### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **çanvêr**, represented by `{{H5575}}`, is a term for **blindness**. Its derivation is uncertain, but in scripture it appears **3 times** across **2 unique verses**, always in the plural form to describe a state of blindness.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The use of `{{H5575}}` in the biblical narrative is specific and dramatic, occurring only as a result of direct divine intervention. In Genesis, the **men** `{{H582}}` who threatened the house were smitten with **blindness** `{{H5575}}` to neutralize their wicked intentions [[Genesis 19:11]]. Similarly, in 2 Kings, the prophet Elisha prayed to the **LORD** `{{H3068}}` to smite an opposing people with **blindness** `{{H5575}}`, and God did so according to his word [[2 Kings 6:18]]. In both cases, the blindness is a supernatural act to thwart an enemy.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words are key to understanding the context in which `{{H5575}}` appears:
* `{{H5221}}` **nâkâh** (to strike): This action is directly paired with **blindness** in both occurrences. It describes the divine act of inflicting this condition, to **smite** a person or people ([[Genesis 19:11]], [[2 Kings 6:18]]).
* `{{H6419}}` **pâlal** (to pray): This is the catalyst for the miracle in the 2 Kings account. Elisha **prayed** to God, requesting that the enemy be struck with blindness, demonstrating a direct link between intercession and divine action [[2 Kings 6:18]].
* `{{H582}}` **ʼĕnôwsh** (a man): This word identifies the recipients of the divine judgment in Genesis as mortal **men** acting with hostility [[Genesis 19:11]].
* `{{H1471}}` **gôwy** (a foreign nation): This term broadens the scope of the miracle in 2 Kings, where Elisha asks God to smite an entire **people** or nation, not just a few individuals [[2 Kings 6:18]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H5575}}` is concentrated in its use as a divine tool.
* **Divine Intervention:** Blindness, in these contexts, is never a natural ailment. It is a targeted, supernatural event initiated by God to protect His people or enact His will, as when the hostile **men** were struck [[Genesis 19:11]].
* **Judgment and Control:** The act of inflicting **blindness** serves as a form of divine judgment and control. It incapacitates enemies without necessarily destroying them, showcasing God's power to neutralize threats decisively.
* **Power of Prophetic Prayer:** The account of Elisha demonstrates that prayer can be a means to invoke God's power against adversaries. His request for God to **smite** the nation `{{H1471}}` with **blindness** is immediately fulfilled [[2 Kings 6:18]].
### Summary
In summary, **çanvêr** `{{H5575}}` is a specific and potent term for a supernaturally induced **blindness**. Although rare, its appearances are pivotal, illustrating God's power to intervene directly in human affairs. It is consistently portrayed as an act of being "smitten," used to disarm opponents and fulfill the divine purpose, whether against a mob of **men** or an entire **nation**.
TRV