8:1 Oh, how I wish you were my little brother, nursing at my mother’s breasts; if I saw you outside, I could kiss you— surely no one would despise me!
Shulamite wished that Solomon was her brother, so that she could hug and kiss him in public. Hugging and kissing in public between husband and wife was not appropriate in biblical times. Their desires were only to be shared alone and in private.
8:2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house, the one who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
Shulamite wished that Solomon would become her personal teacher and teach her his wisdom. She felt that learning the wisdom of Solomon would make her a better wife.
8:3 His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me.
Solomon began the instruction. He shows her affection in private.
8:4 I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!”
For the third time, Shulamite warned the virgin maidens about committing sex before marriage.
8:5 Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I aroused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth.
Solomon and Shulamite traveled north on vacation to Galilee to spend some time together. The citizens of Jerusalem observe their arrival back to Jerusalem. Shulamite was tired and leaning on Solomon. During this vacation, Solomon and Shulamite made love at the apple tree where they first met. This was also the place where Shulamite was born. The apple tree witnessed her birth and her arousal with her husband.
8:6 Set me like a cylinder seal over your heart, like a signet on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. Its flames burst forth, it is a blazing flame.
The signet was a man’s most prized possession, because it was the emblem of his authority. Shulamite wanted to be Solomon’s most prized possession.
Death is powerful. It kills whomever it seeks. Death wins and conquers every time. Everyone must yield to death. Shulamite wants her love to be like death. She wants to win and conquer her husband every time. Whomever death attacks must die, and whomever love attacks must love.
Sheol is a difficult and hard place to live. Shulamite had a jealousy for Solomon just as hard as that of Sheol. Jealousy is good if it is for one’s beloved spouse. The Lord Jesus Christ is both jealous and zealous of his bride.
The love of Shulamite for Solomon is like an unquenchable and supernatural flame witch devours everything in its path. She wants her love to devour Solomon like a supernatural flame from God.
8:7 Surging waters cannot quench love; floodwaters cannot overflow it. If someone were to offer all his possessions to buy love, the offer would be utterly despised.
The love between Solomon and Shulamite cannot be destroyed by floods or other adverse conditions. Money will not be able to buy her love. Money cannot separate her from the love of her husband. She is not a gold digger. Gold diggers are basically prostitutes who sell their bodies for material wealth through the marriage covenant.
8:8 We have a little sister, and as yet she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
In the ancient world, the brothers were responsible for protecting their sister’s virginity. Shulamite asked her brothers to watch the purity of her little sister.
8:9 If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will barricade her with boards of cedar.
The brothers answered Shulamite. If their little sister is a wall (one who stays sexually pure), then they will reward her greatly with silver. If she is a door (one who leans to becoming sexually impure), then they will guard her very closely and restrict her freedom with men.
8:10 I was a wall, and my breasts were like fortress towers. Then I found favor in his eyes.
Even though Shulamite possessed full breasts, she remained sexually pure. She now understood the harsh treatment of her brothers. They were protecting her virginity for her future marriage.
8:11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he leased out the vineyard to those who maintained it. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
Shulamite now understood that her brothers forced her to work in the fields to keep her away from seduction of other men.
8:12 My vineyard, which belongs to me, is at my disposal alone. The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit.
Shulamite’s vineyard was her virginity to Solomon. Her brothers were the real keepers of her garden, so they should be paid for protecting the vineyard. Solomon gave the money for the vineyard to Shulamite. She most likely gave the money to her brothers, who had previously protected her garden for Solomon.
8:13 O you who stay in the gardens, my companions are listening attentively for your voice; let me be the one to hear it!
Solomon asked Shulamite to sing a song among her friends and family in the country.
8:14 Make haste, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
Shulamite sings her song and then asked her friends and family to leave quickly so that she can spend time with her husband. The Book of Solomon ends with husband and wife making love in the garden.