Song of Songs, Concerning Solomon... Why?

I have been learning to recognize Hebrew idioms and poetry which show up often in Scriptures. Even in today's world idioms and poetic prose are part of our everyday language.  With that being said, there is one particular 'book' that has always bothered me: Song of Songs (aka Songs of Solomon or Songs concerning Solomon).  The other book is Esther, but that's another study for another day.

This is not an attack on the life and times of Solomon. I do, however, question why this song of sexual attraction is included in Scriptures after we have learned that Solomon's 'sin' was his lust for women. The influence they had caused him to build shrines for their pagan gods as he turned his back on YHWH. I can't just brush that off.

The other thing that bugs me about this is that folks seem to think there is a deeper meaning hidden in this song and go as far as to believe it is an allegory for the love Yah has for the 'church', the 'bride of Christ'.... and you know how that church-bride thing really chaps my hide!

It is what it is:

a poem about physical attraction.

Romans 8:7 ~ Because minding the things of the flesh is enmity towards Elohim: for it does not subject itself to the Torah of Elohim, because it is not possible. And they who are in the flesh cannot please Elohim

Reading about Solomon's rise and fall as recorded in Kings, and noted in Chronicles, is a valuable lesson in and of itself teaching us, one more time, of someone who had agreed to do as YHWH said, then later on turns away from His Commands. His life also fulfills prophecy and affirms once again that our Creator does what He says He will do. YHWH said to Solomon: "I will further grant you long life, if you will walk in My ways and observe My laws and commandments, as did your father David." (1 Kings 3:14)

I personally do not see the need to acknowledge Solomon with a separate 'greatest hits' song book in the 'holy canon'. He was a womanizer and his harem of wives and concubines caused him to worship other gods and build shrines/temples to them. Another lesson we can take away from him is that one can have everything - health, wealth, wisdom, good looks, and a kingdom - and still blow it.  In obedience to our Creator all things are possible, although turning our backs on Him incurs His wrath.

Did Solomon write this poem? Maybe the young woman wrote it after falling for the promises made to her by the king, only to be disappointed after he had his way with her, and she refused to be added to his collection.

After considering the views of others in support of the love 'allegories', I still don't understand why the early church fathers included this writing and shunned others. Supposedly their choices were made by what they deemed as 'divinely inspired' and I don't see this book being inspired by anything other than physical desires. I think including the writings found in 'Jasher' would have been a better choice.

"One of the terms used in describing the books that belong in Scripture is the word 'canon'. This comes from the Greek word kanon, meaning reed or measurement. A canonical book is one that measures up to the standard of Holy Scripture. Thus, the canon of Scripture refers to the books that are considered the authoritative Word of God."

In regards to the above statement, my first thought is that Torah is the authoritative word of YHWH, the writings we find in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  If future writings do not line up with these, are they truly authorized by YHWH?  And how does mere man decide what is and is not the Word of our Creator? This process of selection reminds me of how the Pharisees took away from and added to the Word of YHWH, and the beginnings of Judaism. They eventually ended up with the Mishna, the Talmud and the Kabbalah.  Mere men were deciding how to interpret the Word of Elohim because they thought common folk were unable to. I cannot stress the importance of reading Scriptures for ourselves.  It gets easier to read because we gain bits and pieces of understanding afforded us by Yah's Set Apart Spirit each time.  Make reading Scriptures in their entirety your new hobby and it will become your passion. Our Creator wants us to search for Him as if looking for treasure and this certainly gets one started.

We read in 1 Kings 11 that Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh's daughter (a matter of political alliance) - Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Phoenician and Hittite women, all from the nations of which YHWH had said, "None of you shall join them and none of them shall join you in marriage...  they will turn your heart away to follow their gods."  These are the women Solomon clung to and loved. He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned his heart away from Yah and towards other gods and he became less devoted to the Elohim of his father.  Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Phoenicians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. What he did displeased YHWH. He built a shrine for Chemosh the abomination of Moab on the hill near Jerusalem, and one for Molech/Milcom. He did the same for all his foreign wives who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. YHWH was angry with Solomon because his heart turned away from Him. Two times Yah had appeared to Solomon and this third time Yah says, "Because you are guilty of this- you have not kept My covenant and the laws which I enjoined upon you - I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. For the sake of your father, David, I will not do it in your lifetime, I will tear it away from your son - not the whole kingdom, I will give him one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

Would YHWH hide meaning in a love poem by this man? Would He use animalistic analogies for human love? Physical attraction? His own definition of love? This poem does not reference anything spiritual or give glory to Yahweh Elohim.  It focuses on fleshly things and human desires. It is void of companionship, friendship, trust, protection and family values.

1 John 2:15 ~ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life —is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of YHWH remains forever.…

This poem evokes the image of a beautiful young woman whose tanned skin and curly hair is striking, unlike the maidens of Jerusalem, who seem chaste, innocent and are even called 'thorns' by comparison. This woman is a shepherdess and her brothers make her guard their vineyards. She spends a lot of time outdoors which accents her rugged beauty. She has fallen head over heels for the man in this poem and works her feminine wiles on him. He is totally taken in by her beauty and perfumes and fruits... even mandrakes play a part in this story of seduction. They are sneaking around, and have sex outdoors, indoors, and in her mother's own bed. Oh, he does call her 'his bride' a time or two and perhaps he does desire to marry her or at least add her to his 'harem' but we don't read of any betrothal or marriage in this poem, nor does he call her his wife. Perhaps he simply tempted her with the prospect of marriage, to lure her in.

If we stick to Yah's Instructions we find nothing providing acceptance for this adulterous affair or premarital sex, nothing to witness to its 'divine' authority. If it is Solomon writing about his own lust for women we truly see the extent of his weakness which got him in trouble with the Creator - that is the lesson and drives home the point that Solomon, even though obedient and loved by YHWH, caved in to the lust of the flesh and worshiped other gods. Was she an innocent victim of this man's sexual appetite? She may have been his 'one and only' once upon a time, but the ending to this poem reads like she'd had enough: of him, his vineyard and money and guards, and she leaves to go back to her own vineyard, the one she left unprotected.

When Solomon had his heart set on her he already had 60 queens and 80 concubines and damsels without number; and we've read that he ended up with 700 royal wives and 300 concubines. The Shulammite Woman finally realized she'd been had. She was a budding young woman willing to give herself to this man who beguiled her with hopes of marriage, but ended up being just another notch in his bed post.

From Ephesians 2 ~ And also you who were dead in your sins and in your offenses in which you before walked, according to the worldliness of this world and according to the will of the prince and power of the air (Satan), that spirit which is active in the children of disobedience: In which deeds we formerly spoke of in the cravings of our flesh; and we did the pleasure of our flesh and of our thoughts and imagination, and were altogether the children of wrath, like the rest.... Therefore, be mindful that you were formerly carnal Gentiles, without Y'shua and alienated from the Word of Elohim, His Instructions for Israel... without hope and without Yahweh...  Because of His Son there is access for us by His Spirit to the Father... we become fellow citizens with the Set Apart believers and the household of YHWH Elohim.

Now, if you want to try to take all of this and turn it into some feel good mystical thing, and compare it to the love YHWH has for His people, or try to connect this to the church as the bride of christ... or maybe because it reflects upon and gives a false sense of justification for your own fleshly desires, I think you have become side-lined on a rabbit trail. This poem is all physical and nothing spiritual, there are no connections to be made. "There is nothing in the book to suggest it’s anything but a lyrical presentation of what actually took place between King Solomon and his Shulammite woman. There are no supernatural events; there is nothing that must be understood as allegorical, and there is no need to spiritualize the text."

The Song of Solomon can be read and interpreted just as it was written, as a love poem expressing strong physical attraction between this older experienced man and that younger woman, who has recently come of age.  Her brothers tried to keep their little sister from being noticed, but she rebelled against them and strutted her stuff.

Galatians 5:19 ~ For you know the works of the flesh, which are these:adultery, impurity and lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, treacheries, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry and all like things.  Those who do things like these, they will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Proverbs 31:30 ~ Grace is deceptive, beauty is illusory; it is for her fear of YHWH that a woman is to be praised.

Now, take a look at this song for yourselves, read it from your copy of Scriptures. After considering my take on it, does it still read the same familiar way to you? Is it about the love between a husband and his wife; or a story of sexual gratification?  Honestly, if I had to read this aloud in mixed company, I would be embarrassed.  The Word of Yahweh Elohim should not be an embarrassment to anyone!

For further review, I have entered The Song of Songs from my copy of the Tanakh. I omitted some duplicate verses and (my comments/additions and quotes are in parenthesis).  I considered removing my comments, but left them to help you see where I'm coming from.

(The woman speaks first):

Give me the kisses of your mouth. For your love is more delightful than wine. (youthful infatuation; feeling giddy) Your ointments yield a sweet fragrance, your name is like finest oil - That is why maidens love you (No wonder all the young girls desire you, but I'm the lucky one) Draw me after you, let us run! Bring me to your chambers (take me to bed). Let us delight and rejoice in your love, savoring it more than wine- Like new wine they love you.

I am dark skinned and comely (good looking), O you daughters of Jerusalem (compared to the gals living in Jerusalem). Dark like the tents of Kedar, beautiful like the pavilions of Solomon. Don't stare at me. I am swarthy (my complexion is dark and tanned) because the sun has gazed upon me. My mother's sons argued with me and made me guard the vineyards; my own vineyard I did not guard. (She left it to go after Solomon)

(The man speaks to his darling):

Tell me, you whom I love so well, where do you pasture your sheep and where do you rest them at noon? (So I can find you later) Let me not be as one who strays beside the flocks of your fellows (I don't want to go the wrong way and my intentions become obvious to others). If you do not know, O fairest of women, go follow the tracks of the sheep, and graze your kids by the tents of the shepherds. (if you don't know where you're going to be, go this way and I will find you) 

I have likened you my darling to a mare in Pharaoh's chariots. Your cheeks are comely with plaited wreaths, your neck with strings of jewels. We will add wreaths of gold to your spangles of silver.

(Deuteronomy 29:15 ~ You know very well that we dwelt in the land of Egypt and that we passed through the midst of various other nations; and you have seen the detestable things and the fetishes of wood and stone, silver and gold, that they keep.  Perchance there is among you some man or woman, or some clan or tribe, whose heart is even now turning away from YHWH our Elohim to go and worship the gods of those nations....)

(The woman speaks of her beloved):

While the king was on his couch, my nard* gave forth its fragrance. My beloved to me is a bag of myrrh lodged between my breasts; a spray of henna blooms from the vineyards of En-gedi**

(Solomon): Ah, you are fair my darling, with your dove-like eyes!

(The woman): And you my beloved are handsome, beautiful indeed! Our couch (bed) is in a bower; cedars are the beams of our house, cypresses the rafters. I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. 

(Solomon): A lily among thorns, so is my darling among maidens.

(Woman): Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the youths. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my mouth. He brought me to the banquet room and his banner of love was over me (meaning of Hebrew uncertain). Sustain me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love. His left hand was under my head, his right arm embraced me. I adjure you, you maidens of Jerusalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field (idiom: by no means) Do not wake or rouse love until it please! (leave us alone, we're not done yet).

Do you hear that my beloved? There he comes leaping over mountains, bounding over hills - You my beloved are like a gazelle, a young stag. There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the window, peering through the lattice. (who is this 'he', this peeping tom - a young stag? another lover?)

(Solomon): Arise, my darling, my fair one, come away!  Winter is past, the rains are over and gone, the blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of pruning has come. The song of the turtledove is heard in our land. Green figs form on the fig tree, the vines in blossom give off fragrance. Arise my darling; my fair one come away!  My dove in the cranny of the rocks, hidden by the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is comely.

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards for ours is in blossom.

(Woman): My beloved is mine and I am his who browses among the lilies. When the day declines and the shadows lengthen, set out, my beloved, swift as a gazelle or a young stag, for the hill of spices. (They had a season together and now she's by herself, on her own couch)...

Upon my couch at night (in a dream) I sought the one I love, I searched and did not find him. I must get up now and roam the town, through the streets and through the squares; I must seek the one I love... but I did not find him. I met the watchmen who patrol the town and asked if they had seen the one I love. Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one I love.  I held fast to him and would not let go until I brought him to my mother's house, to the chamber (bed) of her who conceived me I adjure you maidens of Jerusalem, (by no means); do not wake or rouse love until it please!

Who is she that comes up from the desert like columns of smoke, clouds of myrrh and frankincense, of all the powders of the merchant? (are the warriors wondering who this is as she approaches the heavily guarded king?)  There is Solomon's couch, encircled by sixty warriors of the warriors of Israel, all of them trained in warfare, skilled in battle, each with a sword on thigh because of terror by night.  King Solomon made himself a palaquin of wood from Lebanon (a means of transportation, usually for one person, an enclosed litter with poles, carried on the shoulders of 4 to 6 men). He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple wool. Within, it was decked with love by the maidens of Jerusalem.

O maidens of Zion, go forth and gaze upon King Solomon wearing the crown that his mother gave him on his wedding day, on his day of bliss. (was Pharaoh's daughter his first marriage? and was it Bathsheba who gave him his crown?)

(Solomon): Ah, you are fair my darling, you are fair, your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of ewes climbing up from the washing pool; all of them bear twins, and not one loses her young. Your lips are like a crimson thread, your mouth is lovely. Your brow behind your veil gleams like a pomegranate split open. (is she blushing, sunburned or colored with henna?) Your neck is like the tower of David built to hold weapons (to adorn with jewelry) hung with a thousand shields- All the quivers of warriors.  Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, browsing among the lilies.  When the day comes to an end and the shadows flee I will betake me to the mount of myrrh, to the  hill of frankincense.  Every part of you is fair my darling, there is no blemish in you; from Lebanon come with me, from Lebanon my bride, with me! Trip down from Amana's peak, from the peak of Senir and Hermon, from the dens of lions, from the hills of leopards.  You have captured my heart, my own, my bride, you have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one coil of your necklace. How sweet is your love, my own bride!  More delightful than wine, your ointments more fragrant than any spice!  Sweetness drops from your lips; honey and milk are under your tongue; the scent of your robes smell like Lebanon (Is this just loose talk from Solomon in order to fully conquer this woman?) A garden locked is my own, my bride, a fountain locked, a sealed-up spring. Your limbs are an orchard of pomegranates and of all luscious fruits, of henna and nard- nard and saffron, fragrant reed and cinnamon, with all aromatic woods, myrrh and aloes- all the choice perfumes. You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water, a rill of Lebanon.

(The woman says): Awake, o north wind, come, o south wind! Blow upon my garden (my body), that its perfume may spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and enjoy its luscious fruits!
Solomon: I have come to my garden and plucked my myrrh and spice, eaten my honey and honeycomb, drunk my wine and my milk...

Eat lovers and drink; drink deep of love

(The woman says): I was sleeping but my heart was awake. (Was she dreaming that she was his bride?) I heard my beloved knock!
(He says): Let me in my darling, my faultless dove, for my head is drenched with dew, my locks iwth the damp of night.
(She says): I had taken off my robe, was I to put it back on?  I had already washed my feet, was I to get them dirty again? (has her desire for him dwindled? she's already for bed and hesitates to let him in?)  My beloved took his hand off the latch and my heart was stirred for him. I rose to let him in, my hands dripped myrrh from my fingers onto the handles of the bolt. I opened the door but my beloved had turned and gone.  I was faint because of what he said. I looked but could not find him. I called but he did not answer. I met the watchmen who patrol the town; they struck me, they bruised me. The guards of the walls stripped me of my mantle. I adjure you O maidens of Jerusalem! If you see the one I love tell him I am faint with love. (why would the watchmen hit her hard enough to leave bruises?)

The maidens of Jerusalem answer: How is your beloved better than another, O fairest of women, that you adjure us so? (Definition of 'adjure': to command solemnly as if under oath or penalty of a curse)

(The woman describes her beloved):

He is clear-skinned and ruddy, preeminent among ten thousand. His head is finest gold, his locks are curled and black as a raven. His eyes are like doves by watercourses, bathed in milk, set by a brimming pool. His cheeks are like beds of spices, banks of perfume, his lips are like lilies; they drip flowing myrrh. His hands are rods of gold, studded with beryl; his belly a tablet of ivory, adorned with sapphires. His legs are like marble pillars set in socket of fine gold. He is majestic as Lebanon, stately as the cedars. His mouth is delicious and all of him is a delight. Such is my beloved darling.

(The Maidens of Jerusalem say): Where has he gone? Where has your loved one turned? Let us look for him with you.

(The woman): He has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to browse in the gardens and pick lilies. I am his and he is mine; he browses among the lilies.

(Solomon): You are beautiful my darling, as beautiful as Tizrah*** and comely as Jerusalem, awesome as bannered hosts (flags/standards carried by/displayed by an army, in parade). Turn your eyes away from me, for they overwhelm me! There are sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and damsels without number. Only one is my dove, my perfect one, the only one of her mother, they delight of her who bore her. (Her mother only had one daughter, but more than one son). Maidens, queens and concubines see,  acclaim, and praise her.

Who is she that shines through like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, radiant as the sun awesome as bannered hosts?

I went down to the nut grove to see the budding of the vale; to see if the vines had blossomed, if the pomegranates were in bloom. Before I knew it, my desire set me amid the chariots of Ammi-nadib.... 

Turn back O maid of Shulem! Come back that we may gaze upon you. 

Why would you gaze at the Shulamite woman in the Mahanaim dance? (Possibly another example of bad dancing - dancing that results in physical desires. He wants to climb upon her, obviously sexually aroused watching her dance...)

How lovely are your feet in sandals, o daughter of nobles! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a master's hand. Your navel is like a round goblet- let mixed wine not be lacking! Your belly is like heap of wheat hedged about with lilies. Your breasts like twin fawns of the gazelle, your neck like an ivory tower, your eyes like pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim, your nose like a Lebanon tower that faces toward Damascus. The head on you is like crimson (red colored) wool, the locks of your head are like purple- a king is held captive in the tresses. (Hair so black it looks purple? Had she used henna to dye her hair giving it a purple sheen?)  How fair you are, how beautiful! O Love with all its rapture! Your stately form is like the palm, your breasts are like clusters.  Let me climb you and take hold of your branches; let your breasts be like clusters of grapes, your breath the fragrance of apples, your mouth like choice wine.  

(The woman speaks): Let love flow to my beloved as new wine gliding over the lips of sleepers.  I am his and his desire is for me. Come, let us go into the open and lodge among the henna shrubs in the village. Lets go early to the vineyards and see if the vine has flowered, its blossoms opened and if the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give my love to you. The mandrakes yield their fragrance at our doors are all choice fruits; both fresh picked and long stored have I kept for you.

If only it could be as with a brother, as if you were nursed by my mother, then I could kiss you in public and no one would despise me (Does this indicate a secret love affair? they couldn't be seen being affectionate in public because they were not married? She just mentioned she wanted them to go out early and have sex in the vineyards, hiding away from prying eyes....)

Who is she who comes up from the desert, leaning upon her beloved?

Under the apple tree I roused you; it was there your mother conceived you... (they had sex out in the open, under the same tree her mother got laid - is that ritualistic goddess worship or what !?)

Let me be a seal upon your heart, like the seal upon your hand. For love is fierce as death, passion is mighty as Sheol; its darts are darts of fire, a blazing flame. Vast floods cannot quench love, nor rivers drown it. If a man offered all his wealth for love, he would be laughed out of town.

Her brothers want to keep her from being spoken for and she says: My breasts are like towers, so I became in his eyes as one who finds favor. (again, nothing but physical attraction)

(Chapter 8 verse 11):

Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He had to post guards in the vineyard to protect it. A man would pay a thousand pieces of silver for its fruit. Verse 12 someone says, "I have my very own vineyard: You may have the thousand, Solomon, and 200 guards." (Is this woman shaking her fist at Solomon? He may have a thousand pieces of silver and 200 guards, but this maiden has her own vineyard, the one she left unguarded early on in this poem, and now maybe she's ready to go home, and take care of herself.)

O you who linger in the garden,
a lover is listening; let me hear your voice. 

Hurry, my beloved, swift as a gazelle or your stag, to the hills of spices!

The End

It seems to represent how Solomon chose to seduce his women, and how women fawned and influenced him. Would YHWH use such a book to mirror Himself or His love for Israel? or the "church as the bride of christ"? I really don't think so. Come to think of it, even Y'shua lets us know there is no marriage in the kingdom to come. When we are gathered up at the return of Y'shua, we will be given incorruptible bodies.

Matthew 22:30 ~ For in the resurrection, neither do they marry, nor are given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven.

I have gone over this study several times before finally posting it because, to be fair, I am giving myself the benefit of doubt ... if I've got it wrong I'd like to discover it first, but will gladly accept your chastisement ... and to be honest, I am having a very difficult time seeing this as something 'positive' or glorifying or authorized by our Father.

❁~❂~❃~❃~❂~❁

~ Remember, we read in Revelation
   that the New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb.
~ For another perspective on the Shulammite woman click here

❁~❂~❃~❃~❂~❁

Tidbits of Info:

*Plant/Spice properties: Nard is a gentle aromatic sedative related to valerian with similar properties. Saffron was used in traditional medicine as an aphrodisiac. Calamus was believed it helped memory improvement, prolongation of life span and sexual potency. Native Americans used it for headache, asthma, oral hygeine and to combat fatigue. Mandrakes, known for their narcotic effect, were used in a bargaining effort between Rachel and Leah so that Jacob would have sex with Leah that night. Cinnamon has a lot of health benefits and it just smells great. Frankincense smells wonderful too, and helps relieve stress and anxiety, reduces pain and inflammation and boost immunity. Myrrh, another sweet earthy aroma, has a purifying and cleansing effect and acts as an antibacterial. 

**En Gedi is the largest oasis along the western shore of the Dead Sea. The area was allotted to the tribe of Judah, and was famous in the time of Solomon (Joshua 15:62).

***Tizrah was one of the 5 daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, descendants of Manasseh. They were the girls who banded together to face Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly and lay claim to their part of the land. (Numbers 27) They set a precedent and Yah added these instructions for future scenario: "If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughters. If he has no daughter, transfer his property to his brothers. If he has no brothers, assign his property to his father's brothers. If his father had no brothers, assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, and he shall inherit it."

****Henna is a natural hair colorant that produces a red-orange dye molecule, lawsone. Henna contains hennotannic acid which, when mixed with hot water, will coat the hair. It is used to paint patterns on the skin, temporarily dying it, known as henna tattoos

And what on earth is the Manahaim Dance? (the dance of the two camps) Quote: Mahanaim was given its name by Jacob. After Jacob and his family departed from his father-in-law Laban, he was met by angels of Yah. Jacob said "This is Elohim's camp", so he called the place Mahanaim (Gen 32:1-2).  It later became one of the Levite cities on the border between the territories of Manasseh and Gad.  After King Saul died, his general, Abner, enthroned Saul's son Ishbosheth at Mahanaim. David fled to Mahanaim when his son Absalom revolted. Mahanaim became the center of one of the 12 districts that King Solomon appointed officials over, to provide food one month a year for the King and his household. Today Mahanaim is called Tell edh Dhahab el Gharbi, and is located in Jordan, about 33 miles north east of the Dead Sea, north of the Jabbok River.

I have to ask, who would want a nose that was like the "Tower of Lebanon that faces Damascus" and think it was a compliment?  Just who is this Shulammite Woman? She is called 'maid of Shulem' and 'daughter of nobles'. Most scholars think it likely that the term “Shulammite” indicates that she was from Shulam, which they believe to be synonymous with Shunem, a small town in northern Israel. It's possible she came from Lebanon. If so, she may have been descended from the Phoenicians.

Map of Ancient Israel

Please Ignore the designation of "Palestine" used on this map -
After World War I, the name Palestine was applied to the territory that was placed under British Mandate; this area included present-day Israel along with present-day Jordan.


Here's the link to this wonderful site full of maps: Bible Maps

Yah Approved House of Prayer

Abraham was a Hebrew:

Genesis 14:13 Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew (about Lot being taken captive).

His descendants are Hebrews.  Even when YHWH changed Jacob's name to Israel, they were still descendants of Abraham, still Hebrews, becoming the House of Israel. Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

Yah is the God of our fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with whom He has kept His everlasting covenant:

Genesis 17:7 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you (Abraham) and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and to your descendants after you.

Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' (He is going to the sons of Jacob/Israel [descendants of Abraham], who were the heads of each of their clans = the 12 tribes of Israel. Each tribe was named after each of the 12 sons.)

YHWH is God/Elohim of the Hebrews:

Exodus 5:3 Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us.

Exodus 7:16 "You shall say to him, 'The God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness.

Exodus 10:3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 

God is YHWH the Elohim of the Hebrews and their descendants, and all who may turn from those pagan ways and serve Him.   Not by any of  man's traditions, but by obedience to His commands.

From the Mountain to the Tent

The first 'temple' was the Tabernacle constructed from the pattern YHWH showed Moses and it is patterned after the one in heaven. This is where God attached His Name after He moved from the mountain. It was the House of Elohim.  This pattern also served as a foreshadow of the temple Solomon would build.

Exodus 25:8 "Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9 "According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture..."

Hebrews 8:5 They serve at a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary. That is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle, "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

YHWH establishes the priesthood and selects those of the tribe of Levi to tend to the sacred duties of  the Tabernacle:

Numbers 8:19 "I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, so that there will be no plague among the sons of Israel by their coming near to the sanctuary."
Numbers 18:23 "Only the Levites shall perform the service of the tent of meeting... it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 " For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to Me, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said concerning them, 'They shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.'" 

Collectively, the descendants of Abraham the Hebrew are now being called the sons of Israel. Only those from the tribe of Levi were chosen to serve in the tent/temple and perform all related duties.

From the Tent to the House

1 Kings 6:1 ... Solomon began to build the House of YHWH... you can read further all the lavish details of this project, but notice it is called the House of Elohim, YHWH.  1 Kings 8 tells us when the House was done Solomon called the elders of Israel, who are all the heads of the tribes and the ancestral chieftains of the Israelites, and they arrange to have the Ark of the Covenant, the Tent of Meeting, and all the set apart vessels brought to the House of God.  The presence of Elohim filled the House - He approved it. He fulfilled the promise He made to David:

1 Kings 8:16 "Ever since I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city among all the tribes of Israel for building a House where My name might abide; but I have chosen David to rule My people Israel... :19 however, you shall not build the House yourself; instead, your son... shall build the House for My Name.

There is only one House of Elohim albeit rebuilt a couple of times, but only one place where He attached His Name.  It not a Jewish institution. It was a House of Prayer, a place where He could be in the midst of His people = the Israelites and those who attached themselves to the House of Israel (Spirit of Adoption).  Y'shua refers to them as 'the sheep' and the 'other sheep' he came to gather together as one flock.  That one flock is God's chosen people. 

Here is a link to some History of the Temple although it was never a Jewish Temple.  This is a good historical time line from Solomon to Titus and the Roman legions who looted and leveled this temple in 70 AD. They state after the temple was destroyed in 70AD, synagogues replaced that temple and prayer replace animal sacrifice. Please note when you are following up with your own research, remember to remove the Jewish mind-set from some of the sites you visit.

YHWH warns once again what happens if we turn away from Him, as He tells Solomon:

1 Kings 9:6 " If you and your descendants turn away from Me and do not keep the commandments and the laws which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods... then I will sweep Israel off the land which I gave them; I will reject the House which I have consecrated to My name; and Israel shall become a byword among all peoples. 

And we know what happened... As smart and wise and just and fair as Solomon was, women turned out to be his downfall... he loved many foreign women who turned his heart away from Elohim and towards other gods - those false idols worshiped by his many women.  He turned away from YHWH and eventually the Israelites were 'swept off the land'.  After Solomon's death, the ten northern tribes refused to accept his son Rehoboam as their king. The country was divided into two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah (containing Jerusalem) in the south. 

After some time, the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, marched on Judah. He pillaged Jerusalem and deported tens of thousands to his capital in Babylon.  The poor and sick people were allowed to stay in Judah.  Several months later Nebuchadnezzar's army began the destruction of Jerusalem and the House of Elohim:

Ezra 5:12 But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

Ezra picks up after the 70 year exile in Babylon when King Cyrus is chosen by YHWH to declare the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem in Judah.  So the chiefs of the clans of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites, all whose spirit had been roused by Elohim went to Jerusalem.  In Ezra 2 is the list of the men of Israel who came up from among the exiled, including Levites and the temple servants. They searched genealogical records in order to select the priesthood.  When the 7th month arrived they were ready to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles.  All the Israelites assembled in Jerusalem as one.  The temple is for all Set Apart believers - not just the Jews or not just for the Levites.

The problem with Judaism is its mixture of rituals and religious observances, combined with rabbinic laws and traditions. These bad habits were most likely picked up during that 70 year exile in Babylon. This mind-set is what Y'shua was revealing in his teaching from the Father. He called the Pharisees 'hypocrites' many times.  He was reminding everyone by teaching what Torah is about and how it was intended as opposed to Jewish Traditions.  It is not a bad thing to do good, but when you overrule God and teach others to do the same, that is not good. Y'shua Messiah definitely was not participating in Judaism nor its traditions. He was sent by the Father and spoke Yah's message, the same message from the beginning.

John 5:30 Y'shua is speaking, "I am not able to do anything of my own desire, but as I hear I judge, and my judgment is just, for I don't seek my will, rather the will of Him who sent me.  :36 ... For the works that my Father has given to me to complete, those works that I do, testify that the Father sent me.  :39  Search the Scriptures, because in them you think you have that life that is eternal, and they testify of me. Yet you do not desire to come to me, that you may have that life that is eternal.  :43 I have come in the name of my  Father, and you have not received me... :46  IF only you had  believed in Moses, you would also be believers in me, for Moses wrote concerning me.  And if you do not believe the writing of that man, how will you believe my words?"

The writings of Moses are contained in the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy.  These writings, in the Hebrew language, are called Torah, which translates to Instructions.  These are not to be confused with Jewish laws or holidays or traditions, which men added at a later time.  This is an example of just how subtle Satan is.  He causes 'doubt' just as he did with Eve in the garden.  He spins his own doctrine from bits and pieces of what YHWH actually spoke.  This is how we have ended up with hundreds of denominations and belief systems throughout the world.  This is why when you attempt to 'google' Torah you get hundreds of sites that refer to it as 'religious Judaic tradition'.  If you spend time reading Scriptures, the Word of Elohim,  you will find this is not so.

There is only One God and His Name is YHWH (Yah-weh). 

He sent His Son in His Name, Yashua (Yah-shua).

His Instructions are not a set of religious beliefs;

but a perfect governing system intended for 

our well being while on this earth.

YHWH gave us a choice and many examples 

of the results of those choices. 

Do as Y'shua suggests: Read Scriptures

Let the Spirit of Truth reveal to you 

the Way of the Creator.

 

Who is Israel?

When the truth was revealed that 'biblical' Israel refers to 'the people', the original Twelve Tribes and the descendants thereof AND includes those outsiders who chose to accept the God of the Hebrews, I knew I needed a deeper study of Scriptures in an attempt to find where the idea came from that the 'Jews are God's Chosen People' as well as why folks think prophecy was fulfilled when Israel became a state in 1948.

Let me be clear about my intentions with this study: 

I am not disrespecting the Jews nor the trials they have been through, especially during the reign of Hitler.  Those were heart breaking times (to put it lightly) and an extreme example to all of us as to just how evil the heart of man can be.  I am not prejudice against anyone who claims to be Jewish. Rather, I have become aware of a clash of ideas from various people in regards to the State of Israel and its inhabitants.  There are those who promote the 'Stand with Israel' and 'United with Israel' agendas which seem sincere and may have originated in their hearts, but are inspired by the lack of understanding Scriptures and spurred on by their own 'feel good' egos. Don't get me wrong! I would love the visit Israel and walk where our Messiah walked. But I know my time will come, as will everyone's, those who obey YHWH Elohim and have the testimony of His Son, as we continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  

Many have been led astray by false teachers, wolves in sheep clothing.  I pray this study will help clarify who Israel is according to our Creator.

***Note: I respectfully use the Name of God in the Hebrew language, which is - YHWH - (pronounce Yah-weh); Elohim is the Hebrew word for God; Y'shua (pronounced Yah-shua) is the name of His Son; Ruach haKodesh is the original Hebrew word poorly translated as 'holy ghost/spirit'...***

The Study 

Would you be surprised to learn that the Jews are not God's chosen people and that the modern day state of Israel is not prophecy fulfilled, as many claim?  Fact is, back in the days after the Hebrews fell into slavery in Egypt, a 'mixed multitude' became united as One People by their Faith and Trust in the One True Living God, aka: The Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Elohim had changed Jacob's name to Israel).  This multitude became The House of Israel = YHWH's Set Apart people.  These people are the 'elect' of YHWH, those who obey His commandments, laws and teachings (which are written in the first 5 books of the old testament, known as Torah). These are the same people His Son, Y'shua, refers to as his sheep.

People wrongly assume that the modern day State of Israel is the same Israel written of in Scriptures and that today's population of Jews are Elohim's chosen people.  The current and changing borders of Israel do not represent the Promised Land as described by Elohim to Abraham, and, there are 11 other tribes that make up the whole House of Israel along with Judah.  Also, anyone of any background or nationality or false belief system who leave their pagan ways behind and come to YHWH Elohim, to keep His commandments, laws, rules and Teaching and have the testimony of His Son, Y'shua the Anointed One, they become adopted, grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel.  Y'shua refers to these folks who choose YHWH as their Elohim as the 'other sheep' that he has come to gather.

The Family Tree

In Genesis 12 YHWH tells Abram the Hebrew from Chaldea that He will make a great nation from him, from his offspring.  He tells him his name will be great, that he shall be a standard by which blessing is invoked.  YHWH later promises Abram that the land of Canaan will be given to his offspring.

Genesis 13:14 YHWH shows Abram the land and has him walk about the land.

Genesis 15:18 YHWH makes a covenant with Abram and once again denotes the area of land promised to his descendants, which is from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates including the territories therein.

Genesis 17:2 The promise is remembered and established forever - All the land of Canaan an everlasting holding and He shall be their Elohim.  With this YHWH changes Abram's name to Abraham because he will be a father of nations.

=> Fast forward a bit to Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

In Genesis 28:13 YHWH lets Jacob know that He is the Elohim of his father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac and proceed to tell Jacob about the land deal and his own descendants and the blessing, the everlasting covenant.

Genesis 29 through 35 is the account of Jacob's life.

Genesis 32:29 is when Jacob's name is changed to Israel.

Genesis 35:23 lists the sons of Israel and they are 12 in number.

Short Story of the 12 Tribes

In Genesis 41:12 we read about Jacob's (Israel's) sons who each became heads of their clans: The Twelve Tribes of Israel.  Each tribe was named after each son, carrying on the Hebrew lineage: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher = The House of Israel.  These are the offspring YHWH told Abraham the Hebrew about so long ago that would eventually be as numerous as the stars, if stars could be counted.  These are the ones to whom the land of Canaan is promised.

 

Lets pick this up again at the life and times of Joseph, Jacob's favorite son.  His brothers sold him to a caravan of Ishmalites who sold him as a Hebrew slave in Egypt to Pharaoh's chief steward.  Joseph is later falsely accused of molesting Potiphar's wife, spent time in jail, was later recognized as an  interpreter of dreams, won favor with Pharaoh (who recognized the God of Joseph was with him) and eventually Joseph was put in charge of almost everything in Egypt - he was 2nd in command to Pharaoh. 

(Genesis 39 through 41)

Due to a famine in the land and the position of authority given to Joseph, he was able to send for his family: his father Israel, his brothers and all their households came to live in Egypt in the region of Goshen.  Thus in Genesis 46 we are told that Israel and all that was his, all his offspring, came to Egypt.  They were know as Hebrews.  After the original families eventually die and are forgotten, and a new generation arises, a new Pharaoh also takes his position.  He doesn't know or remember anything about Joseph or know his God or how the Hebrews came to be in his territory. But he does know he wants to get rid of them. He puts task masters over them which in turn becomes plain old slavery.  He tries to prevent male babies from surviving.

=> Fast forward  now to the time of the exodus, when the Hebrews along with that mixed multitude were led out of slavery, out of bondage in Egypt.  The mixed multitude consisted of folks other than Hebrews who had come to YHWH Elohim and attached themselves to the Israelites - they 'crossed over' and were adopted into the House of Israel and became heirs to the promised land.  Scripture says 600,000 men plus women and children along with the mixed multitude left Egypt that day.  YHWH's Chosen People, led by Moses, Aaron his brother, and Miriam his sister. They are of the tribe of Levi.

We establish early on that Israel is a people, not a place.  The land Elohim promised consists of what is the boundaries of Canaan - much more land than what is known as the State of Israel today.  All of YHWH's rules, laws, teachings and commandments apply to the entire commonwealth of Israel: the descendants of the House of Israel (the sheep) and those adopted in (those other sheep).  They ALL abide by Elohim's Instructions (Torah). His covenant is everlasting, for all generations.  All the way up until the reign of Solomon, they were a Hebrew nation.  Jerusalem is where YHWH attached His Name, which is in the territory of the tribe of Yehuda/Judah.

The Israelites are the offspring of Jacob/Israel, descendants of Abraham, who was a Hebrew.  These are they who YHWH Elohim chose to be Set Apart as He is Set Apart, through whom nations would be blessed.  The promised land of Canaan was divided among them but eventually, through a series of events, they were split into 2 groups of which 10 Tribes went northwards. Later on the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (along with some Levites and a few others) were taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon.  Toward the end of this time period King Cyrus of Persia was responsible for the release of the Israelites from Babylon, who returned to the area called Judea (the territory that was named after one of the 12 sons of Jacob: Judah). Those of the Ten Tribes who went northwards eventually scattered among the nations.

The time of Solomon, son of David, and the Division of the Tribes

The division of the House of Israel was a result of Solomon's sin against Elohim.  Solomon married many women, had many concubines - he had fallen "headlong into unreasonable pleasures" - married outside of his own people and began to worship the gods of these women, against the Will of YHWH.  Because of this, YHWH, as He promised David, would not withdraw all the people from Solomon, but would give Ten Tribes to a servant of his and leave only Two Tribes to David's grandson, Rehoboam, for his sake, because David did love Elohim, and for the sake of Jerusalem wherein He should have a temple.

Jeroboam, son of Nebat, received a prophecy from Ahijah about the parting of the dominion of Solomon and is told to be righteous and keep the laws of Elohim.  Jeroboam lived in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

David's grandson, Rehoboam, became king, but was not wise.  His behavior caused a rebellion which caused him to flee to Jerusalem where the tribe of Judah and that of Benjamin ordained him king.  The rest of the multitude appointed Jeroboam to be ruler of their public affairs. (Rehoboam is king of 2 tribes, King of Judah and Jeroboam is king of 10 tribes, King of Israel).

Now when the Feast of Tabernacles drew near, Jeroboam feared if he let the people go to Jerusalem to celebrate (as per the command of YHWH) that he would lose them and perhaps lose his own life. So he had 2 temples built - one near Bethel and one near Dan - and made Two Golden Heifers, one in each temple and convinced the people that God was everywhere and hears and sees those who worship him and that it was OK if they didn't go to Jerusalem to worship Elohim according to His rules but could worship him the way they saw fit.  Jeroboam succeeded in deluding the people which caused them to go against Elohim and transgress Torah.  This was the beginning of miseries for the Hebrews.  Jeroboam had made himself High Priest as well. Over the next 3 years, the priests and Levites and the good and the righteous of Israel left and gathered together with Rehoboam because they wanted to worship Elohim in Jerusalem, as it is written.  They were not willing to worship the idols made by Jeroboam.

Rehoboam's kingdom grew in number- it's greatness and prosperity became a transgression to men.  Rehoboam strayed from The Path, the right way of Elohim and gave into unrighteousness and pagan practices. He began to despise YHWH and eventually the people began to imitate his wicked actions.

I want to point out that having Faith in the Word of Elohim (Scriptures) is not about being Jewish, acting Jewish, following orthodox Jewish traditions, the Talmud or Kabbalah. YHWH did not set apart the Jews only, but the entire House of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel. YHWH's set apart times, The Feast Days, are not Jewish holidays, but intended for all His people.  Man tends to skew the Word of God under the influence of Satan.  There's more to this story, but I will stick with pointing out who Israel is (for now).

It is so important to read Scriptures every day so that we may gain understanding and insight to the events happening today, in order to peel away the layers of deceptions and expose the lies that have been handed down through the generations.  This is the path leading out of the world system (Egypt and Babylon are examples of world systems and how we become enslaved).  When we come out of this man made system, this is what helps us to become Set Apart as He is Set Apart and makes us a Light unto others.  It's not about 'loving the Jews' or the 'Stand with Israel' mind set of today - it is about obeying YHWH Elohim and our Faith in Y'shua and allowing the Ruach haKodesh (Spirit of the Heavenly Father) to write Torah upon our hearts.  This is what it has been about from the very beginning.

Part Two - 

The Gathering of YHWH's people is an End Times scenario and did not occur in 1948.

Jeremiah 32:37 "Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. :38 "They shall be My people, and I will be their Elohim…"

Ezekiel 28:25 'Thus says YHWH your Elohim, "When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob."

Jeremiah 23:3 "Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture..."

To wrap this up, here is the Sheep allegory in relation to the House of Israel and those who are adopted in, as Y'shua relates it:

John 10:11 (Y'shua says) I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the flock. But a hireling who is not the shepherd nor are the sheep his, when he sees a wolf coming he leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf comes and plunders and scatters the flock.

John 10:14 I am the Good Shepherd and I know those who are mine. And those who are mine know me.

John 10:16 And I also have other sheep, those who were not from this sheepfold. And also them, it is necessary for me to bring them and they will hear my voice and all the flocks will become one. And there will be One Shepherd.

YHWH's Chosen People are the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, and those who have been adopted in.

The story of Ruth the Moabite is another good example of one choosing Yah as their Elohim. In Chapter 1 verse 16 Ruth is pleading with her mother-in-law Naomi: "Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God..." Ruth ends up marrying Boaz. She is grafted into the House of Israel by loyalty and faith. She gives birth to Obed who begat Jesse who begat David.... the royal lineage into which Yahshua is adopted.

As always, take what you hear or read or have been taught and take it to Scriptures where the Truth is waiting to Revealed by the Comforter = The Ruach haKodesh.