Song of Solomon 7 — Tyndale Study Notes
Song.6.13-7.9
An interaction between the young women of Jerusalem and the man introduces his last major description of the woman’s beauty and his desire to hold her (see study note on 4:1–5:1).
Song.7.1-5
The man now praises the woman’s dancing feet and then ascends her sensuous body to her flowing hair (7:1-5).
This queenly maiden (literally prince’s daughter) might or might not be from a royal family, but the man considers her as fine as royalty.
Song.7.2
Between your thighs lies a mound of wheat (literally Your belly is like a mound of wheat): The man is either describing the woman’s smoothly rounded abdomen or her pubic mound.
Song.7.4
sparkling pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim: The pools of Heshbon, formed by a brook, can still be seen today near the ruins of Heshbon on the east coast of the Dead Sea.
The tower of Lebanon is probably a metaphor for Mount Hermon, a high mountain that overlooks the valley of Damascus, the capital of Syria. The majestic beauty of the woman’s nose rises above her other facial features.
Song.7.5-6
Mount Carmel is a high mountain range on the Mediterranean coast.
your hair radiates royalty (literally your hair is as purple threads): Purple was an expensive color to produce, so it was the exclusive property of royalty.
Song.7.7-8
The husband describes their lovemaking. He ascends her body and caresses her breasts.
Song.7.9
The man compares the woman’s love and her kisses to wine in that they are delightful and make one light-headed (see 1:2).
Song.7.11-12
The woman suggests that they go together to check on the status of the vineyards and make love while there.
Song.7.13
Mandrakes (Hebrew duda’im) were a Middle Eastern aphrodisiac (see Gen 30:14-16); the roots of the plant resemble a human torso. The word is a play on my lover (Hebrew dodi).
at our door: All sexual pleasures are available to them now, and she will share with him the delights she has saved for him alone.
new . . . old: She has in mind the sexual expressions they have already experienced, and new ones as well.