Zechariah 2:8

Zechariah 2:8

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

a. ASV: For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: After glory hath he sent me unto the nations which plundered you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

b. YLT: For thus said Jehovah of Hosts: After honour He hath sent me unto the nations who are spoiling you, For he who is coming against you, Is coming against the daughter of His eye.

c. Classic Amplified Bible: For thus said the Lord of hosts, after [His] glory had sent me [His messenger] to the nations who plundered you—for he who touches you touches the apple or pupil of His eye:

d. Septuagint [Zechariah 2:12]: For thus saith the Lord Almighty; After the glory has he sent me to the nations that spoiled you: for he that touches you is as one that touches the apple of his eye.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings [Zechariah 2:12]: For thus saith HASHEM, Master of Legions, after glory, He will send me to the nations who despoil you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil of his own eye.

1. “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you…”

a. For [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. thus [Strong: 3541 koh ko from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.]

c. saith [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, ×expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.] [The KJV translates Strong's H559 in the following manner: said (4,874x), speak (179x), answer (99x), command (30x), tell (29x), call (7x), promised (6x), miscellaneous (84x).]

d. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.] [ The KJV translates Strong's H3068 in the following manner: LORD (6,510x), GOD (4x), JEHOVAH (4x), variant (1x).]

e. [of] hosts [Strong: 6635 tsâbâʼ, tsaw-baw'; or (feminine) צְבָאָה tsᵉbâʼâh; from H6633; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):—appointed time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).] [The KJV translates Strong's H6635 in the following manner: host (393x), war (41x), army (29x), battle (5x), service (5x), appointed time (3x), warfare (2x), soldiers (1x), company (1x), miscellaneous (5x).]

f. After [Strong: 310 ʼachar, akh-ar'; from H309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):—after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.] [The KJV translates Strong's H310 in the following manner: after (454x), follow (78x), afterward(s) (46x), behind (44x), miscellaneous (87x).]

g. [the] glory [Strong: 3519 kâbôwd, kaw-bode'; rarely כָּבֹד kâbôd; from H3513; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness:—glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).] [The KJV translates Strong's H3519 in the following manner: glory (156x), honour (32x), glorious (10x), gloriously (1x), honourable (1x).]

h. [he that] sent [me] [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).] [The KJV translates Strong's H7971 in the following manner: send (566x), go (73x), (send, put, ...) forth (54x), send away (48x), lay (14x), send out (12x), put (10x), put away (7x), cast out (7x), stretch out (5x), cast (5x), set (5x), put out (4x), depart (4x), soweth (3x), loose (3x), miscellaneous (22x).]

i. to [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

j. [the] nations [Strong: 1471  gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1471 in the following manner: nation (374x), heathen (143x), Gentiles (30x), people (11x).]

k. [which] spoiled [Strong: 7997 shâlal, shaw-lal'; a primitive root; to drop or strip; by implication, to plunder:—let fall, make self a prey, × of purpose, (make a, (take)) spoil.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7997 in the following manner: spoil (8x), take (5x), fall (1x), prey (1x), purpose (1x).]

l. you [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

2. “…for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”

a. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. [he that] toucheth [you] [Strong: 5060 nâgaʻ, naw-gah'; a primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with a woman); by implication, to reach (figuratively, to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.):—beat, (× be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near (nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite, strike, touch.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5060 in the following manner: touch (92x), came (18x), reach (11x), bring (4x), near (4x), smite (4x), nigh (3x), plagued (3x), happeneth (2x), strike (2x), beaten (1x), cast (1x), reach up (1x), brought down (1x), join (1x), laid (1x), get up.]

c. toucheth [Strong: 5060 nâgaʻ, naw-gah'; a primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with a woman); by implication, to reach (figuratively, to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.):—beat, (× be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near (nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite, strike, touch.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5060 in the following manner: touch (92x), came (18x), reach (11x), bring (4x), near (4x), smite (4x), nigh (3x), plagued (3x), happeneth (2x), strike (2x), beaten (1x), cast (1x), reach up (1x), brought down (1x), join (1x), laid (1x), get up.]

d. [the] apple [Strong: 892 bâbâh, baw-baw'; feminine active participle of an unused root meaning to hollow out; something hollowed (as a gate), i.e. pupil of the eye:—apple (of the eye).] [The KJV translates Strong's H892 in the following manner: apple (1x).]

e. [of his] eye [Strong: ʻayin, ah'-yin; probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):—affliction, outward appearance, before, think best, colour, conceit, be content, countenance, displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), × him, humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), × me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, regard, resemblance, sight, × thee, × them, + think, × us, well, × you(-rselves).] The KJV translates Strong's H5869 in the following manner: eye (495x), sight (216x), seem (19x), colour (12x), fountain (11x), well (11x), face (10x), pleased (with H3190) (10x), presence (8x), displeased (with H3415) (8x), before (8x), pleased (with H3474) (4x), conceit (4x), think (4x), miscellaneous (66x).]

1). Institute of Creation Research Daily Devotional 8/8/11 This common phrase is often used to identify an object of one's special favor or affection. The apple of the eye, of course, is not a fruit, but the pupil of the eye, so essential for sight that it becomes a peculiarly apt symbol for a prized possession. It is used five times in the Bible as a translation of three different Hebrew nouns, none of which refer to the actual apple fruit. In each case, however, it speaks of something highly valuable to the owner. Three of these (Deuteronomy 32:10; Lamentations 2:18; and our text above) are in reference to the chosen people, Israel, as the "apple of the eye" of God Himself. God has often punished Israel for her sins and has allowed other nations to be His rod of judgment, but woe to that nation that touches the apple of His eye in this way! That individual believers can also be so regarded by the Lord is evident from one of David's prayers: "Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness. . . . Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" (Psalm 17:7-8). To be kept by God as He would keep the very apple of His own eye, requires an implicit trust in Him and His Word. In fact, His Word must become the apple of our eye! "My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye" (Proverbs 7:1-2). There are many beautiful and appropriate figures used for God's Word ("light," "hammer," "sword," "milk," etc.), but none more personally meaningful than this. May the Holy Scriptures, the indispensable Word of God, truly be the apple of the eye for each of us! HMM