Overview
A love poem in dialogue form celebrating the love between a man and the Shulammite woman. Longing and mutual praise, separation and reunion, and the joy of marriage are expressed in poetic language.
Theme Love as strong as death, and covenant faithfulness
Historical background
The Hebrew title, Shir HaShirim ("Song of Songs"), denotes the most excellent of songs. Jewish tradition has read the book as an allegory of the relationship between YHWH and Israel, and it is one of the Megillot read at Passover. Later interpretive traditions have also read it in terms of the relationship between the Messiah and his people.