Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Song of Solomon.
Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encyclopedias; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **
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
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
Maps from Holman Bible Atlas
- Kingdom of David and Solomon
- The United Monarchy under Solomon (1)
- The United Monarchy under Solomon (2)
- Solomon’s Economic Enterprises
- Solomon’s Building Activities
- Solomon’s Temple
- Jerusalem in the Time of David and Solomon
Key Words
- Love, beloved, beautiful
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’ 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
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
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
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-
Next: Isaiah
Previous: Ecclesiastes
Resources: by Book of the Bible
Photo by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash
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