Male lover
“How graceful are your feet in sandals.
O queenly maiden!
Your rounded thighs are like jewels.
They are the work of a master hand.
Your navel is a rounded bowl
That never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
Encircled with lilies.
Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.
Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,
By the gate of Bath-rabbim.
Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon,
Overlooking Damascus.
Your head crowns you like Carmel.
Your flowing locks are like purple.
A king is held captive in the tresses.”
This description of the female lover is not exactly the same as in chapters 4 and 6. Here she has graceful feet in her sandals with rounded thighs like jewels. Her navel was like a round bowl with mixed wines. Her belly was like a heap of wheat with lilies. Her two breasts were like fawns or gazelles. He seemed to know a lot about her body. Her neck was like an ivory tower. Her eyes were like the pools in Heshbon that was on the east side of the Jordan River. Heshbon had been the chief city of King Sidon of the Amorites as found in Numbers, chapter 21. These pools must have been famous as it became Israelite territory. This town also became known as Bath-rabbim. Her nose was like a high tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus. I am not sure how this is a compliment. Her head was like Mount Carmel. Her locks were purple here and not like a flock of goats as earlier described. Nevertheless, the king was held captive by them anyway.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 