IS SONG OF SOLOMON ABOUT ARTEMIS OF EPHESUS?

The SOS has two descriptions which match the goddess Artemis of Ephesus, which are too specific and unusual for a general reference. They are (1) breasts like date clusters, and (2) jumping goats in her hair. Very odd for a normal person but a *literal* description of the features of the pagan goddess, ARTEMIS OF EPHESUS. Could SOS really be a pagan book? You decide and share your comments!

[simiuk]

This is a very interesting observation. I will see if there are any other pointers in the Song of Songs, to Ephesian Artemis, however, we will never truly know. Many thanks for this thought-provoking video.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@TheEdge012 Thanks for your response! Good points. Just in passing, if one presumes the writer is describing Artemis with the goats in her hair, this book could not be dated earlier than the 3rd Century BCE, thus certainly would not have been written by Solomon. But many believe Solomon did author this work, so you are not alone in that assessment. Thanks, again, for your input!!! Have a great day.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@barbsinclair THANK YOU, Barb for your response and opinion. Much appreciated!

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@Xeonxtreme Good point. The context of this being references to the Mother Goddess is that it refers to several different versions of the goddess, some with multi-breasts and some with two large breasts, etc. Some versions of Artemis do not have goats in her hair, only a 3rd Century BC version does. I don't think you can describe "breasts like date clusters" as just two breasts. The different verses are describing different versions of the same goddess.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@Xeonxtreme THANKS, so much, for your response!!!

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@raintree319 Ordinarily this would be true. But "breasts like date clusters" is very specific. Goats in a woman's hair is also specific. These are NOT common references at all. If I told a woman she has breasts like date clusters...? What is that. But that is SPECIFICALLY how you describe the multi-breasted Artemis. Now after we get that focus and potential identification, "goats in her hair" confirms it; especially since we understand HOW they get into her hair, which is inadvertent.

[xeonxtreme]

At your request I'll speak on the subject at hand.
@ 0:43 Go to Song of Solomon 7:3, please notice that he already stated that she has two breast. Song 7:7 seem to be more of a description of those Two Breast already spoken about. He previously stated she had two breasts in Song 4:5 as well. Now take a look at Song 7:8... there it restate similar to 7:7 except this time it says her nose smells like apple, none of the statues had an apple for a noes.
( let me sum it up).

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@vonbiron Thanks for that information, but it is "subjective" from the writer's point of view. That is, do those bull testicles LOOK LIKE breasts? Is that reasonable? Are they near where the breasts would be on a woman, etc.? The "goats" are not in her "hair" either but it appears that way. Plus the bull testicles are arranged like "date clusters" so that begs the connection. Thanks again, for the details!!!

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

The biblicist view is that the parallels are explained by a common original tale, that being Noah; thus we are seeing variations of the fall in Eden, the angelic rebels who lusted after human women and produced "nephillim" god-men followed by a global flood. So these myths are connected via that common source and are variations of the same original tale, not hand-me-down legends in every case. The Biblical tale, specifically, is original.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

@vonbiron Thanks, but it doesn't matter what ELSE looks like bull testicles or breasts. Artemis is not sporting a beard. The point is a general description of a woman with multi-breasts and goats in her hair fits Artemis of Ephesus which dates SOS long past Solomon. Those "bull testicles" LOOK LIKE breasts is the only point here; that is, the description is relevant. It's about the poetic "resemblance" not the actual, so I don't contradict your more accurate application. THANKS!

[mateoish]

Heracles, like Samson were the strongest men, had fisticuffs with a lion and were taken down in the end by women. Prometheus, like Yahweh created man from clay in his own image. Zeus, like Yahweh condemned mankind to die in a flood. Dionysus, like Jesus offered his blood in the form of wine.
I've been going nuts with the Greek myths lately, and there are tons of parallels between them and the mythology of many other regions, including Judea.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

Yes, there are parallels which points to a common source, that being Noah from the Biblical perspective. Even VIRGO is a version of the Biblical "woman and her seed" going back to ancient Sumeria. The "woman" in this case is the Mother Goddess, Ishtar which is based on Satan who in the Bible is married to Michael the archangel. Cultic Satan, of course is linked to Lilith and thus depicted in Christian art was a snake-woman, even on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michaelangelo.

[TheEdge]

I would evaluate the entire book rather than just a section of it as the overall indicator of its cannon value. And we must remember that though Solomon ended up being a pagan idolater in the end...that he spent much of his life and writting efforts worshipping the One true God.

[mateoish]

The testicles vs. breasts question on Artemis of Ephesus is still up for debate, even in the Scientific community. Absolutism about ancient customs and ideologies is a little ridiculous.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

Perhaps, for those splitting hairs -- if only they were in some other region of the body? These are in the normal region of breasts and NOT the normal region of "testicles" and to me, they look a lot more like breast imitations than testicle imitations. Artemis is the goddess of sacred knowledge who feeds here suppliants with her milk as does Artemis. The "testicles" argument thus doesn't get much traction with me -- but I love the discussion!! Thanks.

[mateoish]

Like Clark Kent and Superman, if you take away Zeus' lighting bolt you're left with a Judeo-Christian God. Where in the scriptures is the I Am described as a bearded white man. The New Testament was originally written in Greek, not to mention that we all but inherited their view of the world. Look to the fears and curiosities of children and I believe we will find the origins of original myth . . . before eons of cultural decorations.

[ceisiwrserith]

Regarding the question of whether those are breasts, one scholar I was reading recently pointed out something that hit me with a "doh, I never thought of that": they don't have nipples or areolas.

[TheExtremeBiblicist]

Yes, and it appears they are coming out of her feet, which is no where breasts usually are, right? Some versions of Artemis I think do actually have nipples though. Anyway, these "things" are where breasts usually would be and they would seem to represent breasts. thanks for the reflection.

[xeonxtreme]

Summed up
- Song of Solomon is talking about an actual lover of Solomon.
The verses you've taking if read in it's context points out that's his writings, SoS was allegorical and not literal in nature.

Summary
I would be more quicker to cut of my right hand, than to get rid of an entire book of the Bible, base upon a few verses, which when read in the full context, seem to point to allegorical writings of between lovers, rather than a pagan goddesses.

btw I know the quotes weren't from a KJV :(