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The full title of this book is, "The Song of Songs which is Solomon's". In Hebrew Scriptures, it is located between Job and Ruth. The book is a collection of poems characterized by:
According to tradition, Solomon was the author of this book and the lady spoken of in Chapter 1:5, was Solomon's Egyptian wife and the Shu-la-mite spoken of in Chapters 6:13 and 7:9, was a Shulamite maiden that Solomon knew, that was known for her beauty. However, many believe that these characters only furnish characteristics for the lyrics of the song and were not real people. It was simply a song about a bridegroom who was a king and a bride that was the most beautiful of all women. Isn't that true of all weddings?
Most scholars use the "allegorical" interpretation of this song, symbolizing God as the bridegroom and Israel as the bride. Later this was applied as symbolizing Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as the bride.
Now, who was the author? There is no doubt in the mind of Matthew Henry, the famous 18th century commentator, that Solomon wrote this book, but, many opinions abound as to the author and the time of the writing of this book. All arguments put forth in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes against Solomon's authorship, are found here in this book also. There is more speculation about this little book than any other book in the Bible.
A variety of subjects and situations are treated in this book. There is no logical order to them, which indicates it to be a collection of lyrics. The backgrounds and customs described are varied. Some are Judean, some northern Israeli, some east of the Jordan and some Egyptian as in the addressing of the bride as "my sister". The name of God does not appear in the book accept as a symbol of power.
The practices depicted in the book belonged originally to early fertility cults in Canaan and taken over by the Hebrews when they took over the Promise Land. These practices date back to 1,400 BC, Solomon lived around 950 BC and the "word usage" in the book dates the book at about 250 BC.
The book is the first to label and diagnose "love sickness". It also credits spring as the season of greatest infection.
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