Flashes of Fire

Table of Contents The Unity of the Book: Song or Songs? The Poems The Superscription (1:1) Unit I: (1:2-8): The Initial Courtship 1. May he kiss me - The Woman's Poem of Yearning (1:2-4) 2. The Keeper of the Vineyards - A Poem by the Woman describing Herself (1:5-6) 3. The Most Beautiful of Women - The Woman's attempt to make a Rendezvous with the Man, and Man's Refusal (1:7-8) An Overview of the First Unit - 1:2-7 Unit II: 1:9 - 2:17: The Second Courtship 1. Pharaoh's chariots - The Man's Poem of Adoration and the Woman's Response in a Poem of Yearning (1:9-11 and 1:12-14) 2. Our bed is verdant - A Poem of Mutual Adoration by the Man and the Woman (1:15 - 2:3) . 3. I am faint with love - The Woman's Poem of Yearning (2:4-7) 4. Turn, my beloved - The Man's attempt to make a Rendezvous and the Woman's refusal (2:8-17) Overview of the Unit II - 1:9 - 2:17 Unit III: 3:1 - 5:1 - The Climax 1. The watchmen found me - The Woman's Poem of Yearning in a Dream (3:1- 5) 2. Myrrh and Frankincense - An Introduction to the Poem "Until the day breathes" (3:6) 3. The Solomon's Bed and Palanquin Poem (3:7-11) 4. Until the day breathes - A Poem describing the Woman (4:1-7) 5. The Rendezvous Poem (4:8-5:1) Overview of Unit III - 3:1 - 5:1 Unit IV: The Ebbing of Love (5:2 - 6:3) 1. I sought him, but did not find him - The Woman's Poem of Yearning in a Dream (5:2-8) 2. My beloved is all radiant - A Poem in which the Woman describes the Man to the Daughters of Jerusalem (5:9-16) 3. Where has your beloved gone? - A Poem in which the Daughters of Jerusalem tease the Woman about the Man's absence, and the Woman's response (6:1-3) Overview of Unit IV Unit V, 6:4 - 8:14 - Resolution 1. Turn away your eyes from me - A Poem in which the Man describes the Woman (6:4-10) 2. The Nut Garden - A description of a past love experience (6:11-12) 3. Return, O Shulammite! - The Man's description of the Woman ending with his Desire for Her (7:1-10 [6:13-7:9) 4. I am my beloved's - The Woman's Poem of Yearning (7:11[10]-8:5) 5. Flashes of Fire - A Poem in Celebration of Love (8:6-7) 6. We have a little sister - The Brothers taunt the Woman and her Response (8:8-10) 7. He gave the vineyard to keepers - A Description of the Woman's Vineyard in contrast to Solomon's Vineyard: A Poem in Praise of Love (8:11-12) 8. Flee, my beloved - The Man's attempt to make a Rendezvous and the Woman's refusal (8:13-14) Overview of Unit V Summary Bibliography List of Abbreviations