Song of Songs: A Brief Guide to Some Secondary Literature

This review article first outlines some of the most important modern research on the Song of Songs. It then analyses three recent commentaries which offer three different approaches to the Song, those of Cheryl Exum, Daniel Estes, and Robert Jenson, considering introductory matters, the commentary proper, and any theological interpretation. In recent years there has been a welcome resurgence of interest in the Song of Songs within the scholarly community. Despite this, there is still remarkably little consensus regarding even the most basic of exegetical and hermeneutical questions which the Song raises, making it difficult for the student or pastor to navigate the secondary literature. In this article, I outline some of the most important modern research on the Song and analyse three recent commentaries in this context. It should be noted at the outset that while I would hesitate to fully endorse the contents of any of the works mentioned, they all have valuable insights to contribute. Further, it will be immediately obvious that the article makes no attempt at comprehensiveness. 168 ECCLESIA REFORMANDA Vol. 3, No. 2