Song of Songs: An Introduction and Study Guide: The Bible's Only Love Poem

Description

The Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is an unusual book to find in the Bible. As the Bible's only love poem, the Song offers a unique picture of relations between the sexes in biblical times. Unlike other biblical books, it consists entirely of dialogue. It looks at love from both a woman's and a man's point of view, and shows the reader what love is like exclusively through what lovers say about it. There are few issues in Song of Songs interpretation that are not open to debate, which makes it a fascinating book to study. In this Guide, Cheryl Exum provides a concise survey of the principal questions encountered in Song of Songs scholarship. She also takes the discussion beyond the traditional research questions to introduce readers to new and ongoing areas in Song of Songs research. Bibliographies and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter provide additional resources for readers interested in pursuing specific topics and exploring new directions in the study of the Song of Songs.

J. Cheryl Exum is Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield, UK.

This is a remarkably comprehensive, in-depth, and readable guide to the Song of Songs by the world's foremost expert, which will be invaluable for students and scholars alike. Exum is particularly good at communicating the poetry of the Song and the way it interweaves the voices of the lovers, while maintaining a sense both of academic distance and of intimacy. The last chapter dazzlingly surveys contemporary discussions and issues, from poetics to race and gender, deconstruction and reception history. The reader will come away with an awareness of the vitality and diversity of the field, and a love of the Song. -- Professor Francis Landy, University of Alberta, Canada A compelling entree into the field, which-along with the helpful thematic bibliographies-will be a boon to students and scholars alike. * ELAINE JAMES, PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, USA *