EXPIATION, DAY OF. [ATONEMENT, DAY OF.] EYE In most languages this important organ is used by figurative application, as the sym bol of a large number of objects and ideas. In the East such applications of the word eye' have always been uncommonly numerous ; and they were so among the Hebrews. It may be service able to distinguish the following uses of the word, few of which are common in this country, unless so far as they have become so through the translation of the Bible.
I. A fountain. This use of the word has already been indicated [AIN]. It probably originated from the eye being regarded as the fountain of tears.
2. Colour, as in the phrase `and the eye (colour) of the manna was as the eye (colour) of bdellium' (Num. xi. 7). This originated perhaps in the eye being the part of the body which exhibits different colours in different persons.
3. The surface, as the surface (eye) of the land' (Exod. x. 5, 15 ; Num. xxii. 5, II) : the last is the passage which affords most sanction to the notion that ain means in some places face.' This is the sense which our own and other versions give to eye to eye' (Num. xiv. 14, etc.), translated face to face.' The phrases are indeed equivalent in meaning ; but we are not thence to conclude that the Hebrews meant face' when they said eye,' but that they chose the opposition of the eyes, instead of that of the faces, to express the general meaning. Hence, therefore, we may ob ject to the extension of the signification in such pas sages as I Sam. xvi. 12, where beautiful eyes,' n Ty, is rendered beautiful countenance.' 4. It is also alleged that 'between (or about) the eyes' means the forehead, in Exod. xiii. 9, 16, and the forepart of the head, in Deut. vi. 8 ; but the passages are sufficiently intelligible, if under stood, to denote what they literally express ; and with reference to the last it may be remarked that there is hair about the eyes as well as on the head, the removal of which might as well be interdicted as an act of lamentation.
5. In Cant. iv. 9, eye' seems to be used poeti cally for look,' as is usual in most languages ; Thou lust stolen my heart with one of thy looks' (eyes).
6. In Prov. xxiii. 31, the term `eye' is applied to the beads or bubbles of wine, when poured out, but our version preserves the sense of colour.' To these some other phrases, requiring notice and explanation, may be added : Before the eyes' of any one, meaning in his presence ; or, as we should say, before his face' (Gen. xxiii. I I, 18 ; Exod. iv. 3o).
`In the eyes' of any one, means what appears to be so or so in his individual judgment or opinion ; and is equivalent to seeming' or ap pearing' (Gen. xix. S; xxix. 20 ; 2 Sam. x. 3).
To set the eyes' upon any one, is usually to regard him with favour (Gen. xliv. 21 ; Job xxiv. 23 ; Jet. xxxix. 12) ; but it occurs in a bad sense, as of looking with anger, in Amos ix. S. But anger is more usually expressed by the contrary action of turning the eyes away.
As many of the passions, such as envy, pride, pity, desire, are expressed by the eye ; so, in the Scriptural style, they are often ascribed to that organ. Hence such phrases as `evil eye' (Matt. xx. 15) • bountiful eye' (Prov. xxii. 9) ; haughty eyes' (Prov. vi. 17) ; wanton eyes' (Is. iii. 16) ; eyes full of adultery' (2 Pet. ii. 14) ; the lust of the eyes' (I John ii. 16). This last phrase is ap plied by some to lasciviousness, by others to cove tousness ; but it is best to take the expression in the most extensive sense, as denoting a craving for the gay vanities of this life (comp. Ezek. xxiv. 25). In the same chapter of Ezekiel (ver. 16), the de sire of thy eyes' is put not for the prophet's wife directly, as often understood, but whatever is one's greatest solace and delight ; which in this case was the prophet's wife—but which in another case might have been something else.
In Zech. iv. to, the angels of the Lord are called ' his eyes,' as being the executioners of his judg ments, and watching and attending for his glory. From some such association of ideas, the favourite ministers of state in the Persian monarchy were called ' the king's eyes.' So, in Num. x. 31, to be instead of eyes' is equivalent to being a prince, to rule and guide the people. This occurs also in the Greek poets, as in Pindar (Olymp. ii. to), where the eye of Sicilia' is given as a title to some of the chief men in Sicily, skewing his power. In like manner, in the same poet, the eye of the army' stands for a good commander (Olymp. vi. 16).
The expression in Psalm cxxiii. 2, As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters,' has suggested a number of curious illustrations from Oriental history and customs, tending to shew that masters, especially when in the presence of others, are in the habit of communicating to their servants orders and intimations by certain motions of their hands, which, although scarcely noticeable by other persons present, are clearly understood and promptly acted upon by the attendants. This cus tom keeps them with their attention bent upon the hand of their master, watching its slightest motions.
The celebrated passage, Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and consi derest not the beam that is in thine own eye ?' (Matt. vii. 3), has occasioned much waste of ex planation. It seems much better to understand it as a hyperbolical proverbial expression, than to contend that as &Kos cannot literally mean a beam,' it must here signify something else, a dis ease, a thorn, etc. (see Doddridge and Campbell, in loc.) As a proverbial phrase, parallels have been produced abundantly from the Rabbins, from the fathers, and from the classics.
Respecting blinding the eyes as a punishment, or political disqualification, see PUNISHMENT.