Song of Songs 3 Chapter Introduction

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Longing

Verses 3:1–3 describe the feeling of longing that the woman has for the man she loves, and it describes her diligently seeking him. Verse 3:4 describes the woman finding the man she loves, holding onto him, and bringing him to her mother’s house.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Whether verses 3:1–4 describe a dream, a real event, or something imagined

Bible scholars do not know for certain whether the events described in 3:1–4 are real events or something that the woman dreamed or imagined. Many Bible scholars think that verses 3:1–4 describe a dream. You may wish to explain this in a footnote, or you could indicate in a section header whether you think this is a dream, a real event, or something she imagined. You could also use a general section header such as “The woman searches for the man she loves and finds him,” which does not indicate whether this was a dream, a real event, or something imagined.