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Song of Songs
In the Song of Songs the son of David, King in Jerusalem, overcomes hostility and alienation to renew intimacy between himself and his Bride. This most sublime Song sings of a love sure as the seal of Yahweh, a flashing flame of fire many waters could never quench. James M. Hamilton Jr, in this latest addition to the popular Focus on the Bible series, pours fresh light on this inspiring and uplifting book.
154 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2015
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About the author
James M. Hamilton Jr.
55 books137 followersJames M. Hamilton Jr. (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of biblical theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and preaching pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church. He is the author of God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment and the Revelation volume in the Preaching the Word commentary series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 9, 2018
What an awesome book! I am amazed at the fullness of the Bible, every book is extremely meaningful and necessary for life in godliness. This commentary made Song of Songs nearer to my heart, longing more for purity and a godly matrimony as well as longing more for my Christ. "He is altogether lovely".
October 22, 2024
The Song of Songs has both captivated and perplexed readers for generations, being subject to a wide range of theological interpretations. James M. Hamilton Jr., professor of Biblical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, aims to narrow down the hermeneutical discourse of this literature in Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation. By weaving together biblical theology, typological analysis, and allegorical interpretation, Hamilton illuminates the Song's profound meaning for contemporary readers. He has authored distinctly relevant works such as God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgement and Typology, making him well-equipped to explain not only the Song’s unique place in the canon of Scripture, but also its significance in the grand narrative of the Old and New Testaments. This volume serves as a unique and accessible contribution to the study of the Song of Songs that will be a benefit to both pastors, scholars, and casual students of the Bible for many years.
Chapter one begins the book by providing the hermeneutical categories Hamilton employs to exposit the Song of Songs. First, garden imagery and temple language are consistently revealed in the Song’s setting to publish the hope of a New Eden and of a consummated New Jerusalem. Second, the Song’s plot tells the tale of an idealized Solomon who overcomes all alienation between himself and his Bride. This is evident in the pure and undefiled intimacy portrayed through the poetry these lovers exchange with each other. They are naked, and unashamed. Third, the hero and author of this Song is portrayed not merely as a husband, but as Solomon himself, David’s son, who “was in the line of expectation and became a type of the one to come” (27). These each culminate in the meaning of the Song, wherein Hamilton argues for a tripartite hermeneutic by which the reader engages this literature. The Song of Songs must be read as (1) a human relationship between a man and a woman, (2) a display of Solomon’s messianic typology, and (3) an “allegorical correspondence” with the marriage relationship between God and his people (32).
The next chapter launches the volume’s chapter-by-chapter analysis of the Song. From the Song’s title and opening verse, the reader is already acquainted with Solomon’s biblical instinct and poetic expression of temple language as the polyptoton literary device (holy of holies) is mirrored in the title, Song of Songs. The author also offers an interesting interpretation of Solomon depicting an “idealized” version of himself, indicating how things should have gone and how the value of marital intimacy ought to have been modeled in his life as the king from the line of David. Chapter one details the interactions between the Bride and the daughters of Jerusalem, the Bride’s insecurity, and the King’s steadfast assurance of his love. Hamilton contends that the Bride's longing for the King reflects the church's waiting for Jesus, as well as an overcoming of the alienation between the two characters.
Chapter three covers Song of Songs 2:1-17, depicting the adoration of the Bride to the King as she reflects upon what can be reasonably argued as a marriage proposal. This chapter is rife with garden language to convey both the intimacy of man and woman and the eschatological anticipation of the New Eden. The Bride is compared to a lily and the King is compared to a tree. The Bride also introduces a recurring theme in 2:16 of the King “grazing among the lilies.” As it is unusual for animals to graze on such prized flowers, Hamilton argues this as evidence for the Eden-like setting which would have lilies in abundance.
In chapter four, Hamilton unpacks the Bride’s narrative poetry of her longing for the King (sometimes interpreted as a dream) in 3:1-5 and a wedding procession of the King in 3:6-11. In the first section, there are clear parallels to Psalm 63 where David employs marital “clinging” emotions to apprehend and anticipate the covenant promises of God. Hamilton believes that Solomon’s echoes of this Psalm in the Bride’s seeking of him are meant to stir up amorous affections and place them properly within marriage. The second section speaks of the King’s arrival to the wedding with language that unmistakably evokes Yahweh’s rescue of his people from Egypt. The author then argues that this procession is a callback to what God achieved in Egypt and Sinai, as well as a foreshadowing of a New Exodus and “the fulfillment of our longings at the marriage feast of the Lamb” (68).
Song of Songs 4 is exposited in the fifth chapter of the book, where the King is depicted admiring the loveliness of his Bride in the moments leading up to the consummation of their marriage. This chapter is significant in understanding the biblical theology of this literature as Hamilton explicates within the Song several points of continuity between the land of promise, the fountains of living water, and the Eden-like language evoked so far in the narrative. The long-yearned-for culmination of this relationship is beautifully and tastefully enacted in the final verses, as these themes (land, water, garden) coalesce to awaken the reader to the glories of both human and divine marriage.
The next chapter marks a substantial turn of events. In 5:2-8, the Bride spurns the King’s advances and upon realizing her folly, cannot find him when she seeks him. She cries out to no answer and (in some sense) is disciplined for her mistake by the watchmen. The daughters of Jerusalem ask her why her beloved is so special, giving her the chance in 5:10-16 to “extol the glories of the King” (104). In like fashion to how the King described her in Song 4, the Bride now gushes over the King’s spiritual and theological beauty by likening him to the promises and covenant blessings secured by Yahweh and fulfilled in Jesus.
On the heels of this exultation, Hamilton then takes the reader to Song 6. Here, he makes a compelling case that the garden mentioned by the Bride in Song 6:2 is not speaking of her (as in Song 5:2), but of an actual garden where she is to seek him. In any case, the flow of the narrative displays her as repenting of her rejection of the King. His character prompts her to search for him in a place where he has made preparation for her attempt to return. Hamilton masterfully illuminates the poetic suspense and dramatic unfolding that this pericope discloses. The reader is given reasoned categories for how this literature might be interpreted, which provides clarity to the overall thrust of reconciliation and renewal.
In the eighth chapter of the commentary, Song 7 is explained as a window into the reconciliation that began in the previous chapter. The reader gets a sense of what the relationship now looks like in the context of rejection and restoration. The first five verses reveal that the King holds no bitterness or resentment towards the Bride for her rebuffing. Instead, he receives her with open arms and with “words of love that continue to articulate what she means to him" (126). In Song 7:6-9, the King declares that he will “lay hold” of his Bride, pointing to the firm hope that Yahweh will put to right all the shortcomings of his covenant people. The Bride then joins in the Song of her King (Song 7:10-13), which Hamilton interprets as implying a rolling back of the covenant curses of Genesis 3 with shameless nakedness, volitional love, and the choicest of fruits.
Chapter nine concludes the book by expounding upon Song 8 and drawing meaningful applications from the entire poem. In 8:1-4, Hamilton builds on previous arguments to explain the familial language used by the Bride as redeeming the familial blunders committed by Abraham and Isaac. This cements his argument that the Bride’s reconciliation to the King typifies Israel’s yearnings for Yahweh to “re-script” the sins of their past in a redemptive trajectory. Hamilton brings the book to a close by entreating both singles and couples alike to prize and enjoy the benefits of human marriage that they might know and understand their heavenly Bridegroom all the more.
Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation is a faithful, accessible, and paradigm-shifting commentary on a long-debated book of the Bible. Masterfully blending biblical scholarship and pastoral sensibilities, Hamilton compiles a volume that excels in making the immediate, messianic, and allegorical applications of the Song tangible to the reader in simple language. Long has there been a false dilemma between reading this poetry as literalistic versus reading it as allegorical. This work will, if allowed, offer a more cohesive option that is rooted in textual evidence and theological acuity.
Hamilton’s commitment to this tripartite hermeneutic is truly eye-opening. Beginning with the fact that these characters are a man and a woman in the context of a soon-to-be-consummated marriage, the clear teaching of human intimacy and marital union is self-evident. But, the author argues, this is not just any man. This is Solomon, son of David, God’s anointed king, through whom the Messiah would one day be incarnated. Solomon’s clear anticipation of these Christological promises compel the reader to wholly behold Jesus in the Song without in anyway diminishing its anthropological implications. Furthermore, Hamilton contends that you cannot hold up both truths without also drawing necessary connections between the marriage relationship between Yahweh and Israel, between Christ and his church.
These conclusions are not abstracted out of thin air, but firmly tethered to substantial inferences made from the Song’s content, mood, and structure. Hamilton goes through great lengths to show the reader the literary genius and biblical-theological motivations of King Solomon in writing this text. Themes such as the Garden of Eden, the land of promise, the Exodus, the covenant at Sinai, and the temple-city of Zion all culminate to form his hermeneutical thesis. Thus, this exegesis of the Song is strikingly devotional in nature. It would be a bewilderment for any reader to close this book without the fires of their affections being stoked for the glory of God in the reconciliation of his covenant Bride. Applications are abundant, with exhortations to married couples and singles, men and women, pastors and laymen.
One exception I would take with Hamilton’s writing is that it seemed (and was confirmed) to be adapted from a sermon series preached at his local church. There is nothing wrong with this method of publication, but it does severely limit the amount of depth that a writer can offer his readers. There were times when I hoped that the commentary would spend a little more time on a particular pericope or a bit further exposition on a certain theme at play, simply for want of Hamilton’s unique take on this spectacular song of Scripture.
With that small limitation aside, this book represents a landmark in the interpretation of the Song of Songs. Hamilton's commentary is not just informative; it is inspiring, inviting readers to explore the complex spiritual and human dimensions of the Song and to lift up praises unto the God who inspired it. Whether you are a seasoned scholar or a casual student of the Bible seeking a deeper understanding of wisdom literature, Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation is a valuable resource that will enrich your appreciation for this God-breathed masterpiece.
This review was written in partial fulfillment of 20220WW (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). Highly recommended. Hamilton's work here is incredible, I only wish it was longer and meatier. 1st time read. 4/5.
Chapter one begins the book by providing the hermeneutical categories Hamilton employs to exposit the Song of Songs. First, garden imagery and temple language are consistently revealed in the Song’s setting to publish the hope of a New Eden and of a consummated New Jerusalem. Second, the Song’s plot tells the tale of an idealized Solomon who overcomes all alienation between himself and his Bride. This is evident in the pure and undefiled intimacy portrayed through the poetry these lovers exchange with each other. They are naked, and unashamed. Third, the hero and author of this Song is portrayed not merely as a husband, but as Solomon himself, David’s son, who “was in the line of expectation and became a type of the one to come” (27). These each culminate in the meaning of the Song, wherein Hamilton argues for a tripartite hermeneutic by which the reader engages this literature. The Song of Songs must be read as (1) a human relationship between a man and a woman, (2) a display of Solomon’s messianic typology, and (3) an “allegorical correspondence” with the marriage relationship between God and his people (32).
The next chapter launches the volume’s chapter-by-chapter analysis of the Song. From the Song’s title and opening verse, the reader is already acquainted with Solomon’s biblical instinct and poetic expression of temple language as the polyptoton literary device (holy of holies) is mirrored in the title, Song of Songs. The author also offers an interesting interpretation of Solomon depicting an “idealized” version of himself, indicating how things should have gone and how the value of marital intimacy ought to have been modeled in his life as the king from the line of David. Chapter one details the interactions between the Bride and the daughters of Jerusalem, the Bride’s insecurity, and the King’s steadfast assurance of his love. Hamilton contends that the Bride's longing for the King reflects the church's waiting for Jesus, as well as an overcoming of the alienation between the two characters.
Chapter three covers Song of Songs 2:1-17, depicting the adoration of the Bride to the King as she reflects upon what can be reasonably argued as a marriage proposal. This chapter is rife with garden language to convey both the intimacy of man and woman and the eschatological anticipation of the New Eden. The Bride is compared to a lily and the King is compared to a tree. The Bride also introduces a recurring theme in 2:16 of the King “grazing among the lilies.” As it is unusual for animals to graze on such prized flowers, Hamilton argues this as evidence for the Eden-like setting which would have lilies in abundance.
In chapter four, Hamilton unpacks the Bride’s narrative poetry of her longing for the King (sometimes interpreted as a dream) in 3:1-5 and a wedding procession of the King in 3:6-11. In the first section, there are clear parallels to Psalm 63 where David employs marital “clinging” emotions to apprehend and anticipate the covenant promises of God. Hamilton believes that Solomon’s echoes of this Psalm in the Bride’s seeking of him are meant to stir up amorous affections and place them properly within marriage. The second section speaks of the King’s arrival to the wedding with language that unmistakably evokes Yahweh’s rescue of his people from Egypt. The author then argues that this procession is a callback to what God achieved in Egypt and Sinai, as well as a foreshadowing of a New Exodus and “the fulfillment of our longings at the marriage feast of the Lamb” (68).
Song of Songs 4 is exposited in the fifth chapter of the book, where the King is depicted admiring the loveliness of his Bride in the moments leading up to the consummation of their marriage. This chapter is significant in understanding the biblical theology of this literature as Hamilton explicates within the Song several points of continuity between the land of promise, the fountains of living water, and the Eden-like language evoked so far in the narrative. The long-yearned-for culmination of this relationship is beautifully and tastefully enacted in the final verses, as these themes (land, water, garden) coalesce to awaken the reader to the glories of both human and divine marriage.
The next chapter marks a substantial turn of events. In 5:2-8, the Bride spurns the King’s advances and upon realizing her folly, cannot find him when she seeks him. She cries out to no answer and (in some sense) is disciplined for her mistake by the watchmen. The daughters of Jerusalem ask her why her beloved is so special, giving her the chance in 5:10-16 to “extol the glories of the King” (104). In like fashion to how the King described her in Song 4, the Bride now gushes over the King’s spiritual and theological beauty by likening him to the promises and covenant blessings secured by Yahweh and fulfilled in Jesus.
On the heels of this exultation, Hamilton then takes the reader to Song 6. Here, he makes a compelling case that the garden mentioned by the Bride in Song 6:2 is not speaking of her (as in Song 5:2), but of an actual garden where she is to seek him. In any case, the flow of the narrative displays her as repenting of her rejection of the King. His character prompts her to search for him in a place where he has made preparation for her attempt to return. Hamilton masterfully illuminates the poetic suspense and dramatic unfolding that this pericope discloses. The reader is given reasoned categories for how this literature might be interpreted, which provides clarity to the overall thrust of reconciliation and renewal.
In the eighth chapter of the commentary, Song 7 is explained as a window into the reconciliation that began in the previous chapter. The reader gets a sense of what the relationship now looks like in the context of rejection and restoration. The first five verses reveal that the King holds no bitterness or resentment towards the Bride for her rebuffing. Instead, he receives her with open arms and with “words of love that continue to articulate what she means to him" (126). In Song 7:6-9, the King declares that he will “lay hold” of his Bride, pointing to the firm hope that Yahweh will put to right all the shortcomings of his covenant people. The Bride then joins in the Song of her King (Song 7:10-13), which Hamilton interprets as implying a rolling back of the covenant curses of Genesis 3 with shameless nakedness, volitional love, and the choicest of fruits.
Chapter nine concludes the book by expounding upon Song 8 and drawing meaningful applications from the entire poem. In 8:1-4, Hamilton builds on previous arguments to explain the familial language used by the Bride as redeeming the familial blunders committed by Abraham and Isaac. This cements his argument that the Bride’s reconciliation to the King typifies Israel’s yearnings for Yahweh to “re-script” the sins of their past in a redemptive trajectory. Hamilton brings the book to a close by entreating both singles and couples alike to prize and enjoy the benefits of human marriage that they might know and understand their heavenly Bridegroom all the more.
Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation is a faithful, accessible, and paradigm-shifting commentary on a long-debated book of the Bible. Masterfully blending biblical scholarship and pastoral sensibilities, Hamilton compiles a volume that excels in making the immediate, messianic, and allegorical applications of the Song tangible to the reader in simple language. Long has there been a false dilemma between reading this poetry as literalistic versus reading it as allegorical. This work will, if allowed, offer a more cohesive option that is rooted in textual evidence and theological acuity.
Hamilton’s commitment to this tripartite hermeneutic is truly eye-opening. Beginning with the fact that these characters are a man and a woman in the context of a soon-to-be-consummated marriage, the clear teaching of human intimacy and marital union is self-evident. But, the author argues, this is not just any man. This is Solomon, son of David, God’s anointed king, through whom the Messiah would one day be incarnated. Solomon’s clear anticipation of these Christological promises compel the reader to wholly behold Jesus in the Song without in anyway diminishing its anthropological implications. Furthermore, Hamilton contends that you cannot hold up both truths without also drawing necessary connections between the marriage relationship between Yahweh and Israel, between Christ and his church.
These conclusions are not abstracted out of thin air, but firmly tethered to substantial inferences made from the Song’s content, mood, and structure. Hamilton goes through great lengths to show the reader the literary genius and biblical-theological motivations of King Solomon in writing this text. Themes such as the Garden of Eden, the land of promise, the Exodus, the covenant at Sinai, and the temple-city of Zion all culminate to form his hermeneutical thesis. Thus, this exegesis of the Song is strikingly devotional in nature. It would be a bewilderment for any reader to close this book without the fires of their affections being stoked for the glory of God in the reconciliation of his covenant Bride. Applications are abundant, with exhortations to married couples and singles, men and women, pastors and laymen.
One exception I would take with Hamilton’s writing is that it seemed (and was confirmed) to be adapted from a sermon series preached at his local church. There is nothing wrong with this method of publication, but it does severely limit the amount of depth that a writer can offer his readers. There were times when I hoped that the commentary would spend a little more time on a particular pericope or a bit further exposition on a certain theme at play, simply for want of Hamilton’s unique take on this spectacular song of Scripture.
With that small limitation aside, this book represents a landmark in the interpretation of the Song of Songs. Hamilton's commentary is not just informative; it is inspiring, inviting readers to explore the complex spiritual and human dimensions of the Song and to lift up praises unto the God who inspired it. Whether you are a seasoned scholar or a casual student of the Bible seeking a deeper understanding of wisdom literature, Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation is a valuable resource that will enrich your appreciation for this God-breathed masterpiece.
This review was written in partial fulfillment of 20220WW (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). Highly recommended. Hamilton's work here is incredible, I only wish it was longer and meatier. 1st time read. 4/5.
February 16, 2016
Easily the best thing I have encountered on the Song of Solomon.
September 7, 2015
I used to think that the Song of Songs was all about Jesus (it couldn't be about sex!). Then as a literal grammatical hermeneutic influenced me, I believed it was just a love story. I approached Hamilton's recent commentary skeptically, gun shy from other allegorical interpretations. I finished the book not only convinced but also refreshed and inspired by a Christ-centered approach to the Song of Songs.
Main point: The Song of Songs (SOS) is an ideal picture of love in a marriage as well as a poetic rendering of God’s relationship with his people.
Hamilton argues that SOS is both a love story between a man and a woman and a picture of God’s relationship with his people (17). In this poem, Solomon is idealized as a new Adam who reverses the curse by showering his bride with love and forgiveness, thus restoring the relationship that is twisted and marred by the world. The SOS is “ a stunning renewal of Eden’s lost glory” (26).
Several key features set Hamilton’s interpretation apart from others:
1. The SOS is about marriage—a “love between a man and woman in marriage” (17).
2. There is also a typological meaning in which their marriage is a “mini-drama” of God’s relationship with his people (128). The symbolic meaning of marriage is well established elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Hosea-Gomer, the concept of spiritual adultery, Ps 45, Eph 5, Jesus as the bridegroom, and the marriage feast of the Lamb in Rev 19). “The biblical authors indisputably knew an allegorical meaning of marriage” (32). Hamilton provides dual application throughout, toward married couples and singles on the one hand and toward one’s relationship with Jesus, the Bridegroom, on the other hand.
3. The drama between the King and the Bride also represents Israel’s history: longing for deliverance while in Egypt (3:1-5), exodus (3:6-11), conquest of the land (4:1-15), idolatry (5:2-8), correction by prophets (5:7), repentance (6:1-3), restoration (6:11-13), and return from exile (new exodus, 8:5-7).
4. It is poetry. Hamilton believes that Solomon is “not presenting historical narrative but idealized poetry” (45, italics in original, see also 116).
5. Solomon is a biblical theologian, alluding to earlier Scripture to create a literary work of genius. Later biblical authors made similar use of the SOS.
Main point: The Song of Songs (SOS) is an ideal picture of love in a marriage as well as a poetic rendering of God’s relationship with his people.
Hamilton argues that SOS is both a love story between a man and a woman and a picture of God’s relationship with his people (17). In this poem, Solomon is idealized as a new Adam who reverses the curse by showering his bride with love and forgiveness, thus restoring the relationship that is twisted and marred by the world. The SOS is “ a stunning renewal of Eden’s lost glory” (26).
Several key features set Hamilton’s interpretation apart from others:
1. The SOS is about marriage—a “love between a man and woman in marriage” (17).
2. There is also a typological meaning in which their marriage is a “mini-drama” of God’s relationship with his people (128). The symbolic meaning of marriage is well established elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Hosea-Gomer, the concept of spiritual adultery, Ps 45, Eph 5, Jesus as the bridegroom, and the marriage feast of the Lamb in Rev 19). “The biblical authors indisputably knew an allegorical meaning of marriage” (32). Hamilton provides dual application throughout, toward married couples and singles on the one hand and toward one’s relationship with Jesus, the Bridegroom, on the other hand.
3. The drama between the King and the Bride also represents Israel’s history: longing for deliverance while in Egypt (3:1-5), exodus (3:6-11), conquest of the land (4:1-15), idolatry (5:2-8), correction by prophets (5:7), repentance (6:1-3), restoration (6:11-13), and return from exile (new exodus, 8:5-7).
4. It is poetry. Hamilton believes that Solomon is “not presenting historical narrative but idealized poetry” (45, italics in original, see also 116).
5. Solomon is a biblical theologian, alluding to earlier Scripture to create a literary work of genius. Later biblical authors made similar use of the SOS.
July 3, 2015
A decent brief commentary on the Song. You wont get any detailed discussion here. In addition, Hamilton wants to have his cake and eat it too: the book is about marriage (primarily) but sort of also about Christ and the church (or maybe Christ and the individual soul--it's sometimes not clear). I think his treatment is more compelling for the figurative interpretation than for what people seem to want to call the "literal" interpretation.
January 16, 2021
This is an accessible commentary on the Song of Songs that takes a Christological approach to the text that, whilst allegorical, is not far fetched or fanciful. Ultimately, he keeps pointing us to the Covenant between Israel & Yahweh, and its fulfilment in Christ. Also, whilst focusing on the spiritual, there is still a consistent and pastoral set of applications to human relationships.
A well balanced approach.
A well balanced approach.
May 21, 2015
excellent. Superb example of how biblical theology aids our understanding of a biblical book. loved it!
March 4, 2022
After reading Hamilton's journal article on a Messianic interpretation of the Song, I knew my research had to include his book to go deeper into his ideas. I didn't agree with everything in the book, whether due to him overstating his case (or just understating his reasoning due to the book's brevity) or to differing on nuances of interpretation, I do think Hamilton's understanding of the book as having levels of literal, typological, and allegorical (in a loose sense) meaning is the most satisfactory and compelling view of the Song.
Hamilton considers biblical theology, looking at how the Song and its themes fit into the whole Story of Scripture (really, how it mirrors the whole Story!). He accounts for a literal meaning, because it’s writing about human romance/marriage, a typological understanding, because the man typifies Christ, and a loose allegorical intepretation because of the spiritual meaning of the relationship between God and His people (by his definition of allegory, one can easily argue for another layer of typology, if unlike Iain Duguid one is willing to say marriage is a type not just an analogy).
Hamilton doesn't turn everything into meaning something spiritually (much less the free association type allegory we get from Origen), yet he draws out the spiritual contours behind the descriptions, ie the using of promised land/temple/Edenic language in descriptions. All "hyperlinks" add up and it's hard to view the Song as only literal in light of how much it alludes to other parts of the Old Testament.
At the very least, read his journal article (The Messianic Music of the Song, Westminster Theological Journal 68.2, 2006) and let it set your mind turning!
Hamilton considers biblical theology, looking at how the Song and its themes fit into the whole Story of Scripture (really, how it mirrors the whole Story!). He accounts for a literal meaning, because it’s writing about human romance/marriage, a typological understanding, because the man typifies Christ, and a loose allegorical intepretation because of the spiritual meaning of the relationship between God and His people (by his definition of allegory, one can easily argue for another layer of typology, if unlike Iain Duguid one is willing to say marriage is a type not just an analogy).
Hamilton doesn't turn everything into meaning something spiritually (much less the free association type allegory we get from Origen), yet he draws out the spiritual contours behind the descriptions, ie the using of promised land/temple/Edenic language in descriptions. All "hyperlinks" add up and it's hard to view the Song as only literal in light of how much it alludes to other parts of the Old Testament.
At the very least, read his journal article (The Messianic Music of the Song, Westminster Theological Journal 68.2, 2006) and let it set your mind turning!
February 8, 2024
Already was one of my favorite parts of Scripture to study and meditate on, but Hamilton does such a great job at revealing the core meaning of the book, the main theme running through it all, and though it may be just 8 chapters long, Song of Songs really is one of the few parts of Scripture where you can experience and get just a taste of what Eden was like and what one day what it will be like to dwell with the true bridegroom face to face for all eternity. As crazy as it sounds, it really is applicable in many ways. Whether you are celibate, single, courting, married, widowed, or divorced, you will benefit from this because this is not merely a book on sex, it shows you that those who believe on Christ have a comfort and joy inexpressible and have this great and mighty King who is quick to show mercy and grace for this reason: to dwell and enjoy His presence for that is what brings Christ the most glory and that is what we are made for. The consummation of marriage is given as a gift so we can have just a foretaste of the inexpressible joy and love we will feel when Christ, our true Birdegroom finally returns. Because this is a reality for us who believe, how can we grow so downcast, so bitter, so reluctant to love and speak the way the king and his bride speaks to one another in the Song of Songs when we have this reality?
November 19, 2025
Have you ever wondered what life would be in the garden of Eden with your spouse? Perhaps you daydream about a world full of life, full of meaning, a place and time in which God’s creation was untainted by the effects of sin? James M. Hamilton Jr. explores the rich, robust poetry that Solomon king of Israel wrote in this sublime song, clearly painting a type of Eden through the lens of a new Adam and a new bride that play out the drama of the bible, demonstrating the love of God for his bride. Hamilton posits that the Song uses the relationship between an idealized Solomon and his bride to convey ideal marriage relations as God intended as a device to retell the grand drama of Yahweh pursuing his covenant people while remembering Eden and simultaneously forecasting the greater Adam and the bride of Christ’s marriage consummation. Hamilton conveys what it will be like in the new and better Eden as the marriage between Christ and the church is consummated, and how we can live out those realities in the station God has called us to today.
January 4, 2018
A fantastic book focused on how the Song of Songs is furthering the narrative of the Bible. It is not a book solely about sex or marriage but has a higher picture of pointing to God’s actions in the past His faithfulness in the past and the future. Dr. Hamilton has done an amazing job at bringing to life a book many find too difficult to read or to scandalous to study. If you have not read this book it is a must read!
April 13, 2021
I was assigned this as required reading in Dr. Hamilton’s Old Testament class at Southern and couldn’t get enough of it. In a modern church age that often talks about the Song of Songs exclusively in terms of help for romantic relationships, Dr. Hamilton opened my eyes to the true wonder of this king’s love for his bride and the allegorical nature of Solomon’s intentions behind his words that illuminate the coming wedding of Yahweh and his bride.
July 5, 2021
We used James Hamilton's Song of Songs commentary in family worship recently. The positives are that it is orthodox and accessible, and it challenges married couples to have a robust loving relationship. The major drawbacks to the book are that it is remarkably repetitive for being so short, and it does not spend enough time showing how the text is pointing us to the relationship between Christ and his bride.
January 9, 2026
I’ve always be perplexed by the Son of Songs. It seemed too literal to be just about God and Israel and too figurative to be about just a man and wife and then there were the bits that seemed prophetic about Christ and the church. Jim Hamilton makes the case that the proper understanding is all that and more. I could not follow some of his Biblical-Theological connotations but I don’t know Hebrew. Overall it is a helpful little (at least compared to the size some of his others) book.
February 13, 2022
Started off so well and then caved to toxic complementarian theology and purity culture. Men, you aren’t God. We’re all the church aka the bride, and we’re all trying to become like God. Stop assigning gender roles to the characters in Song of Solomon when it’s a POEM that reflects God’s relationship to the church through the symbolism of consummation.
March 13, 2024
The Song of Songs has to be about God if it is about marriage because God created marriage to point to him. Jim Hamilton does a superb job at making the book easy to understand while still drawing the reader to meditate on the incomprehensible beauty of love. Biblical theology makes the Bible both simple to understand and also a never-ending fountain of hidden gems.
March 16, 2024
I give it 5 stars for the introduction.
i think this is a real light bulb moment on how to interpret Song of Songs and the Writings as a whole.
His clear headed approach just saves us from so much muddle.
I will say that this is definitely the most speculative I’ve seen him in terms of intertextuality & allusions.
Excellent for devotional use too.
i think this is a real light bulb moment on how to interpret Song of Songs and the Writings as a whole.
His clear headed approach just saves us from so much muddle.
I will say that this is definitely the most speculative I’ve seen him in terms of intertextuality & allusions.
Excellent for devotional use too.
November 23, 2024
Great book. Song of Songs is according to the Bible, the greatest of all songs. This book clearly breaks down how Song of Songs is a song about Christ, and as such, this is one of the most beautiful books of the Bible.
Life changing.
Life changing.
January 18, 2018
James Hamilton skillfully interprets the Song of Songs, showing how the biblical book was intended to be an allegory.
April 5, 2018
Interesting. Helpful with the idea of an idealized Solomon.
October 3, 2019
Had to do a book review on this for OT2 with Hamilton. All in all, very good. I enjoyed it, and surely understand the Song better.
August 4, 2022
This was very good. Best thing I’ve read on the Song of Songs.
January 30, 2024
Song of Songs is a tough book to interpret. I'm persuaded by Hamilton's biblical-theological / allegorical / Christological approach to the book. He's also great with application.
November 8, 2024
Some good observations, although at the end of the day I'm left unconvinced by his christological interpretation.
February 24, 2025
(no leí el libro del contratista solo leí el de la biblia)
February 12, 2026
Read this for a class. An incredible resource for individuals and Bible studies!
June 30, 2015
Second, maybe, to the book of Revelation, Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs as some put it) provides some of the most challenging issues when it comes to the interpretation, teaching, preaching, and application of the book. Though the book is part of the 66 inspired canonical books of the Bible, there are many who have never, and will never preach or teach from the book.
Thoughts on how to understand Song of Solomon are usually divided between those who view it strictly as a picture of human love between a man and a woman, between Christ and the (NT) church or between Christ and His covenant people (Israel). Rarely do you see those who will try to wed these interpretations together.
But that is exactly what James Hamilton Jr. does in his recent Focus on the Bible commentary Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation (Christian Focus, 2015). Hamilton, mostly convincingly I believe, argues that Song of Solomon can be interpreted and seen through more than one lens at once. It can tell us of human love between a man and woman, divine love of God for His people, all the while providing a Christ-focused future-vision for the book.
Hamilton believes that the book functions at three levels:
(T)he Song functions at three levels: 1) the Song of Songs depicts human love between a man and a woman; 2) the man in the song typifies the coming Messiah; and 3) the canonical context of the Song points to a deeper, symbolic understanding of marriage as a kind of allegory of the love between God and His people. (28)
The primary level that most people will have the hardest time with is the allegorical. Hamilton acknowledges as much when he points out on pg. 28 n. 14 that the allegorical interpretation is disfavored by the vast majority of those in the academic community.
So how does Hamilton overcome the long history of disapproval for the allegorical interpretation? He points to none other than Scripture itself. In the preface Hamilton states that
Gradually I came to the view that if Moses can treat the covenant between Yahweh and Israel as a marriage, and is Hosea can write a prophecy in which he himself represents Yahweh and his wife Gomer represents Israel, Solomon could have done the same. (12)
Further, Paul does the same thing in Galatians 4:21-31 and with the marriage between a man and a woman as compared to Christ and the church in Ephesians 5 (29, 31). Hamilton wants us to see all three of these lenses in harmony together rather than disharmony.
We do not have to deny that the Song pertains to human live of we suggest that there is also a sense in which Solomon typifies Christ, nor do these two, the human-love interpretation and the Solomon-typifies-Christ reading, exclude the view that marriage is a picture of the covenant Between God and His people. (31)
As Hamilton shows, Song of Songs is a poetical masterpiece through which God communicates so many great truths about human love, God’s love for His people, and how the David-like figure points to Christ. The second paragraph of chapter two encapsulates the entirety of how to view the Song:
The Song of Songs is about human love, but the hero of the Song is no common man. He’s the kid of Israel, the son of David, and he is a Shepherd-King who has cultivated a garden-city, even as he overcomes the alienation and hostility between himself and his Bride to renew an Eden-like intimacy between them. The Song is abut human love, and the son of David who is the King of the Song is a type of the one who is to come. (35)
As for the commentary itself, Hamilton does a great job of consistently applying his three-level hermeneutic of Song of Songs. It is theologically rich, practical for both sexes, and Hamilton even makes application to singles (whether they are looking to get married or not).
Song of Songs by Hamilton is a must read for any Christian and a definite must have for all teachers and pastors. Hamilton helps Christians read the Song the way God and Solomon intended it to be read.
I received this book for free from Christian Focus through Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Thoughts on how to understand Song of Solomon are usually divided between those who view it strictly as a picture of human love between a man and a woman, between Christ and the (NT) church or between Christ and His covenant people (Israel). Rarely do you see those who will try to wed these interpretations together.
But that is exactly what James Hamilton Jr. does in his recent Focus on the Bible commentary Song of Songs: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation (Christian Focus, 2015). Hamilton, mostly convincingly I believe, argues that Song of Solomon can be interpreted and seen through more than one lens at once. It can tell us of human love between a man and woman, divine love of God for His people, all the while providing a Christ-focused future-vision for the book.
Hamilton believes that the book functions at three levels:
(T)he Song functions at three levels: 1) the Song of Songs depicts human love between a man and a woman; 2) the man in the song typifies the coming Messiah; and 3) the canonical context of the Song points to a deeper, symbolic understanding of marriage as a kind of allegory of the love between God and His people. (28)
The primary level that most people will have the hardest time with is the allegorical. Hamilton acknowledges as much when he points out on pg. 28 n. 14 that the allegorical interpretation is disfavored by the vast majority of those in the academic community.
So how does Hamilton overcome the long history of disapproval for the allegorical interpretation? He points to none other than Scripture itself. In the preface Hamilton states that
Gradually I came to the view that if Moses can treat the covenant between Yahweh and Israel as a marriage, and is Hosea can write a prophecy in which he himself represents Yahweh and his wife Gomer represents Israel, Solomon could have done the same. (12)
Further, Paul does the same thing in Galatians 4:21-31 and with the marriage between a man and a woman as compared to Christ and the church in Ephesians 5 (29, 31). Hamilton wants us to see all three of these lenses in harmony together rather than disharmony.
We do not have to deny that the Song pertains to human live of we suggest that there is also a sense in which Solomon typifies Christ, nor do these two, the human-love interpretation and the Solomon-typifies-Christ reading, exclude the view that marriage is a picture of the covenant Between God and His people. (31)
As Hamilton shows, Song of Songs is a poetical masterpiece through which God communicates so many great truths about human love, God’s love for His people, and how the David-like figure points to Christ. The second paragraph of chapter two encapsulates the entirety of how to view the Song:
The Song of Songs is about human love, but the hero of the Song is no common man. He’s the kid of Israel, the son of David, and he is a Shepherd-King who has cultivated a garden-city, even as he overcomes the alienation and hostility between himself and his Bride to renew an Eden-like intimacy between them. The Song is abut human love, and the son of David who is the King of the Song is a type of the one who is to come. (35)
As for the commentary itself, Hamilton does a great job of consistently applying his three-level hermeneutic of Song of Songs. It is theologically rich, practical for both sexes, and Hamilton even makes application to singles (whether they are looking to get married or not).
Song of Songs by Hamilton is a must read for any Christian and a definite must have for all teachers and pastors. Hamilton helps Christians read the Song the way God and Solomon intended it to be read.
I received this book for free from Christian Focus through Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 28, 2015
I am a big fan of the Focus on the Bible commentary series. They’re relatively short—the ones I’ve read were under 200 pages. This makes them accessible to everyone. There’s a reason I’ve never read all the way through my 1,000+ page commentary on Acts. It’s too long for that!
I recently had the privilege of reading through a review copy of their newest volume on Song of Songs by James M. Hamilton, Jr. The author happens to be a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where I am currently studying for my M.Div, but as of now I’ve yet to take any classes with him. He’s written numerous books including God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment, a popular-level commentary on Revelation, and a commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah. Hamilton writes not only as a professor, but also as a pastor. Song of Songs was born out of a sermon series he preached, and a quick Google search would likely lead you to the recordings that form the foundation of his book.
The book’s subtitle is telling: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation. Those are probably the biggest words in the book, so don’t let that scare you off. What he means is that his commentary looks at how Song of Solomon fits into the whole Bible. He takes a more traditional view of the book as an allegory; first, referring to God and Israel in the Old Testament, and second, referring to Christ and the Church. The book comes on the heels of other popular explanations that view the book as little more than a celebration of love and sex within marriage. Mark Driscoll, who was a controversial yet popular pastor until his resignation last year, preached a very explicit sermon series on the book that led to criticism from John MacArthur, another pastor, in a multi-part blog series titled The Rape of Solomon’s Song. A commentary that addresses the text without sounding like a bunch of over-sexed boys in a men’s locker room is a welcome reprieve.
Much of what Hamilton says, especially after the first few chapters, is insightful and helpful for understanding this book of the Bible. His explanation of the allegory squares with many sermons and messages I heard growing up in a small, traditional Baptist church. I’m just not convinced by everything (and in some sections, hardly anything) he says from the allegorical approach. My disagreement is merely a matter of degrees in some instances, but other times I wholly reject Hamilton’s insinuations. I agree that there is definitely a parallel between the groom and the bride and God and Israel. Yet Hamilton presses in on the details and makes assertions that stretch the bounds of reason.
For example, at one point the groom, in praising his bride, says that her eyes are like doves. Hamilton says, “With all the land imagery in this passage, perhaps this comparison is meant to recall the dove that Noah sent out from the ark after seven days to see if the waters had receded from the new creation after the flood.” Apart from the word “dove,” in what way and for what reason would this passage be hearkening back to the story of Noah? As my father likes to say, “Evel Knieval couldn’t make that jump!”
Early on he states, “I don’t remember being taught to read the book as a member of the bride of Christ waiting for Jesus the bridegroom. As a Christian, that came naturally.” It may come natural to someone raised in a Christian environment who is trying to understand Song of Songs in terms of what he’s already seen in the Bible. But many of the places where Hamilton sees Solomon alluding to another passage is only visible to people who want to see it. It’s telling that his first chapter has footnotes about other, more detailed commentaries, stating, “I disagree with Garrett’s suggestion…” and, “I say this in spite of the fact that…” and, “Against Estes…” Garrett, who is also a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has written two commentaries on Song of Songs, both of which are much more in-depth. Although I haven’t read either of his commentaries, I’m much more inclined to check them out before returning to Hamilton’s volume.
If your leaning is more towards the allegorical approach, however, I don’t think you’ll find a more straightforward and concise treatment of the book from a trustworthy theologian than this one.
I recently had the privilege of reading through a review copy of their newest volume on Song of Songs by James M. Hamilton, Jr. The author happens to be a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where I am currently studying for my M.Div, but as of now I’ve yet to take any classes with him. He’s written numerous books including God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment, a popular-level commentary on Revelation, and a commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah. Hamilton writes not only as a professor, but also as a pastor. Song of Songs was born out of a sermon series he preached, and a quick Google search would likely lead you to the recordings that form the foundation of his book.
The book’s subtitle is telling: A Biblical-Theological, Allegorical, Christological Interpretation. Those are probably the biggest words in the book, so don’t let that scare you off. What he means is that his commentary looks at how Song of Solomon fits into the whole Bible. He takes a more traditional view of the book as an allegory; first, referring to God and Israel in the Old Testament, and second, referring to Christ and the Church. The book comes on the heels of other popular explanations that view the book as little more than a celebration of love and sex within marriage. Mark Driscoll, who was a controversial yet popular pastor until his resignation last year, preached a very explicit sermon series on the book that led to criticism from John MacArthur, another pastor, in a multi-part blog series titled The Rape of Solomon’s Song. A commentary that addresses the text without sounding like a bunch of over-sexed boys in a men’s locker room is a welcome reprieve.
Much of what Hamilton says, especially after the first few chapters, is insightful and helpful for understanding this book of the Bible. His explanation of the allegory squares with many sermons and messages I heard growing up in a small, traditional Baptist church. I’m just not convinced by everything (and in some sections, hardly anything) he says from the allegorical approach. My disagreement is merely a matter of degrees in some instances, but other times I wholly reject Hamilton’s insinuations. I agree that there is definitely a parallel between the groom and the bride and God and Israel. Yet Hamilton presses in on the details and makes assertions that stretch the bounds of reason.
For example, at one point the groom, in praising his bride, says that her eyes are like doves. Hamilton says, “With all the land imagery in this passage, perhaps this comparison is meant to recall the dove that Noah sent out from the ark after seven days to see if the waters had receded from the new creation after the flood.” Apart from the word “dove,” in what way and for what reason would this passage be hearkening back to the story of Noah? As my father likes to say, “Evel Knieval couldn’t make that jump!”
Early on he states, “I don’t remember being taught to read the book as a member of the bride of Christ waiting for Jesus the bridegroom. As a Christian, that came naturally.” It may come natural to someone raised in a Christian environment who is trying to understand Song of Songs in terms of what he’s already seen in the Bible. But many of the places where Hamilton sees Solomon alluding to another passage is only visible to people who want to see it. It’s telling that his first chapter has footnotes about other, more detailed commentaries, stating, “I disagree with Garrett’s suggestion…” and, “I say this in spite of the fact that…” and, “Against Estes…” Garrett, who is also a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has written two commentaries on Song of Songs, both of which are much more in-depth. Although I haven’t read either of his commentaries, I’m much more inclined to check them out before returning to Hamilton’s volume.
If your leaning is more towards the allegorical approach, however, I don’t think you’ll find a more straightforward and concise treatment of the book from a trustworthy theologian than this one.
October 8, 2024
Wonderful book full of insightful comments. Everyone interacting with literature on the Song should read this work.
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