This week begins with Song of songs 3:1-5

In the book of Genesis (Gen 2:21-24) Adam had to give something of himself in order to receive a wife. Giving caused him to receive – this is a very important Biblical truth (Luke 6:38). A G-dly husband will search for ways to give to (or to provide for) his wife, realizing that, in the end, it is going to be a blessing for him.

Eph 5:28 reveals to the man that his wife should be thought of as his own body, his very flesh.  As a husband gives of himself for his wife, he himself will also be blessed.

In this chapter we see two different, but related, acts.  

1. The first act (Verse 1-5) relates a dream that the Shulamite dreams and it reveals her strong desire to be reunited with her husband (her beloved shepherd – who, incidentally, is not Solomon). 
2. Verse 6-11 presents to us a picture of Solomon’s desired wedding day.  The Shulamite was hurt and frustrated by her separation from her beloved. It was wrongly attempted to be fulfilled by Solomon on his wedding day with the Shulamite.

v1: On my bed: We sleep in a bed and when we sleep we frequently dream. The context for this section is set in the fact that she is in bed and, while there, she is having dreams of her beloved.  

• Nights: Written in the plural.  It shows a reoccurring theme – that at night-time she dreams repeatedly about her beloved.  Being reunited with her beloved is at the heart of her dreams. 
• The one I love: This speaks about an intense, G-dly, pure, and holy love.
• I did not find him: This gives us hard evidence against the fact that her beloved one is Solomon. It would not be hard for her to find Solomon. He is in the palace. People who serve Solomon always know where he is, so she would have had an easy time finding him. The Shulamite is not separated from Solomon but from her beloved shepherd.

v2: Note: Once again we need to remember that this is a (bad) dream. She is saying that in the midst of the night she rises up and leaves the place where she is staying. She goes through the various streets and into the markets looking for her beloved. 

• I did not find him: This separation, as well as her overwhelming desire to find him, is underscored over and over again.

v3: Have you seen: She is asking for help, assistance, and counsel from the night watchmen (This would make no sense if her beloved was Solomon).

v4: I found the one I love: Remember that this is not reality. She is not actually finding the one she loves. Dreams can often be very frustrating.

• The house of my mother: She wants to take him home.
• The chamber of the one who conceived me: This is a place where she feels safe and secure – again this underscores that she is not comfortable and does not feel secure where she currently is. She wants to go back to how she felt as a small child. When a child has a bad dream, they often go to their parents room to find comfort and to feel safe again.  

v5: Note 1: This is a repetitive verse where she, the primary speaker (i.e. the Shulamite), addresses the chorus – the daughters of Jerusalem (those upright, or righteous, women). 

• Charge you: She wants them to take an oath.
• Gazelles: Young deer (rock/desert goat): These are very skittish and are easily frightened. A deer or mountain goat flees when they are startled by the presence of other individuals. What the Shulamite is alluding to is the fact that love is very precious and can, very easily, be adversely affected. 

Note 2: Love is very fragile. Many things are able to attack it and damage it.  For this reason, we need to have safeguards around our marital relationship.

• Stir up: Wake up
• Until it pleases: Until it is completed.