Who was the Shulammite woman?

In the first instance, the Song of Songs is a poetic love story. It deals with the relationship between King Solomon and a young lady called the “Shulamite” (6:13). He is a mighty king, and she is a simple shepherd girl who spends most of her time outdoors, being tasked with guarding the vineyards of others. At the outset, she does not seem to know who Solomon really is. Her request “Tell me, thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest thy flock?” (1:7) suggests that, at this point, she still takes him to be a simple shepherd. The book describes how the relationship between Solomon and the Shulamite develops – through ups and downs.

The Bridegroom is a king called Solomon or Shelomoh. The bride is a shepherdess called The Shulamite or Shulamith, — the feminine form of Shelomoh.

It is the story of the love of King Solomon for Shulamith, the bride, who by turns is a vinedresser, shepherdess, midnight inquirer, etc., while the king is described in all his beauty, as the beloved one. In this way the Jewish interpreters as well as the vast majority of Christian commentators have understood the story of the Song.

We therefore believe that it is the story of Solomon's love for his bride, the Shulamith, as believed by the vast majority of Jewish and Christian expositors.

The expositors of the Song of Solomon have divers ways of thinking in ancient as well as in modern times. Some think the book is describing the king's (Solomon's) love for a poor shepherd girl; one version of this opinion says the girl was already promised to a shepherd and remained faithful to him in spite of the King's urge. Others think the book is a collection of (up to thirty!) love- or wedding-poems. Finally there are the some who think the origin is to be found in hymns of the Babylonian cult of Tammuz, which is idolatry.

The person of Shulamite (chap. 6:13) also prompted many suppositions but they all want a firm scriptural foundation. Out of Scripture we may conclude that although Solomon had 1,000 wives (1 Kings 11:3) his heart was not satisfied. Only one single one, a simple shepherd girl, was able to give him the love, joy and satisfaction, which according to the thoughts of God ought to control and dominate the relationship between woman and man (Gen. 2:18+24).

"Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies," or according to some translations, "the dance of two companies."

The word in the Hebrew translated here Shulamite is the feminine from of the name Solomon. It means peaceful. Israel not only welcomes the Lord but also becomes the earthly bride. "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called" (Isa. 54:5).

The whole earth will look in wonder and admiration at her, and call upon her to return to that place of prominence among the nations (of which Israel under King Solomon was but a faint type) that they may look upon her beauty. But what will they see in the Shulamite? "As it were the dance of two companies." The dance speaks of joy and victory (see Ex. 15:21; 1 Sam. 18:6) and the two companies or two armies remind us of the two kingdoms of Israel (Judah and the ten tribes), so long divided, but here seen united again in their common joy before the Lord, rejoicing in the glorious victory He has given over all the powers of evil.

In Cant. 6:13 the bride is called upon to return under the name of Shulamite, 'peaceable' (the feminine of Shalom, from which is also Solomon); and in the Shulamite they see, as it were, the company of two armies, doubtless alluding to the union in a future day of Judah and Israel.

Name introduced in the Canticles. It is a feminine noun traceable, like Solomon, to Shalom, 'peace.' It is the virgins who use this term. The union of the bridegroom and bride is such that she can be called by the same name. The 'two armies' seen in the Shulamite doubtless refer to the union of Judah and Israel. Cant. 6:13.

The Daughters of Jerusalem. Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee.

The scene opens with the daughters of Jerusalem calling upon the bride to return. They had already heard from her lips the rapturous description of the Bridegroom, awakening in their hearts desires after the Bridegroom; then, apparently, she left them to join her Beloved in the garden of spices, and now they plead with her to return. Possibly the secret of their plea is the desire to learn more of the Bridegroom, and who so fitted to witness of the Bridegroom as the bride, for now they recognise she is in relation with the King. For the first time they speak of her as the Shulamite — the name of Solomon in its feminine form.

The Bride. What would ye look upon in the Shulamite!

Cant. 6:13. "Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies." The admiring virgins again join in the chorus. They express their desire to see more of the beauty, perfection, and glory of the bride. She is walking in the garden of nuts with the King. Precious privilege! They call to her by a new name, "Return, return, O Shulamite"; which is the feminine form of Solomon. This is significant. Union is accomplished. The long broken relationships are re-established. Grace has wrought a perfect work in her. Blessed be the name of the Lord! He can now make Himself fully known to her; and she truly reflects the beams of His glory, "she is fair as the moon, and clear as the sun." She is established in the favour of the King, and in the possession and enjoyment of His affections. This is rest for the heart — perfect — blessed rest. Nothing can rise above it or go beyond it. Say, my soul, is this thy resting-place? The manifested - the enjoyed affections of thy Well-beloved? He has revealed Himself - given Himself; what more can He do? We can have no such expressions of His love in heaven, as we have on earth — as was manifested on the cross. The blood that was shed there is the perfect rest of the conscience — the love that was revealed there, is the perfect rest of the heart; thou hast all now. "Only believe."

Other virgins now join in the chorus, and inquire, "What will ye see in the Shulamite?" The answer is ready, "As it were the company of two armies." The beautiful Tirzah and the comely Jerusalem are seen united in her. Some have thought, that the company of two armies as seen in the spouse, represent the old life and the new at constant war with each other, in the Christian. We think this a mistake. Here, it does not appear to refer to conflict at all; but rather to peace, unity, and glory. Does it not express the re-union of the long-divided house of Jacob under the Prince of Peace? Judah and Israel are no longer two nations warring with each other, but are joined in one, and here represented by the loving, peaceful spouse of the true Solomon. This union is introductory to the millennium — the reign of peace. "The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." (Isa. 11:13) The king of Salem reigns; the twelve tribes are restored; the nations are subdued under them; all is peace. The war trumpet hangs in the hall, swords are beaten into ploughshares, spears into pruning-hooks, and the nations do not even learn the art of war any more. (Isa. 2:3)