“…Therefore the virgins love you”, Song 1:3
The Song of Songs is arranged like scenes in a drama, with three main speakers. It’s hard to know who is speaking at times, but there are clues within the text that can help. Mostly we hear from King Solomon and the Shulamite Bride, but there is also a “chorus” group that occasionally shows up, called the “Daughters of Jerusalem.” They are the same as the “young virgins.” (or young women in some translations)
Here is a breakdown of the first 4 verses, where they first appear in the story:
THE SHULAMITE
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your loving is more intoxicating than wine.
3 Because of the fragrance of your perfumes, your name is like anointing oil poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you.¹
4 Draw me away!
THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM
We will run after you.¹
THE SHULAMITE
The king has brought me into his chambers
THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM
We will be glad and rejoice in you². We will remember your love¹ more than wine.
THE SHULAMITE (to the Beloved)
Rightly do they (the virgins/daughters of Jersusalem) love you.¹
.
Notice the end of verse 3, “Therefore the virgins love you.” ‘Therefore’ is a connecting word. To what?
Looking more closely, we see that it is connected to the fragrant “anointing oil” of Jesus Christ, who is our Beloved King. And the intimate union of being in Him and He in us is how we become the aroma of Christ to the world. (See 2 Cor.2:15) A knowledge of His Name is poured forth through our testimony of how we are to one another. As a result, those who have a hunger and thirst for divine romance are attracted and drawn to Christ. “Therefore the virgins love you.”
We don’t even have to say anything. It is a beauty beyond words.
❤︎ Who are these young women?
As it was the custom, Queens had attendant young maidens who were both friends, and sometimes like “children” to her. “Bridesmaids” of sorts, whose relationship to her extended beyond her wedding. They attended to her, and in exchange she taught them about true love, and they looked up to her.
By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, Titus 2:4
But behind the shadow of the relationship in the Song, there is but one Husband/Beloved, and all are being drawn to Him.
❤︎ Win the world, or Woo the world?
I once spent some time in my 20’s in a very bad slump. I wore a plain brown dress and didn’t wear any makeup or put jam on my toast. I walked around feeling the weight of the whole world on my shoulders, feeling guilty that I wasn’t warning literally everyone I passed on the street they needed to be saved.
But then entered Jesus. Telling me that I didn’t have to save the world. He already came to accomplish that. What relief! And then He outstretched His hand saying, “follow Me into My rest.” Enter into relationship, and stay here until I impart unto you My own Life. Cease from your own strivings, and trust Me to fill you. “The King has brought me into His chambers.”
It is exactly here in this intimate place of submission that we can’t help but be filled, then overflow with this great Love. As a result, Christ is formed in us! The glow of spiritual pregnancy causes desolate wombs to leap. Those that desire romance cry,
“We feel hope and joy in your presence, O Bride of Christ.
We are impacted by your love, O Beloved, more than our wine.”
(interpretation of verse 4)
The Daughters of Jerusalem are in this book for a reason, to show us that there are many in different stages of romance, and we have not to worry about “winning” anyone to our side, or God’s side for that matter. Those who hunger for a relationship with God are naturally wooed by the glow and fragrance of the Bride’s life and words, that come out of her intimacy with the Beloved in his bed chamber..
In the Hebrew: ¹ Masculine singular / ² Feminine singular
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