chapters of lyric poetry structured as a dialogue between a bride (the Shulammite), her beloved (Solomon or a shepherd), and a chorus (the daughters of Jerusalem). The poetry celebrates romantic love through vivid imagery drawn from nature.

The main theme is the beauty and purity of romantic love within a committed relationship. The Song celebrates physical intimacy as God's good gift, while Jewish and Christian traditions have also read it as an allegory of God's love for Israel or Christ's love for the church. Both levels of meaning affirm love as sacred.

Key themes include: the longing and desire of the lovers for each other (1:2-4, 2:5), the beauty of creation as a backdrop for love (2:11-13), the refrain 'Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires' (2:7, 3:5, 8:4), the exclusivity of marital love — 'My beloved is mine and I am his' (2:16), and the power of love — 'Love is as strong as death' (8:6).

The Song of Solomon affirms that human sexuality and romantic love are part of God's good creation. In a biblical canon that includes extensive Law and prophecy, this book reminds readers that embodied love reflects divine love. The allegorical reading enriches understanding of God's passionate, jealous love for His people — a theme echoed in Hosea and Ephesians 5.