Reading for February 3rd.

 Read Song of Songs 7.6-13. In 7.6-13: Dialogue between lovers. The man expresses his desire to touch the woman: She is a delectable as fruit and delicious as wine. In verses 10-13: The woman invites the man into the fields: There, were blooms opening, she will give herself to him. In many cultures mandrakes are considered aphrodisiacs (Gen 30.14-16). Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 2nd

 Read Song of Songs 7.1-5. In 7.1-5: The man praises the woman's body. In his third description of the beauty of the woman's body, the man reverses his gaze and describes her from foot to head. Greater intimacy is implied by these images: He speaks of her navel and belly, normally hidden by clothing. In verses 4-7: The woman is compared to majestic geography and architecture. Hesbon: South of Jerusalem, known for its large reservoir. Bath-rabbim: Literary, "daughter of great ones." Carmel is a mountain range in northwestern Israel. Comments or Questions.

Reading for February 1st

 Read Song of 6.11-13. In verses 11-12: The woman speaks. The regal imagery continues, as the woman calls her lover my prince. In verse 13: A call to the woman. Shulammite: The woman is called "the Shulammite," meaning unclear. it could be a feminine form of the name Solomon, indicating nobility. An unidentified group asks to  gaze upon her. The man rebuffs the request. A dance before two armies may refer to a specific kind of dance or perhaps explains that such a display would be as lewd as a woman dancing in front of two armies of men. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 31st

 Read Song of Songs 6.1-10. In verses 1-3: The lover's whereabouts. A short fragment of a song, in which the woman reiterates earlier themes. In verses 4-10: The man praises the woman's body. While this poem shares many of the agricultural comparisons of 4.1-3 (hair like goats, teeth like ewes), it also introduces regal imagery. The woman is seen as awe-inspiring. she is compared to important cities (Tirzah was the capital of the northern kingdom after the division; Jerusalem of the south), and she would invite the praise even of queens and concubines. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 30th

 Read Song of Songs 5.9-16. In 5.9-16: The woman praises her lover. This  description offers the Hebrew Bible's only description of a man's body by a woman. In verse 10: A ruddy complexion was considered attractive for men (1 Sam 16.12; Gen 2.7). In verses 11-15: The description, given from head to legs, compares a man to conventional ancient Near eastern statues: head and arms of gold, encrusted with jewels. The mention of his body (v. 14) sounds general in a list of specific body parts: Some interpreters suggest "loins" for this reference. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 29th

 ReadSongs 5.2-8. In 5.2-8: A second nighttime search. As in 3.1-4, she may either be on an actual search or dreaming. In verse 3: Although she has prepared herself for his visit, she is reluctant to go to the door. In verse 4: While likely referring to the window, opening also has a sexual connotation. In verse 5: Because myrrh is expensive, dripping suggests excess and luxury. In verse 7: The sentinels guarding the city at night represent the conventions of society, which frown on a young , unaccompanied woman roaming the streets. She does not elaborate on their beating and stripping her, citing this treatment as an example of the lengths to which she will go to find her lover. In verse 8: It is doubtful that the daughters of Jerusalem were present during her search. Here, as elsewhere, the chorus adds dramatic effect. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 28th

 Read Song of Songs 4.8-5.1. In 4.8-5.1: The man beckons her closer. While not all identifiable, the place names are far away and exotic; he imagines her removed from him. In 4.9: As in ancient Egyptian poetry, sister and bride need not be read literally but as a description of the close intimacy of the pair. In verses 12-13: Garden locked and fountain sealed refer to the woman's chastity (Prov 5.15), though the man has much knowledge of her channel, a more intimate part of her body. The Hebrew word means "sword" or perhaps "sprout." He compares it to exoctic, fragrant, desirable anointments and spices. In verse 16: The woman accepts the comparison and invites him to partake. In 5.1: The man accepts the invitation and delights in what has been offered him. Comments or Questions..