Overview of the Song

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.