A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Eyes to the blind

Usage

A byword for someone who clarifies something.

Definition

Job protests his innocence of wrongdoing against those who claim that his suffering is deserved, and gives many instances of his good deeds, helping the blind and lame among them.

Bible References

Job 29:15

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹And Job again took up his discourse, and said: ²Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, ³when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, ⁴as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, ⁵when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, ⁶when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! ⁷When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, ⁸the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood; ⁹the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth; ¹⁰the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. ¹¹When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved, ¹²because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. ¹³The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. ¹⁴I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. ¹⁵I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. ¹⁶I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. ¹⁷I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. ¹⁸Then I thought, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, ¹⁹my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches, ²⁰my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand. ²¹Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. ²²After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them. ²³They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. ²⁴I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down. ²⁵I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.

¹Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, ²Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; ³When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; ⁴As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; ⁵When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; ⁶When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; ⁷When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! ⁸The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. ⁹The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. ¹⁰The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. ¹¹When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: ¹²Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. ¹³The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. ¹⁴I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. ¹⁵I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. ¹⁶I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. ¹⁷And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. ¹⁸Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. ¹⁹My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. ²⁰My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. ²¹Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. ²²After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. ²³And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. ²⁴If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. ²⁵I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

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