Shulamite

Shu'lamite (Heb. with the art. hash-Shulammith', הִשּׁוּלִמַּית, i.e. the Shulammitess; Sept. ἡ Σουλαμυῖτις v.r. Σουμανεῖτις, etc.; Vulg. Sulamitis and Sunamitis), one of the personages in the poem of Solomon's Song, who, although named only in one passage (Song 6:13), is, according to most interpreters, the most prominent of all the characters, being no other than the bride herself. The name after the analogy of Shunammite denotes a woman belonging to a place called Shulem. The only place bearing that name of which we have any knowledge is Shunem itself, which, as far back as the 4th century, was so called (Euseb. Onomast. s.v.). On the theory that Shulammite and Shunammite are equivalent, some have supposed that the female in question who was the object of Solomon's passion was Abishag — the most lovely girl of her day, and at the time of David's death one of the most prominent persons at the court of Jerusalem. This would be equally appropriate whether Solomon were himself the author of the Song or it were written by another person whose object was to personate him accurately. SEE SOLOMON. But this is abhorrent to the whole tenor of the Canticles, and is opposed to the Oriental usage with regard to the harem of a deceased king. SEE ABISHAG. It is far more reasonable to suppose that the title the Shulammitess was a poetical term applied to the bride in imitation of Solomon's name, as they are thus but masculine and feminine forms for "peaceful." SEE CANTICLES.

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.