For historical-grammatical interpretation (HGI) part pf the “historical”
aspect is to seek to understand the biblical text in its historical context.
That means looking at the biblical material in the larger context of ancient
Near Eastern (ANE) literature. Such an investigation affects most books of the
Old Testament, but particularly the Song of Songs. The current consensus about
the book, if there is one, is that the Song of Songs has a great deal in common with
ancient Egyptian love poetry. Thus a common treatment of the Song today is
to deal with it as a collection of Israelite love poetry, similar in vein and
in purpose to the love poetry of ancient Egypt. This view is presented, for
example, by Michael V. Fox (not to be confused with Michael J. Fox) in his
monograph The Song of Songs and the Ancient Egyptian Love Songs.
But those who have spent some time in the literature about
the Song have heard this before. In the 1860s and 1870s, Ernest Renan and J. G.
Wetstein, both specialists, in their own way, in Near Eastern literature and
culture, proposed (Renan first, in the 1860s, Wetstein a decade or so later)
that the Song had a great deal in common with the songs that were used in
Syrian culture to celebrate marriage, over the course of a seven-day wedding festival.
Thus, in the generation following, many commentators found strong parallels
between the Song and these Syrian compositions, attempting to find the
seven-day cycle in the arrangement of the Song, for example. But time passed,
and the more closely scholars looked at the evidence, the less they were
convinced.
In the 1920s, T. J. Meek of the University of Chicago
discovered strong similarities between the Song and Akkadian (Akkadian was the
language of ancient Assyria and Babylon) hymns composed in praise of the god
Tammuz. He proposed that the Song was an adaptation of Akkadian hymnody to
Tammuz appropriated for the worship of Yahweh. Again, a number of commentators
over the next couple of decades reflect this view. But once again, over time
the strength of the evidence waned, and scholars moved away from that view as
well.
As noted, the current view is that of Fox, reflected in a
number of commentaries. But Fox’s book was published in 1985, and it is now probably approaching its sell-by date. So the reader begins to wonder where the
next set of ANE literary connections with the Song will be found.
Meanwhile, some people still hold that the Song is a drama,
although there is little agreement on how many characters there are, or how to
divide the Song into acts and scenes. In general, there is little agreement as
to the outline of the Song. I have before me four current study Bibles. Now the
advantage of study Bibles is that they try to present something of a consensus
view on all issues. The reader can decide for himself how much agreement there
is in these outlines.
NKJV Study Bible
I.
Three reflections on the
wedding day (1:2-2:7)
II.
Three reflections during
the courtship days (2:8-3:5)
III.
Two reflections on the
wedding day (3:6-5:1)
IV.
Five reflections on
adjustment to marriage (5:2-8:4)
V.
A final reflection: a
vacation in the country (8:5-14)
Reformation Study Bible
I.
The woman’s desire for her
lover (1:2-2:7)
II.
The approach of her lover
(2:8-3:5)
III.
The loss of her lover
(3:6-5:8)
IV.
The reunion of the lovers
(5:9-8:4)
V.
Consummation (8:5-14)
NLT Study Bible
I.
The Woman’s predicament
with Solomon (1:2-14)
II.
Their prenuptial
relationship (1:15-3:5)
III.
Their wedding and
consummation (3:6-5:1)
IV.
Her nightmare, separation,
and searching (5:2-6:3)
V.
Their stimulating marriage
(6:4-8:10)
VI.
Free from debt, free to
love (8:11-14)
ESV Study Bible
I.
The lovers yearn for each
other (1:2-2:17)
II.
The shepherdess dreams
(3:1-6:3)
III.
The lovers year for each
other again (6:4-8:4)
IV.
The lovers join in marriage
(8:5-14)
The reader might be forgiven for thinking of the theme verse
of the Book of Judges. In any case, it is not clear that a literal reading of
the Song, in its ANE context, has any clear benefits over the historical
allegorical/symbolic treatment.
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