The way the husband in Song of Songs sings to his wife may often strike us as rather strange. We are not used to doing it that way. We might often smile when we read it. How can you compare her hair to a flock of goats? That is why it is so important that we understand the cultural background of these words.
This husband knows his wife. Even though she wears a veil, he recognizes her eyes. Her eyes speak to him. Therefore, he compares her eyes to the eyes of a dove. A dove’s eyes shine and sparkle. He compares her hair to a flock of goats coming down from a mountain slope. Why this comparison? When you see a flock of goats with dark hair from afar, they appear to be one moving mass. When they get down from the mountain, it looks like locks of dark-coloured hair waving up and down.
1 Que tu es belle, mon amie, que tu es belle! Tes yeux sont des colombes, Derrière ton voile. Tes cheveux sont comme un troupeau de chèvres, Suspendues aux flancs de la montagne de Galaad.