1By night on my bed,
I sought him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but I didn’t find him.
2I will get up now, and go about the city;
in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but I didn’t find him.
3The watchmen who go about the city found me;
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4I had scarcely passed from them,
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go,
until I had brought him into my mother’s house,
into the room of her who conceived me.
5I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
by the roes, or by the hinds of the field,
that you not stir up nor awaken love,
until it so desires.
6Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all spices of the merchant?
7Behold, it is Solomon’s carriage!
Sixty mighty men are around it,
of the mighty men of Israel.
8They all handle the sword, and are expert in war.
Every man has his sword on his thigh,
because of fear in the night.
9King Solomon made himself a carriage
of the wood of Lebanon.
10He made its pillars of silver,
its bottom of gold, its seat of purple,
the middle of it being paved with love,
from the daughters of Jerusalem.
11Go out, you daughters of Zion, and see King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother has crowned him,
in the day of his weddings,
in the day of the gladness of his heart.
King David's son, Solomon, was born of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 5:14). Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all of Israel for 40 years circa 971-931 B.C.. Solomon was graciously blessed by God to become the wisest man ever to live. (1 Kings 3:1-15; Eccl. 2:9) Being the kingly son of David, Solomon also received the benefits of the Davidic Covenant. (1 Chron. 17:1-27; Psa. 89) He and his kingdom of peace (1 Kings 4:20-25) thus became a Messianic type of God's coming eschatological kingom prophesied throughout the Old Testament (Isa. 2:1-4; 11:1-10) - the very kingdom offered by Jesus to the nation of Israel in the New Testament. (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 1:29-33) Solomon also built the first Jerusalem Temple that remained until the time of the Babylonian invasion when King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it in 586 B.C.. (1-2 Kings) Solomon became a prolific author of Scripture who wrote much of the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Psalm 72, and Psalm 127. According to Jewish tradition, the final version of the book of Job may also have been put together by Solomon and/or during the time of his adminstration. Solomon's reign was internationally renowned at the time for being a most glorious kingdom so that Israel became a Messianic light to the nations. (1 Kings 10; 2 Chron. 9:22) Late in life, however, Solomon contradicted his own wisdom by disobeying the Lord. In disobedience to the Torah, Solomon multiplied horses, wives, and gold for himself. (Deut. 17:14-20; 2 Chron. 9:13-28) Worst of all, he imported idolatry into Israel through his international marriage alliances. (1 Kings 11:1-8) His secular kingdom pursuits also dulled his earlier spirituality. (Eccl. 2:1-7) Because of Solomon's disobedience, God divided the great unity achieved by King David, but waited until after his death to do so (1 Kings 11-12). After Solomon's death, Israel will be divided between the north and south, between what was called the northern kingom of Israel/Ephraim and the southern kingdom of Judah.