What is the meaning of the foxes in Song of Solomon 2:15?

Answer

In Song of Solomon 2:15, the speaker says, “Catch for us the foxes, / the little foxes / that ruin the vineyards, / our vineyards that are in bloom.” It might seem strange that, in the middle of a romantic, tender conversation, the matter of a fox hunt should arise. As with much of the imagery in this beautiful poem, the foxes are symbolic.

Solomon’s readers considered foxes to be destructive animals that could ruin valuable vineyards (cf: Judges 15:4; Psalm 63:10; Ezekiel 13:4). As the Shulammite and her beloved express their love for each other, we are suddenly faced with the necessity of capturing the foxes that spoil the vines. If the blooming vineyard spreading its fragrance in Song of Solomon 2:13 symbolizes the developing romance between the couple, then the foxes mentioned in verse 15 represent potential issues that could harm the relationship before marriage (which occurs in chapter 5). The directive, essentially, is “Take preventive measures to safeguard this love from anything that could jeopardize it.”

In ancient literature, wild animals were frequently employed to symbolize challenges that could drive lovers apart. For instance, Egyptian love songs used crocodiles to depict a threat to romantic love. While crocodiles were not prevalent in Israel, foxes were.

In the Old Testament, foxes are referenced in Judges 15. Samson attaches torches to 300 foxes and sets them loose to devastate the grain fields of the Philistines. In Nehemiah 4:3, the wicked Tobiah ridicules the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s wall, stating, “What they are building— even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

Jesus once utilized the metaphor of a fox in a negative context. When referring to Herod, Jesus remarked, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will continue to drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on theOn the third day, I will reach my goal’” «And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. », (Luke 13:32). Jesus calls Herod a “fox” as a rebuke of that monarch’s crafty and worthless nature.

Song of Solomon 2:15 is a wise and beautiful verse. The vineyards are “in bloom”—the romance is alive and growing and preparing to bear fruit. But there is a need to round up the “foxes”—all potential threats to the relationship must be removed. The foxes are “little”—it’s the little things, the things overlooked, that often spoil things of value. Maintaining a good relationship takes work. The lovers must address potential dangers to their relationship and remove all threats to their love. As they pay attention to the “little things,” the lovers will be free to continue to pursue marriage and sexual intimacy.