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New Living Translation

Zechariah 2:8

After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven's Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, "Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Babylon;   God Continued...;   Thompson Chain Reference - Church;   Leaders;   Men of God;   Messengers, God's;   Prophets;   Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Jesus Christ;   Sending and Those Sent;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Jews, the;   Persecution;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Touch;   Zechariah, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Apple;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Apple of the Eye;   Esther;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Apple of the Eye;   Zechariah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Apocalyptic Literature;   Apple of the Eye;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Jealousy (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Apple of the Eye;   Zechariah, Prophecy of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Cloud;   Gareb;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Apple;   Eye;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Apple of the Eye;   Eye;   Text of the Old Testament;   Zechariah, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Eschatology;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 23;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord sent me to the nations that took away your wealth. He sent me to bring you honor. And this is what the Lord All-Powerful said: "If anyone even touches you, it is as if they did it to the pupil of my eye.
New American Standard Bible
For the LORD of armies says this: "After glory He has sent me against the nations that plunder you, for the one who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
New Century Version
This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "After he has honored me and sent me against the nations who took your possessions—because whoever touches you hurts what is precious to me—
Update Bible Version
For this is what Yahweh of Hosts says: After glory he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he that touches you touches the apple of my eye.
Webster's Bible Translation
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me to the nations which wasted you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.
Amplified Bible
For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you—for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
English Standard Version
For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:
World English Bible
For thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, After glorie he sente me to hethene men, whiche robbiden you; for he that schal touche you, schal touche the apple of myn iye.
English Revised Version
For thus saith the LORD of hosts: After glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
Berean Standard Bible
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: "After His glory has sent me against the nations that have plundered you-for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye-
Contemporary English Version
Then the glorious Lord All-Powerful ordered me to say to the nations that had raided and robbed Zion: Zion is as precious to the Lord as are his eyes. Whatever you do to Zion, you do to him.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
For this is what the Lord of armies has said: In the way of glory he has sent me to the nations which have taken your goods: for anyone touching you is touching what is most dear to him.
Complete Jewish Bible
and said to him, "Run and tell this young man, ‘Yerushalayim will be inhabited without walls, because there will be so many people and animals;
Darby Translation
For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: After the glory, hath he sent me unto the nations that made you a spoil; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and said unto him: 'Run, speak to this young man, saying: 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein.
King James Version (1611)
For thus sayth the Lord of hostes, After the glory hath he sent me vnto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.
New Life Bible
For the Lord of All says, "The Lord of shining-greatness has sent Me against the nations which have robbed you in battle. For whoever touches you, touches what is of great worth to Him.
New Revised Standard
For thus said the Lord of hosts (after his glory sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For thus saith the Lord of hostes, After this glory hath hee sent me vnto the nations, which spoyled you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.
George Lamsa Translation
For thus says the LORD of hosts: After the glory he has sent me against the nations who plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, For his own honour, hath he sent me unto the nations that are spoiling you, - Surely, he that toucheth you, toucheth the pupil of mine eye.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For thus saith the Lord of hosts: After the glory he hath sent me to the nations that have robbed you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye:
Revised Standard Version
For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes, After this glory hath he sent me out to the heathen which spoyled you: for who so toucheth you, shal touche the apple of his owne eye.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
Good News Translation
Anyone who strikes you strikes what is most precious to me." So the Lord Almighty sent me with this message for the nations that had plundered his people:
Christian Standard Bible®
For the Lord of Armies says this: “In pursuit of his glory, he sent me against the nations plundering you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye.
Hebrew Names Version
For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
For thus said Yahweh of hosts, after glory he sent me against the nations plundering you: Truly, the one touching you is touching the apple of his eye.
Literal Translation
For so says Jehovah of Hosts: He has sent Me after glory, to the nations who plundered you; for he who touches you touches the pupil of His eye.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes: With a glorious power hath he sent me out to the Heithe, which spoyled you: for who so toucheth you, shal touche the aple of his owne eye.
THE MESSAGE
God -of-the-Angel-Armies, the One of Glory who sent me on my mission, commenting on the godless nations who stripped you and left you homeless, said, "Anyone who hits you, hits me—bloodies my nose, blackens my eye. Yes, and at the right time I'll give the signal and they'll be stripped and thrown out by their own servants." Then you'll know for sure that God -of-the-Angel-Armies sent me on this mission.
New English Translation
For the Lord who rules over all says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you—for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye.
New King James Version
For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
Legacy Standard Bible
For thus says Yahweh of hosts, "After glory He has sent Me against the nations which have taken you as spoil, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.

Contextual Overview

6 The Lord says, "Come away! Flee from Babylon in the land of the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds. 7 Come away, people of Zion, you who are exiled in Babylon!" 8 After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven's Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, "Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession. 9 I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them." Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven's Armies has sent me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

After: Zechariah 2:4, Zechariah 2:5, Zechariah 1:15, Zechariah 1:16, Isaiah 60:7-14

sent: Zechariah 2:9, Zechariah 2:11, Isaiah 48:15, Isaiah 48:16, Malachi 3:1, John 14:23, John 14:24, John 14:26, John 15:21-23, John 17:18, 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:10, 1 John 4:14

the nations: 2 Kings 24:2, Jeremiah 50:17, Jeremiah 50:18, Jeremiah 51:34, Jeremiah 51:35, Ezekiel 25:6, Ezekiel 25:7, Ezekiel 25:12, Ezekiel 25:15, Ezekiel 26:2, Ezekiel 35:5, Joel 3:2-8, Amos 1:3-5, Amos 1:9, Amos 1:11, Amos 1:13, Obadiah 1:10-16, Micah 4:11, Micah 5:6, Micah 7:10, Habakkuk 2:8, Habakkuk 2:17, Zephaniah 2:8

for: Genesis 20:6, Psalms 105:13-15, Acts 9:4, 2 Thessalonians 1:6

the apple: Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalms 17:8, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:10 - the angel Genesis 26:11 - toucheth Exodus 15:7 - them that Exodus 23:22 - an enemy Deuteronomy 23:4 - Because they met 1 Samuel 17:36 - seeing 2 Chronicles 14:11 - man Job 1:10 - an hedge Job 1:11 - touch Psalms 24:10 - The Lord Psalms 85:9 - glory Psalms 105:15 - Touch Proverbs 7:2 - as the Isaiah 32:18 - General Isaiah 35:4 - behold Isaiah 40:10 - the Lord God Isaiah 54:15 - shall fall Isaiah 63:9 - all their Jeremiah 2:3 - all that Jeremiah 12:14 - that Jeremiah 27:7 - until Jeremiah 30:16 - General Jeremiah 46:1 - against Jeremiah 50:11 - ye destroyers Jeremiah 51:1 - rise Ezekiel 26:20 - and I shall set Ezekiel 38:14 - dwelleth Zephaniah 3:15 - he hath Zephaniah 3:19 - I will undo Zechariah 4:9 - and Zechariah 6:15 - and ye Zechariah 12:3 - in that Zechariah 14:3 - General Matthew 18:6 - offend Acts 22:8 - whom Acts 26:14 - hard Galatians 4:4 - God Revelation 11:5 - fire Revelation 17:14 - shall make

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.
Genesis 2:9
The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 3:24
After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Genesis 4:16
So Cain left the Lord 's presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Genesis 13:10
Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
2 Kings 19:12
Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all!
Isaiah 51:3
The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord . Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air.
Ezekiel 27:23
"Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad came with their merchandise, too.
Ezekiel 28:13
You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone— red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created.
Ezekiel 31:16
I made the nations shake with fear at the sound of its fall, for I sent it down to the grave with all the others who descend to the pit. And all the other proud trees of Eden, the most beautiful and the best of Lebanon, the ones whose roots went deep into the water, took comfort to find it there with them in the depths of the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... Christ, who is the true Jehovah, and Lord of armies, as appears from his being sent in the next clause:

After the glory; which is promised, Zechariah 2:5 so the Targum and Kimchi; or, "afterwards" shall be "the glory" l; or a glorious time and state; that is, after God's people are brought out of mystical Babylon, when the Jews shall be converted, and the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in, then will be the latter day glory; and at the same time will be the fall and destruction of antichrist, and of the antichristian states, as follows:

hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you; the Chaldeans and Babylonians, who spoiled and carried captive the Jews; or the antichristian nations, which persecuted and wasted the people of God, the followers of the Lamb; but now Christ will be sent, and will come in a spiritual manner, and take vengeance on them; he will destroy antichrist with the breath of his mouth, and with the brightness of his coming; with the sharp sword going out of his mouth, Revelation 19:15:

for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye; either his own eye, he hurts himself; or the eye of the Lord of hosts; "of mine eye", as some read it m, as the Vulgate Latin version; which shows how near and dear the Lord's people are to him. The pupil or apple of the eye is a little aperture or perforation in the middle of the tunic or coat of the eye, called the uvea and iris, about which the iris forms a ring; and through this little opening the rays of light pass to the crystalline humour, to be formed on the retina or net, at the bottom of the eye. It is a very weak and tender part, and easily hurt with the least thing; and fitly describes the feeble state of Christ's people; and how soon and easily they may be disturbed, distressed, and hurt by their enemies: and as this is a principal part of the eye, and a part of a man's self, dear and valuable to him; so are the Lord's people parts, as it were, of himself; they are members of his body, closely united to him; and whatever injury is done to them he reckons as done to himself: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Acts 9:5 and being highly esteemed by him, and having the strongest affection for them, he resents every affront given them, and will punish all that hurt them; and exceeding careful is he of them, to keep and preserve them from being hurt: "he kept him as the apple of his eye",

Deuteronomy 32:10, which, being such an useful and tender part as it is, it is wonderfully provided for by nature against all events; besides the orbit in which it is placed; and the eyebrows, which prevent many nuisances; and the eyelids, which cover and defend it in sleep; and the fringes of hair on them, which break the too violent impressions of light, and keep off motes and flies; there are no less, than six tunics or coats about it n, as so many preservatives of it: now, as the God of nature has taken so much care of this useful member of the human body, how much more careful and tender must we suppose the God of grace, and our merciful Redeemer and High Priest, to be over his dear people, parts of himself, redeemed by his blood, and designed and prepared for eternal glory and happiness; and how daring must such be who offer the least violence unto them; nor must they expect to escape his wrath and vengeance, that seek their hurt, and give them disturbance; see Psalms 17:8 and as this may respect the Jews called out of Babylon in the two preceding verses Zechariah 2:6, it may be concluded that they were obedient to the divine call, though it is not recorded; it being not likely that God, who had so great a regard for them, would suffer them to continue there to their destruction; for it was about two years after this prophecy, in the fourth year of Darius, or the beginning of the fifth, that Babylon revolted from him, and was besieged twenty months by him, before he took it; and which he did at last by the stratagem of Zopyrus, one of his generals, when he beat down its walls and gates, and put to death three thousand of the inhabitants that were most guilty o; but, before this, it is reasonable to suppose that the people of God, so dear unto him as is expressed, were called out from hence; as those of his people, equally dear to him, will be called out of mystical Babylon before its destruction; see Revelation 18:4.

l אחר כבוד "tandem [erit] gloria, aut postea erit gloria", De Dieu. m So in Siphre apud Galatin. de Arean. Cathol. Ver. l. 1. c. 8. n Vid. Chamber's Dictionary, in the word "Eye". o Vid. Prideaux's Connexion, par. 1. B. 3. p. 188, 189.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

After the glory - Jonathan: “Which it is promised to bring upon you.” This being the usual construction, the words involve a great course of God’s dealing, of first showing favor to those who will receive favor, then abandoning or punishing the rest; as, when the eight souls had been received into the ark, the flood came; when Lot and his had escaped out of Sodom, the fire came down from heaven; when Israel had passed the Red Sea, Pharaoh’s hosts were drowned; the election obtained what israel sought for, the rest were blinded. “The glory” then would be the glory, of which God says, “I will be the glory in the midst of you” Romans 11:7.

But further He who speaketh is Almighty God, “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, He hath sent me; For lo I wave My hand against them - and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me; Lo I come and dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord, and many nations shall cleave unto the Lord in that day, and they shall be to Me a people and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know, that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you” Zechariah 2:8-10. In all which series of promises, the I, of whom Israel were to know that the Lord of hosts had sent Him, is the I, who affirms of Himself what belongs to Almighty God only, inflicting punishment on the enemies of Judah, indwelling the Church and people, receiving the pagan as His own; and it is precisely by all these acts of power and love, that Israel shall know that the Lord of hosts had sent Him.

(Jerome: “In what follows, ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts, After glory, He hath sent Me’ etc., the Saviour is introduced speaking, who, being Almighty God, saith that He was sent by the Father Almighty, not according to that whereby He was Almighty, but according to that, that, after glory, He was sent, “who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was made obedient unto the Father even unto death; and that, the death of the Cross” Philippians 2:6. Nor is it marvel that Christ is called Almighty, in whose Person we read in the Apocalypse of John, “These things saith the faithful Witness - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which was and which is and which is to come, the Almighty” Revelation 1:5, Revelation 1:8, “to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth” Matthew 28:18; and who saith, “All things of the Father’s are Mine” John 16:15. But if all things, that is, God from God, Lord from. Lord, Light from Light, therefore also Almighty from Almighty; for it cannot be, that diverse should be the glory of those whose Nature is One.”

For he who toucheth - So as to injure , you, “toucheth the apple of His eye,” that is, of Him who sent Him, Almighty God. So Jerome, Theodoret Others, as Cyril, of his own eye, turning to evil to himself; but the analogy of the other passages is against it), as in the song of Moses, “He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye” Deuteronomy 32:10; and David prays, “Keep me as the apple of the eye” Psalms 17:8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Zechariah 2:8. After the glory — After your glorious deliverance from the different places of your dispersion; He hath sent me unto the nations which spoiled you, that they may fall under grievous calamities, and be punished in their turn. On Babylon a great calamity fell, when besieged and taken by the Persians.

The following note I received from a sensible and pious correspondent: -

Zechariah 2:5. "For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

Zechariah 2:8. "For thus saith the Lord of hosts, who hath sent me, the future glory (or the glory which is to come) unto the nations which spoiled you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. Behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants; and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

"If in the eighth verse אחר כבוד may be rendered the future, or the glory that is to come, it will harmonize with the context as a prophecy of the Messiah, whereas in our English translation the words after the glory are unintelligible. And so the Seventy.

"It is evident the person speaking is distinguished from the Lord of hosts, as being sent by him; yet this person sent is also called Jehovah; and the nations who shall be joined to Jehovah in that day are called his people; and he (the person sent) will dwell in the midst of thee, (i.e., Zion,) and shall inherit Judah his portion, c.

"In confirmation of my view of the eighth verse, I think Exodus 33:18-23 may be compared with it. Moses besought God that he would show him his glory upon which it was said to him, "Whilst my glory passeth by,' I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand whilst I pass by; and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my אחר achar. Now as this was a fulfilment of Moses's request, who entreated to behold the glory, it follows that this אחר was the Divine glory, which alone he was capable of seeing.

"'No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, (the Lord Jesus Christ,) which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.'" - M. A. B.

Toucheth the apple of his eye. — בבבת עינו bebabath eyno, the babet of his eye. This is a remarkable expression. Any person, by looking into the eye of another, will see his own image perfectly expressed, though in extreme minature, in the pupil. Does our English word babbet or baby come from this? And does not the expression mean that the eye of God is ever on his follower, and that his person is ever impressed on the eye, the notice, attention, providence, and mercy of God?


 
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