Song 1:4-7 | TNotes | STEP | 1:4 Take me with you: The two lovers are very active throughout the Song, traveling through the hills, to the city, and out to the country. This time the woman invites the man to take her away with him, and urgently expresses her desire ( let’s run! ). According to the three-character dramatic view, they may be running to escape the king, who has brought the young woman into his palace. • The king has brought me into his bedroom (literally into his rooms ): A common interpretation of this clause is that the woman is anticipating an intimate relationship with King Solomon. However, though a literal Hebrew translation indicates that she has been brought into Solomon’s rooms, it does not specify which rooms she was taken into. Nor does the Hebrew imply that it was her personal desire. • The text changes here from the second person (“you”) to the third person (“his”), which might indicate that two different men are involved—one being spoken to, the other being spoken about. In that case, it is possible that the woman desires to run because she does not want to be the king’s concubine. • If the Song is a collection of love songs without a narrative thread, it is not problematic for the lover to be identified here as the king and later as a shepherd (e.g., 1:7 ): (1) The language may or may not be intended literally; (2) these titles, consistent with other ancient Middle Eastern love poetry, may reflect the woman’s view of her lover at a particular time (e.g., by indicating that he is a king in her eyes); or (3) different poems may refer to different couples. • The woman frequently addresses the young women of Jerusalem (e.g., 2:7 ; 3:5 ). They are portrayed as close, trusted friends who are fond of the woman and responsive to her requests. She often confides in them about her lover, and they commend the couple from their outside perspective (e.g., 5:1 , 9 ). • O king is not in the Hebrew; its addition reflects the view that the young man is the king rather than a shepherd.

1:4 ^a Take me with you: The two lovers are very active throughout the Song, traveling through the hills, to the city, and out to the country. This time the woman invites the man to take her away with him, and urgently expresses her desire (let’s run!). According to the three-character dramatic view, they may be running to escape the king, who has brought the young woman into his palace.

• The king has brought me into his bedroom (literally into his rooms): A common interpretation of this clause is that the woman is anticipating an intimate relationship with King Solomon. However, though a literal Hebrew translation indicates that she has been brought into Solomon’s rooms, it does not specify which rooms she was taken into. Nor does the Hebrew imply that it was her personal desire.

• The text changes here from the second person (“you”) to the third person (“his”), which might indicate that two different men are involved—one being spoken to, the other being spoken about. In that case, it is possible that the woman desires to run because she does not want to be the king’s concubine.

• If the Song is a collection of love songs without a narrative thread, it is not problematic for the lover to be identified here as the king and later as a shepherd (e.g., 1:7 ^b): (1) The language may or may not be intended literally; (2) these titles, consistent with other ancient Middle Eastern love poetry, may reflect the woman’s view of her lover at a particular time (e.g., by indicating that he is a king in her eyes); or (3) different poems may refer to different couples.

• The woman frequently addresses the young women of Jerusalem (e.g., 2:7 ^c; 3:5 ^d). They are portrayed as close, trusted friends who are fond of the woman and responsive to her requests. She often confides in them about her lover, and they commend the couple from their outside perspective (e.g., 5:1 ^e, 9 ^f).

• O king is not in the Hebrew; its addition reflects the view that the young man is the king rather than a shepherd.
Summary for Song 1:5-11: 1:5-11 ^g If the Song is a three-character drama and the shepherd is her lover, the couple was apart while she was in the king’s palace, and in this passage she wants to be sure of where to find him when she leaves there. On two occasions, she is frantic about losing him again (3:1-4 ^h; 5:2-8 ⁱ). At other times, her concern is more subtle (2:14 ^j).
Summary for Song 1:5-6: 1:5-6 ^k The woman’s dark skin color has nothing to do with her race; her complexion has been darkened by the sun. Even so, she retains her self-respect and asserts her beauty. She is wholesome-looking from tending vineyards and goats (see also 1:8 ^l).

• Solomon had caretakers of his fields, vineyards, herds, and flocks; the herders lived in dark goats’-hair tents.
1:6 ^m my own vineyard: The NLT interprets vineyard as a metaphor for the woman’s own body (cp. 2:15 ⁿ; 7:12 ^o). In ancient Near Eastern societies, brothers protected sisters from premature intimate relationships with men. The woman’s protest reflects her belief that she is ready for love (see also 8:8-12 ^p, the only other mention of the brothers).

• The dramatic view takes vineyard literally: The brothers’ abuse had resulted in the woman’s inability to take care of the vineyards for which she was personally responsible. She found herself in Solomon’s harem because she had not been able to pay Solomon the money she owed him (8:11-12 ^q).
Summary for Song 1:7-8: 1:7-8 ^r leading your flock: In the dramatic view, the woman’s lover and his friends are literal shepherds, not a line of work or the company that one would associate with King Solomon at any time in his life.

• like a prostitute (literally like a veiled woman): Prostitutes wore veils to hide their identities (Gen 38:14-16 ^s). Since the woman has been claimed by Solomon as a concubine, she has reason to shroud herself and avoid being obvious. She wants to avoid having to ask everyone around her for the location of someone she loves (cp. Song 3:3 ^t; 5:6-7 ^u). She wants to find him privately during the resting period at noon so they can enjoy the time together.