The remaining verses in chapter six transition to an ancient and sacred dance the bride performs for her husband. She gazes upon Solomon and becomes aroused, which motivates her to perform this dance. The community wants to witness the beauty of the bride, but Solomon declares their request inappropriate as the dance is only for him and his lover. Chapter seven begins with Solomon alone with his bride. It is clear in the text that the only article of clothing the bride is wearing is her sandals. Solomon has an unobstructed view of the rest of her body. He begins to describe her. Unlike chapter four where Solomon begins with her head and moves down, here he begins with her feet and moves up. The Hebrew word for feet, pa’am, suggests her feet are already in graceful motion as the dance has begun. Solomon’s description not only compliments the body of the Shulammite, but also reflects her strength of character, which is also attractive to him. This couple has had problems in the past (5:2-6), but now they are in perfect harmony. Chapter seven ends with beautiful and reciprocal love as the husband and bride enjoy one another in marital bliss.

Books Referenced