The Meaning of Zechariah 2:8 Explained

Zechariah 2:8

KJV: 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.

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.

Darby: 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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Zechariah 2:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Zechariah 2:1-13 - The Redemption Of Jerusalem
The work of Temple-building had ceased for fifteen years and the new resolve to arise and build might meet with a similar fate. But the four horns met with four carpenters. For Babylon the carpenter was Cyrus; for Persia, Alexander the Great; for Greece, the Roman; for Rome, the Gaul. No weapon that is formed to thwart God's purposes can prosper. The young man with the measuring line embodied the new spirit animating the returned exiles. But God was intending to give more prosperity and increase than could be contained in walls. [source]

Chapter Summary: Zechariah 2

1  God, in the care of Jerusalem, sends to measure it
6  The redemption of Zion
10  The promise of God's presence

What do the individual words in Zechariah 2:8 mean?

For thus says Yahweh of hosts after glory He sent He to the nations which plunder you he who touches you touches the apple of His eye
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָמַר֮ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ אַחַ֣ר כָּב֔וֹד שְׁלָחַ֕נִי אֶל־ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם הַשֹּׁלְלִ֣ים אֶתְכֶ֑ם הַנֹּגֵ֣עַ בָּכֶ֔ם נֹגֵ֖עַ בְּבָבַ֥ת עֵינֽוֹ

כֹ֣ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַר֮  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאוֹת֒  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אַחַ֣ר  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
כָּב֔וֹד  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
שְׁלָחַ֕נִי  He  sent  He 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
הַגּוֹיִ֖ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הַשֹּׁלְלִ֣ים  which  plunder 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַל 
Sense: (Qal) to draw out.
הַנֹּגֵ֣עַ  he  who  touches 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
נֹגֵ֖עַ  touches 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
בְּבָבַ֥ת  the  apple 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בָּבָה  
Sense: the apple (pupil) of the eye.
עֵינֽוֹ  of  His  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.