The method which the sacred writer adopts in relating this story, though it is like most poetic narratives of a similar kind in profane compositions, differs materially from all other books of Holy Writ. The fiat, if such it may be called, develops itself gradually, and the thread of the argument is formed from the utterances of the Shulamite, the shepherd, the king, the court ladies, the inhabit ants of Jerusalem, the brothers of the Shulamite, and the companions of the shepherd. All these in terlocutors or ideal dramatis. persona are alternately represented as speaking, but without any such declar ations as we find in the book of Job—viz. After this Yob opened his mouth,' etc., then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said," then answered Bil clad the Shuhite and said,' etc. etc.—and without separate names or initial letters of names to indi cate the different speakers. It is this which makes it difficult to distinguish between the different per sons, and has caused the diversity of opinion even among those commentators who agree about the design and method of the book, as to which of the speakers the several portions are to be a_ssigned.
3. Division, Contents,and Formal the Book.—But notwithstanding the difficulties referred to, the divi sion of the poem and the sundry interlocutors may be ascertained from the recurrence of different periods and phrases. Thus, for instance, the recurrence ot the saine formula three times 7 ; 5 ; viii.
4), and the employment of another closing sentence (v. 1), divide the song into fivesections. The hero ine of the story is easily distinguished by the femi nine gender of the verb, adjective, or noun, as I am swarthy but comely' (i. 5), where both adjec tives, swarthy (rrnriv) and comely (MN5), are femi nine and plainly indicate the speaker. Her beloved shepherd, when speaking spoken to, or spoken of, is recognised by the pashn-al language (i. 3, 4, 7 ; ii. 12 ; iii. 4, etc.) ; her royal tempter is distin guished by express allusions to his exalted position (i. 9-11 ; Vi. 4-vii. 10) ; and her brothers are re cognised by a comparison of ii. 15 with i. 6 and viii. 8, 9. The court ladies of the harem are known when speaking to the Shulamite by the phrase 'fairest of wonzen,' which they employ in addressing her (i. 8 ; v. 9 ; vi. 1), and when spoken to by the appellation 'daughters of yernsalenz' (i. 5 ; 7 ; 5, to ; v. 8 ; viii. 4) ; whilst the in habitants of Jerusalem (iii. 6-it), and the compan ions of the shepherd (viii. 5), are sufficiently indi cated by the context.
(a). THE FIRST SECTION (i. Simla mite, forcibly brought into the gynxceum of Solo mon's tent in the country, expresses. in the midst of the court ladies her longing to be reunited with him whom she prizes above all things (i. z, 3), She implores him to come to her rescue, for though brought by the king into his royal tent, her love is fondly doting on him who is the admiration of all up right maidens (4) ; she repels the scornful reflections of the court ladies because of her soliloquy (5, 6), and implores het' beloved to tell her where he tends his flocic that she may find him (7). The court
ladies, in feigning sympathy for the Shulamite, re ply to this entreaty (8). Meanwhile the king comes in and tries to win her affections by flatteries and promises (9-11) ; but it is in vain, for no sooner does the king retire to his table than she holds sweet converse with her beloved (12–ii. 6), and in an ecstacy adjures the contt ladies not to attempt to persuade her to love any one else (7).
(b.) THE SECOND SECTION (ii. 5).—To count for the cause of the severity of her brothels, mentioned in chap. i. 6, the Shulamite relates that her beloved shepherd came one spring morning to invite her to the fields (ii. 8-14) ; her brothers having overheard the invitation gave her employ ment in the vineyard 05), out of fraternal solicitude for the reputation of their sister ; she, however, con soled herself with the assurance, that though sepa rated from her at that time, her beloved would come again in the evening (16, 17) ; and as he did not come she under difficult circumstances went to seek him in the night, and found him (iii. 1-4). PossessingThim she again reiterates the adjuration to the court ladies not to persuade her to love any one else (5).
(c.) THE THIRD SECTION (Hi. 6-V. z).—The scene now changes ; the pavilion in his summer residence is broken up, and Solomon, with the royal cortege, is returning to Jerusalem. As the splendid procession approaches the royal city the volumes of incense, the gorgeously-decorated pa lanquin, the magnificent body-guard, and the costly diadem of the sovereign, become the objects of geneml admiration, and are in turn discussed by the inhabitants of Jerusalem (iii. 6-1o), who at last call out the ladies to gaze at that part of the scene which interests them most (11). The shepherd, who fol lowed his beloved to the royal gynzeceum in Jeru salem, stands at the foot of the seraglio talking tc her ; he praises her charms (iv. 1-5) ; she modestly interrupts him, and tells him that she is ready to escape with him that very evening (6) ; he proffers his assistance, declaring that her charms had in spired him with courage sufficient for the occasion (7-9), depicts these charms (to, It), and praises her virtue and chastity (12-16). She declares that whatever she possesses is his (16) ; whereupon they fall into each other's arms (v. I a), and so touching is the scene of their momentary reunion that some of the court ladies, moved with sympathy, urge them on to take their fill of delight (v. 1 b).