The absence of and the presence of “god(s)” in the
Song of Songs :
The absence of the Israelite God in the Song of Songs is conspicuous. The poet of the Song is far too sophisticated to attribute this to a slip of the mind. Among many reasons offered for the absence of Israel's societal stereotype of God, might the Song's alternative views on gender relations, within a love setting, perhaps be a reason for prohibiting the “ultimate Patriarch” to interfere? Interestingly the Song contains quite a number of other notions of
counter-intuitivity (= gods) confirming humans' propensity, since early evolution, to create gods to fulfil certain needs. Although it is an ancient love-song the Song has much to offer on gender and god constructs and the implications thereof for the civilization of society
today.

HTS Theological Studies Vol. 64 (1) 2008: pp. 447-460