An Invitation to the Fields

At the close of chapter 7, the bride gives a warm invitation: Come, my beloved! Let's go out into the field. Let's lodge in the villages. She wants unhurried time with her husband, away from the crowds of the city.

She continues: Let's go early up to the vineyards. Let's see whether the vine has budded, its blossom is open, and the pomegranates are in flower. The images of budding vines and blossoming flowers recall the springtime of chapter 2, a picture of love that stays fresh and growing.

She adds that at their doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which she has stored up for him. The new and old fruits suggest care that is both fresh and long-lasting. Marriage is nurtured by intentional time together and thoughtful care. In the New Testament, marriage is a picture of Christ's love for His church. Many Christians read the Song this way too. This is an interpretation, not something the Song says directly. In the New Testament, Paul writes that faith, hope, and love remain, and that the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).