Song of Songs 7

{{Short description|Seventh chapter of the Song of Songs}}  {{Bible chapter|letname= Song of Songs 7 |previouslink= Song of Songs 6 |previousletter= chapter 6|nextlink= Song of Songs 8|nextletter= chapter 8 |book=[[Song of Songs]] |biblepart=[[Old Testament]] | booknum= 22 |category= [[Ketuvim]] | filename=Llyfr Caniad Solomon - Caerwynt.jpg| size=250px |caption=<div style="width: 250px; text-align: center; line-height: 1em">Capital from the Song of Solomon in Winchester Cathedral.</div>}}

'''Song of Songs 7''' is the seventh chapter of the [[Song of Songs]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]] or the [[Old Testament]] of the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Bible]].{{sfn|Halley|1965|p=279}}<ref name=Holman>Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.</ref> This book is one of the [[Five Megillot]], a collection of short books, together with [[Book of Ruth|Ruth]], [[Book of Lamentations|Lamentations]], [[Ecclesiastes]] and [[Book of Esther|Esther]], within the [[Ketuvim]], the third and the last part of the Hebrew Bible.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=429}} [[Jewish tradition]] views [[Solomon]] as the author of this book (although this is now largely disputed), and this attribution influences the acceptance of this book as a canonical text.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=429}}

This chapter contains a poem in which the man describes the woman, his lover, and one or more songs in the woman's voice issued as invitations to the man.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=431}}

==Text== The original text is written in [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew language]]. [[Chapters and verses of the Bible|This chapter is divided into]] 13 verses.

===Textual witnesses=== Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew]] are of the [[Masoretic Text]], which includes the [[Leningrad Codex|Codex Leningradensis]] (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=36-37}}{{efn|Since 1947 the current text of [[Aleppo Codex]] is missing Song of Songs 3:11, after the word {{lang|he|ציון}} ("Zion"), to the end.<ref>{{citation | author=P. W. Skehan | contribution=BIBLE (TEXTS) | title=[[New Catholic Encyclopedia]] | edition=2nd | volume=2 | publisher=Gale | year=2003 | pages=355–362}}</ref>}} Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]]: [[4Q106|4Q106 (4QCant<sup>a</sup>)]]; 30 BCE-30 CE; extant verses 1–7).<ref>{{Cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | editor-link = Eugene Ulrich | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | pages = 744 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls |access-date= May 15, 2017 | isbn= 9789004181830}}</ref><ref name=generalinfo>[https://thewaytoyahuweh.com/dead-sea-scrolls/general-info/#song_of_songs Dead sea scrolls - Song of Songs].</ref><ref name=fitzmyer>{{Cite book|last = Fitzmyer|first = Joseph A. |title = A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature| authorlink = Joseph Fitzmyer | publisher = William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC | year = 2008 | pages = 42 |isbn = 9780802862419 | location = Grand Rapids, MI | access-date= February 15, 2019}}</ref>

There is also a translation into [[Koine Greek]] known as the [[Septuagint]], made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include [[Codex Vaticanus]] ('''B'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>B</sup>; 4th century), [[Codex Sinaiticus]] ('''S'''; [[Biblia Hebraica (Kittel)|BHK]]: <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>S</sup>; 4th century), and [[Codex Alexandrinus]] ('''A'''; <math> \mathfrak{G}</math><sup>A</sup>; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}

==Structure== The [[Modern English Version|Modern English Version (MEV)]] identifies the speakers in this chapter as: *{{bibleref2|Song|7:1–9|MEV}} = The Man (continuing from [[Song of Songs 6]]:13b) *{{bibleref2|Song|7:10–13|MEV}} = The Woman (continuing to [[Song of Songs 8]]:4) Biblical scholar [[Athalya Brenner]] notes that verses 1 to 10 are "probably in a male voice", and 11 to 14 in a female voice.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=431}} However, Andrew Harper argues that the opening verses (verses 1 to 6) contain the praises sung by "the ladies of the [[harem|hareem]]".<ref>Harper, A. (1902), [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/songs/7.htm Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges] on Song of Solomon 7, accessed 16 January 2023</ref>

=={{Anchor|Verses 1–9}}Male: Third descriptive poem for the female (7:1-9; [Masoretic 7:2-10])== A voice, likely of the man, calling to the woman ("the Shulammite" in [[Song 6:13]]) to dance, then describing her body from toe to head in a poem or "[[waṣf]]" (verses 2–7), closing with a response indicating male desire (verses 8–9), which is followed perhaps by a "female retort" (verse 10) to round off this passage.{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=431}} This descriptive poem by the man still belongs to a long section concerning the desire and love in the country which continues until 8:4.{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=36}} The man's ''waṣf'' and the other ones ([[Song of Songs 4#Male: First descriptive poem and call to come along (4:1-8)|4:1-8]]; [[Song of Songs 5#Female: descriptive poem for the male (5:10-16)|5:10-16]]; [[Song of Songs 6#Male: Second descriptive poem for the female (6:4-10)|6:4-10]]) theologically demonstrate the heart of the Song that values the body as not evil but good even worthy of praise, and respects the body with an appreciative focus (rather than lurid).{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=127}} Hess notes that this reflects 'the fundamental value of God's creation as good and the human body as a key part of that creation, whether at the beginning ({{bibleverse|Genesis|1:26-28|KJV}}) or redeemed in the resurrection ({{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|15:42|KJV}}, {{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|15:44|KJV|44}})'.{{sfn|Hess|2005|p=127}}

===Verse 5=== :''Your head crowns like Carmel,'' ::''and your flowing hair is like purple;'' ::''a king is held captive in the tresses.''<ref>{{bibleref2|Song|7:5|MEV}} [[Modern English Version|MEV]] or {{bibleref2|Song|7:6|HE}} in [[Hebrew Bible]]</ref> *"Tresses" ([[KJV]]: "galleries"): from Hebrew: {{lang|he|רהטים}}, ''{{Strong-number|rə-hā-ṭîm|H|7298}}'',<ref>[https://biblehub.com/text/songs/7-5.htm Hebrew Text Analysis: Song of Solomon 7:5]. Biblehub</ref> is [[hapax legomenon|only found here in the Bible]].{{sfn|Longman|2001|p=190}} [[Marvin H. Pope]] describes how it may have developed from a root ''rhṭ'' (known from Aramaic in the sense of "to run") used in connection with water (cf. {{bibleverse|Genesis|30:38|KJV}}, {{bibleverse|Genesis|30:41|KJV|41}}: {{bibleverse|Exodus|2:16|KJV}}), here as "the coursing of water" evoking the idea of "flowing hair".<ref>[[Marvin H. Pope|Pope, Marvin H.]] (1995) "Song of Songs", Yale University Press, p. 630; ''apud'' Longman 2001, p. 190.</ref>

==Female: Springtime and love (7:10–13; [Masoretic 7:11–14])== In this section, one song (or several songs) in a female voice, seductively invites the man to go outdoors where the woman will give herself to him (cf. 4:9-14).{{sfn|Brenner|2007|p=431}} The invitation contains a [[Play-on-words|play on words]] based on the man's earlier expressions, such as "grape blossoms" in verse 12, which is related to 2:11–13, and "to see if the vines had blossomed, if pomegranates bloomed" in verse 12, which can be related to 5:11–12.{{sfn|Assis|2009|p=224}}

===Verse 10=== :''I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.''<ref>{{bibleverse|Song|7:10|KJV}} [[King James Version|KJV]] or {{bibleref2|Song|7:11|HE}} in Hebrew Bible</ref> Although similar to the line in [[Song 2:16]] and [[Song 6:3]], here the mutual belonging to each other is not expressed, and instead, the woman refers to the previous expression of desire of the man to her, while confirming that she belongs to him ("''I am my beloved's''").{{sfn|Assis|2009|p=223}}

===Verse 13=== :''The mandrakes give forth fragrance,'' ::''and at our doors are all choice fruits,'' :''new as well as old,'' ::''which I have laid up for you, my beloved.''<ref>{{bibleref2|Song|7:13|MEV}} MEV or {{bibleref2|Song|7:14|HE}} in Hebrew Bible</ref> *A "[[mandrake]]" in the ancient [[Near East]] was known "as an aid of fertility and as an aphodisiac"{{sfn|Assis|2009|p=225}} ({{bibleverse|Genesis|30:14–19|KJV}}).{{sfn|Coogan|2007|p=967 Hebrew Bible}}

==See also== * [[Heshbon|Bathrabbim]] * [[Mount Carmel|Carmel]] * [[Damascus]] * [[Heshbon]] * [[Lebanon]] *Related [[Bible]] parts: [[Song of Songs 6]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== * {{Cite book |last=Assis |first=Elie |title=Flashes of Fire: A Literary Analysis of the Song of Songs |publisher=T & T Clark |year=2009 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yoWsTqUCVjEC|isbn=9780567027641}} *{{cite book|last= Bergant |first= Dianne |author-link=Dianne Bergant |title= The Songs of Songs |series= Berit Olam (The Everlasting Covenant): Studies In Hebrew Narrative And Poetry |editor1-first=David W. |editor1-last= Cotter|editor2-first= Jerome T. |editor2-last= Walsh|editor3-first= Chris |editor3-last= Franke |publisher= Liturgical Press |date= 2001|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=xkwtwLQ_QCQC |isbn= 9780814650691}} *{{cite book|last= Brenner | first= Athalya |chapter = 21. The Song of Solomon | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John| editor-last1=Barton | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | date = 2007 | pages = 429–433 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ| access-date=February 6, 2019}} *{{cite book|last= Coogan|first = Michael David| authorlink= Michael D. Coogan |title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 |editor-last1=Coogan |editor-first1=Michael David |editor-first2=Marc Zvi |editor-last2= Brettler |editor-first3=Carol Ann |editor-last3= Newsom |editor-first4= Pheme |editor-last4= Perkins |edition= Augmented 3rd |publisher = Oxford University Press |year =2007 |isbn = 9780195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}} *{{cite book|last= Exum |first= J. Cheryl |title= Songs of Songs: A Commentary |series= Old Testament library |edition= reprint|publisher= Westminster John Knox Press |date= 2005 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=mLKBcC5ND30C |isbn= 9780664221904}} *{{cite book|last= Halley| first= Henry H.| authorlink= Henry Hampton Halley| title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)|publisher= Zondervan Publishing House |date= 1965 |url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr |url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}} *{{cite book|last= Hess |first= Richard S. |title= Songs of Songs |series= Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Series |publisher= Baker Academic |date= 2005 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AWoEZ2bWauAC |isbn= 9780801027123}} *{{cite book|last= Longman |first= Tremper |title= Songs of Songs |volume= 26 |series= The New International Commentary on the Old Testament |publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |date= 2001 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PDnMuOcIUjEC |isbn= 9780802825438}} *{{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | authorlink = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes |isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

==External links== * [[Judaism|Jewish]] translations: ** [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16451 Shir Hashirim - Song of Songs - Chapter 7 (Judaica Press)] translation [with [[Rashi]]'s commentary] at Chabad.org * [[Christianity|Christian]] translations: ** [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Song+7 ''Online Bible'' at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English) * [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=26&chapter=7&version=9 Song of Solomon Chapter 7 King James Version] * {{librivox book | title=Song of Solomon}} Various versions

{{DEFAULTSORT:Song 07}}  [[Category:Song of Songs chapters|07]]