Song of Solomon.
The love of a man and a woman, celebrated openly — and, in the church's allegorical tradition, the love of Christ for his bride.
Who wrote Song of Solomon?
Attributed to Solomon ("the Song of Songs, which is Solomon's").
Who was it written for?
The covenant people — and, in Christian reading, the church learning to read its love for Christ.
Structure
- Dialogue between lover and beloved across eight chapters; no clear narrative arc.
Key verses
Why Song of Solomon matters
The Bible's only sustained love poetry. Jewish tradition read it as the love of God for Israel; Christian tradition extended that to Christ and the church. Both readings work because the surface meaning — human love is good, intense, and from God — is itself a Christian truth. The book refuses to be embarrassed about either layer.
Related tools
Read the book, then test it.
Kerygma's trivia rounds cover Song of Solomon in the Wisdom & Poetry stream — once you've sat with the overview, the questions go deeper into the text. Free for seven days.
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