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Bible - OT - Song of Songs: Overview of the Song

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In response to the overview of the Song of Songs that I proposed a few days ago, James Jordan suggests the following, more compressed, scheme:

1. Israel in bondage, longing for her sleeping Lord to awake, 1:2-2:7.

2. Yahweh comes and calls Israel to the springtime, 2:8-17.

3. Yahweh’s absence = Yahweh’s withdrawal from Israel because of Israel’s grumblings, 3:1-4.

4. The construction of the tabernacle and the beginning of Israel’s love-feasts with Yahweh, 3:6-5:1.

5. Israel’s rejection of Yahweh and Yahweh’s withdrawal during the time of the judges; Yahweh’s eventual return and re-covenanting, 5:2-6:3.

6. Yahweh and Israel restored to fellowship under David and Solomon; temple, elevation of the bride, 6:4-7:10.

7. Yahweh’s Love stronger than death, 6:5-7.

The climax of the history of Israel so far, then, is the Davidic dynasty and Yahweh’s dwelling in the temple. At the same time, this history from Exodus to Solomon is a type of Israel’s history as a whole, and so Yahweh’s withdrawal from His bride in chapter 5 is also a preview of the exile.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Monday, July 26, 2010 at 6:10 am

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Bible - OT - Song of Songs: Overview of the Song

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