Blogging Bible Study: Digging in the Desert -- Proverbs and Song of Songs

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

We have exactly one verse in Proverbs that references the desert, none in Ecclesiastes and two in Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon or Canticles, depending on your translation).  So I'll just look at all three verses today and finish the poetic writings.

However uncomfortable those verses might be, lol.  Proverbs 21:19 reads

Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

 Um, I could also say that it would be better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered husband, but Proverbs was generally written as advice to a young man, so we'll give the benefit of the doubt here that the advice was to a HIM so it would, of course, reference a wife.  But...in that day and time,  the lady rarely had any say in whom she married; it was usually determined by a deal between her dad and her groom.  Or sometimes, the groom's father.  So advice on whom to marry wouldn't be helpful to a bride back then.  BUT...now, it could be equally applied.  We, in America, choose our own spouse.  Choose wisely.  

Song of Songs is a poetic celebration of the physical delight of marriage, even though I must confess I have often wondered which of Solomon's 700 wives (1 Kings 11:3) Shulamith was.  Kinda takes a little of the shine off of the narrative in that light, but, given that marrying one's daughter to a powerful king was often the binding part of a treaty or alliance, I suppose it's not surprising that 700 warlords, tribal leaders,  local princes, or kings of neighboring countries wanted to be 'family' to Solomon in some way.  But, be that as it may, Solomon and Shulamith were married, and they quite clearly enjoyed that relationship.

Who is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant? Look!  It is Solomon's carriage... (SoS 3:6-7a)

From the context, it's possible that this is describing Solomon coming to claim Shulamith as his bride, although it isn't specific enough to say that for sure.  In the very least, he is coming  to her, whether as a groom or a returning husband may not matter that much.

Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover? (SoS 8:5)

This is a repeated theme;  that the desert is a place of solitude and intimacy, solidifying relationship.  God forged the nation of Israel in the desert and brought them out to claim the promise;  Solomon and Shulamith went to the desert for some quality time together, and the bond between them was observable when they returned. 

So...I can, kind of, pull some marriage advice from these three verses.  Choose carefully,  continue to show your spouse you care enough to prepare for time together, and get away to a place of solitude where you can focus on each other from time to time.  Invest in the relationship.