Girl
It sound like she idolizes him. She is putting him on a pedestal like a statue.
Grandpa
That what it seemed like to me the first several times that I read it. I think you are old enough to hear this part. Your brother fell asleep, so let me tell you what she is telling her friends. It is kind of graphic.
Girl
Go for it Grandpa. Ive learned a lot about sex — but not from mom. My friends know all about it.
Grandpa
First there is one phrase that probably should be translated a little differently than most versions translate it. I got this from a person who is a Bible Chair at a Christian College.
Girl
What is a Bible Chair?
Grandpa
It is a position that is usually funded by private donations. That person’s job is to study the Bible. They also write and teach classes and speak. But their main job is to study the Bible. This person I’m talking about has written over 30 books, and has studied languages — remember how I told you that almost all of the Old Testament, including Song of Solomon was written in Hebrew. When we read it in English it has been translated from Hebrew, and there can be some differences of opinion as to what the actual Hebrew word should be translated to in English. Anyway, in a book he wrote about Song of Solomon he thinks the body part described as like ivory is his ah member. Think of ivory in its natural state as an elephant tusk.
Girl
Oh Grandpa, you mean his ah ah his…
Grandpa
Yes. You’ve probably heard it called by many names, but I’ll use member because that is what he called it in his book. I think it was very brave of him to say this. And as soon as I read it, I knew he was right because it cleared up for me what she was saying. It isn’t like she is worshiping him or thinking of him as so special and so much above herself. Her friends are making fun of her. This guy that called her ‘the most beautiful of women’ while they were standing around with her at the start of the story, has gone away. What is it that shows that he thinks that she is so special now. Let’s read this section again and see what she was saying to them about him.
My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand — ok, she tells them something that they all know, that he is a good looking guy. His head is purest gold, is hair is wavy and black as a raven. Her friends can see that part. His eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels. You have to get pretty close to someone to see their eyes clearly. She has done it. Some of the friends might have seen his eyes up close enough to know this. Now she goes into what they don’t know about him. His cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh. You have to be close enough to smell his cheeks, and you have to have kissed his lips to know what they taste like. Now the friends know that she is telling them that she knows this from first hand experience — yes he thinks she is special. His arms are rods of gold set with chrysolite. This is translated arms or hands. Chrysolite is a white color. So she is describing his arms, hands down to this fingernails. She know what special kinds of things he has done with his hands. And her friends know she means what kind of sexual things he has done with her — and not with them. His body (or member) is like polished ivory decorated with sapphires. She is describing him in an aroused state — think of a tusk, and then think of a tusk with sapphires (reddish color) — she is describing a circumcised member. She knows this, they can only guess. His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His legs are special, but his feet are even more special because they are the part that create the movement when they have sex.
Girl
I want a guy like that. Grandpa are you blushing?
Grandpa
yeah, a little
Girl
thank you for not treating me like a little kid. I had no idea any of this was in the Bible. Maybe God knows about sex, and love.
Grandpa
He created us with nerve ending and feeling and emotions. He wants us to use them to the maximum benefit. He knows that you will never get the best out of life unless you listen to all that he has to say and you are willing to follow it. Most people like to take short cuts in life. They jump to the sex, but don’t give love a chance to awaken and grow. They get some fun up front, but then pay a high price for it later.
Let me try to finish up what she was saying. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. his mouth is sweetness itself, he is altogether lovely. She goes back to what they can see, but then throws in the part about his mouth. She knows it is sweet. She knows because he committed to her and has kissed her and thinks that she is the ‘most beautiful of women’ to him. She finishes with This is my lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Girl
Ok, now I’m blushing a little bit. I can’t believe we just had this conversation. And it really is in the Bible?
Grandpa
Yes it is. And you don’t have to take my word for it. You can look it up and read it for yourself.
Girl
She really put those girls in their place.
Grandpa
You would think so, but they still had to try to get at her some more. Listen to what they said in the next section.
Leave a Reply