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Chapter Ten:
THE LOVERS' WEDDING
NIGHT |
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Only verse 16 of Song 4 is sung by the Dear One; Song 4:1-15 is sung entirely by the
Loved One. How tender and intimate, how delicate and tactful, how pure and passionate, is his love for the Dear
One, as expressed by the original melos!
To enjoy lovemaking, wives need to be told
they are beautiful (in and out of bed)
-- yet how many husbands do not realize this! Many other men are coarse in their appreciation, both in word and
in deed. Some women are very prim in bed; others, as lustful and coarse as any man. Few indeed have known a sexual
relationship such as is described in the following chapters.
The Lovers' relationship is a complete one: spiritual, fraternal and erotic love combined. The Loved One's description
of the Dear One is frank, yet couched in simile and metaphor, without vulgarity. On his wedding night, he is careful
and considerate of his bride. He takes all the time necessary to bring the Dear One to where she can share fulfillment
with him.
The images used by the Loved One are taken not only from the country, but from the city of Zion. Images from the
worlds of man and nature fill his later lovemaking as well. These descriptions, interspersed yet interwoven (musically
and verbally), come from the heart of one man, equally at home in both worlds: Solomon -- not (as some think) Solomon
and an unnamed shepherd.
Most of this chapter is in minor mode, often with the 2nd and 4th degrees variable. Verses 5 and 7, however, are
in the "Greek Dorian" mode. These modes express the different moods and passions evoked by the Dear One's
manifold charms.
A. Song 4:1-7: The Dear One's Charms (pages
28,
29,
30,
31)
The Loved One begins with an assurance of the Dear One's beauty as a whole (verse 1); he shall end with an assurance
of her beauty in all her parts (verse 7). His descriptions, here and later in the Song, have been humorously called
"parts lists." Solomon, as it were, takes inventory of Shulamith's charms before he lays claim to them -- yet without a hint of crassness!
Different cultures, different individuals, have had different ideas as to which parts of the female body are "sexy".
The Loved One appreciates everything.
Each part has its own particular charm, evoking a unique emotional response. This is as the Creator intended.1
The Dear One's eyes are likened to doves (tender, soft, endearing) behind her "locks" (KJV). The original
Hebrew noun, tsama, is used only in Isaiah
47:2; Song 4:1,3; and Song 6:7. The KJV translates this word as "locks" (of hair); practically every
other translation, and the BDBG Lexicon, translates the word as "veil". Haïk-Vantoura follows this
translation. This would be a veil over her head, not her face, if the Loved One refers later to her temples (rather
than her cheeks) "behind your veil".
The Dear One's hair is mentioned next -- which seems to confirm that tsaMatekh in verse 1 and elsewhere means "your (literal) veil" rather than "your locks".2 The Loved One's description of her hair is
among the most maligned by commentators. How can a woman's hair be likened to "a flock of goats coming down
from Mount Gilead"?3
This seemingly extravagant image evokes the sinuous, almost hypnotic4 flow of the flock down the hillsides at sunset,
as viewed from some distance away. Shulamith would know such a scene well from her childhood and youth, one which
would evoke a wholesome emotional response from her.
No doubt the Loved One's hair was long and flowing. Was it dark? Solomon's was "black as a raven" (Song
5:11). Most assume Shulamith's hair was also.5
It is likened later to 'arGaman, "purple"
or even "red-purple" (Song 7:5), but no one's natural hair color is literally "purple". Obviously
Shulamith was not a blonde; but could she have been been auburn-haried, or even a redhead, as many Israelites (from
both "houses" of Israel, for that matter) are today? We see no proof of this. Most likely her hair was
brunette or black, with highlights reminiscent of purple cloth under certain lighting conditions. In context, though,
the music of 7:5 seems to indicate the lushness
of the Dear One's hair rather than anything specific about its color.6
The Dear One's teeth (verse 2) are white as shorn ewes just bathed, "all of which bear twins, and not one
among them is bereaved" (RSV).7
"Bear twins" (matimot) comes
from the root ta'am, "be double",8 found in this form only here and in Song 6:6.
Shakula comes from shakhal, "be bereaved" (rather than "barren" as in the KJV). Haïk-Vantoura
gives an interesting paraphrase here: the teeth
(not the ewes to which they are likened)
are "forming two perfect rows, with not one lost among them."
The Dear One's lips (verse 3) are literally "like the thread of scarlet" -- or possibly cord
(as some render it; cf. Ecclesiastes 4:12). Her lips are red, not necessarily thin, but finely
drawn. Her mouth (i.e., her instrument of speech) is "lovely" --
comely, becoming. Her temples -- or her "cheeks" (RSV; cf. Appendix 1) -- are like a slice of pomegranate:
a mottled red. Both temples and cheeks
may blush; but why is the Dear One blushing? A blush of embarrassment is usually solid red; a blush from body heat
is usually mottled (or so it is alleged). We think the Dear One's cheeks are blushing -- and from passion more than from shyness. The Loved One's reaction, musically,
fits this; he is deeply stirred by her response to him.
The Dear One's neck is like the Tower of David, built for -- what? The word talpiyot has been translated many ways; it is used only here, and its meaning is uncertain.9 Haïk-Vantoura's translation is probably
close to its meaning: "trophies". The Dear One's neck (like the Tower) is meant to be decorated. It is
slender, graceful, yet strong. The "thousand shields" hanging in the Tower seem a metaphor for the many
plates (or gems?) of her necklace. They are described as "round shields of heroes" in Haïk-Vantoura's
translation; once again the Hebrew wording is uncertain, but the intent is clear (cf. Appendix 1). The tender warmth
of the melody shows it is their decorative quality
which the Loved One emphasizes.10
The Dear One's breasts evoke a strangely pure, tender passion, musically speaking. They are like fawns -- soft,
shapely, inviting a petting. The metaphor "feeding among the lilies" evokes kissing elsewhere in the Song; the melody on these words is the same as that found in 2:16 and 6:3
(cf. 5:13). The Loved One desires not only to caress, but to kiss the Dear One's breasts -- yet his description
is free from lust or haste.
With delicate words and a melody reminiscent of that of 2:17, the Loved One reminds the Dear One of her words at
his departure for the night. Here the 4th degree is augmented (it is natural in
2:17). This one small change makes the Loved One's longing far more urgent. He is on the brink of his first sexual
experience -- and wishes to share it with her all night long. The "mount of myrrh" and the "hill
of frankincense" to which he goes is the Dear One's pudenda, delicately described as a source of fragrance.11
Thus the Loved One describes his bride -- physically flawless, "made for love" (verse 7). The melody
ending this verse reminds one of the description of the Dear One's teeth and breasts; the 2nd degree is diminished
at the end of this verse, at the end of 4:2 and throughout 4:5. Were her teeth and breasts her best features in
the Loved One's eyes, that the same otherworldly modal structure underlines their perfection?
B. Song 4:8: The Loved One's Plea
(pages
31,
32)
In Song 4:8 he begs her to put aside her distractions, her thoughts of home and her fears and to share herself
with him freely. His increasing urgency is shown by the repetition (in vverse 6-8) of a similar musical motif (beginning
with the 6th degree, which gives a certain tension
especially at the ends of phrases and at incises). Yet once the Lovers begin their foreplay, there is no haste
on the part of the Loved One.
The word Taschuri is translated "look
down" by Haïk-Vantoura. The RSV renders this word "depart" (with "look" as an alternative
in the marginal notes). The root schur
may have one of two basic meanings (via two different derivations; cf. Appendix 1). "Look" would imply
that Solomon intends to show Shulamith some ecstatic sights, figuratively speaking12 -- which seems to contradict the tension of the melody as it underlines Shulamith's virginal fears (as suggested by the "lions" and "leopards" at the end of the verse).
"Depart (from)", then, seems to be the correct interpretation -- and fits the idea of "Come with
me from Lebanon" stated earlier (which also has real agitation to it). The mountains of far northern Israel
are not described as heights of ecstasy or beauty, but of apprehension on Shulamith's part. Solomon offers to take her to safety, figuratively, reassuring her that
her first sexual experience will be a good one.
C. Song 4:9-13: The Lovers' Foreplay (pages
32,
33,
34,
35)
Now, after a slight pause, the foreplay begins. The Dear One's eyes draw the Loved One to her, capturing his heart.
Desire begins with the gaze of lovers into each other's eyes; it is there where the "soul" is found (verse
9). The chains (cf. Appendix 1) around her neck ravish his eyes too; naturally, he must unfasten them...
Her first caresses (verse 10) are literally "beautiful". The Loved One's delight is echoed by the placement
of the 3rd degree upon dodayikh. More
caresses increase his pleasure, as the cadence on the 6th degree (on "more than wine") evokes. His description
of her fragrance, by contrast, is calm; he inhales it deeply, enjoying it in an unhurried fashion.
The Dear One's kisses are truly sweet, as is the melody which describes them (verse 11a). He enjoys unhurried "deep
kisses" with her, tasting the "honey and milk" which her arousal produces. (The cadence on "tongue"
is on the augmented 4th, denoting a different sort of passion than the cadence on the 6th.) Once again, his description
of her fragrance (this time of her garments) is calm; he breathes it in deeply.
In verse 12, the Loved One praises the Dear One's virginity. The melody is innocent in tone, almost entirely duple
in rhythm; it reminds us of a song for children! Here, as in 5:1 (after she has surrendered her virginity), he
describes her as "my sister, my bride". His desire for her is totally
personal, endowed with filial and spiritual as well as erotic love.
Up to verse 11, the Dear One has not undressed (or been undressed), save for her veil and necklace (taken off by
verse 9); she is still wearing her (fragrant) garments.13 We think that in verse 12 the Loved One tenderly, playfully undresses his Loved One in preparation
for the intense intimacies that follow. The playfulness is evident in the melody, not the words (just as spoken
vocal inflections, rather than the words they support, generally indicate a playful attitude).
No wonder that, in verse 13, the Loved One praises the Dear One's "plantings" (visible to him for the
first time) as "a paradise" (cf. Appendix 1 on both words) of "pomegranates and exquisite fruits,
henna and nard plants" (Haïk-Vantoura). Thus, with delicate, yet rich imagery, he describes, not (as
some think) the Dear One's "limbs", but rather the still-secret places between them, adorned with locks
of hair.
Each verse in verses 12-15 (in Haïk-Vantoura's score) is slower in tempo than the one preceding it. This is
as the melos suggests, of course. The
Loved One slows down rather than speeds up as he proceeds toward coition. His self-restraint
(to us) is no less than astounding! Yet this restraint is exactly what the Dear One needs; it gives her time to be fully aroused.
D. Song 4:14-15: The Lovers' Plateau
(pages
35,
36)
Now, in verse 14, the melody (and Haïk-Vantoura's accompaniment) evokes the Loved One's intimate
caressing of the Dear One. As he caresses, tenderly, languidly, he describes
the fragrance produced by her arousal as a complex mixture of aromatic spices. This verse is the central verse of the Song (and is so marked in the Masoretic
marginal notes). The tempo (implicit in the melos)
slows down greatly here; the Lovers have
reached their plateau of arousal, the prelude to intercourse.14
Verse 15 is even slower and calmer; musically, it is the most tender and expectant in the chapter. Now even the
Dear One's natural lubrication is described by wonderful metaphors: "a garden fountain, a well of living water,
and flowing streams from Lebanon" (RSV).
E. Song 4:16: The Dear One's Surrender (page
36)
At last the Dear One speaks with a deep, yet pure longing. Now she bids the winds to blow the fragrances of her
"garden" to the Loved One, that he may enjoy its exquisite fruits.15 The melody, with Haïk-Vantoura's accompaniment, evokes the wind's own caresses. Here,
the chapter (and the musical section) ends, drawing the curtain on the Lovers' actual joining.
We complete the section-by-section
analysis of this portion in the next chapter... |
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FOOTNOTES
1. Nowhere in the Song does the Loved
One describe the Dear One's backside (cf. our exegesis of Song 7:1), save perhaps generally in Song 1:9. Shulamith's
graceful strength, like that of a mare's, would be best seen from the rear (which is usually the direction from
which a charioteer views his horses!).
2. But cf.
Appendix 1 on this point.
3. For surely Solomon (unlike this
footnote) is not making a baaaaad pun
at Shulamith's expense!
4. This is S. Craig Glickman's wording
in A Song for Lovers (InterVarsity Press,
1976, p. 14).
5. Fructenbaum (op. cit., p. 35) informs us that goats in the land of
Israel are mostly black; but need this always have been so? Jacob's goats (which he brought with him from Padan-aram)
were "ring-straked, speckled and spotted" (`akouDim nekouDim outlou'im, Genesis 30:39). Black goats' hair, of course, has long been favored for tent-making as well
as for garments among the Arabs.
6. Cf. our discussion of Song 7:6
and our note in Appendix 1.
7. Here, haKtsouvot, "the shorn" is used; in Song 6:6, harhelim, "the
ewes". Another alteration for poetic and romantic variety!
8. The non-Hebraist should not confuse
this root ta'am with ta`am ("to taste, discern, judge, appreciate"), the root word of te`amim.
9. Nothing proves that this word
comes from Greek, which alleged etymology is taken as evidence for the late date of the Song (cf.
Appendix 1).
10. These "trophies" are
not in any case the gold shields which Solomon made much later.
11. The Loved One describes it in
these terms because (as we will see) the Dear One is not yet undressed; her "secret parts" are still
hidden. Only a figurative, indirect allusion to them would be appropriate at this point.
12. Fructenbaum, op. cit., p. 36, notes the primary meaning of the word
as "journey", the secondary meaning as "to view" -- thus Solomon (he implies) uses it in the
sense "to go in order to view". An elegant interpretation -- but one apparently not confirmed by Solomon's
melody.
13. Not only does this imply the
appropriate use of perfume by the bride (and no doubt her natural scent as well), but that a newlywed couple should
start their foreplay at least partially dressed, before undressing for the sexual embrace.
14. Could oral
sex be meant here, as a means of arousing Shulamith for intercourse? Haïk-Vantoura's
accompaniment suggests slow, upward caresses. Yet the melody lingers on every spice described, as if tasting them. Perhaps the caresses are being made with
the tongue rather than the fingertips?
15. "...[The] north wind clears
the air with cool breezes (Job 37:21-22) and the south wind brings warmness (Job 37:17)" (Fruchtenbaum, op. cit., p. 38). Besides causing growth (as he notes)
if they come at the proper times, they cause the garden to become "a sea of incense and fragrance" (ibid.). But they also symbolize the tension between mind
and body which makes full arousal possible at the right time. |
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Updated December 27, 2011 |
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