Word Study for H5788 (עִוָּרוֹן)

ʻivvârôwn /iv-vaw-rone'/ Ask about this word

Rootand (feminine) עַוֶּרֶת · from עִוֵּר

Meaningblindness

KJV usageblind(-ness).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻivvârôwn — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻivvârôwn, represented by H5788, is the term for blindness. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. The word refers to a state of blindness, used to describe both a physical condition and a divinely inflicted affliction.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5788 is used in two primary contexts. First, it denotes a physical blemish that renders an animal unacceptable for sacrifice to the Lord, listed alongside conditions like being broken or maimed Leviticus 22:22. Second, it appears as a form of divine judgment. As part of the curses for disobedience, the Lord threatens to smite the people with madness, blindness, and astonishment of heart Deuteronomy 28:28. This theme is echoed in Zechariah, where the Lord promises to smite the horses of the people with blindness in a day of battle Zechariah 12:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the concept of divinely inflicted blindness:

H5221 nâkâh (to strike): This root verb is used to describe the action that brings about the blindness. Both Deuteronomy 28:28 and Zechariah 12:4 state that the Lord will smite with blindness.
H7697 shiggâʻôwn (craziness; furiously, madness): This term appears directly alongside blindness in the curses listed in Deuteronomy and the judgment described in Zechariah, indicating a related state of mental confusion (Deuteronomy 28:28, Zechariah 12:4).
H8541 timmâhôwn (consternation; astonishment): This word for profound confusion is also paired with blindness and madness in the same passages of divine judgment (Deuteronomy 28:28, Zechariah 12:4).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5788 is significant, highlighting God's standards and power.

Requirement for Holiness: Its use in Leviticus establishes that physical wholeness, the opposite of conditions like blindness, is a prerequisite for that which is presented to the Lord, symbolizing the need for perfection in offerings Leviticus 22:22.
Instrument of Divine Judgment: Blindness is not merely a random affliction but a specific tool of God's judgment. It is used as a curse for disobedience and as a weapon to create confusion and helplessness among enemies (Deuteronomy 28:28, Zechariah 12:4).
State of Helplessness: When used as a punishment, blindness is grouped with madness and astonishment, illustrating a complete state of physical and mental disarray inflicted by God upon those who stand against Him or His people.

Summary

In summary, H5788 is more than a term for a physical impairment. It functions within the biblical text as a standard for sacrificial purity and, more powerfully, as a symbol of divine judgment. Its pairing with terms for madness and astonishment demonstrates its use as a potent affliction meant to strike down and confound the disobedient and the enemies of God's people.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

עִוָּרוֹן
עַוֶּרֶת

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Zechariah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Leviticus

Deuteronomy

Zechariah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.