Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries

Volume 19

General Editor: Donald J. Wiseman

The Song of Solomon

An Introduction and Commentary

G. Lloyd Carr

Inter-Varsity Press, England

Norton Street

Nottingham NG7 3HR, England

Website: www.ivpbooks.com

Email: ivp@ivpbooks.com

InterVarsity Press, USA

PO Box 1400

Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-1426, USA

Website: www.ivpress.com

Email: mail@ivpress.com

© G. Lloyd Carr 1984

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Inter-Varisty Press.

Inter-Varsity Press, England, is closely linked with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, a student movement connecting Christian Unions in universities and colleges throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Website: www.uccf.org.uk.

InterVarsity Press®, USA, is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA® <www.intervarsity.org> and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder and Stoughton Ltd. All rights reserved. “NIV” is a registered trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. Distributed in North America by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

First published 1984

Reprinted in this format 2009

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

UK ISBN: 978-1-84474-333-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Carr, G. Lloyd, 1930–.

Song of Solomon: an introduction and commentary / G. Lloyd Carr.

p. cm.—(Tyndale Old Testament commentaries; v. 19)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8308-4219-3 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Bible. O.T. Song of Solomon—Commentaries. I. Title.

BS1485.53.C36 2009

223/.907—dc22

2008054490

US ISBN: 978-0-8308-4219-3

For

GWENDOLINE

‘My sister, my bridge, my beloved, my companion, my friend’

CONTENTS

General preface

Author’s preface

Chief abbreviations

Select bibliography

Introduction

The place of the Song in Holy Scripture

The date of the book

Solomon

The interpretation of the Song

The Song as poetry

The Song as love poetry

The vocabulary of the Song

The structure of the Song

The purpose of the Song

Subject studies

The garden motif

Love

Lover (beloved)

Wine

Analysis

Commentary

GENERAL PREFACE

The aim of this series of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, as it was in the companion volumes on the New Testament, is to provide the student of the Bible with a handy, up-to-date commentary on each book, with the primary emphasis on exegesis. Major critical questions are discussed in the introductions and additional ...

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About Song of Solomon: An Introduction and Commentary

The Song of Solomon, as its Hebrew title indicates, is “the best of songs.” In it we hear the passionate melody of romantic love. But whose love is described? Is it a couple’s love for each other, God’s love for Israel or Christ’s love for the church? This Old Testament book has fascinated and perplexed interpreters for centuries. They have felt uncomfortable—even embarrassed—when confronted with its strange and erotic imagery. “The Song is a celebration of the nature of humanity—male and female created in God’s image for mutual support and enjoyment. There is nothing here of the aggressive male and the reluctant or victimized female. They are one in their desires because their desires are God-given.” So writes Lloyd Carr in this introduction and commentary to the Song of Solomon. With his own unique style, Carr skillfully explains the meaning of this ancient love story in a way that can be clearly grasped and applied for Christians living in today’s world.

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