Ancient Lover

Richard Davidson ( Flame of Yahweh: Sexuality in the Old Testament ) notes the connections between Song of Songs 8:6 and Daniel 7:9-10.  The two passages are “intertextual twins”:

“In immediate succession, three times flames/fire are mentioned, matching (in Aramaic) almost precisely the threefold (in Hebrew) mention of fiery flames in Song 8:6: (1) Dan 7:9, ‘his [the Ancient of Days’] throne was fiery flames (= resapha , ‘its flames,’ of Song 8:6); (2) Dan 7:9, ‘its wheels were burning fire’ (= rispe es , ‘flames of fire,’ of Song 8:6); and (3) Dan 7:10, “A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence (+ salhebetya ,’ ‘flame of Yah[weh]’ in Song 8:6).  Thus, “in canonical perspective, the ‘flame of Yah’ in Song 8:6 is none other than the fiery stream that comes forth from the enthroned Yahweh himself. The Song’s flame of Yahweh thus brings us into the heavenly holy of holies.”