An excellent analysis of ancient Egyptian love songs and the Song of Songs (=Song of Solomon, Canticles).

Fox presents his translations and comments on ancient Egyptian love songs and the Song of Songs. He compares and contrasts them, showing how they are part of the same genre yet reflect many differences based on distinctions in culture. He addresses the time, setting, and cultural contexts of the Egyptian love songs and the Song of Songs, along with societal function, the literary themes present, and how love and sexuality are expressed in them. The appendices include images from Egypt relevant to the love songs, an Egyptian concordance for the love songs, and the transcription of the Egyptian texts.

This is an excellent book demonstrating the larger ancient Near Eastern context for both the love songs and the Song of Solomon. While some of Fox's conclusions about dating and individual translation decisions could be challenged, his overall presentation of the parallels between the Egyptian songs and the Song of Solomon is sound and worthy of consideration.

An important work in contexualizing the Song of Songs and to better understand what it is designed to reflect-- the rhapsodizing of young love. ( )