Shulammite, the

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SHULAMMITE, THE

SHULAMMITE, THE (Heb. הַשּׁוִּלַמִּית), a feminine name or title occurring only in Song of *Songs 7:1 [6:13]. The phonetic similarity of Shulammite to Shunammite led to the identification of the dancer of Song of Songs with *Abishag, "the maiden from *Shunem," who was brought to King David in his old age (i Kings 1:1–4). The word is most plausibly explained as being indeed equivalent to הַשּׁוּנַמִּית," the Shunammite woman" (i Kings 1:3; ii Kings 4:25), used (on account of the aforementioned Abishag) as synonymous with "beautiful woman."

[Keith N. Schoville]

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