Song of Solomon 8:8

THE SONG OF THE LITTLE SISTER

"We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts;

What shall we do for our sister

In the day when she shall be spoken for?

If she be a wall,

We will build upon her a turret of silver,

And if she be a door,

We will enclose her with boards of cedar.

I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof

Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace."

The paragraphing we have followed here is that of the Revised Standard Version. It is not clear who the "little sister" may be. It could be that the Shulamite is merely stating the principles of the family in which she was reared. "In the days of her adolescence, they were concerned to protect her innocence and purity until she was of marriageable age. `If she be a wall,' meant that she would be strong and virtuous, and that no man would be able to seduce her. `If she be a door,' meant that she would be weak and easily `entered,' as through a door, by some seducer."[10]

"I am a wall" (Song of Solomon 8:10). "I was a wall,"[11] is far better here, corresponding with the past tense in the next line. "This means that the Shulamite kept herself chaste and pure for the man she married."[12]

"Then was I in his eyes as one that found peace" (Song of Solomon 8:10b). "This means (1) either that Solomon, realizing that he cannot conquer her, desists from further amorous warfare and `calls it a day,' or (2) that she finds peace in her exclusive relationship with her true lover."[13] Our view is that both these meanings are in the passage.

Jordan mentioned the interpretation we have just written, saying that, "It seems far-fetched to make the `peace' mentioned here to mean one to whom Solomon gave peace because he could not conquer her."[14] Indeed this is so; but we have never seen any interpretation of this Song that was not far fetched! Certainly we have found no better explanation than the one offered here.