Biblical eye gouging (Judges 16:21 and 2 Kings 25:7)
"And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison." - Judges 16:21
"They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon." - 2 Kings 25:7
I was reading a survey of the Old Testament for class a few weeks back and wrote this down. I find it fascinating that what happened to Samson also happened to the last king of Israel. Pondering the significance of this had led me almost nowhere I just don't know what to make of it.
Maybe the Lord gouged out these leaders eyes to emphasize the finality of their rule as leaders. A sort of, "how can you lead if you must be led by the hand," or "now you will see no future." But these thoughts are mostly just musings with little to back them up. I also find this verse interesting:
"But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, 'On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.'" - 1 Samuel 11:2
Saul came up and destroyed these Ammonites but this was their condition should Jabesh-gilead choose to make a treaty with them.
Can you make any sense of this gouging of the eyes? I found an interesting blog article about these first two verses and "How sin blinds and binds." But I'm not sure this application answers my question.
"They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon." - 2 Kings 25:7
I was reading a survey of the Old Testament for class a few weeks back and wrote this down. I find it fascinating that what happened to Samson also happened to the last king of Israel. Pondering the significance of this had led me almost nowhere I just don't know what to make of it.
Maybe the Lord gouged out these leaders eyes to emphasize the finality of their rule as leaders. A sort of, "how can you lead if you must be led by the hand," or "now you will see no future." But these thoughts are mostly just musings with little to back them up. I also find this verse interesting:
"But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, 'On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.'" - 1 Samuel 11:2
Saul came up and destroyed these Ammonites but this was their condition should Jabesh-gilead choose to make a treaty with them.
Can you make any sense of this gouging of the eyes? I found an interesting blog article about these first two verses and "How sin blinds and binds." But I'm not sure this application answers my question.
like.. eyes are the old-testament double chins, and by cutting them out samson and zedekiah were given spiritual liposucktion (something along those lines...) but meh.
we'll see if anyone differs in your opinion.
As I recall, the older brethren outlined it like this:
- the last of the era of the patriarchs was marked by blindness(Genesis 48:10).
- the last of the era of the judges was marked by blindness (Judges 16:21).
- the last of the era of the priests was marked by blindness (1 Samuel 4:15).
- the last of the era of the prophets was marked by blindness (1 Kings 14:2)
- the last of the era of the kings was marked by blindness (Zechariah 25:7).
- the last of the era of the churches is marked by blindness (Revelation 3:17).
I trust this helps.
In Christ,
Steve
http://wiki.theologer.com/commentary:genesis