Reference: Blindness
American
This distressing malady is very prevalent in the East. Many physical causes in those countries unite to injure the organs of vision. The sun is hot, and in the atmosphere floats a very fine dust, which enters and frets the eye. The armies of France and England, which were so long in Egypt during the French was, suffered severely from ophthalmic disease. In the cities of Egypt, blindness is perpetuated as a contagious disease by the filthy habits of the natives. It is of frequent occurrence also on the coast of Syria. In ancient times the eyes of person hated or feared were often torn out, Jg 16:21; 1Sa 11:2; 2Ki 25:7. Blindness was sometimes inflicted as a punishment, Ge 19:11; Ac 13:6; and it was often threatened as a penalty, De 28:28. The Jews were enjoined by the humane laws of Moses to show all kindness and consideration to the blind, Le 19:14; De 27:18. No one affected with this infirmity could officiate as priest, /#Le 21:18.
Our Savior miraculously cured many cases of blindness, both that which was caused by disease and that which had existed from birth. In these cases there was a double miracle; for not only was the organ of sight restored, but also the faculty of using it which is usually gained only by long experience, Mr 8:22-25. The touching of the eyes of the blind, and anointing them with clay, Mt 9:29; Joh 9:6, can not have had any medicinal or healing effect. The healing was miraculous, by the power of God.
Blindness is often used for ignorance and error, especially our sinful want of discernment as to spiritual things, Mt 15:14; 2Co 4:4. The abuse of God's mercy increases this blindness, Joh 12:40. Blessed are the eyes that fix their adoring gaze first of all on the Redeemer.
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the men also who were at the entrance of the house, smote they with blindness, from small even unto great, so that they wearied themselves to find the entrance.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh.
Surely, no man in whom is any blemish, shall come near, - No man who is blind or lame, or hath a flat nose, or is lanky;
Cursed, be he that causeth the blind to wander in the way. And all the people shall say - Amen.
Yahweh, will smite thee, with madness and with blindness, - and with terror of heart;
And the Philistines seized him, and put out his eyes, - and took him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of bronze, and it came to pass that he used to grind in the prison.
Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it done unto you.
Let them alone! they are, blind leaders; and, if the, blind, lead the, blind, both, into a ditch, will fall.
And they come into Bethsaida. And they bring unto him one blind, and beseech him that him, he would touch. And, laying hold of the hand of the blind man, he brought him forth outside the village, and, spitting into his eyes, laying his hands upon him, he was asking him - Anything, seest thou? read more. and, looking up, he was saying - I see men, because, like trees, I behold them walking Then again, put he his hands upon his eyes, and he saw clearly, and was restored, and was seeing distinctly, in broad splendour, all things together.
These things, having said, he spat on the ground, and made clay with the spittle, and laid the clay upon his eyes;
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; lest they should see with their eyes, and should understand with their heart, and should turn, - and I should heal them.
And, passing through the whole island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false-prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;
That I may make it manifest as behoveth me to speak.
Fausets
Its cure is one of our Lord's most frequent miracles (Lu 7:21; Mt 9:27; Mr 8:23; Joh 5:3; 9:1), as had been foretold (Isa 29:18; 35:5). In coincidence with this is the commonness of it in the E. In Ludd (Lydda) the saying is, every one is either blind or has but one eye. Jaffa has 500 blind out of 5,000 of a population. The dust and sand pulverized by the intense heat, the constant glare, and in the sandy districts the absence of the refreshing "green grass," (the presence of which Mark notices as noteworthy in the miracle of the feeding the multitudes,) the cold sea air on the coasts, the night dews affecting those sleeping on the roofs, all tend to produce blindness.
It is a constant image used of spiritual darkness, and Jesus' restoration of sight to the blind pointed to the analogous spiritual bestowal of sight on the soul. Paul, who had passed through both the physical and the spiritual transition from darkness to light (Ac 9:8-9), instinctively, by an obviously undesigned coincidence confirming authenticity, often uses the expressive image (Ac 26:18; 2Co 4:4; Eph 1:18; 4:18; Col 1:13). Elymas was smitten with blindness at Paul's word (Ac 13:11, compare Ge 19:11; 2Ki 6:18). The blind were to be treated kindly (Le 19:14; De 27:18). The pagan conquerors sometimes blinded captives (2Ki 25:7; 1Sa 11:2).
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the men also who were at the entrance of the house, smote they with blindness, from small even unto great, so that they wearied themselves to find the entrance.
the men also who were at the entrance of the house, smote they with blindness, from small even unto great, so that they wearied themselves to find the entrance.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh.
Cursed, be he that causeth the blind to wander in the way. And all the people shall say - Amen.
Cursed, be he that causeth the blind to wander in the way. And all the people shall say - Amen.
And, the sons of Zedekiah, they slew before his eyes, - and, the eyes of Zedekiah, put they out, and then bound him with fetters of bronze, and brought him into Babylon.
And, the sons of Zedekiah, they slew before his eyes, - and, the eyes of Zedekiah, put they out, and then bound him with fetters of bronze, and brought him into Babylon.
Therefore, in that day, shall the deaf hear the words of a book, - And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see;
Therefore, in that day, shall the deaf hear the words of a book, - And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see;
Then, shall be opened the eyes of the blind, - And, the ears of the deaf, be unstopped:
Then, shall be opened the eyes of the blind, - And, the ears of the deaf, be unstopped:
And, as Jesus, was passing aside from thence, there followed him, two blind men, crying aloud and saying, - Have mercy on us, O Son of David!
And, as Jesus, was passing aside from thence, there followed him, two blind men, crying aloud and saying, - Have mercy on us, O Son of David!
And, laying hold of the hand of the blind man, he brought him forth outside the village, and, spitting into his eyes, laying his hands upon him, he was asking him - Anything, seest thou?
And, laying hold of the hand of the blind man, he brought him forth outside the village, and, spitting into his eyes, laying his hands upon him, he was asking him - Anything, seest thou?
In that very hour, he cured many from diseases, and plagues, and wicked spirits; and, unto many blind, gave he the favour to see.
In that very hour, he cured many from diseases, and plagues, and wicked spirits; and, unto many blind, gave he the favour to see.
In these, was lying a throng of them who were sick, - blind, lame, withered.
In these, was lying a throng of them who were sick, - blind, lame, withered.
And, passing along, he saw a man, blind from birth.
And, passing along, he saw a man, blind from birth.
And Saul arose from the earth, and, his eyes being opened, he could see nothing; and, taking him by the hand, they led him into Damascus, -
And Saul arose from the earth, and, his eyes being opened, he could see nothing; and, taking him by the hand, they led him into Damascus, - And he was three days without seeing, and did neither eat nor drink.
And he was three days without seeing, and did neither eat nor drink.
Now, therefore, lo! the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun, until a fitting time. And, instantly, there fell upon him a mist and darkness; and, going about, he was seeking such as might lead him by the hand.
Now, therefore, lo! the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun, until a fitting time. And, instantly, there fell upon him a mist and darkness; and, going about, he was seeking such as might lead him by the hand.
To open their eyes; that they turn from darkness unto light, and the authority of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among them who have been made holy by the faith respecting me.
To open their eyes; that they turn from darkness unto light, and the authority of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among them who have been made holy by the faith respecting me.
The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that ye may know - what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that ye may know - what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God - by reason of the ignorance that existeth within them, by reason of their hearts being turned into stone,
Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God - by reason of the ignorance that existeth within them, by reason of their hearts being turned into stone,
Who hath rescued us out of the authority of the darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
Who hath rescued us out of the authority of the darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
That I may make it manifest as behoveth me to speak.
That I may make it manifest as behoveth me to speak.
Hastings
Morish
Used metaphorically to describe the state of man by nature under the influence of Satan, 2Co 4:4; also a professing Christian who hates his brother, 1Jo 2:11; also the state of Israel in their heartless profession, Mt 23:16-26; and the judicial blindness on Israel. Joh 12:40. In Ro 11:7,25; 2Co 3:14; Eph 4:18, it is rather 'obdurateness or hardness,' from ?????,'to harden.'
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Alas for you, blind guides! that say - Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, is bound: Foolish and blind! for which is, greater, The gold, or the Temple that hath hallowed the gold? read more. And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is bound: Blind! for which is greater, The gift, or the altar that halloweth the gift? He therefore that hath sworn by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it; And, he that hath sworn by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth therein; And, he that hath sworn by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereupon. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye tithe the mint and the anise and the cummin, - and have dismissed the weightier matters of the law - the justice, the mercy, and the faith; whereas, these, it was binding, to do, and, those, not to, dismiss. Blind guides! Straining out the gnat, but, the camel, swallowing. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, - while, within, they are full of plunder and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! cleanse, first, the inside, of the cup and of the dish, that, the outside thereof, may become, clean.
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; lest they should see with their eyes, and should understand with their heart, and should turn, - and I should heal them.
What then? That which Israel seeketh after, the same, it hath not obtained: - the election, however, have obtained it, and, the rest, have been hardened; -
For I wish not, ye should be ignorant, brethren, of this sacred secret, lest within yourselves ye be presumptuous, that, a hardening in part, hath befallen Israel, until, the full measure of the nations, shall come in;
In whom, the god of this age, hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, to the end they may not discern the radiance e of the glad-message of the glory of the Christ - who is the image of God.
Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God - by reason of the ignorance that existeth within them, by reason of their hearts being turned into stone,
And, over all these things, love, which is a uniting-bond of completeness;
Whereas, he that hateth his brother, in the darkness, dwelleth, and in the darkness, walketh; and knoweth not whither he is drifting, because the, darkness, hath blinded his eyes.
Smith
is extremely common in the East from many causes. Blind beggars figure repeatedly in the New Testament
and "opening the eyes of the blind" is mentioned in prophecy as a peculiar attribute of the Messiah.
etc. The Jews were specially charged to treat the blind with compassion and care.
Le 19:14; De 27:18
Blindness willfully inflicted for political or other purposes is alluded to in Scripture.
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Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh.
Cursed, be he that causeth the blind to wander in the way. And all the people shall say - Amen.
And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, Hereby, will I solemnise a covenant with you by digging out for you, every one's right eye, - and laying it for a reproach, upon all Israel.
Therefore, in that day, shall the deaf hear the words of a book, - And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see;
To open eyes that are blind, - To bring forth Out of the dungeon the captive Out of the prison, the dwellers in darkness.
and the eyes of Zedekiah, did he put out, and bound him with fetters of bronze to bring him into Babylon.
Then they brought unto him, one demonized, blind and dumb, - and he cured him, so that the dumb did speak and see.
Watsons
BLINDNESS is often used in Scripture to express ignorance or want of discernment in divine things, as well as the being destitute of natural sight. See Isa 42:18-19; 6:10; Mt 15:14. "Blindness of heart" is the want of understanding arising from the influence of vicious passions. "Hardness of heart" is stubbornness of will, and destitution of moral feeling. Moses says, "Thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind," Le 19:14, which may be understood literally; or figuratively, as if Moses recommended that charity and instruction should be shown to them who want light and counsel, or to those who are in danger of going wrong through their ignorance. Moses says also, "Cursed be he who maketh the blind to wander out of his way," De 27:18, which may also be taken in the same manner. An ignorant or erring teacher is compared by our Lord to a blind man leading a blind man;
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Thou shalt not curse the deaf, Nor, before the blind, place a stumbling-block, - So shalt thou stand in awe of thy God I, am Yahweh.
Cursed, be he that causeth the blind to wander in the way. And all the people shall say - Amen.
Stupefy thou the heart of this people, And their ears, make thou heavy, And their eyes, overspread, - Lest they see with their eyes And with their ears, should hear, And their heart should discern and come back. And they be healed.
Ye deaf hear! And ye blind look around that ye may see, Who is blind if not my Servant? Or deaf, like, my messenger whom I send? Who is, blind, like an intimate friend? Or blind like the Servant of Yahweh?
Let them alone! they are, blind leaders; and, if the, blind, lead the, blind, both, into a ditch, will fall.