What does עִוֵּר (ʿiwwēr) mean in the Bible?
עִוֵּר (ʿiwwēr): Blindness represents spiritual insensitivity or moral darkness; used of those unable to perceive God's truth or will
Hebrew · H5787
עִוֵּר
Blind (literally or figuratively)
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עִוֵּר H5787
Pronunciation ʿiwwēr
What does עִוֵּר (ʿiwwēr) mean in the Bible?
עִוֵּר (ʿiwwēr): Blindness represents spiritual insensitivity or moral darkness; used of those unable to perceive God's truth or will
Full entry for עִוֵּר (H5787) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5787?
The BSB source-word alignment has 26 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the blind (7), of the blind (3), blind (2), is blind (2), Like the blind (2).
Where does עִוֵּר (ʿiwwēr) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 4:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (11), 2 Samuel (3), Deuteronomy (3), Leviticus (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It the blind 7× Exodus 4:11, Leviticus 19:14, 2 Samuel 5:6, 2 Samuel 5:8
of the blind 3× Isaiah 29:18, Isaiah 35:5, Isaiah 42:7
blind 2× Deuteronomy 15:21, Lamentations 4:14
is blind 2× Isaiah 42:19
Like the blind 2× Isaiah 59:10, Zephaniah 1:17
a blind man 1× Deuteronomy 28:29
and blind 1× 2 Samuel 5:8
are blind 1× Isaiah 56:10
blind animals 1× Malachi 1:8
but are blind 1× Isaiah 43:8
he who lets a blind man 1× Deuteronomy 27:18
or blind 1× Isaiah 42:19
to the blind 1× Job 29:15
who is blind 1× Leviticus 21:18
you blind [ones] 1× Isaiah 42:18
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 4:11 עִוֵּ֑ר to the blind Adjective - masculine singular Leviticus 19:14 עִוֵּ֔ר to the blind Adjective - masculine singular Leviticus 21:18 עִוֵּר֙ to who is blind Adjective - masculine singular Deuteronomy 15:21 עִוֵּ֔ר to blind Adjective - masculine singular Deuteronomy 27:18 עִוֵּ֖ר to he who lets a blind man Adjective - masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:29 הָעִוֵּר֙ to a blind man Article | Adjective - masculine singular 2 Samuel 5:6 הַעִוְרִ֤ים to the blind Article | Adjective - masculine plural 2 Samuel 5:8 הַ֣עִוְרִ֔ים to and blind Article | Adjective - masculine plural 2 Samuel 5:8 עִוֵּ֣ר to The blind Adjective - masculine singular Job 29:15 לַֽעִוֵּ֑ר to to the blind Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 4:11
Aligned rows 26
Books represented 11
Exodus 1 Leviticus 2 Deuteronomy 3 2 Samuel 3 Job 1 Psalms 1 Isaiah 11 Jeremiah 1 Lamentations 1 Zephaniah 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
עִוֵּר֙ 3x ‘iw·wêr Leviticus 21:18, Isaiah 42:19
עִוֵּ֔ר 2x ‘iw·wêr Leviticus 19:14, Deuteronomy 15:21
עִוֵּ֖ר 2x ‘iw·wêr Deuteronomy 27:18, Isaiah 43:8
עִוֵּ֣ר 2x ‘iw·wêr 2 Samuel 5:8, Jeremiah 31:8
עִוְרִ֗ים 2x ‘iw·rîm Psalms 146:8, Isaiah 42:16
הָעִוֵּר֙ 1x hā·‘iw·wêr Deuteronomy 28:29
הַעִוְרִ֤ים 1x ha·‘iw·rîm 2 Samuel 5:6
הַ֣עִוְרִ֔ים 1x ha·‘iw·rîm 2 Samuel 5:8
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular 11x Exodus 4:11, Leviticus 19:14, Leviticus 21:18, Deuteronomy 15:21
Adjective - masculine plural 6x Psalms 146:8, Isaiah 29:18, Isaiah 35:5, Isaiah 42:16
Article | Adjective - masculine plural 2x 2 Samuel 5:6, 2 Samuel 5:8
Preposition-k, Article | Adjective - masculine plural 2x Isaiah 59:10, Zephaniah 1:17
Adjective - feminine plural 1x Isaiah 42:7
Article | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 28:29
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 42:19
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine plural 1x Isaiah 42:18
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Hebrew word. Blindness represents spiritual insensitivity or moral darkness; used of those unable to perceive God's truth or will
Source Gloss
blind (literally or figuratively)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Blindness represents spiritual insensitivity or moral darkness; used of those unable to perceive God's truth or will
blind (literally or figuratively) BDB: blind Usage: blind (men, people).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Blind or lacking sight.
Showing 1 selected witness from 26 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עִוֵּר is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Symbolizes spiritual insensitivity despite revelation. Isaiah 42:18-25
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain