How Song of Songs Became a Divine Love Song
In: Biblical InterpretationSearch for other papers by Jonathan Kaplan in
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Search for other papers by Aren M. Wilson-Wright in
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Abstract
The origin of the interpretation of Song of Songs as a description of God’s relationship with God’s beloved community has been a persistent question in the work’s history of interpretation. Earlier scholarship has provided a number of possible solutions to this problem, none of them conclusive. This article offers another possible answer: the language and imagery of the Northwest Semitic combat myth in Song 8:6-7, which identifies love with Yhwh as the victorious divine warrior, triggers the work’s interpretation as a divine love song. This argument receives support from some of the earliest allusions to Song of Songs in Revelation, which interpret Song of Songs in the context of apocalyptic discourse that likewise draws heavily on the combat myth.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 555 | 105 | 13 |
| Full Text Views | 274 | 13 | 4 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 400 | 39 | 11 |
How Song of Songs Became a Divine Love Song
In: Biblical InterpretationSearch for other papers by Jonathan Kaplan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Aren M. Wilson-Wright in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The origin of the interpretation of Song of Songs as a description of God’s relationship with God’s beloved community has been a persistent question in the work’s history of interpretation. Earlier scholarship has provided a number of possible solutions to this problem, none of them conclusive. This article offers another possible answer: the language and imagery of the Northwest Semitic combat myth in Song 8:6-7, which identifies love with Yhwh as the victorious divine warrior, triggers the work’s interpretation as a divine love song. This argument receives support from some of the earliest allusions to Song of Songs in Revelation, which interpret Song of Songs in the context of apocalyptic discourse that likewise draws heavily on the combat myth.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 555 | 105 | 13 |
| Full Text Views | 274 | 13 | 4 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 400 | 39 | 11 |
