Love is “as strong as the grave” and ardor “as hard as Sheol.”  Both descriptions are arresting because they attribute a kind of violence to love.

“Strong” describes the driving wind of the exodus (Exodus 14:21), the raging waters of the sea that swallowed up Pharaoh (Nehemiah 9:11).  It describes anger (Genesis 49:7), the harshness of a king (Isaiah 19:4), the fierce faces of Gentiles invading Israel (Deuteronomy 28:50).

“Hard” is used to describe Israel’s servitude in Egypt (Exodus 1:14; 6:9), the Egypt-like hardness of Israel’s life under Solomon (1 Kings 12:4), hard hearts (Ezekiel 3:7) and faces (Ezekiel 2:4), violent winds (Isaiah 27:8) and the turmoil of battle (2 Samuel 2:17).

Love is not a soft passion.

But more, love is a match for every difficulty Israel faces.  The sea that threatens Israel may be strong, but Yahweh’s love is more than enough.  A king may be harsh, and invaders cruel, but love is as strong as death.

Pharaoh subjected Israel to bitter and hard bondage, but love is as hard as Sheol.  Israel’s own hearts may be stubborn, stony as flint, and they may set their faces like rock against the Lord, but His love is more stubborn still.  The hard wind that drives Israel out of exile is Yahweh’s own wind, and it’s through this exile that Judah will find forgiveness.  If the nations are a vehement wind, Yahweh is too, for He is Wind and blows where He wishes.

All opposing “strengths” and “hardnesses” are forms of death, threats to life and limb.  But love is as strong as death, Yahweh’s ardor as hard as Sheol.