Subject: Re: God Likes Erotic
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 05:23:02 GMT
From:  (Nigel B. Mitchell)
Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian

I wrote:
>>The two people who speak with such sensuality about their physical and
>>emotional love in the Song are not married. They have to sneak off into the
>>vineyards or smuggle each other into their rooms for thir assignations. They
>>go out looking for each other in the night,and lament that the watchmen and
>>their families subvert their plans. In public they have to act like brother
>>and sister.

Les replied:
>Not married? Nigel, I am shocked!

>Does it not say:

>SON 4:8  Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon:
>look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from
>the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
>SON 4:9  Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast
>ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

>The actual Hebrew word used here for spouse is "Kallah" which is best
>translated as bride, not spouse. The Hebrew word for wife is "Ishah".
>There is no distinct Hebrew word for spouse.

I hesitate to argue Hebrew translation with you, Les, but the word
"Kallah" is most often translated "daughter in law", or "bride" in the
sense of "betrothed". It expresses the relationship in which a man has
legal/moral responsibility for a woman, but it is clearly not the same
relationship as that expressed by "Isshah", meaning "wife".  I cannot
find any references outside the Song where the word clearly means a
person who is already married. At best, you could argue that the word
refers to people who are int he process of betrothal/marriage.

>>The Song of Songs is about emotional, sensual and sexual love. It is in the
>>Bible because it can be read as an analogy of the love of God for hs people
>>and vice-versa, but it has nothing to do with married love.
>>
>I think you mean an allegory. That of a man and his G-d, between a
>people and their G-d. The best allegory to explain the fiery intensity
>of this relationship is that between a newly married couple.

You are of course, correct, I mean "allegory". However, as I read the
Song, especially the references to living in their parents houses, and
having to hide the true nature of their relationship in public, I
still maintain that it makes most sense if the couple are not married.

If they are married, what is the sense of the following and passages
like it?
(Song 8:1-2 NRSV)  O that you were like a brother to me, who nursed at
my mother's breast! If I met you outside, I would kiss you, and no one
would despise me. 2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of
my mother, and into the chamber of the one who bore me. I would give
you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranates.

Cheers

N+

Nigel B. Mitchell