Song of Solomon Bible Study Resources

Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Song of Solomon.

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Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encylopedias; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **

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Basics

• Author: Solomon, King of Israel, son of David
• Extensive debate between literal versus allegorical interpretation
• No direct mention of God; central subject is human love
• Distinguishing feature: abundant symbolism and imagery
• Purpose: portray ideal male-female relationship within a loving marriage

Wisdom Literature

• Job, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Solomon
• General interest in humanity and universal pronouncements (as opposed to the people of Israel)
• Grounded in a theology of creation
• Fear of YHWH as proper context for wisdom, sometimes explicitly stated, but often implicit
• Questioning attitude about the basic problems of life: why is there suffering, inequality, death, why do the wicked prosper, etc.

Genre: Understanding Hebrew Poetry

Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

• Ray Stedman: Overview of each Book
• John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background
• ESV: Introduction to the Song of Solomon
• ESV: The Global Message of Song of Solomon
• NIV: Introduction to Songs
• NIV: Wisdom Literature
• James van Dine: Analysis of Song of Solomon
• Charles Swindoll: Book of Song of Solomon Overview
• JVernon McGee: Ecclesiastes & Song of Solomon
• William Orr: Key to Song of Solomon
• David Malick: An Introduction to the Song of Songs
• David Malick: An Argument of the Song of Songs
• Kenneth Boa: Song of Solomon overview
• Paul van Gorder: OT Reflections of Christ – Song of Solomon
• Major Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry: Parallelism

Section 2: Maps

Maps

• Old Testament Maps (BibleHistory.com)
• The Ancient Near East
• Biblical Regions
• Modern States and the Ancient Near East
• Mesopotamia: Homeland of Abraham
• Egypt: Land of Bondage
• Syria and Lebanon
• International Routes, The King’s Highway
• Geography and Trade Routes of the Middle East
• National Regions of Ancient Palestine
• Physical Geography of Palestine
• Topography of Palestine; Cross Sectional Views of Longitudinal Zones
• Northern Coastal Plains
• Plain of Dor, Plain of Sharon, Samaria, et al.
• Philistine Plain, Shephelah, Judah, and the Dead Sea
• Arabah, Negeb, Wildernesses of Zin and Paran
• The Old City of Jerusalem Today  
• Modern Political Divisions of Ancient Palestine
• Climate Patterns of Ancient Palestine

Section 3: Key Words

Key Words

• Love, beloved, beautiful

Section 4: Encylopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

• Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Song of Solomon, Theology of
• American Tract Society Bible Dictionary: Solomon’s Song
• Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Song of songs
• Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Solomon, Song Of
• Fausset Bible Dictionary Canticles; the Song of Solomon
• Holman Bible Dictionary Song of Solomon
• Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Song of Songs
• International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Solomon, Song Of
• McClintock and Strong’s Bible Encyclopedia Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs.
• The Nuttall Encyclopedia 
• Morrish Bible Dictionary Song of Solomon
• Hawker’s Poor Man’s Dictionary 
• People’s Dictionary of the Bible Solomon the Song Of
• Watson’s Theological Dictionary 
• 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica 
• Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Solomon’s Song
• The Jewish Encyclopedia Song of Songs, The

Section 5: Commentaries

Commentaries & Study Bibles

• Keith Mathison – Top 5 Commentaries on The Song of Songs – Ligonier Ministries
• Best Commentaries on Song of Solomon – Tim Challies
• Best Commentary on Song of Songs – Best Commentaries
• Bruce Waltke: Song of Solomon – Mp3
• Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible:
• Matthew Henry: Song of Solomon
• Albert Barnes Notes: Song of Solomon
• Reformation Study Bible Notes: Song of Solomon
• Geneva Study Bible: Song of Solomon
• Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Song of Solomon

Ligonier Devotionals on Song of Solomon

• Song of Solomon 1–2 The Song of Solomon
• Song of Solomon 2:8–17 Marriage, Love, and Sex
• Song of Solomon 3–4 A Time for Love
• Song of Solomon 3:5 The Right Time for Love
• Song of Solomon 8:13–14 The Only Love That Can Fully Satisfy
• Song of Solomon 8:6–7 A Seal on the Heart and Arm
• Song of Solomon 4:1–7 Building Relationship
• Song of Solomon 5–6 The Beauty of Love
• Song of Solomon 7–8 A Still Greater Love

Section 6: Articles

Articles

• Iain Campell: The Song Of David’s Son: Interpreting The Song Of Solomon In The Light Of The Davidic Covenant
• G. Lloyd Carr: The Old Testament Love Songs And Their Use In The New Testament
• Donald E. Curtis: The Song of Songs – interesting review of the various approaches to interpretation of this book
• Samuel Ives Curtis: Does A Literal Interpretation Of The Song Of Songs Remove Its Character As Scripture?
• Richard Davidson: Theology of Sexuality in the Song of Songs: Return to Eden,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 27.1 (Spring 1989) 1-19
• Weston Fields: Early and Medieval Jewish Interpretation of the Song of Songs -Grace Theological Journal 1.2 (Fall, 1981) 221-31
• Thomas Fountain: A Parabolic View of the Song of Solomon
• Tony Garland: Discussion of the rise of allegorical interpretation
• James M Hamilton Jr: The Messianic Music of the Song of Songs: A Non-Allegorical Interpretation
• Arthur Lewis: Equality Of Sexes In Marriage: Exposition Of The Song Of Songs
• Grant Richison: Theology of Sex
• J Paul Tanner: The Message of the Song of Songs
• J Paul Tanner: The History of Interpretation of the Song of Songs

Section 7: Got Questions

GotQuestions.org

• Song of Solomon – Bible Survey
• Is Song of Solomon an allegory of God’s love for Israel and-or Christ’s love for the Church-
• Why is there an entire book of the Bible dedicated to romantic love-
• What should we learn from the life of Solomon-
• Who was the Shulammite woman-
• What does it mean that the Shulammite had dark skin (Song of Solomon 1-6)-
• Who are the daughters of Jerusalem in Song of Solomon-
• What is the meaning of the foxes in Song of Solomon 2-15-
• What is the Rose of Sharon-
• Why does Solomon refer to his wife as his sister (Song of Solomon 4-9)-
• What are the mandrakes mentioned in the Bible-
• What is Eros love-

Bible Study Helps

• Bible Study 101
• Interpreting Narratives
• Study Software & websites
• More Maps & Charts
• Hebrew word studies by Precepts Austin
• Books on how to study the Bible

Section 8: Next

Next: Isaiah

Previous: Ecclesiastes

Resources: by Book of the Bible

Photo by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash