אִישׁוֹן
𐤀𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤍
ʼîyshôwn
H380 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The dark central part of the eye (the pupil), metaphorically used for the 'apple of the eye'—that is, something precious or carefully protected. In rare extended usage, denotes the deepest or middle portion of the night.
Semantic Range
pupil (of the eye), apple (of the eye), something precious, middle (of night), deep darkness
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root אישׁ ('man'), with the diminutive suffix -ון, forming a word meaning 'little man'—a reference derived from the reflection of one's own image seen in another person's eye (as if seeing a 'little man'). The lexical meaning of אִישׁוֹן is not directly related to the core sense of 'man' but to this optical phenomenon.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The primary usage in the Hebrew Bible describes the pupil, especially in metaphorical expressions like 'the apple of the eye,' indicating something highly valued and carefully guarded (cf. Deut 32:10, Ps 17:8, Prov 7:2, Zech 2:8). The extension to 'middle of the night' (Prov 7:9) likely arises from the sense of darkness associated with the pupil, denoting the time of deepest night rather than simply 'midnight.' English translations frequently use 'apple of the eye,' which does not precisely mirror the Hebrew metaphor; the original image is rooted in the visual experience of seeing one's reflection in the dark eye of another. Usage is consistent through biblical periods, but the term is rare, chiefly occurring in poetic and metaphorical contexts. The meaning is distinct from parallel terms such as בָּבָה (bavah, Zech 2:8, also 'pupil'), which may nuance the metaphor differently.
Translation Consistency
The dominant and primary sense in the SILEX data is the anatomical pupil (4 of 6 occurrences). 'Pupil' is the natural modern English word for the dark central part of the eye and can be extended metaphorically to cover 'apple of the eye' or the precious/central thing; rarer senses (deep night/darkness) are secondary and can be handled contextually.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
diminutive from אִישׁ; the little man of the eye; the pupil or ball; hence, the middle (of night); apple (of the eye), black, obscure.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
אישׁ (ʼîysh) — man, individual, person, husband
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H380-03 |
כְּ/אִישׁ֥וֹן | keishon | HR/Ncmsc |
as the pupil | as pupil of | as pupil of | 3 |
H380-01 |
בֶּ/אֱשׁ֥וּן | beeshun | HR/Ncmsc |
in blackness | pupil of | the darkness of | 1 |
H380-02 |
בְּ/אִישׁ֥וֹן | beishon | HR/Ncmsc |
in the pupil | pupil | in the pupil | 1 |
H380-04 |
ב/אישון | vyshvn | HR/Ncmsc |
in obscurity | in the pupil-of | in the darkness of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H380-03 |
Deuteronomy 32:10 | כְּ/אִישׁ֥וֹן | keishon | HR/Ncmsc |
as the pupil | as pupil of | as pupil of |
H380-03 |
Psalms 17:8 | כְּ/אִישׁ֣וֹן | keishon | HR/Ncmsc |
as the pupil | as pupil of | as pupil of |
H380-03 |
Proverbs 7:2 | כְּ/אִישׁ֥וֹן | keishon | HR/Ncmsc |
as the pupil | as pupil of | as pupil of |
H380-02 |
Proverbs 7:9 | בְּ/אִישׁ֥וֹן | beishon | HR/Ncmsc |
in the pupil | pupil | in the pupil |
H380-04 |
Proverbs 20:20 | ב/אישון | vyshvn | HR/Ncmsc |
in obscurity | in the pupil-of | in the darkness of |
H380-01 |
Proverbs 20:20 | בֶּ/אֱשׁ֥וּן | beeshun | HR/Ncmsc |
in blackness | pupil of | the darkness of |