Who Wrote the Book of Song of Solomon and When Was It Written?

Solomon is identified as the author in the opening verse, “The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s” (l’sholomo = “of/concerning Solomon”). Solomon, King David’s son (1Kg 2:2-4), ruled Israel during the high point of the united kingdom (970–930 BC) and is a central figure in the book (Sg 1:1, 5; 3:7, 9, 11; 8:11-12). God gave Solomon great wisdom and he spoke 3,000 proverbs, many recorded in the book of Proverbs, plus 1,005 songs (1Kg 4:29-34). This superlative form (Song of Songs) is common in biblical Hebrew, as seen in the phrases “King of kings,” “Lord of lords,” and “holy of holies.” It indicates that of all of Solomon’s many songs, these are his best.

Although a great king, Solomon is infamous for his 700 wives and 300 concubines (1Kg 11:3), so it is puzzling that he would write a book extolling faithfulness in marriage. Sadly, many people do not practice the wisdom they know, and this may account for the contradiction between Solomon’s wise words and his foolish behavior.

However, though Solomon is a central figure, he may not have written the Song in its final form. As Pr 25:1 describes Hezekiah’s men recording Solomon’s proverbs well after his time, so too the Song may be a later recollection of Solomon’s love poems. That Solomon wrote numerous such songs is clear from 1Kg 4:29-34.

Regardless, Solomon’s songs of love were not based on his own experience but rather intended to depict an “ideal” marriage.

The book was probably composed while Solomon was king (970–930 BC) or some time shortly thereafter. Although it lacks the historical reference points found in the Pentateuch, Prophetic Books, and many of the Psalms, the interpretation of the Song does not depend upon chronology.