WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.940 Welcome to the deep dive. Today we're venturing 00:00:03.940 --> 00:00:07.080 into a really fascinating text, the song of Solomon. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:10.140 It's this collection of ancient poetry, just 00:00:10.140 --> 00:00:13.660 full of passion, exploring love and desire in 00:00:13.660 --> 00:00:16.059 this really evocative way. Yeah, it's quite something. 00:00:16.300 --> 00:00:18.640 What strikes me is how intimate it is, how personal. 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:21.019 Exactly. And it's basically a conversation, isn't 00:00:21.019 --> 00:00:23.559 it? A direct dialogue between these two lovers. 00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:25.980 We'll call them Del you for the woman and M to 00:00:25.980 --> 00:00:27.640 the man, just to keep it clear. Sounds good. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:31.149 So. Our mission, if you like, for this deep dyes 00:00:31.149 --> 00:00:35.630 is to really unpack all that imagery, the raw 00:00:35.630 --> 00:00:38.429 feelings, the declarations. And try to get at 00:00:38.429 --> 00:00:40.869 why it still feels so powerful today. Right. 00:00:41.189 --> 00:00:43.479 What gives it that enduring quality? Well that 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:45.600 intimacy you mentioned is key, I think. It's 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:47.640 not like, you know, some historical account about 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:49.679 love. No, it plunges you right in. Right into 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:52.280 their fervent exchanges. It feels remarkably 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:55.259 unfiltered. Very personal. Absolutely. And the 00:00:55.259 --> 00:00:57.539 intensity, wow. It hits you from the very first 00:00:57.539 --> 00:01:00.579 lines. The woman starts with, uh, let him kiss 00:01:00.579 --> 00:01:02.240 me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:05.680 is better than wine. Boom. Right there. Such 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:08.359 a bold start. It really is. A declaration of 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:10.659 longing. Straight away. and saying love is better 00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:13.219 than wine. I mean, wine was huge, right? I definitely. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:17.079 Symbol of celebration, joy, even spiritual connection 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:19.700 sometimes. So yeah, putting love above that, 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:22.159 that's elevating it to the absolute highest level. 00:01:22.379 --> 00:01:24.459 It shows you immediately how much she values 00:01:24.459 --> 00:01:26.739 this connection. And it immediately engages the 00:01:26.739 --> 00:01:30.560 senses, doesn't it? Love, like wine, intoxicating, 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:33.260 satisfying. Yeah. And then she says, your name 00:01:33.260 --> 00:01:35.799 is a flowing perfume. Such a beautiful image. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:39.659 It suggests his very essence is alluring pervasive. 00:01:40.019 --> 00:01:42.040 And she links that to others too. Therefore, 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.280 young women love you. Yeah. It's like his appeal 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:46.439 is just undeniable. It gives him this almost 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:49.000 magnetic quality, doesn't it? It does. And then 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:51.239 she wants action. Draw me after you. Let us run. 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:54.799 Yes. It's not passive. It's active desire. A 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:56.819 real urgency there. Like they need to be together 00:01:56.819 --> 00:02:00.120 now. That call, let us run. It's pivotal. It's 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:02.900 about shared experience, not just quiet yearning. 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.540 And then the king has brought me to his bedchambers. 00:02:05.900 --> 00:02:08.659 Now that could be literal. Or symbolic, yeah. 00:02:08.900 --> 00:02:11.520 Being brought into this place of deep intimacy, 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:15.000 of joy. It all leads to this mutual celebration. 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:18.379 Let us exalt and rejoice in you. Let us celebrate 00:02:18.379 --> 00:02:22.719 your love. It is beyond wine. Rightly do they 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:25.240 love you. A shared understanding. They both get 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:27.740 how profound this is. Okay, so that sets the 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:30.300 stage. But let's dig into how she sees herself. 00:02:30.580 --> 00:02:33.000 Maybe how society sees her. This is interesting. 00:02:33.180 --> 00:02:35.120 Ah, yes. This is where we get that incredibly 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:39.860 powerful line. I am black and beautiful. daughters 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:42.699 of Jerusalem. Right, just put it out there. Acknowledges 00:02:42.699 --> 00:02:45.060 her skin color, but immediately claims its beauty. 00:02:45.259 --> 00:02:47.319 And addresses the daughters of Jerusalem, perhaps 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:49.840 anticipating or directly confronting a certain 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:52.000 societal view. And she explains why she's dark. 00:02:52.699 --> 00:02:56.180 The sun has burned me. It sounds almost defensive. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.460 A little perhaps, or just matter of fact, but 00:02:58.460 --> 00:03:00.939 the next line definitely suggests pressure. Do 00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:03.180 not stare at me because I am so black. Yeah, 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:05.139 that really highlights the potential judgment, 00:03:05.139 --> 00:03:07.280 doesn't it? It adds this layer of vulnerability 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:10.259 even amidst all the passion. It shows external 00:03:10.259 --> 00:03:13.259 factors are still present. And then there's that 00:03:13.259 --> 00:03:16.560 bit about her responsibilities. The sons of my 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:18.879 mother were angry with me. They charged me with 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:21.479 the care of the vineyards. My own vineyard I 00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:23.740 did not take care of. That's a fascinating line. 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:25.919 It hints at conflict, doesn't it, between duties 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.340 and her own life. or maybe her own well -being. 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:31.039 Like, she's so busy with external demands, the 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.280 other vineyards she's neglected herself. That's 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:36.080 a common interpretation, yeah. Her own vineyard 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.620 as a metaphor for her own needs, desires, maybe 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:43.620 even her own body or spirit, it adds real complexity. 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:46.340 Okay, so there's that tension. Now, let's shift 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:50.199 to the yearning when they're apart, that search 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:52.400 for the beloved. Right, this creates a different 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:54.780 kind of tension, the ache of separation. Her 00:03:54.780 --> 00:03:58.530 question is so direct. Tell me you whom my soul 00:03:58.530 --> 00:04:00.949 loves, where you shepherd, where you give rest 00:04:00.949 --> 00:04:03.610 at midday. You feel the depth of that connection 00:04:03.610 --> 00:04:06.889 in you whom my soul loves and the anxiety is 00:04:06.889 --> 00:04:09.250 right there. Definitely. Why should I be like 00:04:09.250 --> 00:04:11.030 one wandering after the flocks of your companions? 00:04:11.650 --> 00:04:13.710 She doesn't want to be lost or just one of the 00:04:13.710 --> 00:04:17.829 crowd. She wants him. Specifically. And his response 00:04:17.829 --> 00:04:20.610 is interesting. It's not just don't worry. No, 00:04:20.709 --> 00:04:23.209 it's practical advice. Follow the tracks of the 00:04:23.209 --> 00:04:25.470 flock and pasture your lambs near the shepherd's 00:04:25.470 --> 00:04:28.660 tents. It's like he's gently guiding her, giving 00:04:28.660 --> 00:04:31.300 her a tangible way to find him. Reinforcing their 00:04:31.300 --> 00:04:33.120 connection almost like, you know how to find 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:36.639 me? Our bond is real! Okay, so even apart, the 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:38.620 connection's strong. Let's talk about how they 00:04:38.620 --> 00:04:40.399 praise each other, the expressions of beauty 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.680 and value. Uh, this is where the poetry gets 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:45.439 incredibly rich. So many metaphors. Starting 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:48.360 with this comparison, to a mare among Pharaoh's 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:53.060 chariotry. I compare you, my friend. Which sounds 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:55.420 a bit odd to us, maybe. Right, but you have to 00:04:55.420 --> 00:04:57.899 think context. Pharaoh's chariots, symbols of 00:04:57.899 --> 00:05:01.240 power, prestige. Okay. And the mares pulling 00:05:01.240 --> 00:05:04.339 them were elite, prized for strength, speed, 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:06.939 beauty, so comparing her to one. Ah, so it was 00:05:06.939 --> 00:05:09.079 actually a huge compliment, like calling her 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.740 exceptional prized stunning. Yeah, actually, 00:05:11.939 --> 00:05:13.939 high praise in that world. Got it. And then he 00:05:13.939 --> 00:05:17.540 gets more specific. Your cheeks, lovely impendence, 00:05:17.639 --> 00:05:20.379 your neck in jewels. Focusing on details, the 00:05:20.379 --> 00:05:22.579 adornments that enhance her beauty. But it's 00:05:22.579 --> 00:05:25.540 not just about how she looks now, is it? There's 00:05:25.540 --> 00:05:28.740 a promise. We will make pendants of gold for 00:05:28.740 --> 00:05:31.720 you and ornaments of silver. It's about cherishing 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:34.379 her, wanting to adorn her further. Like a tangible 00:05:34.379 --> 00:05:36.839 sign of how much he values her. Okay, let's move 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:39.959 into the really intimate moments. The sensory 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:42.490 details here are amazing. They really bring you 00:05:42.490 --> 00:05:44.550 into their shared space, don't they? While the 00:05:44.550 --> 00:05:46.949 king was upon his couch, my spikynard gave forth 00:05:46.949 --> 00:05:49.709 its fragrance. Spikynard? Yeah. That was precious, 00:05:49.870 --> 00:05:53.230 right? Expensive perfume. Very, like myrrh, which 00:05:53.230 --> 00:05:55.850 comes up next. Both highly valued, associated 00:05:55.850 --> 00:05:58.670 with royalty, intimacy, sacredness even, her 00:05:58.670 --> 00:06:01.149 fragrance fills their shared space. And then 00:06:01.149 --> 00:06:03.250 her descriptions of him. My lover is to me a 00:06:03.250 --> 00:06:05.569 sachet of myrrh. between my breasts, he lies. 00:06:05.930 --> 00:06:09.170 Wow. So intimate. Murr again, precious, fragrant. 00:06:09.790 --> 00:06:12.810 And the location between my breasts speaks volumes 00:06:12.810 --> 00:06:15.189 about closeness. Physical closeness, emotional 00:06:15.189 --> 00:06:17.889 closeness. And then my lover is to me a cluster 00:06:17.889 --> 00:06:20.509 of henna from the vineyards of Engedi. Henna, 00:06:20.750 --> 00:06:23.509 another beautiful scent associated with beauty 00:06:23.509 --> 00:06:27.129 and celebration. Engedi, an oasis known for its 00:06:27.129 --> 00:06:29.439 lushness. It's all about him being desirable, 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:32.240 precious, a source of delight. And he praises 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.620 her right back. How beautiful you are, my friend. 00:06:34.740 --> 00:06:37.600 How beautiful. Your eyes are doves. The dove 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:41.600 imagery often suggests gentleness, peace, maybe 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:44.519 purity. And she echoes it. Yeah. How beautiful 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.500 you are, my lover. Handsome indeed. This lovely 00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:49.899 back and forth. Yeah, that mirroring is important. 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:51.879 And then they even describe their surroundings 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:54.860 in these lush terms. Burdened indeed is our couch. 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:58.839 The beams of our house are cedars. are rafters, 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:01.259 cypresses. It's like their love makes even their 00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:03.819 dwelling place rich and beautiful. Cedars and 00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:06.139 cypresses, strong, fragrant, valuable woods. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:08.480 Painting this idyllic picture, okay, now for 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:10.800 the even more metaphorical language they use. 00:07:10.939 --> 00:07:12.560 Right, taking it up another level. She says, 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:15.360 I'm a flower of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:18.800 Humble wildflowers, but beautiful ones. Suggesting 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:21.079 something natural, maybe unassuming? Perhaps, 00:07:21.300 --> 00:07:23.100 but then he immediately elevates her. Like a 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:25.199 lily among thorns, so is my friend among women. 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:28.399 Ah, so she stands out. Her beauty and purity 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.180 shine even in a difficult world, like a lily 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:34.300 surrounded by sharp thorns. Precisely. It singles 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:37.040 her out as exceptional. And she returns the favor. 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:39.620 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.660 so is my lover among men. The apple tree offering 00:07:42.660 --> 00:07:47.139 fruit, sweetness, shade perhaps? Standing out 00:07:47.139 --> 00:07:50.620 from ordinary woodland trees? He's special, nourishing. 00:07:50.899 --> 00:07:53.480 And she follows that with, in his shadow I delight 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:56.610 to sit. and his fruit is sweet to my taste. That's 00:07:56.610 --> 00:07:59.230 so telling, isn't it? Finding comfort, protection, 00:07:59.470 --> 00:08:02.490 the shadow, and deep satisfaction sustenance 00:08:02.490 --> 00:08:05.529 the sweet fruit. Both security and fulfillment 00:08:05.529 --> 00:08:07.949 from him. It's this beautiful cycle of admiration. 00:08:08.170 --> 00:08:10.509 It really is. So what about the actual experience 00:08:10.509 --> 00:08:13.029 of being in love? How is that described? Well, 00:08:13.110 --> 00:08:14.889 there's that sense of being overwhelmed, I think. 00:08:15.209 --> 00:08:17.350 He brought me to the banquet hall and his glance 00:08:17.350 --> 00:08:19.610 at me signaled love. Like being totally surrounded 00:08:19.610 --> 00:08:22.350 by it, immersed in affection. Yes. And then that 00:08:22.350 --> 00:08:24.790 physical intensity. Strengthen me with raisin 00:08:24.790 --> 00:08:27.569 cakes, refresh me with apples for I am sick with 00:08:27.569 --> 00:08:30.920 love. Ugh. the classic lovesick feeling. She's 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:33.820 so overcome she needs actual physical sustenance. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:37.399 Exactly. It's expressed so vividly here. It highlights 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:40.299 how all consuming these deep feelings can be. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:43.019 Joyful, but almost painful sometimes in their 00:08:43.019 --> 00:08:46.139 intensity. It feels very real, very human even 00:08:46.139 --> 00:08:48.580 now. Definitely. And right after that plea you 00:08:48.580 --> 00:08:51.240 get this image of comfort. His left hand is under 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:53.879 my head and his right arm embraces me. It's such 00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:56.309 a tender picture of closeness. of being held 00:08:56.309 --> 00:08:58.669 and secure. It's a moment of perfect intimacy. 00:08:59.009 --> 00:09:02.090 And then comes that strange warning, or plea. 00:09:02.889 --> 00:09:05.850 I adjure you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles 00:09:05.850 --> 00:09:08.559 and the does of the field, do not awaken. or 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:11.679 stir up love until it is ready. That adoration 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:13.860 is crucial. It comes up a few times. What's the 00:09:13.860 --> 00:09:15.879 significance, do you think? It emphasizes that 00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:18.100 love is delicate, isn't it? It has its own natural 00:09:18.100 --> 00:09:20.179 timing. You can't force it or rush it and use 00:09:20.179 --> 00:09:22.200 to unfold. Like trying to wake someone up before 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:24.320 they're ready, you have to respect its process. 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:27.320 Exactly. Protect it, let it grow naturally. It's 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:30.220 a really lovely, sensitive idea. Okay, let's 00:09:30.220 --> 00:09:33.259 transition now to the lover's arrival. There's 00:09:33.259 --> 00:09:35.899 this incredible energy tied into spring. Oh yeah, 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:38.440 the section bursts with life and anticipation. 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:41.679 It mirrors that feeling of reunion, of love blossoming 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:44.039 again. The sound of my lover. Here he comes, 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:45.919 springing across the mountains, leaping across 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:48.100 the hills. Just listen to the energy in that. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:50.700 It's so dynamic, you can almost see him bounding 00:09:50.700 --> 00:09:52.700 towards her full of eagerness. And comparing 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:56.200 him to a gazelle or a young stag. Perfect images 00:09:56.200 --> 00:09:59.480 of agility, vitality, speed. He's not dragging 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:01.720 his feet. No way. But then there's this moment 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:06.059 of almost hidden observation. See? He is standing 00:10:06.059 --> 00:10:08.059 behind our wall, gazing through the windows, 00:10:08.460 --> 00:10:10.779 peering through the lattices. Hmm, that adds 00:10:10.779 --> 00:10:13.860 a layer of suspense, doesn't it? Longing anticipation. 00:10:14.379 --> 00:10:17.259 He's close, but not quite there yet, peeking 00:10:17.259 --> 00:10:19.519 in. And he calls out to her. Arise, my friend, 00:10:19.659 --> 00:10:22.419 my beautiful one, and come. And the reason? Nature 00:10:22.419 --> 00:10:25.080 itself is calling. For see the winter is past, 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:27.700 the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear 00:10:27.700 --> 00:10:30.379 on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has 00:10:30.379 --> 00:10:32.659 come, and the song of the turtle dove is heard 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:35.789 in our land. It's a complete awakening. Winter 00:10:35.789 --> 00:10:38.789 is over, symbolically maybe a time of separation, 00:10:39.169 --> 00:10:41.830 or quietness is over. Now it's time for life, 00:10:42.269 --> 00:10:45.970 growth, song. The whole world is reflecting the 00:10:45.970 --> 00:10:48.690 renewal of their connection. The appearance of 00:10:48.690 --> 00:10:51.809 figs, the fragrance of vines. It's all tied together. 00:10:52.289 --> 00:10:54.909 Their love and the natural world are in sync, 00:10:55.129 --> 00:10:57.710 bursting forth together. It really deepens the 00:10:57.710 --> 00:11:00.289 feeling of blossoming love. Okay, after that 00:11:00.289 --> 00:11:03.350 rush of spring imagery, we get this very intimate 00:11:03.350 --> 00:11:07.450 call. Yes, his address to her. My dove in the 00:11:07.450 --> 00:11:10.090 clefs of the rock, in the secret recesses of 00:11:10.090 --> 00:11:12.789 the cliff. A dove, suggesting gentleness again, 00:11:13.009 --> 00:11:15.870 but also hidden, protected. Exactly. It feels 00:11:15.870 --> 00:11:18.450 incredibly tender, affectionate, like she's precious, 00:11:18.870 --> 00:11:21.250 maybe a bit vulnerable, hidden away safely. And 00:11:21.250 --> 00:11:23.690 he wants to bridge that distance. Let me see 00:11:23.690 --> 00:11:25.830 your face, let me hear your voice. Such a simple, 00:11:25.990 --> 00:11:27.909 fundamental desire, isn't it? For your voice 00:11:27.909 --> 00:11:30.529 is sweet, and your face is lovely. Just one of 00:11:30.529 --> 00:11:32.289 that basic sensory connection with the person 00:11:32.289 --> 00:11:34.549 you love. It's profound in its simplicity, seeing 00:11:34.549 --> 00:11:37.809 and hearing the beloved. And then, uh, this call 00:11:37.809 --> 00:11:42.149 to action about foxes. Catch us the foxes, the 00:11:42.149 --> 00:11:44.070 little foxes that damaged the vineyards, for 00:11:44.070 --> 00:11:46.669 our vineyards are in bloom. A brilliant metaphor, 00:11:46.789 --> 00:11:49.149 I think. For what? What are the foxes? Well, 00:11:49.190 --> 00:11:51.440 the vineyards represent their love, right? which 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.299 is in bloom, flourishing, but maybe still fragile. 00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:57.240 So the foxes, the little foxes could be anything 00:11:57.240 --> 00:11:59.700 that threatens to undermine or damage that love. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:04.519 Small doubts, external pressures, gossip, misunderstandings. 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.940 Things that can gnaw away at a relationship, 00:12:07.259 --> 00:12:10.220 especially when it's new or blossoming. Precisely. 00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:13.299 So the call is to be vigilant, to actively protect 00:12:13.299 --> 00:12:15.419 their love from these threats. Don't let the 00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:17.740 little things spoil it. It's a call for intentional 00:12:17.740 --> 00:12:20.480 effort to safeguard what they have. That resonates, 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:22.500 doesn't it? Thinking about early relationships 00:12:22.500 --> 00:12:24.740 or even just moments of vulnerability. Absolutely. 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:28.019 It suggests love isn't just passive. It requires 00:12:28.019 --> 00:12:31.000 active nurturing and protection for anyone listening 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:33.700 who's maybe in that early stage or feeling that 00:12:33.700 --> 00:12:36.639 longing. It's a reminder to cherish and guard 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:40.220 that connection. Okay, so finally we arrive at 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:43.419 these declarations of belonging and still a bit 00:12:43.419 --> 00:12:46.080 of longing. Yes, the woman's declaration is so 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.720 strong. My lover belongs to me and I to him. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.720 Total mutual devotion. Simple, powerful. He feeds 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:56.559 among the lilies. That image suggests he finds 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:59.240 nourishment, beauty, peace within their connection, 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.100 within her sphere. It's a fulfilling image, but 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:05.259 then there's still this sense of waiting. Until 00:13:05.259 --> 00:13:07.799 the day grows cool and the shadows flee, roam, 00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:10.539 my lover. Right. It seems to imply a temporary 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:13.139 separation still, or perhaps the cycle of day 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:15.700 and night, presence and absence. She wants him 00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:17.919 near when night comes, when the shadows flee 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:20.620 at dawn. Like a gazelle or a young stag upon 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:23.220 the rugged mountains. Back to that image of him, 00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:26.519 agile and perhaps distant for a time. It suggests 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:29.139 longing continues, even within the security of 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:31.820 belonging. There's anticipation for reunion, 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:34.379 for closeness, maybe across challenging terrain, 00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:37.519 the rugged mountains, symbolizing life's difficulties 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:40.080 they navigate together. So wrapping up this deep 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:42.799 dive, we've really journeyed through quite a 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:44.440 landscape of emotion, haven't we? We certainly 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:47.120 have, from that intense initial longing. Yeah, 00:13:47.259 --> 00:13:50.419 through expressions of beauty, self -worth, societal 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:53.419 pressures. The sheer joy of mutual love, the 00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:56.600 intimacy. And always that thread of anticipation, 00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:59.899 separation, and reunion. The song of Solomon 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:02.759 just uses such vivid imagery, such heartfelt 00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:05.200 language to capture it all. It really does. It 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:08.159 feels both ancient and incredibly immediate. 00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:11.679 It nails that intensity, that intimacy of romantic 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:14.860 love. And it's remarkable how much it still resonates, 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:17.600 isn't it? The core emotions, the desire, the 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:20.019 joy, the vulnerability, the need for connection, 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:22.899 they feel so contemporary. Totally. Despite all 00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:25.360 the centuries between then and now, that human 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:27.200 heart hasn't changed all that much. It seems 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:30.279 not. The power of that connection endures. Absolutely. 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:32.840 It really makes you think, doesn't it? As you 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:34.899 listen, consider what parts of this ancient song 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:36.919 sparked something in you, what resonated with 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:38.960 your own experiences or understanding of love 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.389 and desire. It's quite a testament to how deeply 00:14:41.389 --> 00:14:44.490 connected we are across time through these fundamental 00:14:44.490 --> 00:14:44.909 feelings.