Is Song of Songs 5:16 a prophecy about Muhammad?
His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my lover, this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. (Song of Songs 5:16)
Many Muslims claim that where it says "he is altogether lovely" should read "he is Mahamaddim." This is incorrect for a number of reasons. First lets look at the transliteration from Hebrew and a literal translation:
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khi.ko mam.ta.kim. ve.khu.lo ma.kha.ma.dim ze do.di ve.ze re.i be.not ye.ro.u.sha.lam: (Shir-haShirim 5:16)
His mouth [is] most sweet; and He [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my Beloved, and this [is] my Friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. (Song of Songs 5:16)
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The word "makhamadim" used in the Bible means desire, desirable thing, and pleasant thing; it can be translated as pleasant thing, pleasant, desire, goodly, lovely, and beloved. It comes from the root word "khamad," which means to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in, desirableness, and preciousness. There are many reasons as to why the passage of Song of Songs does not refer to Muhammad. First of all, this is not a prophecy. Secondly, the person being described as "makhamadim" has red hair:
My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand. (Song of Songs 5:10)
The Song of Songs also took place during the time of Solomon:
Look! It is Solomon's carriage, escorted by sixty warriors, the noblest of Israel, (Song of Songs 3:7)
Come out, you daughters of Zion, and look at King Solomon wearing the crown, the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, the day his heart rejoiced.
(Song of Songs 3:11)
But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit. (Song of Songs 8:12)
The Song is even written by Solomon:
Solomon's Song of Songs. (Song of Songs 1:1)
The word "makhamadim" is also used many other places in the Bible. Here is a list of all the places it is used: Song of Songs 5:16; 2 Chronicles 36:19; Isaiah 64:10; Lamentations 1:10, 11, 2:4; Hosea 9:6, 16; Ezekiel 24:16, 21, 25; Joel 4:5; and 1 Kings 20:6. There are 13 places where "makhamadim" is used; isn't it strange how Muslims only refer to one place (Song of Songs) as being Muhammad? Well, look at what the other verses say:
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va.yis.re.fu et-beit ha.e.lo.him va.ye.nat.tsu et kho.mat ye.ro.u.shalam ve.khol-ar.me.no.tei.ha sar.fu va.esh
ve.khol-ke.lei ma.kha.ma.dei.ha le.hash.khit:
They set fire to God's temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. (2 Chronicles 36:19)
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beit kad.she.nu ve.tif.ar.te.nu a.sher hil.lu.kha a.vo.tei.nu ha.ya lis.re.fat esh ve.khol-ma.kha.ma.dei.nu ha.ya le.khar.ba:
Your sacred cities have become a desert; even Zion is a desert, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and glorious temple, where our fathers praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured lies in ruins. (Isaiah 64:10-11)
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ya.do pa.ras tsar al tsar al kol-ma.kha.ma.dei.ha ki-ra.a.ta go.yim ba.u mik.da.sha a.sher tsi.vi.ta lo-ya.vo.u va.ka.hal lakh:
The enemy laid hands on all her treasures; she saw pagan nations enter her sanctuary--those you had forbidden to enter your assembly. (Lamentations 1:10)
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kol-a.ma ne.e.na.khim me.vak.shim le.khem nat.nu ma.kha.ma.vdei.hem ma.kha.ma.dei.hem be.o.khel le.ha.shiv na.fesh re.e a.do.nai ve.ha.bi.ta ki ha.yi.ti zo.le.la:
All her people groan as they search for bread; they barter their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. "Look O LORD, and consider, for I am despised." (Lamentations 1:11)
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da.rakh kash.to ke.o.yev ni.tsav ye.mi.no ke.tsar va.ha.rog kol ma.kha.ma.dei-a.yin be.o.hel bat-tsi.yon sha.fakh ka.esh kha.ma.to:
Like an enemy he has strung his bow, his right hand is ready. Like a foe he has slain all who were pleasing to the eye; he has poured out his wrath like fire on the tent of the Daughter of Zion.
(Lamentations 2:4)
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hu.ka ef.ra.yim shar.sham ya.vesh pe.ri vali val ya.a.sho.un gam ki ye.le.dun ve.he.ma.ti ma.kha.ma.dei vit.nam:
Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring." (Hosea 9:16)
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ben-a.dam hin.ni lo.ke.akh mim.kha et-makh.mad ei.nei.kha be.ma.ge.fa ve.lo tis.pod ve.lo tiv.ke ve.lo ta.vo dim.a.te.kha:
"Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. (Ezekiel 24:16)
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ve.a.ta ven-a.dam ha.lo be.yom kakh.ti me.hem et-ma.u.zam me.sho.os tif.ar.tam et-makh.mad ei.nei.hem ve.et-ma.sa naf.shm be.nei.hem u.ve.no.tei.hem:
"And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, their hearts desire, and their sons and daughters as well-- (Ezekiel 24:25)
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a.sher-kas.pi u.ze.ha.vi le.kakh.tem u.ma.kha.ma.dai ha.to.vim ha.ve.tem le.hekh.lei.khem:
For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. (Joel 3:5)
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Wow. We see that the "makhamadim" has been burned, destroyed, traded for food, killed, despised, and carried off into pagan temples. Please realize that the Hebrew word "makhamadim" is not the same as the Prophet Muhammad (unless, of course, he applies to all of the above verses).
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Further Discussion:
Does Song of Songs mention Muhammad's name? (From Answering Islam team)