Bible Dictionary: Blindness

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Smith's Bible Dictionary

Blindness

is extremely common in the East from many causes. Blind beggars figure repeatedly in the New Testament (Matthew 12:22) and "opening the eyes of the blind" is mentioned in prophecy as a peculiar attribute of the Messiah. (Isaiah 29:18; 42:7) etc. The Jews were specially charged to treat the blind with compassion and care. (Leviticus 19:14; 27:18) Blindness willfully inflicted for political or other purposes is alluded to in Scripture. (1 Samuel 11:2; Jeremiah 39:7)

ATS Bible Dictionary

Blindness

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, Jud 16:21 1 Samuel 11:2 2 Kings 25:7. Blindness was sometimes inflicted as a punishment, Genesis 19:11 Acts 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, Mark 8:22-25. The touching of the eyes of the blind, and anointing them with clay, Matthew 9:29 John 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, Matthew 15:14 2 1 Corinthians 4:4. The abuse of God's mercy increases this blindness, John 12:40. Blessed are the eyes that fix their adoring gaze first of all on the Redeemer.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) State or condition of being blind, literally or figuratively.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BLINDNESS

blind'-ness (`awar, and variants; tuphlos): The word blind is used as a verb, as John 12:40, usually in the sense of obscuring spiritual perception. In reference to physical blindness it is used as a noun frequently or else as an adjective with the noun man. There are 54 references to this condition, and there is no reason to believe, as has been surmised, that blindness was any less rife in ancient times than it is now, when defective eyes and bleared, inflamed lids are among the commonest and most disgusting sights in a Palestine crowd. In the Papyrus Ebers (1500 B.C.) there are enumerated a number of diseases of the eye and a hundred prescriptions are given for their treatment. That the disease occurred in children and caused destruction and atrophy of the eyeball is testified to by the occurrence of a considerable number of mummy heads, in which there is marked diminution in size of one orbit. The commonest disease is a purulent ophthalmia, a highly infectious condition propagated largely by the flies which can be seen infesting the crusts of dried secretion undisturbed even on the eyes of infants. (In Egypt there is a superstition that it is unlucky to disturb them.) This almost always leaves the eyes damaged with bleared lids, opacities of the cornea, and sometimes extensive internal injury as well. Like other plagues, this disease was thought to be a Divine infliction (Exodus 4:11). Minor forms of the disease destroy the eyelashes and produce the unsightly tender-eyes (in Genesis 29:17 the word rakh may mean simply "weak").

Blindness from birth is the result of a form of this disease known as ophthalmia neonatorum which sets in a few days after birth. I have seen cases of this disease in Palestine. Sometimes ophthalmia accompanies malarial fever (Leviticus 26:16). All these diseases are aggravated by sand, and the sun glare, to which the unprotected inflamed eyes are exposed. Most of the extreme cases which one sees are beyond remedy-and hence, the giving of sight to the blind is generally put in the front of the mighty works of healing by our Lord. The methods used by Him in these miracles varied probably according to the degree of faith in the blind man; all were merely tokens, not intended as remedies. The case of the man in Mark 8:22 whose healing seemed gradual is an instance of the phenomenon met with in cases where, by operation, sight has been given to one congenitally blind, where it takes some time before he can interpret his new sensations.

The blindness of old age, probably from senile cataract, is described in the cases of Eli at 98 years of age (1 Samuel 3:2; 1 Samuel 4:15), Ahijah (1 Kings 14:4), and Isaac (Genesis 27:1). The smiting of Elymas (Acts 13:11) and the Syrian soldiers (2 Kings 6:18) was either a miraculous intervention or more probably a temporary hypnotism; that of Paul (Acts 9:8) was doubtless a temporary paralysis of the retinal cells from the bright light. The "scales" mentioned were not material but in the restoration of his sight it seemed as if scales had fallen from his eyes. It probably left behind a weakness of the eyes (see thORN IN THE FLESH). That blindness of Tobit (Tobit 2:10), from the irritation of sparrows' dung, may have been some form of conjunctivitis, and the cure by the gall of the fish is paralleled by the account given in Pliny (xxxii.24) where the gall of the fish Callionymus Lyra is recommended as an application in some cases of blindness. The hypothesis that the gall was used as a pigment to obscure the whiteness of an opaque cornea (for which Indian ink tattooing has been recommended, not as a cure but to remove the unsightliness of a white spot) has nothing in its favor for thereby the sight would not be restored. The only other reference to medicaments is the figurative mention of eyesalve in Revelation 3:18.

Blindness unfitted a man for the priesthood (Leviticus 21:18); but care of the blind was specially enjoined in the Law (Leviticus 19:14), and offenses against them are regarded as breaches of Law (Deuteronomy 27:18).

Figuratively, blindness is used to represent want of mental perception, want of prevision, recklessness, and incapacity to perceive moral distinctions (Isaiah 42:16, 18, 19 Matthew 23:16 John 9:39).

Alex. Macalister

BLINDNESS, JUDICIAL

ju-dish'-al, joo-dish'-al: Among the ancient Israelites in the pre-Canaanite period disputes within the family or clan or tribe would be settled by the natural head of the family or clan or tribe. According to Exodus 18 Moses, as the leader of the tribes, settled all disputes. But he was compelled to appoint a body of magistrates-heads of families-to act in conjunction with himself, and under his judicial oversight. These magistrates settled ordinary disputes while he reserved for himself the more difficult cases. After the conquest of Canaan, the conditions of life became so complex, and questions of a difficult nature so constantly arose, that steps were taken

(1) to appoint official judges-elders of the city (Joshua 8:33 Judges 8:3 1 Kings 21:8);

(2) to codify ancient custom, and

(3) to place the administration of justice on an organized basis.

It is significant that in one of the oldest documents in the Pentateuch-namely, in the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20:20-23:33)-the miscarriage of justice was of such frequent occurrence as to require special mention (23:1-3, 6-8). In fact the Old Testament abounds with allusions to the corruption and venality of the magisterial bench (Deuteronomy 16:19 Leviticus 19:15 Amos 5:12 Micah 3:11; Micah 7:3; Isaiah 1:23; Isaiah 5:23 Zephaniah 3:3 Psalm 15:5 Proverbs 17:23). According to the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 23:8) `a bribe blindeth the eyes of the open-eyed.' This descriptive phrase indicates a prolific cause of the miscarriage of justice-an exceedingly common thing in the East, in the present no less than in the past. The prohibition in Exodus 23:3, "Neither shalt thou favor a poor man in his cause," is rather remarkable and many scholars are of opinion that "a great man" should be read for "a poor man" as, according to 23:6 the King James Version, the common fault was "wresting the judgment of the poor." The rich alone could offer a satisfactory bribe. But it should be pointed out that Leviticus 19:15 legislates in view of both tendencies-"respecting the person of the poor:" and "honoring the person of the mighty." Sympathy with the poor no less than a bribe from the well-to-do might affect the judgment of the bench. Deuteronomy 16:19 reproduces the words of the Book of the Covenant with a slight alteration-namely, "eyes of the wise" for "eyes of the open-eyed" ("them that have sight"). Both phrases vividly bring out the baneful effect of bribery-a magistrate otherwise upright and honest-open-eyed and wise-may be unconsciously yet effectively influenced in his judicial decisions by a gift sufficiently large. A similar phrase is found in the story of Abraham's life (Genesis 20:16). A gift of a thousand shekels to Abraham was intended to be a "covering of the eyes" for Sarah, i.e. compensation or reparation for the wrong which had been done. For a gift of such magnitude she ought to wink at the injury. Job 9:24 declares in his bitterness that God "covereth the faces of the judges"-inflicts judicial blindness on them so that justice in this world is out of the question. Judicial corruption was the burden of the prophets' preaching-"judges loved bribes, and followed after rewards," with the result that "the fatherless" and "the widow" were helpless to have their grievances redressed (Isaiah 1:23). A satisfactory reward would always secure the acquittal of the offender (Isaiah 5:23). Micah combines judges, priests and prophets under a similar charge; they are all guilty of gross venality (Isaiah 3:11). Proverbs 17:23 defines the wicked person as one who is always prepared to take a "bribe out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of justice"; on the other hand the good man is he who will not take a reward against the innocent (Psalm 15:5) or "shaketh his hands from taking a bribe" (Isaiah 33:15). In regard to Yahweh alone is absolute incorruptibility affirmed-he "regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward" (Deuteronomy 10:17).

T. Lewis

JUDICIAL BLINDNESS

joo-dish'-al.

See BLINDNESS, JUDICIAL.

Greek

4457. porosis -- a covering with a callous, fig. blindness
... blindness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: porosis Phonetic Spelling:
(po'-ro-sis) Short Definition: hardness of heart Definition: hardness of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4457.htm - 7k

5187. tuphoo -- to be conceited, foolish
... 5187 (from , "smoke") -- properly, to blow smoke, cloud up the air; (figuratively)
having a cloudy (muddled) mind-set, ie moral blindness resulting from poor ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5187.htm - 7k

5186. tuphloo -- to blind, to make blind
... from 5185 , derived from 5187 , "having a cloudy perspective," see dictionary) --
properly, blowing smoke which causes (spiritual) blindness, ie experiencing ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5186.htm - 7k

52. agnoia -- ignorance
... agnoia Phonetic Spelling: (ag'-noy-ah) Short Definition: ignorance Definition:
ignorance, inadvertence, sometimes with the idea of willful blindness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/52.htm - 6k

4656. skotoo -- to darken
... or met.) I darken. Cognate: 4656 -- to darken; (figuratively) to produce a of
moral, spiritual darkness (obscurity, blindness). See 4654 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4656.htm - 6k

Topical Bible Verses

Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Topicalbible.org

John 9:1-25
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Topicalbible.org

2 Peter 1:9
But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Topicalbible.org

Strong's Hebrew

5575. sanverim -- sudden blindness
... 5574, 5575. sanverim. 5576 . sudden blindness. Transliteration: sanverim
Phonetic Spelling: (san-vare') Short Definition: blindness. ...
/hebrew/5575.htm - 5k

5788a. ivvaron -- blindness
... ivvaron. 5788b . blindness. Transliteration: ivvaron Short Definition: blindness.
Word Origin from avar Definition blindness NASB Word Usage blindness (2). ...
/hebrew/5788a.htm - 5k

5788. ivvarown -- blindness
... 5787, 5788. ivvarown. 5788a . blindness. Transliteration: ivvarown Phonetic
Spelling: (iv-vaw-rone') Short Definition: blind. blindness ...
/hebrew/5788.htm - 5k

5788b. avvereth -- blindness
... avvereth. 5789 . blindness. Transliteration: avvereth Short Definition: blind.
Word Origin from avar Definition blindness NASB Word Usage blind (1). ...
/hebrew/5788b.htm - 5k

5787. ivver -- blind
... Word Origin from avar Definition blind NASB Word Usage blind (22), blind man (1),
blind men (1), blindness (1), who are blind (1). blind men, people. ...
/hebrew/5787.htm - 6k

4044. meginnah -- a covering
... sorrow. From magan; a covering (in a bad sense), ie Blindness or obduracy -- sorrow.
See also magen. see HEBREW magan. see HEBREW magen. 4043, 4044. ...
/hebrew/4044.htm - 6k

Library

Sight and Blindness
... THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS SIGHT AND BLINDNESS. 'Then ... blindness. And He smote them
with blindness according to the word of Elisha.'"2 KINGS 8-18. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/sight and blindness.htm

Spiritual Blindness.
... XVI. SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. "As it is written, God hath ... Romans 11:8. "Blindness
in part is happened to Israel.""Romans 11:25. It is a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/percival/sermons at rugby/xvi spiritual blindness.htm

Whether Blindness of Mind is a Sin?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING (THREE ARTICLES) Whether
blindness of mind is a sin? Objection 1: It would seem ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether blindness of mind is.htm

Whether Blindness and Hardness of Heart are Directed to the ...
... OF THE EXTERNAL CAUSES OF SIN (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether blindness and hardness of
heart are directed to the salvation of those who are blinded and hardened? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether blindness and hardness of.htm

Whether God is the Cause of Spiritual Blindness and Hardness of ...
... OF THE EXTERNAL CAUSES OF SIN (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether God is the cause
of spiritual blindness and hardness of heart? Objection 1 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether god is the cause.htm

On his Blindness
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First LXXXV ON HIS BLINDNESS. When I consider
how my light is spent, Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/lxxxv on his blindness.htm

Whether Blindness of Mind and Dulness of Sense Arise from Sins of ...
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING (THREE ARTICLES) Whether blindness
of mind and dulness of sense arise from sins of the flesh? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether blindness of mind and.htm

A Scholar, Pitying the Blindness and Folly of those who Live to ...
... Address 55: A scholar, pitying the blindness and folly of those who live
to themselves in the� A scholar, pitying the blindness ...
/.../address 55 0 0 a scholar pitying.htm

What Blindness Can Well be Greater, than to Think that a Christian ...
... Address 189: What blindness can well be greater, than to think that a
Christian kingdom� What blindness can well be greater, than ...
/.../address 189 0 0 what blindness can.htm

But Lately, O Blindness, I Worshipped Images Produced from the ...
... Book I. 39 But lately, O blindness, I worshipped images produced from
the furnace� But lately, O blindness, I worshipped images ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/39 but lately o blindness.htm

Thesaurus

Blindness (7 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BLINDNESS. ... In reference to physical blindness it
is used as a noun frequently or else as an adjective with the noun man. ...
/b/blindness.htm - 19k

Eyes (6285 Occurrences)
... di-zez'-is: Blindness, defects of sight and diseases of the eye are frequently
mentioned in the Scriptures, but usually in general terms. ... See BLINDNESS. ...
/e/eyes.htm - 11k

Diseases (38 Occurrences)
... di-zez'-is: Blindness, defects of sight and diseases of the eye are frequently
mentioned in the Scriptures, but usually in general terms. ... See BLINDNESS. ...
/d/diseases.htm - 25k

Prayeth (28 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 6:18 And they come down unto it, and Elisha prayeth unto Jehovah, and saith,
'Smite, I pray Thee, this nation with blindness;' and He smiteth them with ...
/p/prayeth.htm - 14k

Bewilderment (7 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Deuteronomy 28:28 Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with
blindness, and with astonishment of heart; (See NAS). Psalms ...
/b/bewilderment.htm - 8k

Scales (33 Occurrences)
... scale of snake," "flake of metal and of snow," etc.), is found in the New Testament
description of Paul's recovery from temporary blindness, "And straightway ...
/s/scales.htm - 18k

Blind (91 Occurrences)
...Blindness was sometimes a punishment for disobedience (1 Samuel 11:2; Jeremiah
39:7), sometimes the effect of old age (Genesis 27:1; 1 Kings 14:4; 1 Samuel 4:15 ...
/b/blind.htm - 38k

Tender (66 Occurrences)
... Attention need be called only to the following cases: In Genesis 29:17, "Leah's
eyes were tender," a physical defect is described ("weak-eyed"; see BLINDNESS). ...
/t/tender.htm - 33k

Judicial (2 Occurrences)
... 4. (a.) Judicious. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BLINDNESS, JUDICIAL. ... Frank E.
Hirsch. JUDICIAL BLINDNESS. joo-dish'-al. See BLINDNESS, JUDICIAL. ...
/j/judicial.htm - 25k

Madness (13 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 28:28 Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with blindness, and with
astonishment of heart; (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/m/madness.htm - 17k

Bible Concordance

Blindness (7 Occurrences)

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
(KJV WEY DBY WBS)

Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
(KJV WBS)

Genesis 19:11 They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 15:21 And if it have any blemish, as if it be lame or blind, any ill blemish whatsoever, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto Jehovah thy God.
(See JPS NAS)

Deuteronomy 28:28 Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 6:18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Zechariah 12:4 In that day," says Yahweh, "I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Subtopics

Blindness

Blindness of Animals, Disqualified for a Sacrifice

Blindness: Ahijah

Blindness: Disqualified for Priestly office

Blindness: Eli

Blindness: Elymas

Blindness: Isaac

Blindness: Israelites

Blindness: Jacob

Blindness: Miraculous Healing of

Blindness: Miraculously Inflicted Upon the Sodomites