3. As an apple-tree, &c. The Shulamite returns the compliment: “As the charming apple-tree, covered with beautifully tinged and sweetly smelling fruit, appears amidst the wild and barren trees, so doest thou, my beloved, look among the youths. I delight,” continues the Shulamite, “to repose beneath the shady tree, because of its charming fruit.” The comparison between the delight which she had in the company of her beloved, and the agreeable enjoyment which a shady tree affords, will especially be appreciated by those who have travelled in the East, and had the opportunity of exchanging, in the heat of the day, their close tents for an airy and fragrant bower. Comp. Gen. xviii. 4, 8; 1 Sam. xxii. 6; Rosenm. Morgenl. i. 49; iii. 528. ‏תַּפוּחַ‎ is taken by the Chald. for ‏אָתְרוּנָא‎, citron; by Rosenmüller and others, for quince. The expression occurs only six times in the Scriptures; four times in this book (besides the present instance, see also ii. 5; vii. 9; viii. 5); once in Prov. xxv. 11; and once in Joel i. 12. It is used in three passages out of the six for the tree itself, and in the other three for its fruit. But in all these places the common apple-tree or apple is quite in keeping with the context, and the etymology of the word, viz., ‏נָפַח‎, to breathe, to breathe sweetly; hence ‏תַּפּוּחַ‎, from its fragrant breath, is an appropriate description of the common apple in Syria (Ovid. Met. viii. 675), and, indeed, in all other countries. It is evident from proper names (Josh. xii. 17; xvi. 8), that this tree was much cultivated in Palestine at a very early period. In the Talmud we frequently meet ‏תַּפוּחַ‎, used to denote the common apple. It is worthy of notice that the shepherd calls his beloved ‏שׁוֹשָׁנָה‎, fem., whilst she calls him ‏תַּפּוּחַ‎, mas. The second verb ‏וְיָשַׁבְתִּי‎ is subordinated to the ‏חִמַּדְתִּי‎, by means of the ‏ו‎ and the two words are well rendered by the Chald. ‏רְגִינַת לְמֵיתַב‎, I delight to sit; comp. ‏אֵיכָכָה אוּכָל וְרָאִיתִי‎, how shall I endure and witness, for how shall I endure to witness, Esth. viii. 6. This subordination also occurs without the ‏ו‎; comp. infra, vii. 8; viii. 2; Job x. 16; xix. 3; Gesen. § 142, 3 a, b; Ewald, § 285.