Who are the voices in the Song?

There are three main voices that are in conversation throughout the Song. These three voices are the young woman, the young man she loves, and the chorus. The chorus is often (but not always) a group of young women who are the friends of the young lady. They are referred to in different ways throughout the Song: the virgins (Song of Solomon 1:3), the daughters of Jerusalem (Song of Solomon 1:5; Song of Solomon 2:7; Song of Solomon 3:5; etc.), and the daughters of Zion (Song of Solomon 3:11). Sometimes, the chorus appears to be the voice of the larger community that responds to the love affair between the young woman and man.

Besides the opening verse, Solomon’s name is mentioned five times in the book (Song of Solomon 1:5; Song of Solomon 3:9, Song of Solomon 3:11; Song of Solomon 8:11; Song of Solomon 8:12) but his voice is never heard. Rather, Solomon features as a distant figure in the Song, who is referred to but never speaks. In most cases Solomon’s approach to marriage and love is used as a contrast or foil to the love and marriage of the young couple in the Song.