Song of Solomon-What's That About?

So we're cruising through the Bible and we've survived chapter upon chapter of blood shed, we wade through an entire book telling us that life is meaningless and then we stumble upon a book all about sexual attraction.  Confused?  Me too!

This book just comes out of nowhere, making it very difficult to switch gears after feeling depressed about our meaningless lives!  Even crazier is the fact that Solomon wrote both of them!  Boy were his emotions all over the board.  Now that I can relate to!

Honestly I needed to do some background research on this one.  As before, I reached for my handy Zondervan Handbook To The Bible for help.  I found that it is easier to read this book like a dance between a man and a woman when they realize they are attracted to each other.  They go through the stages of anticipating, looking, finding, consummation and commitment.  It reads like a conversation between the two of them.  They exchange compliments back and forth to each other, but in phrasing and allegories that are lost on us!  Here are a few things I found helpful in understanding this conversation:

1. If you keep in mind how you felt physically when you started dating, this might help you get into the mindset of these two young new lovers.  Tingly inside, sweaty palms, blushing, can't stand to be away from each other kind of feeling.
2. When you begin to fall in love, your eyes see only beauty and perfection, thus the descriptive sections scattered throughout about various body parts.
3. The "garden" described is an euphemism for the "private parts".  When they are described as locked, or a secret garden, it is an indication of virginity.
4. Mandrakes (7:13) were thought to have aphrodisiac powers.
5. The seal in Ch8:6 indicates a charm engraved with the lover's name to be worn like a necklace close to the heart to show possession and devotion.
6. In current English, the ending would read "and they lived happily ever after"!