BLINDNESS (blind'o6s), (Heb. (1) The frequent occurrence of blindness in the East has always excited the astonishment of travelers. k•olney says that, out of a hundred persons in Cairo, he has met twenty quite blind, ten wanting one eye, and twenty others having their eyes red, purulent, or blemished (Travels in Egypt, g 224). This is principally owing to the Egyptian ophthalmia, which is endemic in that country and on the coast of Syria. Small another great cause of blindness in the East (Volney. I. (2) In the New Testament, blind mendicants are frequently mentioned (Matt. ix:27; xii:22; xx: 30; xxi:14; John v:3). The blindness of Jesus (Acts xiiim I was miraculously produced, and of its nature we know nothing. Examples of blindness from old age occur in Gen. xxvii:1; t Kings xiv:4; I Sam. iv:t c. The Syrian army that came to apprehend Elisha was suddenly smitten with blindness in a miraculous manner I 2 Kings vi :18 I ; and so also was St. Paul (Acts ix :9). The Mosaic law has not neglected to inculcate humane feelings towards the blind (Lev. xix ; Deut. xxvii :t8). Blindness is sometimes threatened in the Old Testament as a punishment disobedience (Dent. xxviii :28 ; Lev. xxvi :t 6;
Zeph. i.t7i. W. A. N.
(3) Under the law, every man of Aaron's family who was "blind or lame" was peremptorily ex chided from the priesthood, and no blind or lame animals were to be sacrificed (Lev. xxi :18 ; i:t3, 141. The Mosaic law inculcated the exercise of humanity towards the blind (Lev. xix :14; Dent. xxvii :18).
FlguratiVe. (1) The Scriptures denote those as blind who are ignorant, without any proper de gree of rational knowledge. whether in heathen darkness or not ( Matt. xv :15 : Rom. :to) ; (2) Without spiritual knowledge Rev iii : Judges are blind, when ignorance. bribes, or part ial favor hinders them to discern what is just and equal in a cause (Exod. xxiii :8: ( t) Teachers arc blind, when ignorance, honor, or interest, hinders their discernment of divine truth, imminent dan ger, and seasonable duty Hs. lix:to and xlii:to; Matt. xxiii 0); (5) People are !dinar, when weak ness, self-conceit, hatred of brethren, or the like hinder them from discerning divine things John n:11).