INSIGHT ON THE SCRIPTURES
*** it-1 p. 26 Abishag ***
ABISHAG
(Ab'i shag).
A young virgin from the town of Shunem, N of Jezreel and Mount Gilboa, in the
territory of Issachar. (Jos 19:17-23) She was “beautiful in the extreme” and was
chosen by David’s servants to become the nurse and companion of the king during
his final days.—1Ki 1:1-4.
David was now about 70 years of age (2Sa 5:4, 5), and as a result of
debilitation he had little body heat. Abishag waited on him during the day,
doubtless brightening the surroundings with her youthful freshness and beauty,
and at night she ‘lay in the king’s bosom’ to give him warmth, but “the king
himself had no intercourse with her.” Nevertheless, the attitude later
manifested by Solomon regarding her indicates that Abishag was viewed as being
in the position of wife or concubine of David. As such, by a rule in the ancient
East, she would become the property of David’s heir at the time of his death.
The account concerning Abishag directly precedes the account of the attempt at
gaining the crown by the one who was probably David’s oldest surviving son,
Adonijah, and would seem to be so placed to give understanding to Adonijah’s
subsequent action during Solomon’s reign. Solomon, after ascending the throne,
had placed Adonijah on conditional pardon. Now Adonijah persuaded Solomon’s
mother, Bath-sheba, to ask Solomon to give him Abishag as his wife. Solomon,
convinced that Adonijah’s request was not due alone to Abishag’s beauty but,
rather, indicated a subtle effort to strengthen Adonijah’s claim to the throne,
reacted angrily, revoked Adonijah’s pardon, and ordered his death. (1Ki 2:13-25)
No further mention is made of Abishag, but it is probable that she continued as
one of Solomon’s wives or concubines.—See ADONIJAH No. 1.
*** it-2 p. 937 Shulammite ***
SHULAMMITE
(Shu'lam mite).
The designation for the beautiful country girl who is the principal character of
The Song of Solomon (6:13). Likely this title portrays her as from the city of
Shunem (modern Sulam). (Compare 1Ki 1:3.) Lending support to this view is the
fact that the Greek Septuagint (Vatican Manuscript No. 1209) calls the girl the
“Sunamite.” Also, the ecclesiastical writer Eusebius of the fourth century C.E.
referred to Shunem as Shulem.—Onomasticon, 158, 11.
*** it-2 p. 937 Shunammite ***
(Shu'nam mite) [Of (Belonging to) Shunem].
An inhabitant of Shunem. Abishag, the nurse of David in his old age, is called a
“Shunammite.”—1Ki 1:3, 4, 15; 2:17, 21, 22; see ABISHAG.
A prominent woman of Shunem who showed hospitality to the prophet Elisha,
regularly offering him food and lodging, is left unnamed. For her kindness, she
was rewarded with a son. When, several years later, the boy died, the Shunammite
woman rode about 30 km (19 mi), and upon finding Elisha at Mount Carmel, she
expressed her bitter grief, saying: “Did I ask for a son through my lord? Did I
not say, ‘You must not lead me to a false hope’?” Returning with her, the
prophet prayed to Jehovah, and the boy was restored to life.—2Ki 4:8-37.
Upon Elisha’s warning her of a coming famine, the Shunammite woman, apparently
now a widow, together with her household, took up living among the Philistines
for seven years. At the end of this time she returned, only to find her property
confiscated. When the king learned of her past dealings with Elisha, all her
belongings were returned.—2Ki 8:1-6.
*** it-2 pp. 937-938 Shunem ***
SHUNEM
(Shu'nem).
A city in the territory of Issachar (Jos 19:17, 18) and not far from Jezreel and
Mount Gilboa. (1Sa 28:4) Shunem is identified with modern Sulam (Shunem), which
is on the SW slope of Jebel Dahi (Giv?at ha-More) and overlooks the Low Plain of
Jezreel. The place lies about 5 km (3 mi) N of the abandoned village of Zer?in
(Tel Yizre?el) and some 8 km (5 mi) N of the western end of Mount Gilboa.
It was at Shunem that the Philistines encamped before the battle that resulted
in the death of King Saul. (1Sa 28:4) From Shunem came the beautiful Abishag
(“the Shunammite”) who cared for aged King David (1Ki 1:3, 4), and later, the
prophet Elisha often lodged in the home of a hospitable couple there.—2Ki 4:8.
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*** si pp. 115-117 Bible Book Number 22—The Song of Solomon ***
Bible Book Number 22—The Song of Solomon
Writer: Solomon
Place Written: Jerusalem
Writing Completed: c. 1020 B.C.E.
“THE whole world was not worthy of the day in which this sublime Song was given
to Israel.” Thus the Jewish “rabbi” Akiba, who lived in the first century of the
Common Era, expressed his appreciation for The Song of Solomon. The book’s title
is a contraction of the opening words, “The superlative song, which is
Solomon’s.” According to the Hebrew word-for-word text, it is the “Song of the
songs,” denoting superlative excellence, similar to the expression “heavens of
the heavens,” for the highest heavens. (Deut. 10:14) It is not a collection of
songs but one song, “a song of the utmost perfection, one of the best that
existed, or had ever been penned.”
2 King Solomon of Jerusalem was the writer of this song, as is borne out by its
introduction. He was highly qualified to write this supremely beautiful example
of Hebrew poetry. (1 Ki. 4:32) It is an idyllic poem loaded with meaning and
most colorful in its description of beauty. The reader who can visualize the
Oriental setting will appreciate this still more. (Song of Sol. 4:11, 13; 5:11;
7:4) The occasion for its writing was a unique one. The great king Solomon,
glorious in wisdom, mighty in power, and dazzling in the luster of his material
wealth, which evoked the admiration even of the queen of Sheba, could not
impress a simple country girl with whom he fell in love. Because of the
constancy of her love for a shepherd boy, the king lost out. The book,
therefore, could rightly be called The Song of Solomon’s Frustrated Love.
Jehovah God inspired him to compose this song for the benefit of Bible readers
of the ages to follow. He wrote it in Jerusalem. Perhaps this was about 1020 B.C.E.,
some years after the temple had been completed. By the time he wrote the song,
Solomon had “sixty queens and eighty concubines,” compared with “seven hundred
wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines” at the end of his reign.—Song
of Sol. 6:8; 1 Ki. 11:3.
3 The canonicity of The Song of Solomon was wholly unchallenged in early times.
It was regarded as an integral and inspired portion of the Hebrew canon long
before the Common Era. It was embodied in the Greek Septuagint. Josephus
inserted it in his catalog of the sacred books. Therefore, it has the same
evidence for its canonicity as is commonly adduced for any other book of the
Hebrew Scriptures.
4 Some, however, have questioned the book’s canonicity on the ground that there
is no reference to God in it. The absence of any mention of God would not
disqualify the book any more than the mere presence of the word “God” would make
it canonical. The divine name does appear in its abbreviated form at chapter 8,
verse 6, where love is said to be “the flame of Jah.” The book unquestionably
forms a part of those writings to which Jesus Christ referred with approval when
he said: “You are searching the Scriptures, because you think that by means of
them you will have everlasting life.” (John 5:39) Moreover, its powerful
portrayal of the exquisite quality of mutual love, such as exists, in a
spiritual sense, between Christ and his “bride,” marks The Song of Solomon for
its unique place in the Bible canon.—Rev. 19:7, 8; 21:9.
CONTENTS OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON
5 The material in the book is presented through a series of conversations. There
is a constant change of speakers. The persons with speaking parts are Solomon
the king of Jerusalem, a shepherd, his beloved Shulammite, her brothers, court
ladies (“daughters of Jerusalem”), and women of Jerusalem (“daughters of Zion”).
(Song of Sol. 1:5-7; 3:5, 11) They are identified by what they say of themselves
or by what is said to them. The drama unfolds near Shunem, or Shulem, where
Solomon is camped with his court entourage. It expresses a touching theme—the
love of a country girl of the village of Shunem for her shepherd companion.
6 The Shulammite maiden in Solomon’s camp (1:1-14). The maiden appears in the
royal tents into which the king has brought her, but she is anxious only to see
her shepherd lover. With longing for her loved one, she speaks out as if he were
present. The ladies of the court who wait on the king, the “daughters of
Jerusalem,” look curiously at the Shulammite because of her swarthy complexion.
She explains that she is sunburned from caring for her brothers’ vineyards. She
then speaks to her lover as though she were free and asks where she might find
him. The court ladies bid her to go out and pasture her flock by the tents of
the shepherds.
7 Solomon comes forward. He is unwilling to let her go. He praises her beauty
and promises to adorn her with “circlets of gold” and “studs of silver.” The
Shulammite resists his advances and lets him know that the only love she can
feel is for her beloved.—1:11.
8 The shepherd lover appears (1:15–2:2). The Shulammite’s lover makes his way
into Solomon’s camp and encourages her. He assures her of his love. The
Shulammite yearns for the nearness of her dear one and the simple pleasure of
dwelling at one with him out in the fields and woods.
9 The Shulammite is a modest girl. “A mere saffron of the coastal plain I am,”
she says. Her shepherd lover thinks her to be without compare, saying: “Like a
lily among thorny weeds, so is my girl companion among the daughters.”—2:1, 2.
10 The maiden longs for her shepherd (2:3–3:5). Separated again from her lover,
the Shulammite shows how she esteems him above all others, and she tells the
daughters of Jerusalem that they are under oath not to try to arouse in her
unwanted love for another. The Shulammite remembers the time when her shepherd
answered her call and invited her to the hills in springtime. She sees him
climbing upon the mountains, leaping with joy. She hears him cry out to her:
“Rise up, come, O girl companion of mine, my beautiful one, and come away.”
However, her brothers, who were not sure of her steadiness, got angry and set
her to work in guarding the vineyards. She declares, “My dear one is mine and I
am his,” and she pleads for him to hurry to her side.—2:13, 16.
11 The Shulammite describes her detainment in Solomon’s camp. At night in bed,
she longs for her shepherd. Again she reminds the daughters of Jerusalem that
they are under oath not to awaken unwanted love in her.
12 The Shulammite in Jerusalem (3:6–5:1). Solomon returns to Jerusalem in regal
splendor, and the people admire his cortege. In this critical hour, the shepherd
lover does not fail the Shulammite. He follows his girl companion, who is
veiled, and gets in touch with her. He strengthens his beloved with warm
expressions of endearment. She tells him she wants to get free and leave the
city, and then he bursts into an ecstasy of love: “You are altogether beautiful,
O girl companion of mine.” (4:7) A mere glimpse of her makes his heart beat
faster. Her expressions of endearment are better than wine, her fragrance is
like that of Lebanon, and her skin is like a paradise of pomegranates. The
maiden invites her dear one to come into “his garden,” and he accepts. Friendly
women of Jerusalem encourage them: “Eat, O companions! Drink and become drunk
with expressions of endearment!”—4:16; 5:1.
13 The maiden’s dream (5:2–6:3). The Shulammite tells the court ladies of a
dream, in which she hears a knock. Her dear one is outside, pleading for her to
let him in. But she is in bed. When she finally gets up to open the door, he has
disappeared into the night. She goes out after him, but he cannot be found. The
watchmen mistreat her. She tells the court ladies that if they see her lover,
they are under obligation to tell him that she is lovesick. They ask her what
makes him so outstanding. She launches into an exquisite description of him,
saying he is “dazzling and ruddy, the most conspicuous of ten thousand.” (5:10)
The court women ask her of his whereabouts. She says he has gone to shepherd
among the gardens.
14 Solomon’s final advances (6:4–8:4). King Solomon approaches the Shulammite.
Again he tells her how beautiful she is, more lovely than “sixty queens and
eighty concubines,” but she rejects him. (6:8) She is here only because an
errand of service had brought her near his camp. ‘What do you see in me?’ she
asks. Solomon takes advantage of her innocent question to tell her of her
beauty, from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head, but the maiden
resists all his arts. Courageously she declares her devotion to her shepherd,
crying out for him. For the third time, she reminds the daughters of Jerusalem
that they are under oath not to awaken love in her against her will. Solomon
lets her go home. He has lost out in his quest for the Shulammite’s love.
15 The Shulammite returns (8:5-14). Her brothers see her approaching, but she is
not alone. She is “leaning upon her dear one.” She calls to mind having met her
lover under an apple tree and declares the unbreakableness of her love for him.
Some of her brothers’ earlier comments about their concern over her when “a
little sister” are mentioned, but she declares she has proved herself a mature
and stable woman. (8:8) Let her brothers now consent to her marriage. King
Solomon can have his wealth! She is content with her one vineyard, for she loves
one who is exclusively dear to her. In her case this love is as strong as death
and its blazings as “the flame of Jah.” Insistence on exclusive devotion “as
unyielding as Sheol” has triumphed and has led to the glorious heights of union
with her shepherd lover.—8:5, 6.