Song of Solomon 2:3 (ASV)

Passage

As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Nearby Context

Song of Solomon 2:1 I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys.

Song of Solomon 2:2 As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.

Song of Solomon 2:3 As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Song of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting-house, And his banner over me was love.

Song of Solomon 2:5 Stay ye me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am sick from love.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "apple-tree", "trees", "wood", "beloved", "sons", "down", and "under". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "apple-tree", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "As a lily among thorns So is..." into verse 4's "He brought me to the banqueting-house And...", so "light" and "apple-tree" belong inside that flow. In Song of Solomon context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "light" and "apple-tree" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.