Song of Songs 1 Footnotes

The uncertain meaning of the Hebrew term shechorah, “dark” yields several opinions. The word could have reflected the natural pigment of the bride’s skin, or referred to skin overexposed to the sun as a result of outdoor labor (v. 6). It remains unclear whether the bride was uncomfortable with her darkened complexion or whether she associated the color of her skin with beauty. Most translators render the conjunction as “but,” suggesting that the bride, self-conscious that her skin color identified her with the lower class, affirmed her attractive appearance despite outdoor work. Eager to avoid any racial misunderstandings, other scholars translate the simple conjunction “dark, and beautiful.” Later in the book (5:10), health and beauty are described as white and ruddy skin, further substantiating the possibility that the term shechorah designated a sunburn or tan.