Physical Attraction - Song of Songs 5-6

Song of Songs 6:6 (ESV)

Your teeth are like a flock of ewes

that have come up from the washing;

all of them bear twins;

not one among them has lost its young.

The Song of Song poem is like many poems, refrains are often repeated for emphasis.  The above passage of this lover’s poem is almost the same as in chapter four:

Song of Songs 4:2 (ESV)

Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes

that have come up from the washing,

all of which bear twins,

and not one among them has lost its young.

This girl’s smile must have captured this young man.  He repeats the compliment.  He is seeing beauty in all her “parts.”    He mentions again in this passage her eyes and cheeks.  He again uses comparisons from his own day, using comparisons like sheep, goats, crops.   These may not fit in our day, but they worked in his.  It is doubtful a young man today would say to his bride to be, “I love your teeth, they are white a sheep’s wool and not one is missing.”     That would not be bad, but not the way we would say it today.    The fact the he notices none are missing is significant in that day.  Remember, there was no dentist.   There were no tooth paste and brushes.  People cleaned their teeth (if they cleaned them) with sticks.   Having all your teeth and having them bright white would not be the norm. She took care of herself.   He is captivated for good reason.   We take some of these things for granted today.  If we don’t have a feature that looks right we have people and doctors for that to correct these seemly flaws in our bodies.  We should not take for granted how we have been blessed today.   We should not look lightly about the conditions in the day that we read about these Bible characters and situations.   There is a reason for this poem.  A man is in love with a woman.  Her physical composition pleases him.  That is not a wrong thing.  He tells her how he is pleased about how she takes care of herself.   That should be a lesson.  We should take care of ourselves for the one we love and we should notice that the one we love takes care of themselves.   God honors that.  Hence the poem.