Song of Solomon

Call it Canticles or The Song of Songs or the Song of Solomon — call it what you will — but what is it about?

The ancient Hebrews understood it allegorically, representing the love of the Lord for Israel.

The ancient Christians understood it allegorically, representing the love of Jesus for the church.

The main issue of the Council of Jamnia (Yahneh), some say, was to decide whether it belonged to the cannon.

The Jews would not let children read the text until boys made their Bar Mitzvah because of its suggestive language.