Isaiah 35 shares a number of fairly rare terms with Song of Songs 2. Both refer to the crocus or rose (Isaiah 35:1; Song of Songs 2:1). Both have people leaping (Isaiah 35:6; Song of Songs 2:8) and in both the leaping person is compared to a stag (Isaiah 35:6; Song of Songs 2:9). Isaiah 35 prophesies the outbreak of life in the wilderness of Israel that will occur when “they see the glory of Yahweh, the majesty of our God” (Isaiah 35:2).
Given the verbal connections of the two passages, we might give Isaiah 35 a romantic gloss: The barren will blossom like the rose, the lame will leap, eyes will be opened, waters will spring up in the desert and turn it to a garden of delights when the Lover comes to His beloved, and says to her “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one! Arise and walk!”
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