As I was in my daily study, I was surprised to be finding myself in an in-depth study of Song of Solomon... How the story plays out of King Solomon meeting, courting and marrying the un-named woman of Song of Solomon...
At first, I was guessing that the woman of Song of Solomon was Naamah, Rehoboam's mother who is part of the genealogy of Jesus, (1 Kings 14:21, Matthew 1:7).
Another possibility was that the woman of Song of Solomon was Queen of Sheba, since Queen of Sheba was from modern day Ethiopia. The woman in Song of Solomon 1:5 says that she is black, or rather a dark brown since the sun shining on her tanned her as she worked in the vineyard. The Queen of Sheba theory is actually quite popular, because of the Solomon movie as well as the origination of the theory from Alphabet of Ben Sira and even Islam.
Both guesses... Were proven wrong. Praise the Lord!
Song of Solomon 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 woman of Song of Solomon is a Shulamite... Not from Sheba... And not from Ammon as Naamah was from.
Who was a Shulamite in this time? Abishag.
1 Kings 1:1-4 ~ "1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not."
For those wondering, a Shunammite and a Shulamite are the same coming from the same village of Shunem, located in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa. Thought to believe to be the modern town of Sulam.
1 Kings 2:10-24 ~ "10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. 13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. 14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. 17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. 19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. 23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. 24 Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day."
Abishag was David's servant while David was on his deathbed, once the king died, I believe she started working in the gardens/the vineyards where Solomon and her meet again in Song of Solomon.
Shunamitism is the practice of an old man sleeping with, but not necessarily having sex with, a young virgin to preserve his youth. The rationale was that the heat and moisture of the young woman would transfer to the old man and revitalize him as well as keep him warm. Among scientific physicians, both Thomas Sydenham (17th century) and Herman Boerhaave (18th century) prescribed shunamitism for their patients.
Now let us turn to Proverbs 31… Who is the Proverbs 31 woman?
Proverbs 31:1 ~ “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.”
The first question to ask is, "Who is King Lemuel?" He is mentioned nowhere else in Scriptures besides Proverbs 31, he is not a recorded king of Israel anywhere else.
Strong’s Lexicon… H3927
1.) The name of an unknown king to whom his mother addressed the prudential maxims contained in some of the Proverbs
2.) Might be same as king Solomon
Solomon after all is the one who wrote Proverbs so it is wise to conclude that he is King Lemuel and his mother who is teaching him who to wife is Bathsheba. Of course Bathsheba would want Solomon to marry a Hebrew woman, herself being Hebrew, and Abishag the Shunammite was a Hebrew woman.
Proverbs 31:10-31 ~ "10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
A vineyard? Just like in Song of Solomon where she worked in the vineyards after King David’s death.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Silk and purple being clothing of royalty. Her husband known in the gates because he is the king.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
Verse 29 compared with…
Song of Solomon 6:9 ~ "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her."
The many daughters in Proverbs 31:29 are Solomon’s queens and concubines just as in Song of Solomon 6:9. Abishag blessed by these other women because she is the fairest.
So the conclusion, Abishag is the Proverbs 31 woman and the woman in Song of Solomon.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
At first, I was guessing that the woman of Song of Solomon was Naamah, Rehoboam's mother who is part of the genealogy of Jesus, (1 Kings 14:21, Matthew 1:7).
Another possibility was that the woman of Song of Solomon was Queen of Sheba, since Queen of Sheba was from modern day Ethiopia. The woman in Song of Solomon 1:5 says that she is black, or rather a dark brown since the sun shining on her tanned her as she worked in the vineyard. The Queen of Sheba theory is actually quite popular, because of the Solomon movie as well as the origination of the theory from Alphabet of Ben Sira and even Islam.
Both guesses... Were proven wrong. Praise the Lord!
Song of Solomon 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 woman of Song of Solomon is a Shulamite... Not from Sheba... And not from Ammon as Naamah was from.
Who was a Shulamite in this time? Abishag.
1 Kings 1:1-4 ~ "1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not."
For those wondering, a Shunammite and a Shulamite are the same coming from the same village of Shunem, located in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa. Thought to believe to be the modern town of Sulam.
1 Kings 2:10-24 ~ "10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. 13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. 14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on. 17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. 19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. 23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. 24 Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day."
Abishag was David's servant while David was on his deathbed, once the king died, I believe she started working in the gardens/the vineyards where Solomon and her meet again in Song of Solomon.
Shunamitism is the practice of an old man sleeping with, but not necessarily having sex with, a young virgin to preserve his youth. The rationale was that the heat and moisture of the young woman would transfer to the old man and revitalize him as well as keep him warm. Among scientific physicians, both Thomas Sydenham (17th century) and Herman Boerhaave (18th century) prescribed shunamitism for their patients.
Now let us turn to Proverbs 31… Who is the Proverbs 31 woman?
Proverbs 31:1 ~ “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.”
The first question to ask is, "Who is King Lemuel?" He is mentioned nowhere else in Scriptures besides Proverbs 31, he is not a recorded king of Israel anywhere else.
Strong’s Lexicon… H3927
1.) The name of an unknown king to whom his mother addressed the prudential maxims contained in some of the Proverbs
2.) Might be same as king Solomon
Solomon after all is the one who wrote Proverbs so it is wise to conclude that he is King Lemuel and his mother who is teaching him who to wife is Bathsheba. Of course Bathsheba would want Solomon to marry a Hebrew woman, herself being Hebrew, and Abishag the Shunammite was a Hebrew woman.
Proverbs 31:10-31 ~ "10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
A vineyard? Just like in Song of Solomon where she worked in the vineyards after King David’s death.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Silk and purple being clothing of royalty. Her husband known in the gates because he is the king.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
Verse 29 compared with…
Song of Solomon 6:9 ~ "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her."
The many daughters in Proverbs 31:29 are Solomon’s queens and concubines just as in Song of Solomon 6:9. Abishag blessed by these other women because she is the fairest.
So the conclusion, Abishag is the Proverbs 31 woman and the woman in Song of Solomon.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
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