Romans 11:10
New International Version
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

New Living Translation
Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”

English Standard Version
let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

Berean Standard Bible
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

Berean Literal Bible
Let their eyes be darkened not to see, and their backs bent over forever."

King James Bible
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

New King James Version
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.”

New American Standard Bible
“MAY THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS CONTINUALLY.”

NASB 1995
“LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”

NASB 1977
“LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”

Legacy Standard Bible
LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”

Amplified Bible
“LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED SO THAT THEY DO NOT SEE, AND MAKE THEIR BACKS BEND [under their burden] FOREVER.”

Christian Standard Bible
Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.

American Standard Version
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.

Contemporary English Version
Blindfold their eyes! Don't let them see. Bend their backs beneath a burden that will never be lifted."

English Revised Version
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back alway.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Let their vision become clouded so that they cannot see. Let them carry back-breaking burdens forever."

Good News Translation
May their eyes be blinded so that they cannot see; and make them bend under their troubles at all times."

International Standard Version
Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and keep their backs forever bent."

Majority Standard Bible
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

NET Bible
let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually."

New Heart English Bible
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see, and their backs be bent continually."

Webster's Bible Translation
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.

Weymouth New Testament
Let darkness come over their eyes that they may be unable to see, and make Thou their backs continually to stoop."

World English Bible
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
let their eyes be darkened—not to behold, and You always bow down their back.”

Berean Literal Bible
Let their eyes be darkened not to see, and their backs bent over forever."

Young's Literal Translation
let their eyes be darkened -- not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Let their eyes be darkened not to see, and let them bend their back always.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see: and bow down their back always.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Let their eyes be obscured, so that they may not see, and so that they may bow down their backs always.”

New American Bible
let their eyes grow dim so that they may not see, and keep their backs bent forever.”

New Revised Standard Version
let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and keep their backs forever bent.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and let their backs be bowed down always.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Let their eyes be darkened, lest they see, and may their back always be bent over.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always.

Godbey New Testament
and let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.

Haweis New Testament
let their eyes be blinded, that they may not see, and bow down their back continually.”

Mace New Testament
let their eyes be darkned, so as not to see, and let their back be continually bowed down."

Weymouth New Testament
Let darkness come over their eyes that they may be unable to see, and make Thou their backs continually to stoop."

Worrell New Testament
let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always."

Worsley New Testament
Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and always bow down their back.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Remnant of Israel
9And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them. 10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” 11I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.…

Cross References
Psalm 69:23
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Matthew 13:14-15
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

John 12:40
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”

Acts 28:26-27
‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

2 Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

Deuteronomy 29:4
Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

Isaiah 29:10
For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.

Isaiah 44:18
They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Mark 4:12
so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”

Luke 8:10
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’

1 Samuel 2:33
And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, I will cause your eyes to fail and your heart to grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.

2 Kings 17:20
So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.


Treasury of Scripture

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always.

their eyes.

Romans 11:8
(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Psalm 69:23
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

and bow.

Deuteronomy 28:64-68
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone…

Isaiah 51:23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Isaiah 65:12
Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

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Alway Always Backs Bend Bent Bow Continually Dark Darkened Darkness Eyes Forever Stoop Times Unable
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Alway Always Backs Bend Bent Bow Continually Dark Darkened Darkness Eyes Forever Stoop Times Unable
Romans 11
1. God has not cast off all Israel.
7. Some were elected, though the rest were hardened.
16. There is hope of their conversion.
18. The Gentiles may not exult over them;
26. for there is a promise of their salvation.
33. God's judgments are unsearchable.














May their eyes be darkened
This phrase is a direct invocation of divine judgment, echoing the language of the Old Testament, particularly in Psalms. The Greek word for "darkened" (τυφλόω, typhloō) implies a spiritual blindness, a condition where one is unable to perceive the truth of God's revelation. Historically, this reflects the spiritual state of Israel at the time of Paul's writing, as many Jews had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Theologically, it serves as a warning of the consequences of persistent unbelief, emphasizing the need for spiritual enlightenment through Christ.

so they cannot see
The inability to see is not merely physical but deeply spiritual. The Greek word for "see" (βλέπω, blepō) often denotes perception and understanding. In the context of Romans, Paul is lamenting the spiritual blindness that has come upon Israel, preventing them from recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. This blindness is both a judgment and a call to repentance, urging believers to seek the light of Christ to truly understand God's purposes.

and their backs be bent forever
This imagery of bent backs suggests a state of perpetual burden and subjugation. The Greek word for "bent" (συγκάμπτω, sugkamptō) conveys the idea of being weighed down, possibly alluding to the heavy yoke of the Law without the liberating grace of Christ. Historically, this reflects the struggles of the Jewish people under Roman rule and their spiritual bondage without the Messiah. Theologically, it serves as a metaphor for the consequences of rejecting God's grace, highlighting the freedom found in Christ as opposed to the burdens of legalism and unbelief.

(10) Let their eyes be darkened.--In the Apostle's sense, "Let them be spiritually blinded, incapable of discerning or receiving the truth, and let their backs be bowed with the yoke of spiritual thraldom!" The Hebrew is, "Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not, and make their loins continually to shake." On which Perowne remarks: "The darkening of the eyes denotes weakness and perplexity, as the enlightening of the eyes denotes renewed vigour and strength. Similarly, the shaking of the loins is expressive of terror and dismay and feebleness."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
{May} their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

eyes
ὀφθαλμοὶ (ophthalmoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3788: The eye; fig: the mind's eye. From optanomai; the eye; by implication, vision; figuratively, envy.

be darkened
σκοτισθήτωσαν (skotisthētōsan)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4654: To darken. From skotos; to obscure.

[so] they cannot see,
βλέπειν (blepein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

backs
νῶτον (nōton)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3577: The back (of men or animals). Of uncertain affinity; the back.

be bent
σύνκαμψον (synkampson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4781: To oppress, bend together. From sun and kampto; to bend together, i.e. to afflict.

forever.”
παντὸς (pantos)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.


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NT Letters: Romans 11:10 Let their eyes be darkened that they (Rom. Ro)
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