Song of Songs: An Introduction and Study Guide: The Bible’s Only Love Poem

Description

The Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is an unusual book to find in the Bible. As the Bible’s only love poem, the Song offers a unique picture of relations between the sexes in biblical times. Unlike other biblical books, it consists entirely of dialogue. It looks at love from both a woman’s and a man’s point of view, and shows the reader what love is like exclusively through what lovers say about it. There are few issues in Song of Songs interpretation that are not open to debate, which makes it a fascinating book to study. In this Guide, Cheryl Exum provides a concise survey of the principal questions encountered in Song of Songs scholarship. She also takes the discussion beyond the traditional research questions to introduce readers to new and ongoing areas in Song of Songs research. Bibliographies and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter provide additional resources for readers interested in pursuing specific topics and exploring new directions in the study of the Song of Songs. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents Series preface Preface Abbreviations 1 Reading the Song of Songs 2 Major questions in Song of Songs research 3 Historical-cultural context 4 Varieties of interpretation 5 Current issues in Song of Songs research Index of authors Index of biblical references