1. Song of Solomon 2:3 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why does the young woman refer to her beloved as an apple tree among the trees?

Song of Solomon 2:3 (ESV)

3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

In response to his praise of her beauty, the young woman uses a similar comparison to describe him. He too stands out in her assessment of him. He is like an apple tree among the other ordinary trees. Unlike all the other trees in a forest, an apple tree is fragrant and bears fruit. It is vibrant and fertile.1