עִוֵּר
blind (literally or figuratively)
Definition
The Hebrew noun עִוֵּר (ʻivvêr) primarily means 'blind,' describing a physical inability to see, as in Leviticus 19:14 where one is commanded not to put a stumbling block before the blind. It also carries a strong figurative sense, denoting spiritual or moral blindness, such as the judicial and social confusion described in Deuteronomy 28:29. In some contexts, like 2 Samuel 5:6-8, the term is used in a derogatory or proverbial manner against enemies, implying they are defenseless or incapable. The word encompasses both a literal disability and a metaphor for ignorance, lack of discernment, or vulnerability.
Biblical Usage
The word is used 23 times, primarily in the Torah (Pentateuch) and historical books. In legal contexts (Leviticus 19:14, 21:18; Deuteronomy 15:21, 27:18), it refers to physical blindness in laws about ethical treatment, priestly qualifications, and sacrificial animals. The figurative use appears prominently in the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28:29, describing national disorientation. In the historical narrative of 2 Samuel 5:6, 8, it is used mockingly of the Jebusites, suggesting their perceived weakness or the futility of their defenses.
Etymology
Derived from the root עָוַר (ʻāvar, H5786), meaning 'to be blind' or 'to make blind.' The form עִוֵּר is an intensive adjective or noun pattern, emphasizing a state of blindness. It is related to the verb עִוֵּר (ʻivvêr, H5788), which means 'to blind' or 'make blind.' The root conveys the core idea of impaired or absent vision, both physically and metaphorically.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it connects human physical condition with spiritual state. God's declaration in Exodus 4:11, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?' establishes divine sovereignty over all human faculties. The figurative usage underscores a key biblical theme: that disobedience leads to a spiritual blindness and confusion that only God can remedy (Isaiah 42:16, 18-19). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the link between physical laws protecting the blind and the prophets' warnings against spiritual blindness.
In ancient Israelite culture, blindness was a severe physical handicap that often led to marginalization and dependency, as seen in laws designed for the blind's protection (Leviticus 19:14). The prohibition against blind priests (Leviticus 21:18) and blind sacrificial animals (Deuteronomy 15:21) reflects a cultural and religious ideal of physical wholeness and perfection in sacred contexts. The mocking use in 2 Samuel 5:6-8 reflects a common ancient Near Eastern practice of taunting besieged enemies by highlighting their perceived weaknesses.
סַנְוֵר (sanvêr, H5579) — a rarer term for blindness, often implying a sudden, dazzling blindness (like from lightning). עִוָּרוֹן (ʻivvārôn, H5788) — the abstract noun form meaning 'blindness,' used for both physical and judicial/spiritual blindness (Deuteronomy 28:28).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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