Craig Glickman in his book, Solomon's Song of Love, creates a
commentary that is divided into thematic sections, making the text of Canticles
become more relevant and personal as it leads the reader to an understanding of
biblical love as expressed by Solomon and Shulamith. Glickman breaks down the
song into several sections including pre-wedding night, wedding night and post
wedding night, and he uses practical real life examples in each chapter so that
the reader can see the Word of God come to life. For Glickman, Canticles like all truly
timeless love songs, has a transforming power to give the reader or hearer
"a heightened awareness to the world around us and feeling of joy and
wholeness"....and "oneness."[1]
Song of Songs conveys, "not just what our partners should be like but what
our relationships [should] feel like: the role of emotions, longing, and sexual
attraction; the foundation of friendship, respect, and commitment; the
experience of intimacy, certainty, and forgiveness."[2]
It is with this understanding that
Glickman takes the songs and bases his chapters on the transformational and inspired
love song.
In
his first chapter "When Love Breaks Through," Glickman explains the
"miracles" of the fact that Solomon was both the author and the main
character within the Song of Songs.[3]
This is because Solomon would have come into this passionate relationship with
a lot of relational presuppositions and baggage; including, but not limited to the
fact that David had Solomon's mother's husband killed because of an affair he
had with Solomon's mother.[4]
That along with David's deathbed instructions that charged Solomon with killing
off the enemies of the house of David, prepared Solomon to rule through power
and not in love(1 Kings 2:5-12).[5]
Moreover, Solomon had many wives and concubines, many whom he may have married
simply because it was standard procedure of their foreign policy to forge "political
alliances."[6] All of
these would have been factors in why Solomon's passionate and biblical
understanding of both sexual and emotional love was a miracle.
The
second chapter, "A Night to Remember", is based off Song of Songs
4:1-5:1. Glickman shows how lost and intoxicated Solomon is by his love for
Shulamith. This passage begins with an inclusio that is partitioned by Solomon's
proclamation of Shulamith's beauty (4:1-4:7).
The key word in this section is "blemish" in verse 7 of the
fourth chapter, because the Hebrew word (מ֖וּם) conveys the idea of "inner and
outer flaws."[7] This is
significant because Solomon is choosing to say here that in his eyes, Shulamith
has no inner or outer flaws. Glickman gives credence to this argument by
showing how Solomon describes Shulamith's body. For example, Solomon compares
her eyes to doves, hair to a flock of goats and teeth to newly shorn sheep. Then
in verse 4, Solomon talks about her character figuratively by comparing her
neck to a tower of David, one upon which mighty men hang their shields. This
not only expresses "stateliness", but the mention of the shields and
the mighty men convey a sense of purity and strength, a cause for respect.[8]
This section ends on Solomon's wedding night where he finds his rest, his land
of milk and honey in Shulamith - his perfect mate as if God had chosen him and
her to be together like Adam and Eve.[9]
This is an allusion to paradise (Garden of Eden).[10]
In
chapter three, "The Birth of Love," Glickman shows how Solomon gave Shulamith
gifts, including the greatest of those gifts - respect (Song 1:1-1:11). Since she
was a laborer in the field she had brown skin. Thus, the men of her day
rejected her, causing her emotional pain. Glickman sees Shulamith's rejection
because of her dark skin as an allusion to the story of Tamar.[11] Just as people did not see Shulamith for who
she was under her dark skin, neither did Judah see Tamar for who she was when
she seduced him as a prostitute. The difference is that Shulamith did not
"need to pretend to be someone she is not."[12]
Glickman also shows that Solomon not only wanted to just have physical love for
Shulamith but he wanted to be her friend. Thus, he gave her the endearing title
"my darling companion."[13]
Then
in chapter four, "Hearts with Wings," Glickman talks about how
Solomon and Shulamith gave each other compliments or praise (Song 1:12-2:3). These complements and Solomon's and
Shulamith's mutual praise of each other, help to nurture their relationship.[14]
Meanwhile, in chapter five, "A Spring Romance," Glickman expounds on
the theme of how love can "transform appearance," which is symbolized
by the spring of new love in Songs of Songs 2:8-13.[15]
Furthermore, Glickman points out that Solomon desired and therefore sought to
know Shulamith as a "whole person"(Song 2:14).[16]
Both chapters four and five show a time of nurturing and transformation.
Now
in chapter six, "A Time to Marry," Glickman shows how Solomon and
Shulamith work to protect their marriage. They actively sought to prevent the
foxes of "dishonesty," "selfishness," "impatience,"
and even "reluctance to adjust, apologize or forgive" from embedding
themselves in their union (Song 2:15).[17]
Glickman explains that this protection is important because it creates an
environment where couples can be vulnerable and open with each other.
Furthermore, the author also makes the point that being able to relate to each
others' vulnerabilities is the "the foundation for a long lasting
relationship"(Song 2:15).[18]
In
chapter seven, "Pain of Loss," Glickman makes the point that
ingratitude erodes love.[19]
The scene is set in Song of Songs 5:2-6:1 where Shulamith is tired and shows
"indifference" towards Solomon, but this indifference is soon doffed and
replaced by Shulamith's anxious longing for him.[20]
Glickman argues that Shulamith realizes she is in a "vulnerable
position" because she realizes she is wrong and needs to apologize but she
is also in a "vulnerable position" because "she can't
control" Solomon's response.[21]
Meanwhile, in chapter eight, "A Dance with Joy," Glickman gives
Solomon's gracious response. Solomon's response is one that Glickman calls a
"bouquet of praise"(Song 6:4-9). Solomon ends the section in Song of
Songs 6:13 by alluding to a "dance of the two camps" which is clearly
an allusion to Mahanaim where Jacob
and Esau met and made peace with a hug.[22]
Glickman, in chapter 9, "Passion and Paradise," directly links the forgiveness of Solomon to the deeper and ever growing love which is expressed in the Song of Songs 7:1-10.[23] This is not just because they are in love with each other's physical beauty, but because they actually love each other and there is a sense of belonging to each other - a safe secure intimacy. This then leads to "Freedom and Delight," chapter 10, which reveals Solomon and Shulamith's sex life. Glickman makes an interesting observation that "Shulamith was pretending to be a Goddess" or the "sex symbol" of her day.[24]
Glickman, in chapter 9, "Passion and Paradise," directly links the forgiveness of Solomon to the deeper and ever growing love which is expressed in the Song of Songs 7:1-10.[23] This is not just because they are in love with each other's physical beauty, but because they actually love each other and there is a sense of belonging to each other - a safe secure intimacy. This then leads to "Freedom and Delight," chapter 10, which reveals Solomon and Shulamith's sex life. Glickman makes an interesting observation that "Shulamith was pretending to be a Goddess" or the "sex symbol" of her day.[24]
Chapter
11, "Devotion and Fire," expresses that one should only let true love
waken when it is ready (Song 8:4-8:7).
Glickman also states that, "True love grows through hardship,"
and that it begins "with mutual delight". The idea is that through
their devotion to each other and their mutual delight, no one - not even the
rivers, can put out the fire of their love (Song 8:6-7).[25]
Finally, chapter 12 of Glickman's text illustrates how Shulamith and Solomon
find fulfillment.
Analysis
First,
Glickman's book has several great appendixes where he has his translation along
with some semi critical notes, along with his understanding for the structure
of the Song of Songs, which he seems to have acquired from David Dorsey's The Literary Structure of the Old Testament.
[26]
Second,
I thought it was a good point for Glickman to convey the fact that Solomon was
alluding, if not comparing, Shulamith to the sex symbols of their day - especially
when he referred to Shulamith as the "Lady of the Mandrake"(Song 7:13).[27]
Third,
in the process of arguing for his very applicable understanding of the text, I
think Glickman reads more into Song of Songs 4:8 than what actually is there.
It states (NASB), "Come with me from Lebanon[28],
my bride, may you come with me from Lebanon. Journey down from the summit of
Amana, from the summit of Senir and Hermon, from the dens of lions, from the
mountains of leopards."[29]
He understands these verses as Solomon pleading with Shulamith to come down
from her mounted perch where she is protecting her anxious/fearful heart.[30]
The
problem I saw with this is that in the previous section Solomon says to
Shulamith, "Like the Tower of David is your neck, made for strength; a
thousand shields hang upon it, all the shields of the mighty men" (Song
4:4, Glickman's translation). These are not terms used to describe a fearful
woman; rather, it describes a majestic and strong woman who demands respect. Ironically,
Glickman noted earlier that these symbols were a form of respectable
boundaries.[31]Glickman
himself understands this verse in this way. Therefore, his conclusion made of
Songs 4:8, seems to have a flaw in the logic of his interpretation. Moreover,
Glickman understands Solomon to be a man of power. Thus, Solomon marrying a woman
of power is more logical than stating that he married a fearful one. For example, Glickman even states,
"Naturally then, Solomon used marriage and pleasure to serve power."[32]
Rather, Othmar Keel is more on point by saying that in Songs 4:8, Solomon is
pleading to "compel" Shulamith, "to come down from her godlike
pedestal, a proud request of a proud woman!"[33]
However,
Glickman made a cogent argument when he explained the significance of the use
of the Hebrew word for blemish, as it references both an inner and outer flaw.
This Hebrew cultic language brings with it the idea that Solomon saw nothing
wrong outwardly or inwardly in Shulamith, just as God would have seen a pure
priest or sacrifice as holy and acceptable unto Himself. This is why Shulamith
was Solomon's complete and perfect love. In conclusion, Craig Glickman's Solomon's Song of Love is an amazing book
that expresses a very pastoral and exegetical explanation of true biblical
aspects of love which were found in Song of Songs. Moreover, I would highly recommend this book for married couples, and for marriage/young couples Bible studies.
To buy this book go to Amazon.com.
[7]
Glickman, Solomon's Song of Love, 26,
210. Moreover, the Hebrew word mumo has cultic ramifications, for if a priest
was to have a physical flaw he was to be excluded from "priestly
service"(Lv 21:17-23) and the same went for animal sacrifices(Lv 22:20,
21, 25 Nu 19:2 Dt 15:21; 17:1)...
moreover, the word can be taken figuratively as a " moral
blemish."(Dt 32:5) Francis Brown et
al., Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (electronic ed.;
Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 2000), 548. Keel translates this
passage as "there is not flaw (מ֖וּם)
in you...the term (מ֖וּם)
is usually cultic, describing defects in priest or sacrifices.that arouse"
the disapproval of God. Thus Solomon according to Keel is saying there is
nothing about Shulamith that displeases him or that would "make him reject
her and send her away."(Othmar Keel, The
Song of Songs: A continental commentary (Minnesota: Augsburg Fortress
Press, 1994)153.
[27]
Glickman,
Solomon's Song of Love, 133-134. Keel
shows more links in the Song of Songs to the war goddess Ishtar (song 4:8;
Keel, The Song of Songs,
154-159). Meanwhile, Fox concludes that
Ishtar "has no place in this song." Michael V. Fox, the Song of Songs
and the Ancient Egyptian Love Songs (Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin
Press, 1985)157.
________________________________________________
Bibliography
Brown, Francis et al., Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew
and English Lexicon. electronic ed.; Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems,
2000.
Fox, Michael V. The Song of Songs and the Ancient Egyptian
Love Songs. Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1985.
Glickman, Craig. Solomon's
Song of Love: Let the Song of Songs Inspire Your Own Romantic Story. Louisiana:
Howard Publishing co., 2004.
Keel, Othmar. The Song
of Songs: A Continental Commentary. Minnesota: Augsburg Fortress Press,
1994.
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