A Study Day in Song of Songs (Handout) ( pdf )

11. Spend some time thinking through your attitude towards sex. Is it positive or
negative? Is it idealistic or realistic? What have been the major influences upon
your attitude?
12. Reflect back on all that has been covered. Are there any: (a) things to affirm? (b)
thoughts to share? (c) questions to ask? (d) actions to take?
Some Books to Follow Up
The following selection of books is divided into two categories: (1) commentaries on
the Song of Songs, and (2) other books on the Song of Songs.
1. Commentaries on Song of Songs
G. Lloyd Carr, The Song of Solomon, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Leicester:
IVP, 1984).
Still one of the best of the mid-level commentaries.
J. Cheryl Exum, Song of Songs: A Commentary, Old Testament Library (Louisville:
Westminster John Knox, 2005).
One of the weightier commentaries from a scholar who has contributed much to
‘feminist’ readings of biblical texts and who has written many articles on Song of
Songs over the years.
Daniel J. Estes, ‘Song of Songs’, in Daniel C. Fredericks and Daniel J. Estes, Ecclesiastes &
The Song of Songs, Apollos Old Testament Commentary (Nottingham: Apollos, 2010),
265-444.
Currently my favourite commentary on Song of Songs.
Duane A. Garrett and Paul R. House, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Word Biblical
Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004).
A large and technical commentary.
Tom Gledhill, The Message of the Song of Songs: The Lyrics of Love, The Bible Speaks
Today (Leicester: IVP, 1994).
An excellent exposition, which might be worth buying as a future resource.
Richard S. Hess, Song of Songs, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and
Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005).
A brief (relatively speaking) treatment, excellent on exegesis, but a bit thin on
theological significance.
Robert W. Jenson, Song of Songs, Interpretation (Louisville: Westminster John Knox,
2005).
A self-consciously ‘theological’ commentary which, however, also takes account of
what Jenson calls the ‘overt sense’ of the book as an erotic love poem.
Tremper Longman III, Song of Songs, New International Commentary on the Old
Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001).
One of the best commentaries written from an evangelical perspective. Longman has
also written a much briefer enry on the Song in Philip W. Comfort (ed.), Cornerstone
Biblical Commentary, Vol. 6 (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2006).
Christopher Mitchell, The Song of Songs, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 2003).
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