In this case, the centerpiece is the sexual union of the man and woman. Often, in a biblical chiasmus, the central text governs and provides the hermeneutical key to the whole text. In the structure of Song of Songs, this piece is the center of a large chiasmus that spans the whole of the work. That is, it appears that the chorus in 5:1c is telling the two lovers to enjoy their time together. Similarly, it is clear that the man sings lines 3A–D in Song 5:1, but it seems that the chorus sings 4A–B at the end of 5:1 this final pair of lines addresses “friends” and exhorts them to drink deeply of love. Thus, the man also sings of her as “my garden.” Of course, it is possible that the woman sings all of v 16, first speaking of her body as “my garden” and then as “his garden,” but it is not possible that the man sings 4:16c. In 5:1 the man speaks of “my wine,” “my balsam,” and “my myrrh,” all in reference to the delights of the woman’s body and affection. Since Song 4:16b speaks of “my garden” but 4:16c speaks of “his garden,” it appears that the man sings 4:16ab and the woman sings 4:16c. THE CELEBRATION OF ROMANTIC LOVE REACHES ITS CLIMAX IN PASSIONATE SEXUAL UNIONĭuane Garrett / Paul House: The garden in this canto is the woman’s body.
