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song of songs, which is Solomon's. Hebrew title Shir Hashshirim = Song of Songs. In the Septuagint it is Asma Asmaton, and in the Vulgate it is Canticum Canticorum, all with the same meaning. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6), meaning the most beautiful or excellent song. It belongs to the third division of the O.T. Canon (see App-1). The order of the five "Megilloth" (or Scrolls) is the order of the festivals on which they are read. The Song is read annually at the Feast of the Passover, as Ruth is read at Pentecost; Lamentations on 9th of Ab; Ecclesiastes at the Feast of Tabernacles; and Esther at the Feast of Purim. From the most ancient times it has formed part of the Hebrew Canonical Scriptures. It is a poem based on the true facts of a story which unfolds itself as it proceeds. Various interpretations have been given of it: the literal, the allegorical, and the typical. The allegorical embrace Jehovah and Israel (which was the view of the Jewish commentators); the Roman Catholic views it of the Virgin Mary; the Protestant commentators view it of "Christ and the Church"; the typical view regards it as a type of Solomon's nuptials, or as that of Christ and the Gentiles. The allegorical view puts the coarse flatteries and language of a seducer into the lips of "Christ", which is inconsistent with His dignity and holiness (Compare Son_6:4-10, Son_6:13; Son_7:9). It is the language of seduction put into the mouth of Him "Who spake as never man spake". The number of speakers forbids all the interpretations which depend on there being only two. There are seven in all, and they can be easily distinguished by the Structures: viz. (1) the Shulamite; (2) the daughters of Jerusalem; (3) Solomon: (4) the shepherd lover of the Shulamite; (5) the brothers of the Shulamite; (6) the companions of the shepherd; (7) the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The Shulamite speaks. She has been taken into Solomon's tents, and soliloquizes about her beloved (verses: Son_1:2, Son_1:3); she implores him to come and rescue her (Son_1:4); she repels the scorn of the court-ladies (Son_1:6); and implores her beloved to tell her where she may find him (Son_1:7); the court-ladies ironically reply (Son_1:8); meanwhile the king comes in and commences by expressing his admiration (verses: Son_1:9-11).