Apple
Hebrew; tappuach. (Son 2:3; Son 2:5; Son 7:8; Son 8:5; Pro 25:11.) The color was golden, the odor fragrant, the tree green and shady. Probably the citron tree, of which the foliage is perennial, and the blossoms and golden fruit most fragrant. It abounds in W. Asia. In Son 2:5, "Comfort me with apples," the Hebrew is "Straw me," etc., i.e., let my couch be strewed with citrons, to refresh me with their scent, or with citron leaves.
Pro 25:11; "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver "; i.e., like citrons, antifebrile medicinally, attractive to the eye, pleasing the sense of smell and the palate; served up in elaborately figured silver vessels. Oriental ladies make the citron their vinaigrette.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Apple
The conditions to be fulfilled by the tappuah are that it should be a fine tree, suitable to sit under (Ca 2') : '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.' It should be of size sullicient to overshadow a booth or house (Ca 8°) : 'I raised thee up under the apple tree ; there thy mother brought thee forth ; tliere she brouglit thee forth that bare thee.' It had a sweet fruit (Ca 2^) : ' and his fruii was sweet to my taste.' It also had a pleasant smell (Ca 7') : ' and the smell of thy nose like apples.' It was used to revive a person who was languid (Ca 2') : ' Stay me with raisiuc, comfort me with apples ; for I am sick of love. The apple fulfils all the conditions perfectly. It is a fruit tree which often attains a large size, is planted in orchards and near houses, and is a special favourite of the people of Palestine and Syria. It is true that the fruit of the Syrian apple is far inferior to that of Europe, and especi- ally to that of America. Nevertheless it is a favourite with all the people,…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia