Closing words of mutual love and desire

Closing words of love (Song 8:5–14)

David A. Dorsey, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament

1. a
   introductory rhetorical question8:5avision of the young woman coming up from the wilderness, united with her beloved; lovers are united; image of travel through rugged terrain; young woman is leaning upon ('al) the young man
2. b
   young man's(?) short speech8:5bhe recounts that he "awakened" her under the apple tree; image of young woman reposing in verdant scene and young man arousing her
3. c
   young woman's longer speech8:6–7themes: ownership (using give [ntn]), value and power of love; she would be a seal upon his heart and arm, showing that he belongs to her; love is powerful; its value is beyond all financial reckoning
4. d
   CENTER: the brothers and their sister8:8–10
5. c′
   young woman's longer speech8:11–12themes: ownership (using give [ntn]), value of vineyards (and love?); she would give him one thousand shekels (showing that her "vineyard"—herself—belongs to him?); much money is insignificant compared with her love
6. b′
   young man's short speech8:13he yearns for her to respond to him; image of young woman reposing in garden and young man wishing to arouse her
7. a′
   concluding refrain8:14image of the young man going out upon the spice mountains (united with his beloved); lovers are united; image of travel through rugged terrain; young man is viewed as upon ('al) the mountains (an allusion to the young woman?)