Shulamite
Abstract:
The identification of the Shulamite in Song of Songs has long been a matter of speculation. There is evidence within the original Hebrew text, which not only gives strong indication of her origin, but further elaborates upon her personality. The identification of the Shulamite has the benefit of clarifying certain verses, whose meaning is currently considered obscure. Additionally her identity offers substantial evidence of the historical accuracy of the text.
King David, was a man of war, he conquered the enemies of Israel in battle. His son, King Solomon was a man of peace; he conquered the enemies of Israel by marriage. His fondness of foreign women of noble birth 1Kings 11:1-3 gives a strong clue to the origin of the Shulamite and lessens the likelihood of her identity as the frequently proposed Israelite Shunemmite Abishag.1
The Shunemmite
The proposed Shunemmite origin for the Shulamite seems to be based primarily on the similarity of the two names. Secondarily it may have been based on Abishag’s having been enlisted as a nursing assistant to keep the ailing King David warm in his last years. There is little beyond her beauty and her nursing duties to substantiate this position. She was certainly not a foreigner and there is no evidence she was of noble birth or of a dark complexion. It really stretches the imagination to think that Bathsheba would have the audacity to ask King Solomon to marry off his true love to his brother. 1 Kings 2:21 Additionally Shunem is a long way from Jerusalem in northern Israel in the territory of the tribe of Issachar. Jos 19:18. As we will see the Shulamite lives a short distance from Jerusalem.
The Shulamite
Shulamite שולמית is the female counter part of Solomon שלמה but the latter means peace and prosperity (H7965). Shulamite is a derivative of שלם which means to be in a covenant of peace with or to pay a vow from shalam H7999 שלם. The possibility is therefore raised of her belonging to the only foreign tribe in Israel, during the time of Joshua, who had made a vow and fulfilled their vow with the Israelites. Jos 11:19 These were the Gibeonites who were Hivites. A member of this tribe therefore would merit the name Shulamite. The Hivites from Shechem originally called Sh-lem (5) could also be called Shulamites.
The Gibeonites
The Gibeonites were Hivities חוי meaning villagers H2340. The Gibeonites had heard of the great acts of Hashem and His judgment upon the sinful inhabitants of Canaan. They furthermore had heard that He had given Canaan to the Israelites. Jos 9:24
The Gibeonites resorted to the ruse of being a people from a land outside Canaan so would therefore have been eligible to make peace with, and become tributaries to, Israel, rather than be utterly destroyed for their wickedness. Deut 20:16
The tribes living in Canaan at the time of the conquest under Joshua were under a death sentence for their sin and were not eligible for such a relationship. Israel’s princes inadvertently made peace with them without consulting the Lord and subsequently Joshua compromised and made the Gibeonites servants to the tabernacle, so for centuries they had provided wood and water to the tabernacle thus fulfilling their vow.
At the time of King David, the arc of the covenant was conveniently located in the Gibeonite city of Kiriath Jearim on the hill, in the house of Abinadab (voluntary, generous noble, father). 1Sam 7:1 H5068. Solomon sacrificed there 1 Ki 3:4 and had a vision from the Lord there. 1 Ki 3:5 He would certainly have known the Abinidab family the noblemen of that place, which at the time of Joshua (Gibeon) had been known “as a royal city". Jos 10:2 and had many opportunities to meet and fall in love with the Shulamite there.
Archaeological evidence
The Gibeonites were also cultivators of grapes. They brought old wineskins to their encounter with Joshua. Jos 9:4. The archaeological discoveries of James Prichard in 1959 showed the Gibeonities in the 8th and 9th centuries BCE were not only wine producers but had storage facilities for 25,000 gallons of wine at Gibeon.(2) The Shulamite and her family had vineyards, Song of Songs 1:6 and there are several references to wine by the Shulamite. Song 1:2 She invited Solomon to "the villages" to spend the night and get up early to smell the fragrance of the grape blossoms of which she was particularly fond. Song 7:11-12
Kiriath Jearim /Arim the Town of Villages
The Gibeonites had four villages Kiriath-Jearim being "the town of villages" Kephirah also translated as "village" being a second. Jos 9:17 Their location a few miles northwest of Jerusalem in or near current El-Jib 3 makes it a perfect choice for both the Shulamite and Solomon to spend the night in "the Villages" Song 7:11 and awaken to the fragrance of her and her family's vineyards.
The Shulamite's physical appearance
The Shulamite was a daughter of Nobility. Song 7:1 H5068 Gibeonites were related to Cush the Ethiopians and likely darker skinned people. Gen 10:6 The Shulamite was a dark skinned woman. Song 1:5. She was tall and slender like a palm tree, Son 7:7 as were the inhabitants of Canaan. Num 13:32. Her description alludes to dancers or like a troupe of angels.H4264 This is from Jacob's encounter with the angels at two camps מחנים (one his, the other, the angel's) Gen 32:1-2 Her slippered H5265 (dance) steps, H6471, beautiful skirt and bodice H8326 , a narrow waist, and with blue eyes (possibly green) like the pools of Heshbon seem modestly translated. The translation should not be a heap ערמה but rather a sheaf of wheat H6194 (Like Joseph's dream with sheaves representing people) thus the narrow waist. The wrapping חמוק H2559 of her thighs (a skirt) is more likely to be the work of a skilled artisan than her thighs. The goblet like bodice שרר does not lack tempered wine, not her naval, שררת as it is often translated, Her breasts are described as clusters of grapes Son 7:7 all tucked into the goblet like bodice alluding to a glass full of wine from her vineyard. All indicate she was very beautiful and beautifully attired. This is a real person not the imagination of a poet. She likes fine clothes, jewelry, perfume Song 4:14, H3828, flowers, shoes, wine, dancing, vineyards, and to get up early. She wears her hair down Song 4:1 with bright purple (royal) colored mitpachat. Song 7:5 She is fearless when it comes to breaking a few rules to meet with Solomon Song 5:7 and isn't afraid to question customs that seem unfair. Song 8:1-2. Solomon describes her metaphorically by listing his favorite things and sees her as perfect. Song 6:9 He was so impressed by the shields that hung on the Tower of David that he made 200 of them of gold 2Chr 9:15 and rightly likens her neck and necklace to them. Song 4:4
Clarification of Song of Songs 6:12
With these facts in mind we can turn our attention to verse 12 of chapter 6 of Song of Songs. Its meaning is said to be obscure.4
Verse 11 and verse 13 show good continuity of text. We see The Shulamite described as spectacular as the dawn (a spectacle) and the Shulamite being asked four fold to return so she can be seen. From whence would she be returning? The interposed verse 11 is often incorrectly attributed to Solomon. It is actually the Shulamite who wandered off in the morning to see if the vines were flourishing (one of her favorite pastimes) so was asked to return. She found herself, before she realized it, nearly home, among עמי נדיב her noble (voluntary, generous) H5068 people. Gibeon is a short distance north of Jerusalem. Most likely she was a direct descendant of Abinadab אבינדב (father of Generosity, noble father) in whose house the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Abinadab (noble father) bat Nadib (noble daughter) ami nadib (her noble people). The Nadib family, noble father, daughter, and people.
Summary
The identification of the Shulamite as a Gibeonite of the house of Abinadab transcends a confirmation of the historical accuracy of the Song of Songs of Solomon. It goes beyond the importance of clarifying previously obscure verse. As a Gibeonite the Shulamite epitomizes the gentile believer who recognizes the God of Israel as the one true God, recognizes that his sin has placed him under a death sentence and finally confesses this conviction making peace (shalom)with God, placing himself in God's hands Jos 9:25, His protection, Joshua 10:6, and His service. Joshua 9:27
1. niv study bible page 1027 v 6:13
2 Gibeon, Where the Sun Stood Still: The Discovery of the Biblical City by James B.Pritchard (Editor)
3.Al Jib Village Profile, pp. 17-20. Applied Research Institute (ARIJ), August 2012
4.NIV study bible page 1027 v 6:12
5. Evans Early American Imprent Collection “ A geographical and Descriptive Index of the Principal Places Mentioned in the Works of Flavius Josephus.”