Song 1:5-6

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Song 1:5 . . I am black but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

The Hebrew word for "black" is shachor (shaw-khore') which means dusky, defined by Webster's as somewhat dark in color, i.e. somewhere between light and dark; viz: tanned.

Quite a few people here in Oregon frequent tanning salons to darken their skin, while in California they bake themselves in sunlight. But apparently in Shulah's day, women didn't tan on purpose because it was considered unattractive.

The "tents of Kedar" is likely a reference to the portable goatskin shelters utilized by herdsmen in the field, while the "curtains of Solomon" is a reference to the beauty of woven tapestries hanging in his palace.

Shulah had probably never actually seen those tapestries for herself but everybody knew about Solomon's extreme wealth and his ostentatious manner of living.

So, Shulah's feminine attributes outweighed her complexion; and to tell the truth, very few of the men I've encountered during my 76 years on the third rock from the Sun care all that much about the color of a woman's face anyway. It's a very minor consideration; if it's considered at all.

Song 1:6 . . Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, for the sun has burned me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me caretaker of the vineyards. But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

Shulah's "own vineyard" no doubt refers to taking care of herself. Grape harvest in that land is sometime around July and September; so you can just imagine the damage done to Shulah's skin out there in the fields under a hot summer Sun.

When women "stare" at each other, it's usually for the purpose of evaluating their appearance; viz: the daughters of Jerusalem were nit-picking Shulah's appearance and likely making unkind remarks about it like when Joan Rivers was on Fashion Police; though for Joan it was all in fun, but I suspect the women in Jerusalem were catty; defined by Webster's as spiteful and malicious.
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