Lexical Summary
Shulammith: Shulammith
Original Word:שׁוּלַמִּית
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:Shuwlammiyth
Pronunciation:shoo-lam-MEETH
Phonetic Spelling:(shoo-lam-meeth')
KJV: Shulamite
NASB:Shulammite
Word Origin:[fromH7999 (שָׁלַם - To be complete)]
1. peaceful (with the article always prefixed, making it a pet name)
2. the Shulammith, an epithet of Solomon's queen
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Shulamite
Fromshalam; peaceful (with the article always prefixed, making it a pet name); the Shulammith, an epithet of Solomon's queen -- Shulamite.
see HEBREWshalam
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitionheroine of the Song of Solomon
NASB TranslationShulammite (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
usually explained as ; — with article as noun heroine of Songs of Songs Cant 7:1(twice in verse); = Shunammite (from , modern
Sulem), B ; but A ; ? compare Nabataean proper name, feminine =
,
Lzb
376.
Topical Lexicon
Name and Literary ContextShulammite appears exclusively in Song of Solomon, serving as the formal designation of the bride who dominates the poem’s dialogue. The title is introduced during the climactic exchange ofSong of Solomon 6:13, when the chorus implores, “Come back, come back, O Shulammite”. In the unfolding love song she is at once a literal woman celebrated by Solomon and a literary figure who embodies covenant fidelity, purity, and mutual delight.
Occurrences in Scripture
Song of Solomon 6:13 (twice, within the Hebrew versification) is the sole explicit use of the term, making its theological weight dependent upon the broader portrayal of the bride throughout the book (cf.Song of Solomon 1:2–4, 2:1–16, 4:7–12, 7:1–10).
Identity and Geographic Considerations
Many commentators connect the title to the Galilean village of Shunem (compareJoshua 19:18 and1 Samuel 28:4), relating the Shulammite to figures such as Abishag the Shunammite (1 Kings 1:3–4). Others view the name as the feminine counterpart to “Solomon,” emphasizing marital union and shared peace. Scripture itself does not settle the question, leaving the setting intentionally broad so that the bride’s virtues rather than her origin occupy center stage.
Thematic Significance in Song of Solomon
1. Covenant Love: The Shulammite’s steadfast affection mirrors the covenant loyalty Yahweh desires from Israel (Hosea 2:19–20).
2. Beauty and Holiness: Her physical descriptions (Song of Solomon 4:1–15; 7:1–9) symbolize moral and spiritual integrity, echoingPsalm 45:13–15 where the king’s bride is “all glorious within.”
3. Mutual Pursuit: The recurrent refrain “Come back” (Song of Solomon 6:13) highlights reciprocal longing, challenging believers to pursue fellowship with God as fervently as He pursues His people (James 4:8).
4. Public Witness: The onlookers’ desire to behold the Shulammite underscores the community-dimension of marital faithfulness; private love becomes corporate testimony, anticipating the Church’s witness before “a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1).
Typological and Christological Insights
For the Church, the Shulammite foreshadows the collective Bride of Christ:
• Purified Beauty—“You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you” (Song of Solomon 4:7) prefigures the spotless Church inEphesians 5:27.
• Intimate Communion—Her delight in the king’s presence parallels believers’ union with the risen Lord (John 14:23).
• Victorious Procession—Her “dance before two armies” (Song of Solomon 6:13) anticipates the triumphant Church which, though opposed on earth, will reign with Christ (Revelation 19:7–8).
Practical Ministry Implications
• Marriage Enrichment: Couples learn from the Shulammite to cultivate transparency, verbal affirmation, and shared spiritual identity.
• Discipleship: Her single-hearted devotion becomes a model for mentoring new believers in wholehearted love for Christ.
• Corporate Worship: The communal call, “that we may look upon you,” invites congregations to celebrate the beauty of holiness manifested in transformed lives (Psalm 96:9).
Historical Reception
Jewish expositors traditionally view the Shulammite as personified Israel returning from exile, while patristic and Reformation writers identify her with the Church. These readings converge on the conviction that the book safeguards the sanctity of marriage and illustrates divine–human intimacy, a conviction that remains foundational in conservative theology.
Related Concepts and Cross References
Bride—Revelation 21:2
Beloved—Matthew 3:17
Covenant Faithfulness—Deuteronomy 7:9
Royal Marriage Psalm—Psalm 45
Restoration—Jeremiah 31:3–4
Summary
Though mentioned only in a single verse, the Shulammite anchors the Song of Solomon’s portrait of covenantal love. Historical tradition, typology, and pastoral application converge to present her as both Solomon’s cherished bride and a timeless emblem of God’s redeemed people—beautiful, pursued, and destined for joyful communion with the King.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּשּׁ֣וּלַמִּ֔ית בשולמית הַשּׁ֣וּלַמִּ֔ית השולמית baš·šū·lam·mîṯ bashShulamMit baššūlammîṯ haš·šū·lam·mîṯ hashShulamMit haššūlammîṯ
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