Original Word: אִישׁוֹן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: iyshown
Pronunciation: ee-SHONE
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-shone')
KJV: apple (of the eye), black, obscure
NASB: apple, middle, pupil, time
Word Origin: [diminutive from H376 (אִישׁ - man)]

1. the little man of the eye
2. the pupil or ball
3. (hence) the middle (of night)

apple of the eye, black, obscure

Diminutive from 'iysh; the little man of the eye; the pupil or ball; hence, the middle (of night) -- apple (of the eye), black, obscure.

see HEBREW 'iysh

Word Origin
from ish
Definition
the pupil (of the eye)
NASB Translation
apple (2), middle (1), pupil (1), time (1).

אִישׁוֺן noun [masculine] pupil of eye (compare Dl^{HA 9} Prät^{LoPh, Feb. 1884}, but also Arabic , & Nö^{ZMG 1886, 739}) — ׳א all construct — עַיִן ׳א Deuteronomy 32:10; Proverbs 7:2; בַּתעַֿיִן ׳א Psalm 17:8 (in all, simile of preciousness); = middle, midst of night לַיְלָה וַאֲפֵלָה ׳בְּא Proverbs 7:9; חשֶׁח ׳בְּא Proverbs 20:20 Kt i.e. in deep darkness (Qr בֶּאֱשׁוּן see Now).

אִישַׁי see יִשַׁי.

אֱשׁוּן Qr Proverbs 20:20 see אִישׁוֺן below אישׁ.

Overview

אִישׁוֹן (’îšôn) is a vivid Hebrew term that appears five times in the Old Testament. Its two main senses are the “apple” or pupil of the eye—an emblem of what is intensely guarded—and the “dark core” of the night, a phrase for the deepest darkness. Both meanings converge around the idea of a vulnerable center that demands protection, whether the literal pupil or the darkest hour that swallows light.

Occurrences

1. Deuteronomy 32:10
2. Psalm 17:8
3. Proverbs 7:2
4. Proverbs 7:9
5. Proverbs 20:20

Etymology and Imagery

The root idea is “little man,” stemming from the miniature reflection seen when one looks closely into another’s eye. This miniature figure became a powerful picture of intimacy and care. When applied to night, the same “little center” concept pictures the opaque core of darkness.

Divine Protection

The first two instances center on God’s covenant love for His people.

• Deuteronomy 32:10 describes the Lord’s guardianship over Israel: “He kept him as the apple of His eye.” The image stresses that Israel’s welfare is as precious to God as eyesight is to a person.
• Psalm 17:8 personalizes the plea: “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.” Here David anchors his trust in the inviolable safety promised to those who belong to God.

These texts undergird a theology of preservation: God’s people are not merely watched; they are cherished at the most sensitive point of divine affection. From a ministry standpoint, this bolsters assurance amid affliction and fuels intercessory prayer that appeals to covenantal faithfulness.

Covenant Obedience

Proverbs 7:2 shifts the metaphor from God’s care to human responsibility: “Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.” The pupil must be shielded from harm; likewise, wisdom must be shielded from neglect. The verse couples “life” with obedience, reinforcing that spiritual vitality depends on treasuring God’s instruction with the same instinctive vigilance used to protect vision.

Night as Moral Landscape

The remaining uses draw on the darker shade of אִישׁוֹן.

• Proverbs 7:9 narrates the seduction scene “in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.” The phrase evokes secrecy and moral peril.
• Proverbs 20:20 warns, “Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.” The extinguishing of one’s lamp in the אִישׁוֹן of darkness dramatizes the loss of guidance and blessing that follows egregious sin against parents.

Together, these texts set up a moral contrast: to cherish wisdom is to safeguard one’s “eye,” whereas to indulge wickedness is to stumble into impenetrable night.

Historical and Cultural Setting

Ancient Near Eastern writings frequently compared the eye’s pupil to a precious object. Israelite usage elevates the metaphor by placing it in covenantal contexts: the Creator’s eye is upon His elect nation, and His law must be the central focus of their gaze. The overlap with night imagery may reflect the pre-industrial fear of darkness as a domain of danger; deepest night was when travelers ceased movement and households lit lamps for safety.

Theological Threads for Ministry

1. Assurance: Believers today can appropriate the “apple of the eye” promise, confident of God’s jealous protection (John 10:28 finds echo here).
2. Sanctification: Proverbs 7:2 challenges congregations to hold God’s Word at the center of attention, guarding it from the intrusions of a distracted age.
3. Warning: The night passages remind hearers that moral compromise thrives in concealment but ends in darkness that extinguishes one’s lamp—an apt prelude to New Testament calls to walk in the light (1 John 1:7).

Conclusion

אִישׁוֹן unites the tender care of God, the disciplined focus of the wise, and the sobering peril of hidden sin. Whether spotlighting the delicate pupil or the pitch-black heart of night, Scripture employs the term to summon believers to trust, obedience, and vigilance.

בְּאִישׁ֥וֹן בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן באישון באשון כְּאִישׁ֣וֹן כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן כאישון be’ĕšūn bə’îšōwn be·’ĕ·šūn bə·’î·šō·wn beeShun beiShon kə’îšōwn kə·’î·šō·wn keiShonInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts