The big picture
Song of Solomon 1 opens in verse 1 with “The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 9 with “I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.”, and closes in verse 17 with “The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.” Repeated or prominent terms include love, fair, beloved, black, comely. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Song of Solomon · King James Version · 17Song of Solomon 1:1-6
1–6: The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
Song of Solomon 1:1–6 opens with “The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.” and reaches “Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The woman expressing longing and searching among the shepherds’ tents while retaining dignity and agency, with particular weight carried by love, black, wine.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.” Naming Solomon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.” The line’s distinctive content terms include better, kiss, kisses. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
Song of Solomon 1:1-6
King James Version1The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
4Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
5I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
Song of Solomon 1:7-12
7–12: Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou…
Song of Solomon 1:7–12 opens with “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at…” and reaches “While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The woman expressing longing and searching among the shepherds’ tents while retaining dignity and agency, with particular weight carried by flock, gold, aside.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
Song of Solomon 1:7-12
King James Version7Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
8If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
9I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
11We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
12While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
Song of Solomon 1:13-17
13–17: A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night…
Song of Solomon 1:13–17 opens with “A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.” and reaches “The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The woman expressing longing and searching among the shepherds’ tents while retaining dignity and agency, with particular weight carried by fair, beloved, beams.
Song of Solomon 1:13-17
King James Version13A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
14My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
16Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
17The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Song of Solomon 1:1 begins with “The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.”
Where the chapter turns
Song of Solomon 1:7 forms a natural hinge: “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the…”
The final note
Song of Solomon 1:17 leaves the reader with “The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words love, fair, beloved, black, comely, flock help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who receives the image and the blessing?
Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.
What limits human dominion?
The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.