Writings
שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים
Song of Songs
Love poetry, with no mention of law, temple or nation.
Hebrew nameShir HaShirim, meaning the song of songsChapters8Position4 of 11 in Writings
What is in it
Two lovers speak, mostly to and about each other, in imagery drawn from orchards, spices and the body. God is not named. There is no plot to speak of and no moral drawn.
It has been read allegorically for a very long time and also plainly, and the tradition has generally been comfortable holding both readings at once.
If you read one chapter
Song of Songs 8:6 to 7
Love as strong as death, and waters that cannot quench it.
Passages worth knowing
- Song of Songs 2:10 to 13Rise up, my love, for the winter is past.
- Song of Songs 3:1 to 4Searching the city at night.
- Song of Songs 8:6 to 7Set me as a seal upon thine heart.
Questions to sit with
- 01
The book never names God. Why might it be in the canon anyway?
- 02
Does reading it allegorically add something, or take something away?