He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
Parallel translations
- WEB He found him in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He surrounded him. He cared for him. He kept him as the apple of his eye.
- KJV He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
- NKJV “He found him in a desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.
- NASB “He found him in a desert land, And in the howling wasteland of a wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
- NLT He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God found Israel in a desert wilderness, encircled, cared for, and guarded him as the apple of His eye. It matters because it pictures God's tender, protective love for His people.
Overview
The wilderness imagery recalls God's gracious care during Israel's wanderings. 'The apple of his eye' conveys how preciously God guarded His people, as one protects the most sensitive part of the body. This intimate, watchful love foreshadows the care of the Good Shepherd, Christ, who keeps His own and loses none.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Zech 2:8For 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—
- Hos 13:5I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
- Ps 17:8Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Deut 8:15–16He led you through the vast and terrifying wilderness with its venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land. He brought you water from the rock of flint.
- Jer 2:6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
- Ps 32:7–10You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
- Neh 9:19–21You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.
- Prov 7:2Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
- Song 8:5Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth.
- Deut 4:36He let you hear His voice from heaven to discipline you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire.
- Rom 2:18if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;
- Ps 147:19–20He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.
- Rom 3:2Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
- Ps 107:4–5Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no path to a city in which to dwell.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 32:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.