A sanctuary and a rock?
A sanctuary and a rock? Elsewhere in Scripture, the Lord is described as a “rock” that provides a place of “sanctuary” or “refuge” (see Ps. 61:2–3). Here,… Read More »A sanctuary and a rock?
A sanctuary and a rock? Elsewhere in Scripture, the Lord is described as a “rock” that provides a place of “sanctuary” or “refuge” (see Ps. 61:2–3). Here,… Read More »A sanctuary and a rock?
Shaving. Being forced to shave was a mark of humiliation (7:20). In some nations of that time, the hair of slaves was shaved in a particular… Read More »Shaving
Ten acres of vineyard would normally produce 10,000 gallons (37,850 liters) of wine yearly. Isaiah says that the Lord’s judgment upon Israel would be so severe… Read More »Ten acres of vineyard
The tinkling of feet mentioned in 3:16 is probably the ankle bracelets many women wore in the ancient world. They were usually made of bronze and were attached permanently.
Pruning hooks (2:4) were used to cut away newly formed leaves and shoots from grape vines. The blade curved into a sharp hook at the tip,… Read More »Pruning hooks
The Holy One of Israel is Isaiah’s main title for God. The phrase occurs 25 times in the book, but rarely elsewhere in the Bible. The… Read More »The Holy One of Israel
Vineyards, fields, and palm trees. The Song of Solomon takes place in a rural setting, and the lovers describe each other using images drawn from this context. The… Read More »Vineyards, fields, and palm trees
The woman addresses the daughters of Jerusalem four times throughout this book, creating a refrain that ties her “songs” together (2:7; 3:5; 5:8; 8:4). She urges them… Read More »Daughters of Jerusalem
Purple cloth was associated with royalty because the purple dye was very difficult to produce in large quantities. Most of the purple dye came from a… Read More »Purple cloth
The man in this love story compared his beloved to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots (1:9). Only the best and most handsome of mares would have been… Read More »Mare among Pharaoh’s chariots
The peaceful shadows of old age. The righteous will enjoy a long and peaceful old age, like the shadows of evening (8:13). There is no such… Read More »The peaceful shadows of old age
“Eat, drink, and be merry”? Ecclesiastes advises those who serve God to enjoy his gifts of food, drink, comfort, married life, and honest work (9:7–9; compare 2:24–26; 3:13;… Read More »“Eat, drink, and be merry”?