Song of Solomon 1:4 “The king hath brought me into his chambers.” I’m writing this book in response to the puzzlement of my son, Michael, who in his later teens asked me one day, “Mom, do you understand the Song of Solomon? What’s it all about?” One of the classes in the Christian college he was attending had touched on the book, detailing various theories on whether or not there were one or two men attempting to win the Shulamite’s affection, at what point the marriage took place, etc. The possibility of King Solomon wresting the girl away from some poor shepherd lover, or of two lovers being involved in premarital sexual activity, all seemed very repugnant and confusing to him.
I was horrified to hear that such theories even existed, but I had to confess that I had only some general, pretty hazy ideas about the book. I knew it was about King Solomon and his relationship with…perhaps his first wife. And, I supposed there were lessons for us about how to love one another as husband and wife—and about God’s love for us—or otherwise it didn’t seem likely that God would have included such a personal love story in the Bible. 
I determined that I would study out the matter and ask the Lord to teach me just what the book was all about. That was nearly twenty years ago. After many years of making the study of the Song of Solomon my chief extracurricular delight, I am convinced that this verse is describing the marriage of the Shulamite and King Solomon…even though I’ve never read it written in any commentary, and even though I can reference no Bible scholar as having espoused this view. Trying to reconstruct the chronological reality from a handful of poetic highlights is an imperfect art and an impossible science. However, in my prayerful attempt to harmonize the descriptions in the Song of Solomon with my understanding of the character of God and his relationship with us, I am led to 
believe that the story later on in chapter three describes a joyous celebration with lots of pomp and ceremony as King Solomon transported his bride from their country abode to a palace he had especially prepared for her in Jerusalem, probably in conjunction with instating the Shulamite as the official queen-wife of Solomon.
That is my theory. As we continue to pore over the book, consider the evidences as they arise, and perhaps you will draw a similar conclusion. In verse thirteen of chapter one the couple is already unabashedly enjoying sexual union, and in verses sixteen and seventeen they are joyfully discussing their bed and their home. Verse four is the first description of what could be the consummation of marital union, and the verse ends with a benediction of God’s approval: “the upright love thee.” Had the king brought the Shulamite into his chambers for anything less than marriage, then their union would have been immoral and would have brought down God’s judgment (as in the case of Solomon’s father, David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba), not his commendation.
Is it possible that marriage could be such a simple affair as the one depicted here, where the Shulamite and a group of her bridesmaids are drawn along to the palace rejoicing, and the bride is taken in to the king? That fast? Absolutely. Look at earlier descriptions of marriage given in the Bible up until this time. First, it might be well to note that the terms marry and marriage are only used seven times in the Old Testament, and never in the context of a wedding celebration with a legal contract such as we observe today. Marriage apparently occurred as a very simple verbal contract between families consummated by sexual union. Notice the descriptions given:
“Landscape with the Marriage of Isaac and Rebekkah” by Claude Lorraine, 1648
Gen. 24:67 “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” Nothing fancy about that wedding, now was there?
Jacob Encountering Rachel with her Father’s Herds, by Josef von Fuhrich
Gen. 29:21 “And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.”
Ge 38:8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.”
“The Marriage of David and Michal” from English Psalter, c. 1310 Munich
Even in the days of the kings, marriages did not require special festivities. When King Saul gave his princess daughter in marriage to the man who would become the next king, the Bible only reports: “And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife” (I Sam. 18:27). Later, when David married Abigail, I Sam. 25:42 states, “And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.” The next verse tells even less: “David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives” (I Sam. 25:43).
David was Solomon’s father, so that last report of marriage brings us right up to date with what the Bible describes of marriage customs until the time of Solomon. Solomon’s marriage to the Shulamite being expressed as “the king hath brought me into his chambers” is perfectly consistent with earlier testimony. Marriage apparently did not require pomp and circumstance; rather, it was simply defined by authorized sexual union. Consider the law: Dueteronomy 21:13, “Thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.” Taking a woman into a man’s home and consummating the physical union was all that was required to be married.
As a small rabbit trail…but one that you might enjoy reading about because it so aptly proves the possibility of an intimate marriage and a later public celebration…let me tell you about the wedding(s) of my son Michael—the very son who spurred me into studying the Song of Solomon in the first place. Our family lives in Michigan, but my son’s bride-to-be was from New Jersey. After my son had already bought tickets to Australia for their honeymoon, he discovered that he was supposed to be personally present in New Jersey three days prior to the wedding to apply for the marriage license. This was now impossible, because he had given away every last day of his vacation time from work for the entire year in order to plan the best possible honeymoon! What to do? They decided to get legally married in Michigan but to continue on with their 
original plans for a gala wedding in New Jersey on the beach on the date already printed (and sent out!) on the invitations. So, they had two weddings: a small, intimate, legal one, and a large public celebration somewhat later. What a perfect picture of what appears to have happened to Solomon and the bride he loved so passionately!
*First picture by permission of Carl and Emily Wellborn, and the last three are pictures of my son Michael with his wife, Grace, at their wedding.
Summer Setting 