Deuteronomy 32:10

32:10 The Lord ¹  found him ²  in a desolate land,

in an empty wasteland where animals howl. ³ 

He continually guarded him ⁴  and taught him; ⁵ 

he continually protected him ⁶  like the pupil ⁷  of his eye.

Psalms 17:8

17:8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! ⁸ 

Hide me in the shadow of your wings! ⁹ 

Matthew 25:40

25:40 And the king will answer them, ¹⁰  ‘I tell you the truth, ¹¹  just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters ¹²  of mine, you did it for me.’

Matthew 25:45

25:45 Then he will answer them, ¹³  ‘I tell you the truth, ¹⁴  just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’

[32:10]  ¹ tn Heb “he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:10]  ² tn The reference is to “his people/Jacob” (cf. v. 9), that is, Israel (using a collective singular). The singular pronouns are replaced by plural ones throughout vv. 10-14 by some English versions as an aid to the modern reader (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT).

[32:10]  ³ tn Heb “in an empty, howling wasteland.” The word “howling” is derived from a verbal root that typically refers to the wailing of mourners. Here it likely refers to the howling of desert animals, or perhaps to the howling wind, in which case one may translate, “in an empty, windy wasteland.”

[32:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “was surrounding him.” The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing care during the period in view. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.

[32:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “he gave him understanding.” The form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is a preterite, not an imperfect. As such it simply states the action factually. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.

[32:10]  ⁶ tn The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing protection during the period in view. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.

[32:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “the little man.” The term אִישׁוֹן (’ishon) means literally “little man,” perhaps because when one looks into another’s eyes he sees himself reflected there in miniature. See A. Harman, NIDOTTE 1:391.

[17:8]  ⁸ tc Heb “Protect me like the pupil, a daughter of an eye.” The noun בַּת (bat, “daughter”) should probably be emended to בָּבַת (bavat, “pupil”). See Zech 2:12 HT (2:8 ET) and HALOT 107 s.v. *בָּבָה.

[17:8]  ⁹ sn Your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.

[25:40]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[25:40]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[25:40]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here.

[25:45]  ¹³ tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[25:45]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”