The idiom “apple of your eye” refers to something or someone valuable. It has a literal meaning, referring to the pupil, and originates from Old English. It is also found in the Bible as a reference to God’s love for his people.
There are many idioms that make up the English language that are used to express a feeling or point of view in a unique way. The term “apple of your eye” is one such phrase and is used to identify something or someone that is very valuable to the speaker or writer. Besides being used as a metaphor, this idiom also has a literal meaning. It can refer to the opening in the middle of an individual’s eye or to the pupil.
This widely used idiom has its roots in Old English, an early form of the English language used in parts of England for hundreds of years until the 12th century. Old English was mainly used by the Anglo-Saxon population. This language has had many influences but is considered to be a West Germanic dialect with words from several languages.
“Apple of your eye” refers to someone who is dear to you. The connotation is towards someone precious because, in its earliest form, the term was very literal. It referred to the pupil, and since eyesight was valued, the phrase had the merits of an idiom. The term made its way into some of the earliest literary writings of the likes of King Alfred the Great in the late 9th century, although it is unclear who authored the phrase. William Shakespeare also incorporated the use of this phrase into his works in the 16th century.
The term “apple of your eyes” is also a biblical scripture found in the Old Testament. In the book of Psalm in chapter 17, verse eight, in the New International Version (NIV), the Bible says: “Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings”. This scripture is a plea to the Lord to remember his son. The scriptures suggest that the author of the scriptures, David, is dear and precious to God.
Other Biblical uses of the term “apple of your eye” can be found in the book of Deuteronomy in chapter 32, verse 10, which says: “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He surrounded him, he taught him, he kept him like the apple of his eye ”. This verse is written by Moses and refers to God’s love for his people. Also, in the book of Zechariah in chapter two, verse eight, the author says: “For whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.”
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