A. The Chiasmic Poetic Structure
Many commentators have noted the general "chiasmic" (X-shaped)
structure of the Song of Songs and other biblical books and passages. This means that a poetic idea that is found
before the center of the "chiasma" is repeated in a different form after the center.
The chiasmic structure of the Song of Songs' poetry is illustrated in
Figure 4 (the singers are indicated in parentheses).
Analyzed in detail, the Song's chiasmic poetic structure, coupled with its parallel musical structure and the temporal
progression of events within it, proves its unity of authorship and purpose. Yet the chiasmic structure is not
a rigid framework. Theme J follows theme I (in the first half of the Song); but theme J' is found between theme
K'(b) and K'(c), not immediately preceding theme I' as one might expect. Moreover, each theme and its counterpart
sometimes have alternating choral designations (e.g., B and B'), sometimes the same choral designation (e.g., A
and A'), sometimes contrasting choral designations (e.g., F and F').
Some subthemes (such as L, L'(a), and L'(b); O and O') are inserted into the overall poetic structure in unexpected
places. Poetic ideas that are found in paired themes (e.g., "blossoms, blossoming" in G and G') are found
in other parts of the Song (e.g., theme I). Finally, the subject matter in each theme is not strictly parallel
with that of its counterpart, even if the paired themes shares common poetic ideas.
The melodic exposition of this poetic structure flows like a brook, winding through many banks from its spiritual wellspring to its joyous conclusion. While
there are places where the melodic themes parallel the verbal themes they support (e.g., in themes L and L' and
in many verses of themes K and K'), there is no strict application of a chiasmic structure to the melody as a whole.
Certain one-verse melodic-verbal themes are found in unexpected places (Song 4:5 is found in theme K(c), while
the musically parallel Song 7:4 is found in theme H'). Moreover, some paired poetic themes have contrasting rather
than parallel melodic themes (e.g., themes A, B, C and A', B', C'). Finally, there is no strict parallelism of
musical modes; the modality progresses from the serious "Greek Dorian" in theme A to the gracious "Greek Hypophrygian" in theme A', in tandem with the development and moods of the Lovers' relationship.
Thus the melody of the Song of Songs verifies both the "chiasmic" and chronological structures of the
verbal poetry. The few chronological "flashbacks" that do occur in the Song occur to shed light on a
present event.B. The Poetic Imagery of the Song
Many Western commentators and laymen have expressed surprise at the seemingly jarring
verbal imagery used in the Song of Songs. What modern Western man would care
to describe his bride in these terms?
(...) Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from Mount Gilead.
Your teeth are like a flock of sheep newly shorn,
coming up from the washing;
each one has its twin,
and not one of them is bereaved. (Song 4:1-2)
Would a modern Western woman describe her husband with these words?
His arms are rods of gold
set with chrysolite.
His body is like polished ivory,
decorated with sapphires.
His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold. (...) (Song 5:14-15a, NIV)
These images come from a society (and a poetic way of thought) much different from
our own. Much of our romantic poetry, even when it deals with themes from agriculture or of royal wealth, paint
a "romanticized" view, detached from reality.
Society in Ancient and Prophetic Israel
Ancient Israel, even at its most prosperous (under Solomon as sole regent -- cf. Psalm 72), was an agrarian society,
based on the laws of land and family inheritance God revealed to Israel. Even city and town dwellers had their
own plot of land outside the city, or a family inheritance in the country.1
Though the Song of Songs is not a treatise on life in prophetic Israel, it does describe what romantic love and
marriage were intended to be (and shall be under Messiah's rule). The physical context of that love is an agrarian society, in which technology and ecology strike
a proper balance. Our stressful modern society makes it very difficult to reach the depth of love possible for
King Solomon (whose reign is a direct type of the blessings of the Messianic Age) and his bride. It also makes
impossible for most modern city-dwellers what was possible for Solomon and Shulamith: to enjoy the best of both
city and farm life.
The Basis of the Song's Verbal Imagery
Many commentators of every school of thought have remarked on the differences between Western and Middle Eastern
romantic poetry. The original melody brings out both the romantic and the spiritual tone of the images with which
Solomon and Shulamith describe each other.
Solomon's romantic descriptions of Shulamith (in Song 4; 5:1; 6:4-7; 7:2-8a) evoke images from her everyday home
life and from various rural locations elsewhere. They include goats, sheep, fawns and doves, spices, milk, honey,
pomegranates, mountains, lions, leopards, wine, gardens and so on. Each image would have a particular sentimental attachment to her memory, and would be associated
with her own femininity and self-concept. Thus Solomon's words would both reassure her of his love and arouse her
interest in him as a lover.
Shulamith's paean of praise for her husband in Song 5:10-16 uses a different set of images. Many of them are of
items of great value and splendor (as
well as of strength and utility): gold,
marble, iron, ivory, jewels. Others are images of tenderness: doves, raven's feathers, lilies. Still others are images of physical
desire: milk, spices, perfume, sweetness itself. Finally, the natural, masculine
ruggedness of his appearance is compared
to majestic Lebanon and its beautiful cedar trees. In praising Solomon thus, Shulamith used images associated with
his masculinity and self-concept: his physical strength and royal ability to provide for her, combined with a tender
regard for her needs and an irresistible desirability as well.
Other images and symbols are used throughout the Song as the circumstances of the Lovers' relationship change.
The melody underlines throughout -- nowhere more so than in the Lovers' most intimate moments -- the incomparable
purity and spirituality of their love and desire for each other, as well as their deep, mutual respect. When Shulamith
says of Solomon:
This is my Lover and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem (Song 5:16) --
the melody underlines the spiritual aspect of her love for him which her words alone do not convey.
C. How "Love" Grows in the Song
All of the above reinforces what the musical and poetic structures prove: the Song of Songs is in essentially chronological order (even if largely set
apart from "mundane chronology"). Its references to "love"
(whether dod or 'ahava) in its early verses cannot
mean marital or purely erotic love (either by Solomon, Shulamith or the "maidens"); this "love"
is too idealistic. In the Lovers' relationship,
love ('ahava) begins with a spiritual idealism and a physical "chemistry" (dod) accompanying it. It grows into the Love that leads to marriage (as underlined by the use of 'et
- ha'ahava in Song 2:7 and parallel verses), and finally into the sexual relationship
itself. Physical affection (dod) thus
finds its full expression in marital Love -- not before. This is as God intended.2
|
