Song of Songs: A Commentary

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Westminster John Knox Press, Jan 1, 2005 - Religion - 263 pages

This original commentary foregrounds at every turn the poetic genius of the Song of Songs, one of the most elusive texts of the Hebrew Bible. J. Cheryl Exum locates that genius in the way the Song not only tells but shows its readers that love is strong as death, thereby immortalizing love, as well as in the way the poet explores the nature of love by a mature sensitivity to how being in love is different for the woman and the man. Many long-standing conundrums in the interpretation of the book are offered persuasive solutions in Exum's verse by verse exegesis.

The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.

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Contents

I
1
II
2
III
3
IV
13
V
28
VI
47
VII
73
VIII
87
XI
97
XII
119
XIII
138
XIV
151
XV
183
XVI
210
XVII
240
XVIII
242

IX
89
X
91

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Popular passages

Page 5 - Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone: Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss Though winning near the goal — yet, do not grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
Page 125 - Labour is blossoming or dancing where The body is not bruised to pleasure soul. Nor beauty born out of its own despair, Nor blear-eyed wisdom out of midnight oil. O chestnut-tree, great-rooted blossomer, Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole? O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?
Page 2 - I will rise now, and go about the city In the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth : I sought him, but I found him not.
Page 77 - For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Page 124 - A line will take us hours maybe; Yet if it does not seem a moment's thought, Our stitching and unstitching has been naught.
Page 72 - Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart...
Page viii - JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament — Supplement Series...
Page viii - JAAR Journal of the American Academy of Religion JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society...
Page 185 - My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

References to this book

Song of Songs: Erotic Love Poetry

No preview available - 2003

About the author (2005)

J. Cheryl Exum is Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield.

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