The literal purpose of the book has often
been twisted by those not prepared to read
frank and intimate expressions of love.
Asceticism and lust—two perversions of the
holiness of marriage—are slain by the
message of this book. If the reader is
licentiously excited when he reads the Song
of Solomon, he is out of tune with its
purpose. The book’s literal message is
perverted only by those who do not see the
purity and true beauty of all of God’s
creative acts.
III. SURVEY
Keep in mind that the purpose of survey
study is to view the book in a general way,
and thus discover its main theme and
related subjects.
A. A FIRST READING

Because the parts of the dialogue of these


poems are not identi ed in the Bible text as
to who is speaking, it is important to mark
your Bible, showing who the speakers are, if
your Bible does not already show this in its
headings.12 The speakers shown below begin
each new part at the verses cited. Mark
these in your Bible.13
The Shulamite woman: 1:2, 4a, 5, 12, 16;
2:3; 4:16; 5:2, 10; 6:2; 7:96; 8:10, 14

Solomon: 1:8, 15; 2:2; 4:1; 5:1a; 6:4, 136;
8:56, 13
Daughters of Jerusalem: 1:46, 11; 3:6; 5:9;
6:1, 13a; 8:5a; 8
Read through the Song of Solomon in one
sitting, aloud if possible. What are your rst
impressions? What one word clearly
expresses the main subject of this book?
B. SURVEY CHART

Read through the book a second time, and


observe other things which you did not see
in the first reading.
The Song of Solomon is di cult to outline
in detail because a progressing plot is not
detectable, except in a general way. Chart
77 will help you see the main parts of this
book, on which you may base your later
studies.
1. Note on the chart that Canticles has a
title verse (1:1), but no formal conclusion,
such as we are accustomed to nd in a Bible
book. Read 1:1; then read the last few verses
of chapter 8.
2. Observe the six main segments shown
on the chart, beginning at 1:2. Mark these
major divisions in your Bible.
3. Study the outline shown directly under

the main base line (beginning with “Bride
muses”). The heading “The wedding” is
based partly on 3:116: “the day of his


wedding.” Read 3:6-11. Scan the Bible text
of the whole book again, segment by
segment, and see if this outline represents
the contents of each.
4. The top of the survey chart divides the
Song of Solomon into three main parts.
What are they?
5. What outline on the chart divides the
book into two main parts?
6. Note the progression from quest to
conquest, involving bride and groom. Read
the verses in your Bible. (In fact, underline
the verses in your Bible as strong verses.)
7. Try constructing outlines of your own
to represent the contents of this book.
IV. UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS
The Song of Solomon is unique among the
books of the Bible in many ways. Some of
these are described below.