The Song of Solomon is a poetic book in the Bible that depicts the love between a husband and wife. In chapter 4 verse 9, the husband says to his wife, “You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride.” This verse has caused some confusion since the husband calls his wife both “my sister” and “my bride.” There are a few possible explanations for this.
First, calling one’s wife “sister” was a common term of endearment in ancient Near Eastern culture. It emphasized the intimate bond between husband and wife. Similar to how we might call a spouse “my dear” or “honey” today, calling a wife “sister” conveyed affection. So Solomon uses this term to express his love for his bride.
Second, “sister” may be a poetic metaphor symbolizing the purity and exclusivity of their relationship. As siblings have a close familial bond, referring to his wife as “sister” signifies the husband’s commitment to her as his one and only. The rest of the Song of Solomon supports this monogamous interpretation, without any hints of actual incest. So “my sister” reflects the singular devotion between husband and wife.
Third, “sister” may also represent the equality between husband and wife. Calling his bride “my sister” places her on par with him, differing from how women were often viewed as inferior in ancient cultures. As siblings have comparable status in a family, “my sister” conveys the husband’s perspective of his wife as his equal partner in marriage.
Lastly, “sister” can be understood as a term of kinship. Even though the man and woman were not biological siblings, the husband affectionately calls her “my sister” to express that his wife is like family to him. She has been grafted in and adopted into his household through marriage. So “my sister” signifies the permanent familial bond between husband and wife.
To summarize, there are four main reasons why Solomon may have referred to his wife as “my sister”:
- A common ancient Near Eastern term of endearment for one’s spouse
- A poetic metaphor symbolizing the purity and exclusivity of their love
- Describing the equality between husband and wife
- Signifying the kinship and familial bond between a married couple
Calling his wife “my sister” in Song of Solomon 4:9 emphasizes the beautiful intimacy they share as husband and wife. The verse illustrates a tender moment between lovers, as Solomon affectionately expresses his admiration and commitment to his bride.
Metaphors and imagery in Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon contains various poetic metaphors and rich imagery as it describes marital intimacy and love. Calling his wife “my sister” fits within this overall poetic nature of the book. The metaphors serve to capture the mutual affection between the husband and wife.
For example, the wife is described as “A garden enclosed is my sister, my bride” (Song 4:12). This conjures an image of a private, paradise-like garden, symbolizing her purity and exclusivity to her husband. She is a paradise set apart solely for him.
The husband says her lips “drip honey” (Song 4:11), conveying sweetness. Her mouth is “sweetness itself” (Song 5:16). Her neck is like “the tower of David” (Song 4:4), expressing beauty and dignity. Through vivid word pictures, the author captures the lovers’ perspectives of one another.
Calling the wife “my sister” fits within this tapestry of metaphors. It signals the closeness of their relationship and her preciousness to him. The metaphors throughout the book serve to poetically communicate the depth of connection between the husband and wife.
Other instances of “sister” and “bride” together
Song of Solomon 4:9 is not the only place where “sister” and “bride” occur together. This pairing occurs three other times:
Song of Solomon 4:10 – How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!
Song of Solomon 4:12 – You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;
Song of Solomon 5:1 – I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
This repetitious poetic refrain of calling his beloved “my sister, my bride” occurs throughout Song of Solomon. It emphasizes how the term “sister” is used as a sweet metaphor within the context of marriage.
The multiple connections between “sister” and “bride” signal to the reader that this usage is symbolic. If taken literally, repeatedly calling his wife “sister” would be confusing. But as a poetic device, it appropriately conveys marital affection.
Examination of the extended passages surrounding these phrases also makes it clear that Solomon and his wife are not actual siblings. The romantic nature of their relationship is apparent. The recurring phrase “my sister, my bride” in tender context illustrates the symbolic meaning of “sister” in the Song of Solomon.
New Testament commentary on Song of Solomon
There are no direct New Testament references to Song of Solomon 4:9 specifically. However, the New Testament does corroborate the idea of the church being depicted as the “bride of Christ.” This theme builds upon the marital intimacy and love presented in Song of Solomon.
Ephesians 5 instructs husbands to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (v.25). Redemption is pictured as Christ the bridegroom sacrificing himself for his bride, the church. Marriage between a man and woman parallels the spiritual marriage between Jesus and his people.
Revelation expands this metaphor, referring to the church as the “bride” being prepared for her husband (Rev 21:2,9; 22:17). The marital union between God and his people is celebrated. So the New Testament reinforces the depiction of intimacy through marriage first presented in Song of Solomon.
While not directly referencing Song of Solomon 4:9, these New Testament passages employ similar marital imagery. They demonstrate that human marriage is meant to symbolize the spiritual marriage between Christ and the church. So intimacy between husband and wife, as articulated in Song of Solomon, points towards the ultimate loving union between the divine Bridegroom and his bride.
Church history perspective on the Song of Solomon
Given its romantic themes, both Jewish and Christian tradition have historically provided allegorical interpretations of the Song of Solomon. Rather than taking the book as primarily about human marital intimacy, scholars have often seen it as symbolizing God’s love for Israel in the Old Testament and Christ’s love for the church in the New Testament.
For example, second century scholar Origen viewed the Song of Solomon as an allegory for God’s relationship to the soul. Church father Augustine saw it as symbolic of Christ’s love for the Church. The medieval scholar Bernard of Clairvaux preached sermons on the Song of Solomon, viewing it as poetic description of divine mysteries.
So rather than emphasizing themes of literal human marital intimacy, the church has often interpreted the Song of Solomon as coded language about spiritual intimacy. Calling his wife “sister” would point to believers as the pure Bride of Christ. This allegorical perspective has been dominant through church history.
However, others have recognized that allegorical interpretations, while insightful, should not negate the Song’s depiction of literal human marriage as well. The 17th century puritan commentator Matthew Henry balances both literal celebration of marital intimacy and love with symbolic meaning for Christ and the church.
So historically, calling the bride “sister” has been understood allegorically. But room should be left for also appreciating the Song’s presentation of the literal purity and intimacy of marital love, as many modern scholars argue.
Principles for marriage from Song of Solomon 4:9
While directly addressed to Solomon and his wife, Song of Solomon 4:9 also conveys some timeless marital principles:
- Marriage should be monogamous – Calling his wife “my sister, my bride” implies faithfulness and exclusivity. She is his one and only.
- Spouses should show affection – Using terms like “sister” and other poetic metaphors demonstrates tender affection between man and wife.
- The marriage bed should be kept pure – As “sister” signifies, their love is holy and set apart solely for each other.
- Wives and husbands should see themselves as equals – Referring to his bride as “sister” conveys mutuality as siblings have comparable status.
- Marriage creates kinship – “Sister” expresses how man and wife become one family through marriage.
Song of Solomon 4:9 models appropriate marital intimacy and love. Calling one’s spouse “sister” or “brother” may seem foreign to modern Western readers. But in cultures where this is common, it powerfully conveys marital affection and profound commitment to one’s husband or wife.
All in all, Song of Solomon 4:9 provides a glimpse into a tender moment between Solomon and his bride. Through poetic metaphor, it encapsulates the purity, intimacy, equality, and kinship of godly marriage. When rightly understood, this verse paints a beautiful picture of marital love and fidelity.